Privacy

Last updated: October 13, 2026

Introduction

Welcome to CiaoBonjour, available at ciaobonjour.com.

CiaoBonjour is an independent European travel blog operated by Sarah Kenny, based in the United Kingdom. We respect the privacy of our visitors and are committed to being transparent about how personal information is collected, used, and protected.

This Privacy Policy explains what information may be collected when you visit CiaoBonjour, contact us, or interact with links and services featured on the website.

1. Information We Collect

Depending on how you use the website, we may collect the following information:

  • Contact information: Your name, email address, and any information you choose to include when submitting our contact form.
  • Technical information: Information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, referring website, and pages visited. This may be collected automatically by our website hosting provider and associated services.
  • Cookies and similar technologies: Information used to support website functionality, security, visitor statistics, and, where applicable, affiliate tracking.

You are not required to submit personal information simply to read our travel guides.

2. How We Use Your Information

Personal information may be used to:

  • Respond to questions and messages submitted through our contact form.
  • Operate, maintain, and secure the website.
  • Understand website performance and improve the experience for readers.
  • Identify and prevent spam, abuse, and security threats.
  • Support affiliate referrals and commission attribution where affiliate technology is used.
  • Meet applicable legal obligations.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Where UK data protection law applies, we process personal information using an appropriate lawful basis under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

This may include:

  • Legitimate interests: To respond to inquiries, maintain the website, prevent misuse, and operate our independent travel publishing activities, where those interests are not overridden by your rights.
  • Consent: Where consent is required for optional cookies or tracking technologies.
  • Legal obligations: Where processing is necessary to comply with applicable laws.

4. Contact Forms

When you contact CiaoBonjour using our website contact form, we collect the information you provide so that we can respond to your inquiry.

Our contact form is provided through WordPress.com. Form submissions may be delivered by email and stored within our WordPress.com dashboard, including associated technical information such as IP addresses.

We use this information for correspondence and related follow-up. We do not use contact form submissions to add visitors automatically to marketing mailing lists.

Correspondence is kept only as long as reasonably necessary to deal with the inquiry, any related follow-up, and applicable legal requirements. Older messages are reviewed and deleted when no longer needed.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

CiaoBonjour is hosted on WordPress.com, which may use cookies and similar technologies for website functionality, security, performance, and associated services.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly. Other technologies, including optional analytics or affiliate tracking, may require additional privacy choices or consent, depending on applicable law.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some websites.

For further information about WordPress.com’s privacy practices, please visit Automattic’s Privacy Policy.

6. Affiliate Links and Third-Party Websites

CiaoBonjour may feature affiliate links to accommodation providers, travel experiences, and other travel-related services.

We may earn a commission when visitors make eligible purchases or bookings through these links, at no additional cost to the visitor.

Affiliate services may include Stay22, which provides travel booking links and technology used to attribute qualifying referrals.

Where Stay22 affiliate technology is active, cookies or other tracking technologies may be used to support referral attribution and reporting. The information processed depends on the services and technologies enabled.

For more information, please see Stay22’s Privacy Policy.

When you click an external booking link, you may be directed to a third-party website. These websites have their own privacy policies, terms, and data handling practices.

We encourage visitors to review the privacy policies of external booking platforms before providing personal or payment information.

7. Website Hosting and Service Providers

CiaoBonjour uses WordPress.com, operated by Automattic, for website hosting and related functionality.

Personal information may be processed by service providers involved in website hosting, contact form delivery, security, and relevant third-party services.

Some service providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where required by applicable data protection law, appropriate international transfer arrangements and safeguards must apply.

You can contact us for further information about the services used and applicable data protection arrangements.

8. How Long We Keep Information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including responding to inquiries, maintaining website security, and complying with legal obligations.

Retention periods may differ depending on the type of information and the service processing it. Information that is no longer needed will be deleted or handled in accordance with applicable retention requirements.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable privacy laws, you may have rights to:

  • Request access to personal information held about you.
  • Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected.
  • Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.
  • Request restrictions on certain processing activities.
  • Object to certain uses of your information.
  • Request data portability where applicable.
  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

Visitors in certain US states may also have additional privacy rights under applicable state laws.

To make a privacy-related request, please use the Contact page linked in our website footer. We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

If you are based in the United Kingdom, you also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), available at ico.org.uk.

10. Children’s Privacy

CiaoBonjour provides general travel information and is not specifically directed at children.

We do not intentionally request personal information from children through our travel content. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through our website, please contact us so the matter can be reviewed.

11. Information Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information processed through CiaoBonjour and use established service providers for website hosting and related functions.

However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as CiaoBonjour develops, including when new features, analytics tools, or affiliate services are introduced.

Any changes will be published on this page, together with an updated revision date.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, how your information is handled, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact:

CiaoBonjour
Operated by Sarah Kenny
United Kingdom
Website: https://ciaobonjour.com/

You can send a message using the Contact CiaoBonjour page linked in the website footer.