choicehotels.com Privacy & Security Policy

Choice Hotels International, Inc., is committed to providing you with an efficient and customized internet experience. We are also committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your internet experience is secure. That is why we want you to be informed about your privacy choices when you visit our website. This online Privacy and Security Policy describes the information we collect through this site and how we use that information.

What information do we collect?
We collect information from you that allows us to provide services and content that are customized to your needs. You are anonymous on this site until you provide us with this information. When you use our reservation system or become a Choice Privileges® member, we collect information that you supply, such as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, room preference, and billing information.

How do we use the information we collect?
To protect your privacy, we pledge to keep the personal information that you provide to us secure and private. Our agreements with business partners, agents, and affiliates have strict confidentiality and security provisions and we require our employees to affirm the confidential nature of your information and not share it with any third party.

We do not sell, trade, rent, or release your personal information to anyone outside our company, contractors, and affiliates, other than in compliance with this privacy and security policy. We, our franchisees, and our affiliates use the personal information you provide voluntarily to administer our business activities, provide customer service, contact you concerning your stay with us, and make other products and services available to you. Your information may be combined with information about you which we gathered from other sources. We share your information with our franchisees, credit card issuers, and other companies where necessary to complete your transaction. We may also use your information to send you promotional communications by mail or e-mail, or share your information with our business partners.

To the extent required or permitted by law, we may collect, use and disclose personal information in connection with security-related or law enforcement investigations or in the course of cooperating with authorities or complying with legal requirements. We may also use your information as permitted by law to perform credit checks, report or collect debts owed, or protect the rights or property of Choice, our employees, our customers, this site, or its users.

How can I change my preferences?
We respect the right of each visitor to control how his or her personal information is used. If you do not want us to provide your information to our business partners, or if you do not wish to receive promotional communications from us or our affiliates concerning special offers, discounts, airline bonuses, or contests, select one of the following options to provide us with your privacy preferences:

Click here if you have an Online Profile and edit your privacy preferences within your profile.

- OR -

If you do not have an online profile and do not wish to create one, click here to provide us with your privacy preferences.

What about cookies and transparent gifs?
We use cookies to keep track of your preferences and activities during your visits (for example, customizing the site to show the brand that you originally typed in). We do not use cookies to ascertain any personally identifiable information about you apart from what you voluntarily provide us in your dealings with Choice Hotels. Cookies do not corrupt or damage your computer, programs, or computer files. You can set your browser to reject cookies if you have further concerns although doing so may adversely affect your ability to perform certain transactions, use certain functionality, and access certain content on our Web site.

We use pixels, or transparent GIF files, to help manage our online advertising. These files enable us and our advertising partner to recognize unique codes on your web browser, which in turn enables us to learn which advertisements bring users to our website. The information that we collect and share is anonymous and not personally identifiable. It does not contain your name, address, telephone number, or email address.

We also use pixels, or transparent gif files, to send information to third-party advertising companies. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here: http://networkadvertising.org/consumer/opt_out.asp

How is the information collected online protected?
When you provide us with information through this site, such as your name, address, phone number, credit card information and room preference, your information will be encrypted using a Secured Sockets Layer. You can tell if your information is encrypted by looking for the locked padlock icon on the lower right-hand or left-hand corner of your screen and a change in the site address from "http" to "https." Once your information reaches us, we store it behind a secure firewall that blocks access from outside our server.

Does this policy cover other sites linked from choicehotels.com?
choicehotels.com contains links to other websites. Those sites are not covered by this privacy and security policy, and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of those other sites.

What about changes to the Privacy and Security Policy?
By using our site you consent to our collection and use of your personal information as described in this policy. We reserve the right to modify this privacy and security policy and related business practices at any time by posting updated text on this site.

What if there's a difference between versions of the Privacy and Security Policy?
As a service to our customers, we make this privacy and security policy available in several different languages. In the event of any discrepancies between the various translations of the policy, the English version of the policy is the authoritative one.

Thank you for visiting our site, and for taking the time to read this policy. If you have any questions about this policy, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or write to us at Privacy Office, Choice Hotels International, Inc., 10750 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20901.

Click here to specify your privacy preferences.

Last Updated: March 11, 2004