Myth 1 - Unmarried couples are not allowed to check into a hotel
If you were to go through the description of any cheap hotel in India, the most consistent part is that they do not allow unmarried couples. Most hotels also mention this on their websites or any online room booking platform they are listed. However, if one were to look at the law of the land, there is not only a single law that justifies the action of the hotel owners, but the law also gives them no right to ask for the marital status of any guest. As long as a guest has valid proof, they are bound to provide you with a room, and if they don’t, they discriminate against you on the grounds of marital status and thereby can be subjected to arrest.Myth 2 - Police can ‘raid’ your hotel and catch you.
This is one of the worst fears that young couples suffer from, and it is partly due to the constant lies of mass media and partly due to police corruption as well. Neither renting a hotel with your partner is a criminal act nor engaging in premarital sex. So if the police wanted to bring you in for questioning about either of the two when no crime as such has been committed, they have absolutely no right. On the other hand, if any police personnel go on to try and intimidate a couple by saying things like ‘we will inform your parents,’ they are once again stepping outside the law and enforcing shotgun justice.Myth 3 - Unmarried couples who are not locals are allowed to rent a hotel
Hotels in India that are a little better than the usual lot and have services such as online room booking usually mention that they are ready to provide rooms to unmarried couples as long as they are from a different city than the hotel. For example, if you and your partner were to book a hotel in Kolkata, you’d be allowed to do so only if your IDs are from elsewhere, such as Bangalore. Again, this discrimination is an illegal act by the hotel owners.Myth 4 - Hotels must be booked under the name of the male partner
There is no gender specification regarding who should and can book a hotel. If two women were to check in to a hotel, the room would be booked under either of their names, with the other listed as a guest. The same rule applies to any two people who check in to a hotel regardless of gender, marital status, or sexuality.So next time you use any online room booking services and type ‘hotels near me,’ know that the law empowers you and protects you. Additionally, you can check out StayUncle’s list of hotels in your city, which we guarantee are absolutely couple-friendly.
