Privacy Policy

    Last updated: 14 November 2026

    1. Introduction

    Hols is operated by HOLS SA (Pty) Ltd (registration number 2026/758441/07), Sedgefield, Western Cape, South Africa. HOLS SA (Pty) Ltd is the responsible party, as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), for the personal information processed through hols.co.za. This Privacy Policy explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, and your rights. Our Information Officer is Francois Deysel, who can be contacted at info@hols.co.za for any privacy question or request.

    2. Information We Collect

    We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

    • Register for an account
    • Make a booking or list a property
    • Contact us with enquiries
    • Subscribe to our newsletter

    This information may include your name, email address, phone number, postal address, payment information, and any other details you choose to provide.

    3. How We Use Your Information

    We use the information we collect to:

    • Process bookings and payments
    • Communicate with you about your account and bookings
    • Provide customer support
    • Send promotional communications (with your consent)
    • Improve our services and website
    • Comply with legal obligations

    4. Information Sharing

    We share personal information only as needed to run the service, and never sell it. Hosts receive the details needed to manage a guest's booking, and guests receive the host's contact details once a booking is confirmed. We use these operators (service providers who process information on our behalf): TradeSafe Escrow (booking payments, escrow, refunds and payouts); Lovable Cloud (website hosting, database and file storage); Lovable AI, using Google Gemini models (AI writing help, translation and the assistants — we send only the text needed for the task); Resend (account and booking emails); BulkSMS (phone verification codes); and Google Analytics (site usage statistics, only with your cookie consent). We also share information with authorities where the law requires it.

    5. Cookies & Similar Technologies

    Hols uses cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage) on our website. Under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act and POPIA (the Protection of Personal Information Act), we only set non-essential cookies with your consent. The first time you visit, you will be shown a cookie banner where you can accept all, reject non-essential, or set granular preferences. You can change your choices at any time using the button below.

    5.1 Categories we use

    Strictly necessary (always on)

    Required for core functionality: keeping you signed in, securing your session, remembering items in your booking flow, and storing your cookie consent choice. Examples: sb-* (authentication), hols_cookie_consent (your preference). These are needed to provide the service, so no consent is required.

    Analytics (off by default)

    Google Analytics 4 with IP anonymisation. Helps us measure how the site is used so we can improve it. Cookies: _ga, _ga_*. Provider: Google Ireland Ltd. Lawful basis: consent.

    Marketing (off by default)

    Used to measure advertising performance and personalise content on third-party sites. Lawful basis: consent.

    5.2 International transfers

    Some of our operators (for example Google, and our hosting and email providers) may process information outside South Africa. We only allow this where section 72 of POPIA is met — for example, where the recipient is bound by law, binding corporate rules or a written agreement giving protection substantially similar to POPIA.

    5.3 Manage your choices

    You can withdraw or change your consent at any time. You can also block or delete cookies through your browser settings, but this may affect site functionality.

    6. Data Security

    We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.

    7. Your Rights

    Under SA data protection laws, you have the right to:

    • Access the personal data we hold about you
    • Request correction of inaccurate data
    • Request deletion of your data
    • Object to or restrict processing of your data
    • Data portability
    • Withdraw consent at any time
    • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (inforegulator.org.za)

    8. Data Retention

    We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes in this policy, or longer where the law requires (for example, financial and tax records). Guest registration forms are an exception: when a host enables them, the guest's details (such as names, ID or passport details, nationality, address and vehicle registration) are collected for the host, who is responsible for keeping them under the Immigration Act. Hols permanently deletes completed registration form data on (or immediately after) the check-out date.

    9. Contact Us

    If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at . info@hols.co.za.