How we handle your information

This policy explains what we collect when you contact us or stay with us, why we collect it, and what you can ask us to do with it.

Last updated September 2026.

Who we are

The Oakhouse Lodge is a guest lodge, function and conference venue near Ogies, Mpumalanga, South Africa. We are responsible for the personal information you share with us. Our contact person for privacy matters is Sonja Bierman, who you can reach on +27 82 455 8344 or at theoakhouselodge@gmail.com.

What we collect

We only collect what we need to answer your enquiry and look after your booking:

Your name and surname

Your email address and phone number

Your preferred dates and number of guests

Anything you tell us in your message, such as dietary requirements or event details

Payment and invoicing details when you confirm a booking or function

Guest register details required of accommodation establishments on arrival

Why we collect it

We use your information to reply to enquiries, quote on accommodation, functions, retreats and catering, confirm and manage bookings, prepare meals and arrange the details of your stay or event, issue invoices, and keep the records the law requires us to keep.

If you ask us for a catering or function quote, we may share the relevant details with our kitchen and service team so they can plan for your event. We do not sell your information to anyone.

Marketing

We will only send you news, seasonal specials or function packages if you have asked us to. You can tell us to stop at any time by replying to the message or sending us an email, and we will remove you from the list.

Who else sees it

We share information only where it is needed to run the lodge: with our service providers, such as our website host, email provider and payment processor, and with authorities where the law requires it. Anyone acting for us is expected to keep your information confidential and to use it only for the work we have asked them to do.

How long we keep it

Enquiries that do not lead to a booking are kept only as long as we may still be of help to you. Booking, invoicing and guest register records are kept for the periods set by South African tax and accommodation regulations, and are then deleted or destroyed.

Cookies and website statistics

Our website may use cookies and basic visitor statistics to see which pages are useful and to keep the site working properly. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking them will not stop you from reading the site or contacting us.

Your rights

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act you may ask us what information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, ask us to delete it where we are not required to keep it, and object to us using it for marketing. Write to Sonja Bierman at theoakhouselodge@gmail.com and we will respond as soon as we reasonably can.

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your information, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

Keeping it safe

We take reasonable steps to protect your information, keep access limited to the people who need it, and store booking records securely. No system is completely secure, so if something goes wrong that affects your information we will tell you and the Regulator as required.

Photographs at the lodge

We sometimes photograph the lodge, our gardens and our function spaces for our website and social media. If you are a guest at a function and would prefer not to appear in a photograph we use publicly, tell us or your host and we will respect that.

Changes to this policy

If we change how we handle personal information we will update this page and change the date above. Please have a look at it from time to time.

Questions

Speak to Sonja Bierman on +27 82 455 8344 or email theoakhouselodge@gmail.com. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 to 16:30. Weekends and public holidays are by appointment only.