No entry to unmarried couples: OYO changes check-in rules, starting in Meerut

OYO, one of India’s leading travel and hotel booking platforms, on Sunday announced a major change in policy for its partner hotels, introducing guidelines.

That unmarried couples will no longer be able to check in at the properties. The new rule, the company said, will initially be applicable only in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut.

“We are committed to upholding safe and responsible hospitality practices. While respecting personal freedoms, we must also collaborate with local communities and law enforcement to ensure a harmonious operating environment,” Pawas Sharma, Region Head, OYO North India said.

The updated guidelines, which will immediately affect OYO’s partner hotels in Meerut, require all married couples to provide valid proof of relationship during check-in, including for online bookings. The company also stated that unmarried couples may be denied accommodation, with discretion granted to hotel partners to decline bookings based on local social norms.

The move, according to OYO, is part of a broader initiative to address community feedback and reshape its image as a safe and trusted accommodation provider for families, businessmen, students, religious pilgrims, and solo travellers.

OYO’s decision followed repeated appeals from civil society groups, particularly in Meerut, urging stricter regulations against stays by unmarried couples. Similar petitions have emerged from residents in other cities, prompting the firm to pilot the policy in Meerut and considering expanding it to other locations based on feedback.

Alongside the revised policy, OYO has introduced several nationwide initiatives, including hosting joint seminars with the police and hotel partners on safe hospitality practices, blacklisting hotels found engaging in activities deemed immoral and taking action against unauthorised establishments misusing OYO branding.