Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Hostinspired (“we”, “our”, or “us”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our website and services. We are committed to ensuring your privacy is protected and that we comply with UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Hostinspired is a UK-based travel discovery platform that helps users find and connect with inspiring hosts and places. For the purposes of data protection law, we are the “data controller” responsible for deciding how personal data is processed.

2. What Information We Collect

We may collect the following information when you use our platform:

Basic contact information such as name and email address
Account details when you register or sign in
Content you upload or submit (e.g. photos, video, listing information, comments)
Technical data such as IP address, browser type, and usage statistics
Any communications you send to us (support requests, feedback, etc.)

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal data only where it is lawful and necessary to:

Provide and improve our services
Manage your account and user preferences
Respond to your enquiries or requests
Send updates, announcements, or marketing (if you have consented)
Ensure the security and proper functioning of our platform
Comply with legal obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We rely on one or more of the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

Your consent (where you have agreed to specific uses)
Performance of a contract (e.g. managing your user account)
Our legitimate interests (e.g. improving the platform and preventing abuse)
Compliance with legal obligations

5. Connected Third-Party Accounts (Instagram)

Hostinspired allows hosts to optionally connect their Instagram account in order to import and display content they have published on Instagram. This feature is entirely optional and requires explicit authorisation from the account owner.

When you connect an Instagram account, we may process the following information:

Instagram user ID and username
Media you have published (images and videos)
Associated metadata such as captions, timestamps, permalinks, thumbnails, and media type

We use this data solely to:

Import and display your Instagram content on Hostinspired
Keep your Hostinspired content reasonably in sync with Instagram, including edits and deletions
Improve clarity when content is displayed outside Instagram (for example, clarifying platform-specific calls to action)

Instagram content may be stored on our servers or content delivery networks and may be optimised or reformatted for performance and compatibility. Video content may be stored without audio by default.

You may disconnect your Instagram account at any time via your account settings. Once disconnected, we will stop accessing your Instagram account and will remove or disable imported Instagram content within a reasonable period, subject to legal or operational requirements.

To request deletion of associated Instagram data please visit the Instagram Data Deletion page.

We do not fetch Instagram data on behalf of site visitors, do not scrape Instagram content, and only access data explicitly authorised by the account owner.

6. How We Store and Protect Your Data

We store personal data on secure servers located within the UK or EEA. We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

7. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell or rent your data. We may share limited personal data with trusted third parties who help us operate our platform (e.g. hosting providers, analytics, email services) under strict data protection agreements.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your experience and analyse site usage. You can choose to accept or reject non-essential cookies through your browser settings. For more information, see our separate Cookie Policy.

9. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Request deletion of your personal data
Object to or restrict certain processing activities
Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent)
Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been violated

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law. When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any significant changes will be communicated via our website or by email where appropriate.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact:

Hostinspired
Via email: Contact Form

Last Updated: 10th January 2026