Ours
Privacy Policy
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April – establishes the rules applicable to the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data.
Under the GDPR, personal data are considered to be “any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person («data subject»); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person”.
This Privacy Policy describes how your personal data is collected, used, and disclosed when you use the website www.azoresyouthhostels.com, owned by the company “PJA – Pousadas de Juventude dos Açores, Unipessoal, Lda.”, registered at the Conservatória do Registo Predial, Comercial e Automóvel de Ponta Delgada under the unique registration and collective person number 512 042 446, with its registered office at Rua São Francisco Xavier, 9500‑243 Ponta Delgada.
1. For what purposes is your personal data used
“PJA – Pousadas de Juventude dos Açores, Unipessoal, Lda.” collects and processes the personal data of its guests and users in person, by email, telephone, online forms, or through authorised partners, whenever necessary to provide our services or comply with legal obligations.
2 – The data collected is used to:
- Manage bookings, stays and associated services, including check-in, check-out, payments and issuing of tax documents.;
- To celebrate and execute accommodation contracts, acquisition of products, vouchers or additional services;
- Respond to user requests for information, clarification, quotes, or contact.;
- Manage customer relationships, including stay history, preferences and administrative records;
- To fulfil legal obligations, specifically tax and accounting ones.
- Conduct internal statistical analyses with a view to the continuous improvement of services;
- Manage reserved areas of the website, where applicable.;
- Ensure the security of the premises, including video surveillance systems (see specific section).
The processing of personal data is indispensable for the provision of the contracted services and for the normal operation of Azores Youth Hostels' activities.
3 – The personal data collected
The information collected may vary depending on how you interact with us:
Data provided directly by the user
Name;
Date of birth;
Identification document;
Place of birth;
Nationality;
Contact details (email, telephone, address);
Information required for booking and stay;
Payment details (processed by certified entities);
Information submitted via forms, contact requests or communications.
Data collected automatically
IP Address;
Device and browser type;
Approximate location data;
Pages visited and website interactions;
Cookies and similar technologies (see Cookie Policy).
Data collected through third parties
Booking platforms;
Tour operators;
Business partners;
Public entities, where applicable.
4 – Lawfulness Fundamentals
Azores Youth Hostels processes personal data based on:
Contract execution or pre-contractual due diligence (e.g. reservations, stays, services);
Compliance with legal obligations; Legitimate interest, namely for security, service improvement and operational management;
Consent, where applicable (e.g. marketing communications, optional cookies).
The data subject may withdraw their consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing previously carried out.
5 – Data sharing with third parties
Azores Youth Hostels may share personal data with:
Service providers (subcontractors)
Booking and payment platforms.;
IT maintenance and system hosting companies;
Digital marketing services and communications distribution;
Customer support companies;
Cleaning, maintenance, and operation of facilities;
Security and video surveillance companies.
Third-party entities
Insurers associated with the stay;
Public authorities, when required by law;
Partners who provide additional services at the client's request.
Data conservation
6 – Personal data is kept only for the period necessary to:
To fulfil the purposes for which they were collected;
Comply with legal obligations;
Ensuring the defence of rights in judicial or administrative proceedings, retaining data for the statutory periods of limitation and lapse of rights applicable to any disputes.
7 – Data subject rights
Guests, users and visitors can exercise the following rights:
Access to your personal data;
Correction of incorrect or outdated data;
Erasure of data, as provided for in the GDPR;
Treatment limitation;
Objection to treatment;
Data portability;
Information about entities to whom the data have been disclosed;
Withdrawal of consent, where applicable.
Requests can be sent to bookings@azoresyouthhostels.com or, alternatively, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the company's headquarters, PJA – Pousadas de Juventude dos Açores, Unipessoal, Lda., located at Rua São Francisco Xavier, 9500‑243 Ponta Delgada.
8 – Video surveillance systems
Some Azores Youth Hostels facilities have video surveillance systems, exclusively for the protection of people and property.
Image capture is properly signposted and carried out in accordance with applicable legislation. Recordings are kept only for the legally permitted period and access is restricted to authorised personnel or competent authorities.
9 – Changes to the Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be reviewed at any time at our discretion. We recommend that users of our website review these policies regularly in order to be kept fully informed about our cookie management.
10 - Contact us
Should you have any doubts regarding this policy or wish to exercise any of the aforementioned rights, please contact us at bookings@azoresyouthhostels.com or in person at Rua São Francisco Xavier, 9500‑243 Ponta Delgada.
11 – Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
You may always lodge a complaint with the National Data Protection Commission, located at Av. D. Carlos I, 134 – 1st floor, 1200-651 Lisbon, with telephone number (+351) 213928400 and e-mail: geral@cnpd.pt.
This notice was updated on 1 January 2026