Burning Question
Can unmarried couples stay in hotels in India?
Yes. No law in the country denies an unmarried couple a stay in a hotel. However, checking-in a couple is at the discretion of the hotel owners / managers.
“Unmarried couples can be in a live-in relationship, check-in to hotel rooms and do whatever they want. There are no laws and restrictions on it.”
- Taj Hassan, Delhi Police Chief Spokesperson, Quint, 29th July 2016
“There is no law that prohibits unmarried couples from staying together in hotels. Choosing to stay together is a personal choice and falls under freedom of movement,which cannot be restricted.”
- Senior Advocate Sudha Ramalingam, News Minute, 19th May 2015
Lessons from the past
Guests need to be above 18 years of age to be allowed to check-in, and need to produce valid identity proof.
The law has nothing to do with it
Is there a law that prohibits unmarried couples from staying together or checking-in to a hotel together?
No, there is no law that prohibits unmarried couples from staying together or checking-into a hotel.
“We are not aware of any such rules.”
- Bharat Bhushan, HAI spokesperson (The Hotel Association of India, which is the umbrella organisation that oversees over 280 hotels and resorts across the country says there is no such stipulation)
Same city
Can guests from the same city check-into a hotel in India?
Yes, guests from the same city can check-into a hotel.
“There is no law in India that prohibits hotels from hosting unmarried guests, or those who belong to the same city as the hotel's location. However, some hotels have a restricted check-in criteria. We have simply made it more transparent and easy for couple-guests to discover the hotels that offer them a seamless check-in upon furnishing of the requisite ID proofs.”
- Kavikrut, Chief Growth Officer, OYO as told to The Times of India
Deep Dive
There is an increased demand for couple-friendly hotels in India.
Online Demand for Hotels that allow couples has grown 10 times in the last 5 years.
Yearly demand for couple hotels
Growth in demand over previous year
60% of couples looking for hotels belong to the same city of their stay
Location - Same City vs Others
Same CityDifferent Cities
State wise demand of hotels for couples
HighMediumLowGrowth of OYO hotels for couples
Low 
High
About OYO
Is OYO safe for unmarried couples?
Yes. OYO provides safe and secure hotels to unmarried couples. Most OYO hotels allow unmarried couples and accept local IDs; they have well-trained staff who ensure safety and privacy.
Booking an OYO
How do I book a hotel for unmarried couples in India?
To book an OYO that allows unmarried couples, select “OYO welcomes couples” in the filters when searching for a hotel in any city. Alternatively, you could activate the Relationship Mode on the OYO app.