Privacy Policy
Sonas Stays ("Sonas Stays", "we", "us", "our") operates short-term rental accommodation in Australia. We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect personal information when you visit our website, make an enquiry, or book a stay with us - whether directly through sonasstays.com.au or through a booking platform such as Airbnb or Booking.com. It also covers our dealings with property owners and letting agents we partner with.
By using our website or booking with us, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
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Contact details: name, email address, phone number
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Booking details: check-in/check-out dates, number of guests, property selected, special requests
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Payment information: collected securely through our payment processor, Merchant Warrior. We do not store full card details on our own systems.
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Identity verification: for direct website and Booking.com reservations, our identity verification provider, Truvi, collects a copy of your government-issued photo ID and a live selfie directly from you to confirm your identity and meet short-stay accommodation compliance requirements in Victoria and NSW. For Airbnb reservations, identity verification is conducted directly by Airbnb under their own process, and we do not receive or access your ID
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Technical data: IP address, browser type, and pages visited on our website, collected via cookies and website analytics
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Communications: the content of emails, messages or enquiries you send us
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Property owner/agent details: where we manage a property on your behalf, we collect your name, contact details and payment details for the purposes of that arrangement
We will never sell, rent or trade your personal information.
2. How We Collect It
We collect information:
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Directly from you: through our website enquiry form, email, phone, or in person at check-in
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Through our booking channels: our website booking engine, Airbnb, and Booking.com
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Through Guesty, our property and channel management system, which consolidates guest and booking details across all of the above channels
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Through Merchant Warrior, our secure payment gateway, when you make a payment
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Through Truvi, our identity verification provider, for direct website and Booking.com reservations
3. How We Use It
We use your information to:
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Confirm and manage your booking
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Communicate with you before, during and after your stay
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Verify your identity at check-in and meet short-stay accommodation regulations
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Process payments and refunds
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Maintain the safety and security of our properties and guests
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Respond to enquiries and provide customer support
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Improve our website and services
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Send marketing communications - only if you've opted in, and you can unsubscribe at any time
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Meet our legal and regulatory obligations
4. Who We Share It With
We may share your information with:
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Our team - Sonas Stays staff who manage bookings, guest communications and day-to-day property operations
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Service providers - To process payments, manage bookings, or host data securely, your information is also handled under their respective privacy policies
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Platform Partners - If you book tvia a third-party site (e.g. Airbnb or Booking.com), your data is also subject to their respective privacy policies
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Legal and regulatory bodies - When required to comply with applicable laws, legal proceedings, or government request
5. Overseas Disclosure
Some of the service providers we use - including Guesty, Airbnb and Booking.com - may store or process data on servers located outside Australia including the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information continues to be handled consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles.
6. Identity Documents
For direct website and Booking.com reservations, identity verification is carried out by Truvi, our identity verification provider, who collect your photo ID and a live selfie directly from you via a secure verification link. We view verification outcomes through a secure dashboard for the purposes of confirming your identity and meeting short-stay accommodation compliance requirements, but we do not download or separately store copies of your ID. Retention of the underlying documents is governed by Truvi's own privacy policy, available at truvi.com/privacy-policy.
For Airbnb reservations, identity verification is handled entirely by Airbnb, and we do not access or store any ID information for these bookings.
7. Cookies & Website Analytics
Our website uses cookies through our website platform, to help us understand how visitors use our site and to improve navigation and content. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.
8. Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your data from unauthorised access, use, or disclosure. This includes secure payment processing and limiting access to sensitive information. However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Your Rights
You have the right to:
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Request access to the personal information we hold about you
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Ask us to correct inaccurate or out-of-date information
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Withdraw consent to marketing communications at any time
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Request deletion of your information, where legally permitted
To exercise these rights, contact us using the details below. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are intended for individuals aged 18 and over, consistent with the requirement to be an adult to book accommodation. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
11. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to other websites, including our booking platform partners. Those sites have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Continued use of our website or services after changes are posted means you accept the updated policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions about this policy, or wish to access or correct your personal information, contact us at:
14. Disclaimer
We have, in preparing this information, used our best endeavours to ensure that the information contained therein is true and accurate, but accept no responsibility and disclaim all liability in respect of any errors, inaccuracies or misstatements contained herein.
Last updated: July 2026