This Privacy Policy explains how Ancestral Escapes collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use this website, contact us, or book a retreat.
- Who we are
Ancestral Escapes is operated by Maxine Pye.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is used, you can contact:
Email: admin@ancestralescapes.com
Website: https://ancestralescapes.com
For the purposes of data protection law, Ancestral Escapes is the data controller of the personal information you provide to us.
- What personal information we collect
We may collect and process the following personal information:
Your name
Your email address
Your telephone number
Your billing details
Your booking details
Your room preference and retreat preferences
Messages you send by email, contact form, WhatsApp, or social media
Payment information, where relevant through third party payment providers
Information about dietary requirements, allergies, injuries, health concerns, or accessibility needs, where you choose to provide it
Technical information such as IP address, browser type, and website usage data through cookies or analytics tools
- How we collect your information
We collect information when you:
Visit our website
Fill in a contact form
Send us an enquiry
Email or message us
Book a retreat
Make a payment or pay a deposit
Sign up to receive updates, where offered
- How we use your information
We use your information to:
Respond to enquiries
Manage bookings and retreat arrangements
Send booking confirmations, invoices, and retreat updates
Process payments
Communicate important information about the retreat
Pass on relevant dietary or accessibility information to the venue where necessary
Keep internal booking and financial records
Improve our website and services
Comply with legal and accounting obligations
- Lawful bases for processing
We process personal information on the following lawful bases:
Contract
Where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before booking, or to perform the contract once you book a retreat.
Legal obligation
Where we need to keep certain records for tax, accounting, or other legal reasons.
Legitimate interests
Where it is necessary for us to manage enquiries, run the retreat business, maintain records, improve the website, and communicate with guests, provided your rights do not override those interests.
Consent
Where you choose to sign up for marketing emails or voluntarily provide certain sensitive information.
- Special category information
If you choose to share health related information such as allergies, injuries, mobility concerns, or dietary needs, we will only use that information for the specific purpose of helping manage your retreat arrangements.
Please only provide health or dietary information that is genuinely relevant to your stay.
- Who we share your information with
We may share your personal information where necessary with:
The retreat venue
Payment providers
Website hosting or website service providers
Booking, invoicing, or e commerce providers
Email service providers
Professional advisers such as accountants, legal advisers, or insurers
Regulators, authorities, or law enforcement where required by law
We only share the minimum information reasonably needed for the relevant purpose.
Optional activities, treatments, or third party services booked separately are usually handled directly between you and the relevant provider.
- Payments
If you make a payment through a third party payment provider such as Stripe, PayPal, WooCommerce, or bank transfer, your payment information is processed through that provider in accordance with their own privacy policy and security standards.
We do not store your full card details ourselves.
- Cookies and website data
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to help the site function properly, understand how visitors use the site, and improve performance.
You can usually control cookies through your browser settings.
If we use a cookie consent banner or analytics tools, those will apply in addition to this policy.
- How long we keep your information
We only keep your information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this policy.
As a general guide:
Enquiry data may be kept for up to 12 months
Booking and payment records may be kept for up to 6 years for legal and accounting purposes
Marketing records may be kept until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
We may keep information longer where required by law or where reasonably necessary to deal with disputes, complaints, or claims.
- International transfers
Some of the service providers we use may store or process data outside the UK.
Where this happens, we will only use providers that offer an appropriate level of protection for your personal information in line with data protection law.
- Your rights
Under data protection law, you may have the right to:
Request access to the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request erasure of your information in certain circumstances
Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
Object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances
Request transfer of your information where applicable
Withdraw consent where we rely on consent
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at admin@ancestralescapes.com.
- Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact us first and we will do our best to resolve the issue.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK if you believe your personal information has been handled unlawfully or unfairly.
- Marketing
If you choose to sign up for updates or marketing emails, we may use your contact details to send you retreat news, offers, or updates.
You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us directly.
We will not add you to marketing emails without a valid lawful basis.
- Third party links
This website may include links to third party websites, payment providers, booking tools, or social media platforms.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third party websites. Please check their policies before providing personal information.
- Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our business, services, or legal obligations.
Last updated 23 March 2026