Cookie Notice
Which cookies and similar technologies we use, why, and how to change your choice at any time.
This notice applies to freeguides.com, tours.freeguides.com, explore.freeguides.com, the hotel dashboard (app.freeguides.com) and the guest apps we provide for hotels. Cookies are small files a website stores in your browser; “similar technologies” include your browser’s local storage and tracking pixels. We call them all “cookies” here.
Your choice
When you first visit, we ask whether you accept analytics and marketing cookies. Both are off until you say yes, and rejecting is as easy as accepting. Until you choose, analytics and marketing tools are not loaded, and Google tags run in “consent mode”, which sets no analytics or advertising cookies. Strictly necessary cookies are always on, because the sites cannot work without them.
You can change or withdraw your choice at any time. When you withdraw, we switch the tools off, delete their cookies and reload the page.
The same “Cookie settings” link is at the bottom of every page. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though some features may then stop working.
Strictly necessary
These are needed for the service you asked for and do not need your consent.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| fg_consent | FreeGuides | Remembers your cookie choice (analytics yes/no, marketing yes/no) across freeguides.com sites. A copy is kept in local storage. | 180 days |
| Firebase Authentication (local storage / IndexedDB) | FreeGuides (Google Firebase) | Keeps you signed in to the hotel dashboard. | Until you sign out |
| Guest app local storage | FreeGuides | In guest apps: a random device identifier and your app preferences, so features like guest chat and event sign-ups work during your stay. | Until you clear your browser data |
| __stripe_mid, __stripe_sid | Stripe | Fraud prevention when you pay for a tour or a paid event. Set on Stripe’s payment pages. | 1 year / 30 minutes |
Analytics (only with your consent)
These help us understand how our sites and apps are used so we can improve them.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga, _ga_<ID> | Google Analytics 4, loaded through Google Tag Manager (Google LLC, US) | Distinguishes visitors and sessions to produce usage statistics. Reports are kept for up to 14 months. | 2 years |
| Firebase Analytics (_ga, _ga_<ID>) | Google Firebase (Google LLC, US) | Usage statistics for freeguides.com and the tours site, via the same Google Analytics cookies. | 2 years |
| fg_arrival (session storage) | FreeGuides | How you reached freeguides.com (first page, campaign tags, ad click id, referring site), sent with an enquiry or demo request only if you submit one. | Until you close the tab |
| _clck, _clsk, CLID, MUID | Microsoft Clarity (Microsoft Corp., US) | Heatmaps and session recordings showing how pages are used (clicks, scrolls, mouse movement). Recordings are kept for 30 days. | Up to 1 year |
Marketing (only with your consent)
These measure whether our advertising works. We do not sell your data.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| _fbp, _fbc | Meta Pixel (Meta Platforms, US / Ireland) | Used on the hotel dashboard to measure sign-ups from our Facebook and Instagram ads. | 90 days |
| _gcl_au and other Google Ads cookies | Google Ads, loaded through Google Tag Manager (Google LLC, US) | Measures conversions from our Google ads, where the tag is active. | 90 days |
Embedded services
Some pages show content from other services, which set their own cookies under their own policies: the booking calendar on our Book a meeting page comes from Calendly, and videos play from YouTube in its privacy-enhanced mode. Links to booking partners such as GuruWalk, Viator and OpenTable carry our partner reference; once you are on their site, their own cookie notice applies.
Where the data goes
The providers above are based in the United States, so information collected by these cookies is transferred there. See International transfers in our Privacy Notice for the safeguards we rely on, and our Sub-processors page for the full list of providers.
More information
Questions about cookies: privacy@freeguides.com. Read our Privacy Notice for how we handle personal information and your rights.