Varanasi hotels & places to stay

We booked 3 nights here at the end of a month in India for a bit of luxury and it definitely delivered. The staff are wonderful, so efficient, friendly and polite- nothing is to much for them. Our room came with an excellent complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, fruit platter, mini bar and tea and coffee room service for each day of our stay- lots of extra perks for one of the more affordable rooms ! The spa also offered us a complimentary foot massage and we made use of the fitness centre. The front desk organised us a walking tour ( heritage tour) which we would highly recommend - the guide was excellent. Best we experienced in India. As it was monsoon season the river was too high for us to enjoy the boat ride to the hotel and it can be tricky to find on foot as it is in the maze of old town Varanasi , hence 4 star for location, and would be nice to have a swimming pool, hence 4 for facilities.

Guleria Kothi is a hidden gem and we reaslised this only after we reached there. There is no way to reach the hotel by car. Best is to get off the cab at Raj Ghat and call the hotel for a boat. It’s a 10 min boat ride. The restaurant Guleria Cafe has a limited menu but easily makes up for it by the quality of food, ambience, location and great staff. It’s the only cafe by the Ganges with an expansive view without the crowds. Go there while it’s still that way. The rooms were small but perhaps not by the standards of the location but we were 2 adults with our teenage daughter and we managed well. The best rooms are those with the river view and you can see the sunrise right from your room. The evening boat ride with Ganga Aarti is complimentary. I would strongly recommend this hotel in Varanasi

very nice hotel in varanasi. all the amenities you would expect. close to several ATM machines. had a travel desk in lobby that was very helpful for tours of the river and temples.very nice coffee shop with a very good buffett for breakfast and a nice selection for dinner.very attentive staff.hotel has a pool and spa-did not have time to indulge in either unfortunately. next door is a small park to walk around.would definately stay again and recommend to friends

The guest house is totally organized, as soon as I booked online they emailed me with an offer to organize airport or train station pick up which was very handy indeed, especially as you have about a 10 min walk from main street through the narrow market streets to the guest house...so worth it. They have someone who meets the cab and carries your bags if needed and guides you to the guesthouse. A wonderful first impression of the chaos and charm of Varanasi. Front desk was very welcoming and had all the info on any tours you might want to do. The morning and evening boat tours are a must and both are very well priced. 200 rupee per person...amazing... that is about 4$ Canadian. The restaurant right beside Ganpati is called Varanasi café and we enjoyed a great breakfast there.... the Ganpati does have a restaurant that is convenient and food is ok. Rooms have fans and air conditioning which was important to us as we where there in may and it was very hot. They organized a cab back to airport and someone to walk us out and help with luggage. if you want to go to the golden temple go early in the morning, it is a zoo and you need your passport to get in, take no cameras or phones with you... Varanasi is a must see and we where lucky to be at the Ganpati guesthouse...don't miss the blue lassi...it is a must.... it is not far from the guesthouse and there are signs.... go past the golden temple and you will see a sign painted on the wall to your right... it is a ways up..... good luck and enjoy a great spot.

We were here for 1 night. they have got some new rooms which are upgraded to 4 star grade rooms. the rooms are well decorated with upgraded amenities. the hotel is quite neat and clean. the staffs are very helpful. the management also organize local sightseeing , walking tour with informative good english speaking guide. it was a superb stay with a good buffet breakfast. also the restaurant serves delicious hand licking food. we would stay again here if we visit varanasi.

This hotel came as a very pleasant surprise. This recently renovated hotel retains a lot of it's 1950s character, in a building that's over 300 years old. Honestly, it looks a lot better in person than it does in the photos. We were both completely surprised by the character and charm of this hotel. The room was smaller but very cozy and quite pretty with very high ceilings. However, most sensationally about this hotel was everything was in very good working order much like the five star hotels in the area, including hot water and electricity. The best point of the hotel remains the staff, they were overly friendly and very very helpful absolutely every one of our needs or expectations was met and exceeded

I stayed in Varanasi for 3 nights as a first time solo traveller in India. The hotel is in a great location, less than 5 min walk to ghats by the river. I've got an upgrade to a room with a terrace, which was fantastic, as lets you enjoy a great view and some extra space. The hotel has been refurbished, room was very clean, spacious, bathroom was good. There is a restaurant on the roof terrace, food was tasty and portions were big: good paneer biryani, kashmiri food, juices. Staff was very friendly and helpful, they stepped in and advised a local guide for a walking tour, boatmen and even help with luggage, which made my day there, as nothing better than to explore the area with a trusted local. Next time I come there, I'll definitely book the room with a terrace, even if visited by monkeys.

Dear Travelers, If you want to experience Varanasi this is the place. The location is by far the best.One thing one should understand though. If you arrive by train or plane it is not possible to have a cab or tuk tuk take you directly to the hotel. You will have to be escorted for about 1 kilometer to get to the hotel. Be sure and make that arrangement with the Alka when reserving the room.Many if not all tuk tuk drivers will not escort you through the maze of alley ways during the night hours. We found one driver that did and he only charged 250 rupee for drive from train station and the walk through the maze of narrow walkways. Would not recommend you do this any other way. You would not find your way I assure you. Once at the Alka you will find yourself in the heart of Varanasi's culture. The touts of course are everywhere but that is a part of India that is hard to escape. The hotel will in the end be your oasis from the hustle and bustle of the river banks. My daughter and I sat many an hour atop the roof just watching life in Varanasi. We were pleased with our choice of hotels. Alex and Tessa....US

The location of this hotel is excellent and very well maintained Hotel. The staffs are friendly and very honest. I left my backpack at the Hotel Lobby while rushing to the Airport and the Hotel owner whom also operating cab service in Varanasi immediately arrange to despatch my backpack to Varanasi Airport. Things would have gone bad if i had lost my backpack at the hotel being an expatriate visiting India. Thanks to Hotel Ganges Grand...Jai Hind

We opted to stay at Hotel Madin instead of staying at one of the hotels on the Ganges. It's about a half hour drive to the river (45 minutes in traffic), but we were very happy that we made the decision to stay here and would do it again. The rooms are brand new, high-quality, and gorgeous. The food, both buffet and cook-to-order are excellent. There are mosquitos in the dining room which the hotel needs to eliminate, but that's about the only complaint we had. Otherwise, this is probably the best place to stay in all of Varanasi.

Good food- slightly expensive as compared to other local hotels in the same bracket. Breakfast is very good. Not too many options, but whatever is available is really good. Overall the quality of food is very good. *Air conditioner are centralized and cannot be individually controlled. Rooms are clean, decent staff, you might have to buy drinking water bottles (only premium brand of Bisleri is available for Rs50). I think this is something that can be worked out by the hotel and should provide 20 Litres bottled water for no additional cost. Hotel has a Travel Desk (outsourced to Balaji Travels) which can advise you on locations to visit within and around Varanasi. The executive (Kaushal Jaiswal) advised very well and would recommend visitors to connect with him. The rates are per interest-point based and can be expensive. All points of interest are very close by and if you have time on hand, please do plan in advance and manage on own with Ola/local Autos. It will turn out to be cheap. Speak to locals and understand the area names and the points in between the autos ply. Sharing autos / private (private- reserve as the locals call) are very common. Bargain is the mantra as the initial quote normally is absolutely unreasonable. Hotel to Church (Girja ghar) is 2 kms and would cost Rs50 crossing and Rs 12 per head in sharing. 20 meters towards Kashi Vishwanath temple is Godowlia chowk. Shopping for Banarasi Sarees: Explore shops in Chowk. Here chowk is referred to entire Bansphatak Road-see map. Start walking from Godolia (square) on Bansphatak Road. Look for "Jalans" sores (its a chain) - overall decent rates and no bargains all fixed price.

One must take into account the City of Varanasis as a whole when making a review. It is a very old city with mainly crumbling buildings, narrow laneways and lots of poverty. Our hotel was in a perfect location. Rooms are small but have all one really needs, without beig lavish. Pay a little extra and take a room with balcony overlooking the river and not stop movement. Very good food in the rooftop restaurant with pleasant service,although slow. But hat is all over India. Lovely staff, particularly Amid. He will go out of his way to make sure you see everything in Varanasis. He will also help with other travel plans and booking throughout India.He is more than just the perfect guid.Will be your friend.

I have been to Varanasi almost 20 times. And I have seen the good, bad and the ugly. Pros- Rooms very clean, very descent staff who are not that crazy for tip. We got a spacious room. The room service is very good. The restaurants in the hotel are great. The food is awesome . Every dish we tried, veg or non veg was delicious. Cons : The hotel is old so some ameneties have worn out due to use. The restaurant takes 20-30 minutues to serve food when ordered from ala carte. Would definitely come back here. Its about 5km from the Vishwanath Temple . You can get Auto or Ola very easily. The cost is approx 100-150 inr depending on your bargaining skills. Sarnath is super close , about 20 mins. There arn't a lot of places to eat around this area so you have eat at the hotel itself. The food is pricey but tastes great.

just to set the stage: i live in los angeles, travel for work quite a bit (have highest statuses on airlines and at major hotel chains)and am used to elite treatment. so after having read all the mixed reviews on hhi, i was very concerned it was not going to be to my liking. i even considered canceling the reservation, but taj and even raddison were fully booked, so i had to keep it. and i am very happy i did. i actually liked the hotel and do not understand the negative reviews at all. yes, if you are expecting a crystal flute of chilled dom perignon upon arrival, you probably shouldn't go to varanasi on the first place. but there was a welcome drink! yes, there was some wear and tear in the bathroom, but the sheraton hotel i once stayed at in connecticut was in much worse shape. at hhi, all the piping worked as well as ac. the staff was super attentive. room service arrived 15-20 minutes after the order was placed (probably the fastest i've ever experienced). being from the us, we were careful about eating any outside food, so we had all our meals at the hotel and they were excellent! we could not wait until the next meal (i'm serious). on the first morning, the doorman recommended we hire a tuk tuk for the day and that was the best experience! the driver brought us to all the places we wanted to go and suggested more interesting ones. a tip, if you do go on tuk tuk in varanasi, it is always helpful to take a shot of whisky beforehand (it makes the "i'm going to die now" feeling more manageable). overall, hhi exceeded my expectations. great value for the money. easy booking through agoda. i will definitely stay there again and recommend for everyone else to do so as well.

The hotel is in the cantonment area. I was told that the food is very good too. I didnt have the opportunity to taste their meals, except for the breakfast. The breakfast spread was quite well spread out with sufficient options and variety. The room was good - the usual amenities with tea/coffee maker and a hair dryer. The desk staff seemed a bit distant, but the rest of the staff were kind and cooperative.

For me, this is the ideal hotel. Wonderfully located a half block from the Ganges at Assi Ghat. Assi Ghat has become a major cultural site, with aarti, yoga, and classical music every morning, and frequent music and/or dance programs in the evening (all free). The neighborhood is great: a variety of restaurants, milk and lassi shops, book stores, and dhobi stands (for washing clothes). You can rent bicycles at a corner shop. I recommend room 451 with its wonderful view of rooftops, the street and the river. The breakfast is an easy way to start the day: toast, porridge, paratha and curd, and tea up on the rooftop. The view is fab!

This place is great value! Excellent central location. After travelling for a few weeks through north India in a variety of 3, 4, 5 stars (most of them pretty disappointing) I settled on a budget option for a 9 day training in Varanasi. The service was personal and accommodating. Athul, Binu and crew took care of all my needs & worked around my tricky schedule. And hey... Hostel LaVie also attracts a cool clientele. People often remarked on the refreshing level of trust & honesty between both staff & guests. I had no problem leaving my door unlocked whilst I was in the common area. Ask for some great priced Thali or spicy fried rice - damn good. Ultimately, this is an oasis in city that (despite its charms), can be tough going. Importantly, although it's a budget hotel, you really need to tip these guys - whether individually, or an avg daily amount paid at the end of your stay. They work hard and is a daily grind

When we found that all of the Lonely Planet-recommended hotels were fully booked, we turned to TripAdvisor for a suitable alternative and found Hotel Rivera Palace. It was easy to book online and arrange a airport pick up for an extra fee - which was worth it because the hotel is located down an unmarked alley and we wouldn't have found it otherwise! Staff were polite and helpful - through them we organised an early morning boat trip on the Ganges for a reasonable price. Our room was clean and well appointed, the bed was a little hard for my liking but that's just personal preference. Breakfast was fine with a choice of Indian dishes or toast and jams. All in all, for the cheap price we paid, I'd recommend this hotel as a good budget option with a good location near to Assi Ghat.

Authentically Indian hotel, very clean and comfortable. Delicious Indian and Western food. Noisy on one side, quieter on the other side. Warm atmosphere. Staff friendly and helpful. Felt well taken care of by Rakesh the waiter who was very sweet. Because this city is like a labyrinth without sidewalks, and because this was our first visit in India, it was helpful to have the in-hotel travel guide, Yadab. He made good suggestions as to where to visit, helped us get a SIM card, really knew his way around, which was not only helpful in Varanasi but also in Allahabad, some 130 kilometres away. Wifi was intermittent, sometimes strong, sometimes weak. Safety box and modern plugs with built in adaptors were appreciated. Renovated bathroom was nice.

This is a fantastic hotel, especially for recovering from the chaos and intensity of Varanasi. The rooms are very large, super clean with comfortable beds and bathrooms. The A/C was efficient and effective. Staff were also helpful. You can easily hire a Tuk Tuk or Taxi or walk to many places of interest. The restaurant is also very good. For the money, this is a Western style hotel at a very fair price. It is the best hotel I've stayed in during my 5 weeks in India. I highly recommend Tridev