Cookie Policy
A complete account of the cookies and comparable storage technologies used on lanternswonderbench.living — what each one does, who provides it, how long it lasts, and exactly how to refuse or remove it in every major browser.
1. What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website, containing an identifier and, usually, an expiry date. Related technologies — local storage, session storage and pixel tags — achieve comparable results and are treated identically in this policy. Cookies set by this domain are "first-party"; cookies set by an external service loaded within our pages are "third-party".
Cookies are distinguished by lifespan: a session cookie is deleted when you close your browser; a persistent cookie survives until its stated expiry or until you delete it manually.
2. Our approach
We run a small editorial site with no advertising network, no retargeting pixels, no social media trackers and no data brokers. Strictly necessary storage operates by default because the site cannot function without it. Everything else runs only after you give consent through the banner, and you may refuse without any loss of editorial content.
3. Strictly necessary cookies and storage
These are required for security, integrity and for honouring your privacy choices. They cannot be switched off through our banner because switching them off would break the consent mechanism itself.
| Name | Provider | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cookieConsent | lanternswonderbench.living | Local storage | Records that a consent decision has been made so the banner does not reappear on every page. | Until cleared |
| cookieConsentDetail | lanternswonderbench.living | Local storage | Records which categories you accepted and the timestamp, as evidence of lawful processing. | Until cleared |
| lwb_session | lanternswonderbench.living | Session cookie | Maintains request integrity and protects contact forms against automated abuse. | Session |
| __cf_bm | Edge security provider | HTTP cookie | Distinguishes human visitors from automated traffic; mitigates denial-of-service and scraping. | 30 minutes |
4. Analytics cookies (optional)
Set only after you select "Accept All" or enable Analytics in Preferences. We use a privacy-conscious configuration with IP truncation and no cross-site identifiers. The purpose is editorial: knowing which hotel profiles and journal essays are read tells us what to update first.
| Name | Provider | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _lwb_id | Analytics processor (EEA) | HTTP cookie | Assigns a pseudonymous identifier to distinguish repeat from first-time visits. | 13 months |
| _lwb_ses | Analytics processor (EEA) | HTTP cookie | Groups page views into a single reading session. | 30 minutes |
| _lwb_ref | Analytics processor (EEA) | Local storage | Stores the referring source in aggregate form (search, direct, referral). | 30 days |
| _lwb_depth | lanternswonderbench.living | Session storage | Measures scroll depth on long articles to assess whether guides are read to the end. | Session |
5. Functional cookies (optional)
These remember choices you have made so the site behaves consistently. Declining them does not restrict access to any article, but some convenience features will reset on every visit.
| Name | Provider | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lwb_lang | lanternswonderbench.living | Local storage | Remembers your preferred language where alternatives are offered. | 12 months |
| lwb_saved_hotels | lanternswonderbench.living | Local storage | Stores hotels you have marked while comparing, so your shortlist survives navigation. | 6 months |
| lwb_motion | lanternswonderbench.living | Local storage | Remembers a reduced-motion preference for the curtain and reveal animations. | 12 months |
| osm_map_state | OpenStreetMap | Third-party | Retains map zoom and position within the embedded frame on the contact page. | Session |
6. Embedded third-party content
Two external services are requested when pages load: a web font service, which delivers the typefaces used across the site, and a map tile service, which renders the frame on our contact page. Both necessarily receive your IP address in order to respond. Neither is used by us for tracking, but each operates under its own privacy terms. If you wish to avoid these requests entirely, block third-party resources for this domain in your browser or use an extension that does so.
7. Managing consent on this site
Your first visit presents a banner with three options: Accept All, Reject Non-Essential, and Preferences, which opens per-category toggles for Analytics and Functional storage. Your decision is recorded in local storage, which is why the banner does not reappear as you move between pages. To change your decision, clear site data for this domain in your browser (see Section 8); the banner will then be presented again on your next visit.
8. Browser-by-browser opt-out instructions
Google Chrome (desktop)
Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies to set a global rule; or Settings → Privacy and security → Delete browsing data → tick "Cookies and other site data". To clear only this site: click the icon at the left of the address bar → Cookies and site data → Manage on-device site data → Remove.
Mozilla Firefox
Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection (choose Standard, Strict or Custom); and Cookies and Site Data → Manage Data to remove entries for a single domain. "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" clears everything at the end of each session.
Apple Safari (macOS)
Safari → Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data → search for the domain → Remove. "Prevent cross-site tracking" is enabled by default and should remain so.
Safari (iOS / iPadOS)
Settings app → Safari → Advanced → Website Data → Edit → remove the domain; or Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data to remove everything.
Microsoft Edge
Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data → See all cookies and site data → search for the domain → delete.
Opera
Settings → Privacy & security → Cookies and other site data → See all site data and permissions.
Brave
Settings → Shields (global defaults) and the Shields panel in the address bar for per-site control; Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data for removal.
Android Chrome
⋮ menu → Settings → Site settings → Cookies, or ⋮ → Settings → Privacy and security → Delete browsing data.
Useful general resources include aboutcookies.org and youronlinechoices.eu, the latter for EU-based behavioural advertising opt-outs (which do not apply to us, as we run no advertising).
9. Consequences of refusing cookies
Refusing analytics and functional storage has no effect on your ability to read any article, hotel profile or legal page. It means we cannot measure which pages are used, your shortlist and language choices will not persist, and the consent banner may reappear if your browser is configured to purge local storage on close. Blocking strictly necessary storage entirely may cause the consent banner to display on every page load and could impair form submission.
10. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
We honour the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal where your browser transmits it: a GPC signal is treated as a refusal of optional analytics and functional storage. The older Do Not Track header is not consistently defined across browsers; we nevertheless treat a DNT value of 1 as a refusal of optional categories.
11. Changes to this policy
We review this policy at least annually and whenever a technology is added or removed. The review date appears at the head of the page. Material changes are announced on the site and, where required, consent is requested again.
12. Questions
Write to [email protected] or Wonderbench Hospitality Media GmbH, Kärntner Ring 14/3, 1010 Vienna, Austria. See also our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.