Good guest house house rules do two jobs. They tell guests what to expect before they book, and they give you something fair and neutral to point to when a problem comes up at 11 at night. Whether you run a three-room homestay, a guest house or a hostel, a short written set of rules prevents most of the arguments owners dread: late arrivals, loud parties, surprise visitors and damaged furniture. This guide gives you a template you can copy, explains which parts your state may require, and shows how to share and enforce the rules without sounding unwelcoming.
Why written homestay rules help
At a homestay, guests are living in your home. Expectations that seem obvious to you, such as no visitors after dark or shoes off in the kitchen, are not obvious to someone from another city or country. Written rules make them clear and take the personal tone out of it. "Our house rules say quiet hours start at 10 pm" lands better than "please be quiet".
They also protect you. If a guest disputes a charge or leaves a poor review, a rule they accepted at booking is your evidence. And in several states, some rules are not optional: they come with your registration. Our guide to homestay registration in India covers each state.
Three principles make rules work:
- Short. One page, ten to fifteen points. Nobody reads three pages.
- Specific. "Checkout by 11 am", not "checkout in the morning".
- Shared early. Before payment and again before arrival, never for the first time at the door.
Guest house house rules template
Copy this list, change the times and amounts to suit your property, and delete anything that does not apply. Items in brackets are yours to fill in.
Arrival and departure
- Check-in is from [1 pm] and checkout is by [11 am]. Early check-in and late checkout depend on availability; please ask in advance. A late checkout after [1 pm] is charged at [half the nightly rate].
- Please share your arrival time the day before. If you will arrive after [9 pm], let us know so someone can wait up for you.
- All adult guests must show a valid government photo ID at check-in. Only guests registered at check-in may stay overnight.
- Guests who are not Indian citizens must show a passport and valid visa. We are required to report your stay to the immigration authorities (Form C) within 24 hours of arrival.
In the house
- Quiet hours are from [10 pm] to [7 am]. Please keep music and voices low, inside and outside, out of respect for our family and our neighbours.
- Visitors are welcome in the common areas between [9 am] and [8 pm]. Visitors may not enter rooms or stay overnight.
- Smoking is not allowed inside the house. Please use [the garden area]. Please do not smoke or light fires in the [forest, orchard, plantation].
- Alcohol is [allowed in your room and the garden in moderation / not allowed on the property]. Illegal drugs are never allowed, and we will ask you to leave.
- Meals are served at [8 to 10 am] for breakfast and [8 to 9.30 pm] for dinner. Please order dinner by [5 pm].
- Guests may [use the kitchen for tea and coffee / not use the family kitchen]. Please wash up after use.
- Please switch off lights, fans, geysers and air conditioners when you leave the room.
Money and responsibility
- A refundable security deposit of [₹2,000] is collected at check-in for direct bookings and returned at checkout after the room is checked.
- Please tell us about any breakage straight away. Damage beyond normal wear will be charged at the repair or replacement cost.
- Cancellation: [free up to 7 days before arrival; 50 per cent of the booking amount within 7 days; no refund for no-shows]. Bookings made through a booking site follow that site's cancellation policy.
- Pets are [not allowed / allowed with prior approval, ₹[500] per night, not on beds].
- Valuables: please use the locker provided. We are not responsible for items left unattended in common areas.
Thank you for staying with us. We want you to feel at home, and these rules help every guest do the same.
Homestay rules for guests: what your state may require
Most of the template is your choice. A few points come from law or from your state's homestay scheme:
- Foreign guests. Every foreign guest must be reported on Form C (Form-III) within 24 hours of arrival. Register on indianfrro.gov.in before your first foreign booking, and read Form-III for hotels for the steps.
- ID and the guest register. Karnataka's 2025 homestay guidelines require a register of check-ins and checkouts with ID copies for Indian guests and passport details for foreign guests. West Bengal's 2026 policy requires a guest ledger updated within 12 hours of arrival or departure.
- Neighbours. Karnataka's guidelines make owners responsible for ensuring guests do not cause a public nuisance or disturb the neighbours.
- Display. West Bengal's 2026 policy requires a notice board showing check-in and checkout times, dining times, guidelines for tourists, prohibited activities such as smoking and loud music, the tariff, emergency numbers and nearby health facilities and police stations. Karnataka asks for emergency contacts, including the nearest hospital, to be displayed and given to guests at check-in.
- Rates explained. Karnataka's guidelines ask owners to explain the facilities and the rates for their use clearly to guests.
Rules on alcohol, smoking in public places and noise vary by state and town. Check with your local police station or tourism office before you write those lines.
House rules template for a guest house or hostel
The same template works for a guest house with a small change: replace "our family" with "other guests" and add a line on reception hours. If no one is at the desk overnight, say so, and give a phone number that is answered.
Hostels need a few extra lines:
- Lockers: every bed has a locker; bring a padlock or borrow one from the desk.
- Dorm lights: main lights off at [11 pm]; use a reading light after that.
- Bunk etiquette: pack and unpack in the common area early in the morning and late at night.
- Women-only dorms: only guests booked in the dorm may enter.
Never reveal which room or bed a guest is in to anyone who asks at the desk. Our guide to running a hostel in India covers safety in more detail.
How to show your house rules
Guests should meet your rules three times before they need them:
- On your listing. Booking sites (OTAs) have a house rules section. Fill it in fully, especially check-in times, ID requirements, visitors and pets. Add the same rules to your own booking page. See list your hotel on OTAs.
- On WhatsApp before arrival. Send a short welcome message two days before arrival with directions, check-in time and a link or image of the rules. Ask the guest to reply to confirm they have read them.
- In the room. Keep a printed, laminated card in each room, with the Wi-Fi password, meal times and emergency numbers on the same card.
At check-in, mention the three rules that cause most trouble at your place, usually quiet hours, visitors and smoking. It takes thirty seconds and saves a difficult conversation later. Our hotel check-in procedure and online check-in guides cover the rest of arrival.
Enforcing rules politely
Most guests break a rule by accident. Start friendly and private:
- First time: a gentle reminder. "Just a reminder, our quiet hours start at 10. Thank you!" in person or by WhatsApp. Never in front of other guests.
- Second time: point to the rule. "As in our house rules, visitors cannot stay in rooms after 8 pm. Could you please ask your friend to leave by then?"
- Serious or repeated breaches: be firm and record it. For damage, take photos with the time and date, and charge from the deposit as your rules say. For drugs, violence or a threat to other guests, ask the guest to leave, and call the police if you feel unsafe.
Keep notes of what happened and what was said. If the booking came through a booking site, report the issue on the site's own channel the same day, before the guest's review arrives.
Apply rules to everyone the same way. A rule you ignore for one guest is hard to apply to the next.
Review your rules every few months. If the same problem keeps coming up, such as guests arriving after midnight or towels going to the beach, the rule is either missing, unclear or shared too late. Fix the wording, update the listing and the room card on the same day, and tell your staff or family what changed. Rules that grow out of real problems are the ones guests accept most easily.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rules that sound like warnings. "No outsiders allowed!!" reads as hostile. "Visitors are welcome in the common areas until 8 pm" says the same thing.
- Rules guests see only at the door. A guest who learns about a ₹2,000 deposit on arrival feels cheated, even if it is fair.
- Cancellation terms that differ between channels. Your own policy should be clear, and booking site bookings follow the site's policy.
- Out-of-date cards. When you change meal times or the Wi-Fi password, change the card.
GuestHawk helps you put the rules to work before arrival: guests complete their ID check and Form-III details on their phone, and deposits are taken by UPI when they book. See GuestHawk for homestays or book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
What should guest house house rules include?
Check-in and checkout times, ID requirements (including Form C for foreign guests), visitors, quiet hours, smoking and alcohol, damage and breakage, cancellation, pets and use of the kitchen. Keep it to one page.
Can a homestay ask every guest for ID?
Yes, and many state schemes expect it. Karnataka's homestay guidelines require a guest register with ID copies for Indian guests and passport details for foreign guests, and West Bengal's 2026 policy requires a guest ledger and ID copies kept as the law allows.
How do I share house rules with guests?
Put them in your booking site listing, send them on WhatsApp before arrival, and keep a printed card in each room. West Bengal's policy also requires a notice board with check-in and checkout times, tariff, prohibited activities and emergency numbers.
Can I charge guests for damage?
You can set out a damage policy and, for direct bookings, take a refundable security deposit. For bookings made through a booking site, follow that site's damage and claims process. State the policy clearly before the guest pays.
Do house rules for a hostel differ from a homestay?
The core is the same, but hostels add rules for dorms: lockers, lights out, bunk etiquette, and where guests may keep luggage. See running a hostel in India.