Terms & Conditions

1. Platform Overview

Hostelova is a student accommodation platform that helps students find, compare and book hostels, PGs and flats, and helps property owners ("partners") list them.

Hostelova provides discovery, listing management, online booking and payment, and settlement of payouts to owners. Hostelova does not own or operate listed properties unless explicitly stated.

2. User Accounts

Users may create accounts using their email address and other required details.

Users are responsible for:

• maintaining account security
• protecting login credentials
• providing accurate information

Hostelova reserves the right to suspend or remove accounts involved in suspicious, abusive, or fraudulent activities.

3. Hostel Listings

Hostel owners and listing providers are responsible for:

• accurate hostel information
• genuine pricing
• updated facilities
• lawful operations

Hostelova may manually review and verify listings before approval.

However, Hostelova does not guarantee the complete accuracy of listing details.

3A. Fees for Property Owners

Listing on Hostelova is currently free for property owners. Hostelova does not charge owners a listing fee, a commission on bookings, or a subscription.

Students pay a service fee at checkout, on top of the rent. It is shown to the student before payment and is never deducted from the amount settled to the owner.

Hostelova may introduce paid features or fees for owners in future — for example promoted placement, premium tools, or a fee on bookings. If a fee would apply to you:

• we will notify you by email and on your partner dashboard at least 30 days before it takes effect, stating what the fee is and when it starts
• it will not apply to bookings made before the date it takes effect
• optional paid features will be charged only if you choose them
• you may take your listing down before the fee takes effect, without any charge

4. Bookings & Payments

Users may book a listing or send an inquiry through the platform.

For a booking paid on Hostelova:

• payment is processed online through our payment gateway, Razorpay
• the booking is confirmed once the payment is verified, and a receipt is emailed
• the amount is made up of room rent, security deposit, any maintenance the owner charges, and a service fee — all shown before payment
• the stay starts on the booking day; there is no separate move-in date to select
• cancellations and refunds are governed by the Refund & Cancellation Policy

For hostel owners. A student may cancel a paid booking and receive a full refund of the booking amount for 3 days (72 hours) after the booking is made. During that window the payout for that booking is held rather than paid: it sits pending against the booking and becomes payable only once the window closes without a cancellation. Settlement follows after that.

If the student cancels inside that window, the payout for that booking is withdrawn together with the refund. Nothing is recovered from the owner — the payout simply never becomes payable. Once the window has closed, a booking can no longer be cancelled for a refund from the student's account, and the payout settles in the normal course.

Any amount paid directly to a hostel owner outside the platform is a private arrangement between the user and that owner. Hostelova does not hold such payments and is not responsible for disputes arising from them.

Hostelova acts as the booking platform; the accommodation itself is provided by the hostel owner, who remains responsible for the stay.

5. User Conduct

Users agree not to:

• post false or misleading information
• upload harmful or illegal content
• misuse the platform
• impersonate others
• post fake reviews or spam

Hostelova reserves the right to remove content or restrict accounts violating these rules.

6. Reviews & Ratings

Users may post reviews and ratings based on their experiences.

Hostelova may remove:

• fake reviews
• abusive language
• misleading content
• spam or promotional reviews

7. Verified Badges

Some listings may receive a "Verified" badge after review and validation checks.

Verification does not guarantee:

• service quality
• owner behavior
• hostel conditions
• continuous availability

Users should independently verify hostel details before making decisions.

8. Intellectual Property

All Hostelova branding, logos, designs, graphics, and platform content are protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

Unauthorized copying, reproduction, or misuse is prohibited.

9. Featured Listings, Sponsored Placement & Advertising

The Hostelova student app for Android shows third-party advertisements served by Google AdMob, labelled "Ad". Hostelova does not create, endorse or verify advertised products or services; anything you buy from an advertiser is between you and that advertiser. Ads are never shown while you book or pay, and never to owners. See the Privacy Policy for the data involved and your choices.

Listings in the "Featured" section are chosen by Hostelova and are not paid for.

Hostelova may in future offer owners paid promoted placement, show promotional content, or display advertisements. Paid or promoted placements will be clearly labelled as sponsored and kept separate from reviews and ratings, which are never paid for.

10. Limitation of Liability

Hostelova shall not be held responsible for:

• disputes between users and hostel owners
• financial losses
• inaccurate listing information
• damages or personal injury
• third-party actions or services

Use of the platform is at the user's own risk.

11. Account Suspension & Termination

Hostelova reserves the right to:

• suspend accounts
• remove listings
• restrict platform access

These actions may be taken for violations of these Terms & Conditions or suspicious activities.

12. Changes to Terms

Hostelova may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time. Updated terms are posted on this page with the revised date.

Where these Terms promise advance notice — such as the 30 days before any fee for owners under section 3A — that notice will be given before the change applies.

Continued use of the platform after updates means acceptance of the revised terms.

13. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms & Conditions, contact us at:

[email protected]