1. Introduction

(“we”, “us” or “our”) operates the website merquelloroyalhotel.com (the “Site”) for the Merquello Royal Hotel, located at .

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar storage technologies are, how we use them on the Site, what choices you have regarding their use, and how you can manage or withdraw your consent at any time. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which sets out the broader basis on which we handle personal data collected through or in connection with the Site.

We are committed to transparency about the technologies we use and to giving you meaningful control over your browsing experience. We do not deploy optional storage technologies until you have actively accepted the relevant category through our on-site consent tool.

2. What Cookies and Similar Technologies Are

A cookie is a small text file that a website places on your device (computer, tablet or smartphone) when you visit. Cookies allow the website to remember information about your visit — for example, your preferred language or the contents of a booking enquiry form — so that you do not have to re-enter that information on your next visit or as you move between pages.

In addition to traditional cookies, this Policy covers the following similar technologies, which may store or access information on your device in comparable ways:

• Local storage and session storage — browser-based storage mechanisms that allow data to be saved within your browser for either the duration of a session or on a persistent basis, without an expiry date sent by the server.
• Pixel tags and web beacons — tiny transparent images or single-pixel graphics embedded in web pages or emails that can signal when a page has been loaded or an email has been opened, and may collect certain technical data about the request.
• Scripts and tracking codes — small pieces of code that run in your browser and may collect information about your interaction with the Site.

Throughout this Policy, we use the word “cookies” as a convenient shorthand for all of the above technologies unless we specify otherwise.

3. How We Categorise Cookies

We group cookies into four categories based on their purpose. The first category is strictly necessary for the Site to function and is therefore active at all times. The remaining three categories are optional: they are not loaded or activated until you give your explicit consent through our consent management tool.

3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly necessary cookies enable core functions of the Site without which it cannot operate properly. These include functions such as navigating between pages, maintaining the security of your session, remembering items in a reservation enquiry, and applying your cookie consent preferences. Because these cookies are essential to the provision of the service you have requested, they do not require your separate consent under applicable Australian law and relevant guidance.

Examples of purposes served by strictly necessary cookies include:

• Maintaining a secure browsing session.
• Storing your consent preferences so we do not ask again unnecessarily.
• Enabling page-to-page navigation and proper rendering of Site content.
• Supporting booking and enquiry forms so that information you enter is not lost.
• Applying load balancing to ensure Site availability.

3.2 Performance and Analytics Cookies

Performance and analytics cookies collect information about how visitors use the Site — for example, which pages are visited most often, how long visitors spend on each page, and whether any error messages are encountered. The information these cookies collect is aggregated and used to improve the way the Site works. These cookies remain off by default and are only activated if you choose to accept this category.

3.3 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies allow the Site to remember choices you make in order to provide a more personalised experience. This may include remembering your preferred language, your region or location setting, or other customisations you apply. These cookies remain off by default and are only activated if you choose to accept this category.

3.4 Marketing and Targeting Cookies

Marketing and targeting cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant promotional content — on the Site or on third-party platforms — based on your browsing activity. These cookies may also be used to limit the number of times you see a particular advertisement and to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. These cookies remain off by default and are only activated if you choose to accept this category. Where such cookies involve third-party services, please refer to Section 7 regarding third-party responsibility.

4. Cookie Durations and Retention

Cookies can be classified by how long they remain on your device. The table below explains the duration categories that apply to the cookies we use.

We regularly review the cookies in use on the Site and update this Policy accordingly. Third-party cookies may have different retention periods set by their respective providers; please refer to the relevant third-party privacy notices for precise durations.

5. First-Party and Third-Party Cookies

5.1 First-Party Cookies

First-party cookies are set directly by through the Site domain merquelloroyalhotel.com. We control the data collected by these cookies and process it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

5.2 Third-Party Cookies

Third-party cookies are set by external organisations whose services may be embedded in, or linked from, the Site. These organisations may include analytics providers, mapping services, social media platforms and online advertising networks. Third-party cookies are only loaded when you have accepted the relevant optional category through our consent tool.

Third-party providers are independent data controllers in respect of any data they collect through their own cookies. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy or practices of third-party privacy notices. We encourage you to review the privacy and cookie notices of any third party whose services you interact with through our Site.

6. Your Consent Choices and Our Consent Management Tool

When you first visit the Site, a consent banner or panel will be displayed explaining the categories of cookies we use and inviting you to make a choice. You may:

• Accept all categories — this will enable strictly necessary cookies together with performance and analytics, functional, and marketing and targeting cookies.
• Reject optional categories — only strictly necessary cookies will be active; all optional categories will remain inactive.
• Customise your preferences — you may toggle individual optional categories on or off according to your preference before confirming your choices.

Your consent choices are recorded and respected from the point at which you make them. Optional cookies are never loaded or activated prior to your acceptance of the relevant category.

You may review and update your consent preferences at any time by accessing the “Cookie Settings” link, which is available in the footer of every page on the Site. Changing your preferences will take effect immediately; however, cookies that were set during a previous session may remain on your device until they expire or are deleted through your browser settings.

7. Third-Party Responsibility

When you accept optional cookie categories, certain third-party technologies may be activated. Each third-party provider operates under its own terms of service and privacy notice and is independently responsible for the personal data it processes through its cookies and similar technologies.

:

• does not control how third parties collect, store or use the data obtained through their own technologies once it leaves the Site;
• cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or currency of third-party privacy notices; and
• accepts no responsibility or liability for the privacy practices of any third-party provider.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third-party providers whose technologies we make available through the Site operate to standards consistent with applicable Australian privacy obligations. However, we recommend that you read the privacy and cookie notices of any third-party provider to understand their specific practices before accepting categories that may activate their technologies.

8. Managing Cookies Through Your Browser

In addition to using our on-site consent tool, you can control and manage cookies through your web browser. Most browsers allow you to:

• view what cookies are stored on your device and delete them individually or in bulk;
• block cookies from specific websites;
• block all third-party cookies;
• block all cookies; and
• delete all cookies when you close your browser.

Instructions for managing cookies are typically found in your browser’s “Help”, “Settings” or “Privacy” section. The following links direct you to the cookie management guidance for commonly used browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge
• Opera

Please be aware that restricting or deleting cookies may affect the functionality of the Site. In particular, blocking strictly necessary cookies may prevent certain pages or features from working correctly, or may prevent the Site from remembering your consent preferences, causing the consent banner to reappear on each visit.

Browser-level cookie controls and our on-site consent tool operate independently. Deleting cookies through your browser will remove the cookie that stores your consent preferences, which means the Site may treat your next visit as a new session and present the consent banner again.

9. Withdrawing Consent

You have the right to withdraw consent to optional cookie categories at any time. You can do this by:

• Using our Cookie Settings panel — accessible via the “Cookie Settings” link in the Site footer, which allows you to amend or withdraw consent for any optional category without affecting your ability to continue using the Site; or
• Deleting cookies through your browser — as described in Section 8 above. This will remove previously set cookies from your device, though new cookies set before you change your browser settings may not be immediately removed.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of any processing that took place on the basis of your consent before it was withdrawn. After withdrawal, optional cookies in the relevant category will not be activated for future page loads.

If you withdraw consent for all optional categories, only strictly necessary cookies will continue to operate. This will not prevent you from accessing the main content of the Site, although some features and personalisation options may be unavailable.

10. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites requesting that your browsing activity not be tracked. There is currently no universally agreed technical standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals, and we do not alter our data collection practices in response to DNT browser settings at this time. Your consent choices made through our on-site consent tool remain the most effective way to control optional data collection on the Site.

11. Cookies and the Hotel Casino

The Merquello Royal Hotel includes casino facilities. Access to casino areas and related online content is restricted to persons who are 18 years of age or older. We may use strictly necessary cookies to support age-verification or access-control mechanisms applied to casino-related sections of the Site. No optional cookies relating to casino services will be activated without your prior consent.

12. Privacy, Data Protection and Applicable Law

The personal data collected through cookies is processed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained therein, as well as any other applicable Australian state or territory legislation.

This Cookie Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Victoria, Australia. Any dispute arising in connection with this Policy that cannot be resolved informally shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria.

For information about how we collect, use, store and disclose personal data more broadly, including your rights of access, correction and complaint, please refer to our Privacy Policy, available on the Site.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) is the national regulator for privacy matters in Australia. The OAIC publishes guidance on privacy rights and obligations, and provides a complaint lodgement service for individuals who believe their privacy rights have been interfered with. Information about the OAIC’s published guidance and complaint processes is available at www.oaic.gov.au.

13. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We review and update this Cookie Policy periodically to reflect changes in the technologies we use, changes in applicable law, or developments in our business operations. The date at the top of this page indicates when the Policy was last updated.

Where we make material changes to this Policy, we will notify you by displaying a prominent notice on the Site or by re-presenting our consent management tool, inviting you to review the updated categories and confirm your preferences. We encourage you to review this Policy from time to time to stay informed about how we use cookies.

Continued use of the Site after the effective date of any updated Policy constitutes your acknowledgement of the changes, subject always to your right to withdraw or amend your consent for optional categories at any time.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns or requests in connection with this Cookie Policy or the way we handle data collected through cookies, please contact our Privacy team:

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within a reasonable time, and in any event within 30 days of receipt.