HYDERABAD: The internet went viral on Sunday after recruitment consultant Nupur Saraswat, from Singapore was denied entry into a hotel in the city stating that she is a single woman.
Saraswat took to social media to share her angst of being denied a room and was left stranded with her luggage outside the hotel that she booked online via Goibibo.
The hotel’s policy clearly stated that locals, unmarried couples and single ladies are not allowed. While the management of Hotel Deccan in Erragadda, stuck to their policy, Goibibo offered her a verbal apology and offered her complimentary stay in another place.
Hours later, Goibibo too issued an official clarification on their website where they also attached their conversation with the hotel’s manager. When Express contacted the manager too, he clarified that they are not against providing rooms for single women but they do so in emergency.
“However, the area is not very women-friendly and we have also been told by police that we should not be renting rooms to single women,” said the manager. E Venkat Reddy, Inspector, Sanathnagar police station said that hotels have been directed not to rent out rooms to unmarried couples unless they have valid identity proofs.
While Saraswat is a non-local and has been denied room in a hotel, single men express that they are denied homes to stay at.“When you are a non-local, you often face prbblems. I had to visit a number of areas before I was able to rent a home. They prefer renting homes to families and even groups of girls, but not single men,” rued one 28-year-old who moved to the city.