Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy applies to all visitors, guests, and prospective guests who access the website operated at imbranom.com by Vernora Boutique Hotel (Pty) Ltd (Proprietary Limited), trading as Vernora ("Vernora", "the Hotel", "the Company", "us", "we", or "our"). This policy is effective from 1 January 2026 and remains in force until amended or replaced by a subsequently published version on this page. This policy must be read together with the Vernora Privacy Policy, which governs the broader processing of personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").
1. Scope and Purpose of This Policy
1.1. This policy explains what cookies and similar tracking technologies (including pixels, local storage objects, and tags) are used on the Vernora website, why they are used, what categories of cookies are deployed, and how a visitor may exercise choice and control over non-essential cookies.
1.2. This policy does not apply to cookies or tracking technologies that may be set by third-party websites to which the Vernora website links, including third-party booking platforms, payment gateways, or social media platforms. Visitors are encouraged to consult the cookie and privacy policies of those third parties independently.
2. What Cookies Are
2.1. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on a visitor's computer, tablet, or mobile device when that visitor accesses a website. Cookies allow the website to recognise the visitor's device on subsequent visits, to remember preferences or actions taken, and to gather information regarding the manner in which the website is used.
2.2. Cookies may be "session" cookies, which are deleted automatically when the browser is closed, or "persistent" cookies, which remain on the visitor's device for a fixed period or until manually deleted. Cookies may further be classified as "first-party" cookies, set directly by the Vernora website, or "third-party" cookies, set by a service provider acting on behalf of Vernora or by an independent third party whose functionality is embedded in the website.
3. Consent Categories Used on This Website
3.1. On first accessing the Vernora website, a visitor is presented with a cookie consent banner allowing the visitor to accept or decline non-essential cookies by category. The categories deployed on this website are as follows.
3.1.1. Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies are strictly required for the website to function and cannot be switched off through the consent banner. These cookies do not store personally identifiable information beyond what is required for basic functionality and typically relate to session management, load balancing, security tokens (including protection against cross-site request forgery when a visitor submits the contact form described in clause 4 below), and the recording of the visitor's cookie consent preferences. The processing of necessary cookies is undertaken on the basis that it is required for the performance of the website's core functionality requested by the visitor and constitutes a legitimate interest of Vernora in operating a secure and functional website, in accordance with POPIA.
3.1.2. Analytics Cookies
Analytics cookies are used, where consented to, to collect aggregated and pseudonymised information regarding how visitors interact with the Vernora website, including pages visited, time spent on the site, referral sources, and general geographic region derived from IP address. This information assists Vernora in understanding visitor behaviour, improving the content of the website, and evaluating the effectiveness of the pages describing the hotel's rooms, dining, and services. Analytics cookies are only activated where the visitor has given explicit consent through the cookie banner.
3.1.3. Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies are used, where consented to, to track visitors across the Vernora website and, where applicable, across third-party websites, in order to build a profile of visitor interests and to display advertising relevant to those interests, including retargeted advertisements inviting a visitor who has viewed the site to return and complete a booking enquiry or subscribe to the Vernora newsletter. Marketing cookies may also be used to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. Marketing cookies are only activated where the visitor has given explicit consent through the cookie banner and may be withdrawn at any time as described in clause 6 below.
4. Cookies and the Website's Data Collection Flows
4.1. The Vernora website collects personal information directly through two identified flows, being the contact form and the email subscription form. Cookies interact with these flows as follows.
4.2. When a visitor completes the contact form to make a booking enquiry, request information regarding the hotel's rooms and facilities, or raise a query with hotel staff, a necessary cookie is used to preserve the state of the form and to protect the submission against forgery, but no analytics or marketing cookie is used to process the content of that form unless the visitor has separately consented to those categories.
4.3. When a visitor subscribes to receive email updates from Vernora regarding promotions, seasonal offers, and hotel news, a necessary cookie may be used to confirm that the subscription request originated from the visitor's own session. Where the visitor has consented to marketing cookies, subsequent engagement with emails and the website may be used to tailor the content of future marketing communications, subject always to the visitor's right to unsubscribe at any time as set out in the Privacy Policy.
5. Retention Periods
5.1. Cookies are retained for differing periods depending on their category and function. The table below sets out the applicable retention periods for cookies deployed on the Vernora website.
| Cookie Category | Typical Retention Period | Consent Required |
|---|---|---|
| Necessary (session management, security, consent record) | Session, or up to 12 months for consent records | No |
| Analytics | Up to 14 months | Yes |
| Marketing | Up to 12 months, or until consent is withdrawn | Yes |
6. Managing and Withdrawing Consent
6.1. A visitor may at any time review and amend cookie preferences by accessing the cookie preference settings available via the link provided in the website footer, or by adjusting browser-level settings to block or delete cookies generally.
6.2. Withdrawal of consent to analytics or marketing cookies does not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out prior to withdrawal and does not affect the operation of necessary cookies required for the website to function.
6.3. Visitors should be aware that disabling certain cookies, including necessary cookies through browser-level controls, may impair the functionality of the website, including the ability to submit the contact form or complete the email subscription process.
7. Data Subject Rights
7.1. To the extent that information collected via cookies constitutes personal information as defined in POPIA, visitors retain the rights set out in the Vernora Privacy Policy, including the right to access, correct, or request deletion of such information, and the right to object to processing carried out on the basis of legitimate interest.
7.2. Enquiries regarding this Cookie Policy, or requests to exercise the rights referred to above, should be directed to Vernora Boutique Hotel (Pty) Ltd at [email protected] or +27 12 393 3465, or in writing to 214 Lois Avenue, 0181 Pretoria, South Africa.
8. Amendments to This Policy
8.1. Vernora reserves the right to amend this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in cookie technology, applicable law, or the manner in which the website is operated. The version published on the website at imbranom.com at any given time shall be the operative version, and material changes will be indicated by an updated effective date at the head of this document.