PRIVACY POLICY

Nantucket Whale Inn (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our website at www.nantucketwhaleinn.com (the “Site”) or complete a reservation. By using the Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Information We Collect

When you contact us, submit a form, request information, sign up for communications, or make a reservation, we may collect personal information such as your name, email address, phone number, mailing or billing address, payment details, reservation dates, guest preferences, and any notes or special requests you choose to provide. When you visit the Site, we automatically collect technical information including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages viewed, links clicked, referring websites, advertising sources, and general browsing behavior. This information helps us understand how visitors use the Site and supports improvements to performance and functionality. We may also compile aggregated, non-identifiable data for analytics and marketing insights. Aggregated data does not personally identify you.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to process reservations, manage bookings, send confirmations, provide customer service, respond to inquiries, operate our hotel management systems, enhance our services, and comply with legal, regulatory, and tax obligations. If you choose to opt in, we may also send marketing communications, which you may unsubscribe from at any time.

Booking Engine & Reservation Processing

Nantucket Whale Inn uses a secure online reservation system powered by Siteminder / Little Hotelier (Direct-Book). Although the booking page is hosted on the direct-book.com domain, it is operated exclusively on behalf of Nantucket Whale Inn and functions as an extension of our official website. All reservation information, including payment details, guest information, and stay preferences, is transmitted through secure SSL encryption and managed solely by Nantucket Whale Inn and our authorized booking partner. The booking engine does not sell or share personal information and is fully integrated into our hotel operations.

Third-Party Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers including booking engines, payment processors, website hosts, analytics platforms, and email service providers. These partners may access your personal information only as necessary to perform services on our behalf and are required to protect your information according to their own privacy and security standards. We may also disclose personal information when required by law, court order, or regulatory authorities, or when necessary to protect the safety, rights, or property of the Inn, our guests, or the public. We do not sell or rent personal information to unaffiliated third parties for their marketing purposes.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

The Site uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience. Cookies help maintain reservation sessions, remember preferences, analyze site usage, personalize content, and support advertising and remarketing functions. Cookies do not personally identify you. You may disable non-essential cookies in your browser settings, although doing so may limit certain features of the Site. You may also opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. Third-party websites linked from our Site may use their own cookies and tracking systems, which are governed by their respective privacy policies.

Advertising, Analytics & Referral Data

We use Google Ads, Google Analytics, and similar tools to evaluate website performance and improve our services. These tools may collect non-identifiable interaction data and referral information when you click an advertisement for the Inn. This information helps us measure advertising effectiveness and does not personally identify you. We do not use tracking technologies to sell personal data or identify individual users for unrelated advertising.

Information Security

We take reasonable administrative, physical, and technical measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include SSL encryption, secure server environments, firewalls, and restricted access controls. While we follow industry standards and take significant precautions, no online transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.

Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of eighteen. Individuals under 18 are not permitted to use the Site or submit information. If we become aware that information from a minor has been collected, we will delete it promptly.

Links to Other Websites

The Site may contain links to external websites that operate independently and are governed by their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage users to review the privacy policies of external sites before submitting personal information.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Nantucket Whale Inn does not sell or share personal information as defined under these laws. California residents may request information about the personal data we collect or request deletion of their personal information by contacting us.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as required by applicable legal, regulatory, or tax obligations. When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymized.

Your Choices & Withdrawing Consent

You may request access to your information, request corrections, request deletion, or withdraw consent at any time by contacting us. Withdrawing consent may limit your ability to use certain Site features or reservation services. You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time through the link provided in each email or by contacting us directly.

Business Identity & Verification Statement

Nantucket Whale Inn is operated, managed, and marketed by Arete Property Management, LLC, a California-registered limited liability company responsible for all administrative, operational, financial, compliance, and advertising activities related to the inn. Arete Property Management, LLC is formally registered under Employer Identification Number (EIN) 84-5132467 and maintains a verifiable business presence in California while the Nantucket Whale Inn operates at 779 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. This website, including all booking, communication, and digital advertising systems, is owned and administered by Arete Property Management, LLC on behalf of Nantucket Whale Inn. Our reservation platform is provided through Direct-Book.com and is fully integrated with our property-management systems; all reservation data, payments, and guest communications processed through the booking engine are administered directly under Arete Property Management, LLC to ensure proper oversight and compliance. Authorized representatives of the company include Kristjan Higdon, who oversees governance, regulatory documentation, and operational compliance; Matt Medeiros, who manages marketing, digital advertising, website administration, and Google Ads identity verification; and Sandra Schröder, the Innkeeper responsible for onsite operations, cleanliness protocols, and guest-service standards. All Google Ads campaigns, billing profiles, payment methods, and identity-verification submissions are handled exclusively through Arete Property Management, LLC to ensure full alignment between the verified business entity, the taxpayer information on file, the payment instruments used for advertising, and the property being promoted. All identity-verification records submitted to Google accurately reflect our business structure, operational control, and authorized representatives. This disclosure is included to satisfy advertising-transparency requirements and to maintain full compliance with Google Ads policies, hospitality regulations, and applicable state and federal laws. Guests and advertising platforms may contact Arete Property Management, LLC at the phone number or email listed on this site for any questions related to business identity, regulatory compliance, or operational authority.

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on this page, and continued use of the Site after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact us:

If you would like more information or have any questions, please call us 650 726-1616 or contact us or email us at info@nantucketwhaleinn.com