jm1971

Hi,
I will be traveling to India for the first time in late October. I have all of my hotels reserved except for Varanasi. I tried to get the Radisson, any other recommendations?

rajuindia

Hi,
Peace be at your home and in life too.
The hotels are as follows according their category:-

Taj Ganges *****
Ideal Tower ***
Meraden grand ***
Hindustan International ***
Clarks Varanasi****
Palace on Ganges (a heritage hotel on the bank of river Ganges)
Wishes.
Raju India.

thursdaysd

I highly recommend staying by the river, even at the cost of some comfort, as you will be immersed in old-town Varanasi. You just have to walk out the door, and the town you have come to see will surround you. You won't need a taxi to get to your boat ride either, and can bargain for the fare yourself.

All those tourist-type hotels are a good way away from the river. I can't recommend the place I stayed in for someone who wants the Radisson, but I hear there are a couple of reasonably comfortable places - some posters here have enjoyed the Rashmi Guest House.,

Amy

I sincerely second the recommendation to stay on the river...nothing like it. I was in the lovely Ganges View for three nights, and truly enjoyed it. It was rather like staying in the home of someone who, well, has a far larger and more ornate home than I do! My trip report (with a photo link) is here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...rip-report.cfm

The Ganges View description comes at the end, but there's more about Varanasi in the middle.

lcuy

I agree totally with thursdaysd and Amy; youo want to stay on the river to get the feel of Varanasi. The big hotels in the cantonnment area (most of the hotels that travel agent rajindia mentions) are 30-45 minutes from the river. Stay on the River.

I've stayed in both the Palace on the Ganges and Rashmi Guest house. Both had issues that would keep me from returning, the most important being that both tried to cheat us financially.

Next time I'll try Temple on the Ganges as it is a fairly new hotel and I like the location at Assi Ghat.

jm1971

Thanks for the info guys! I think I will reconsider and try to find a place to stay on the river

mudlush

So, aside from the cheating issue, between the Palace on Ganges and the Rashmi Guest House which hotel would be the best?

dogster

I'm for the ghats. 100%. I haven't stayed at both so I can't compare: all of them are dramatically overpriced, be aware. Pay it for location - it's worth it.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...r_Pradesh.html

[There is something highly 'suspect' going on at this hotel IMHO. The owner AND Pappu the wonder-guide have been manipulating these TA reviews for some time. By the look of it, they've been found out. It's all a mafia, as I discovered. Stay within the brotherhood and you'll be fine. The most recent reviews sum up my feelings, even tho' my stay there was O.K.]

On the face of it, I'd be staying here next time.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...r_Pradesh.html

lcuy

Palace on the ganges and the "temple on the Ganges" next door are at Assi Ghat; in my opinion a much better location in Varanasi. Less crowds, better restaurants nearby, and lots of boats out front for the trip upriver. From here to the main ghat is a fascinating 8 minute, 50 rupee ride on a cycle rickshaw. Both hotels are clean, have AC, and nice rooftop dining areas. Just make sure you get a river view room, and ask to not be above the generator.

As far as scams, Palace made me pay for an "included" ride back to the airport. Rashmi (palace on River) had logged me on the wrong day, then insisted it was my mistake and wouldn't accept or refund my pre-payment. It was a miserable, exhausting debacle and even when I got home and sent him the proof (western union payment with my reservation dates on it), they only refunded the room charge, not the transportation or included meals. They are well located for the Arrti, but I find Main Ghat too dirty and crowded compared to Assi Ghat.

connette

Wow, we changed from Palace on Ganges to the Rashmi Guest House because I saw a review about bed bugs at Palace on Ganges. I read how wonderful the location of Rashmi Guest House is and how great their rooftop Dophin restaurant there is. Maybe everything I read was planted... We go in just over a month. Might be too late for changes now...

Amy

I see that I recommended the Hotel Ganges View further up there, but I want to reiterate that this is a truly delightful location and a hotel of immense charm. Such a haven from the fascinating but, well, sensorily overwhelming, streets of Varanasi. Here's a link with a quite accurate photo gallery: http://www.hotelgangesview.com/ The food was very good and the place was well kept. It's rather like visiting someone who's got a beautiful big home. So, just as an alternative to Palace/Rashmi...

lcuy

Amy- I wish they had a better web site. I see they're at Assi Ghat- which I love- but their photos don't open, and there is no indication of price, number of rooms, etc.

Amy

There's a write-up on Alastair Sawday's page with prices/rooms--but it would be good for it to be on the website, no? http://www.sawdays.co.uk/search/disp...%26RecFrom%3D0

Here's the photo gallery direct link; maybe it will work better? (It opened up fine for me on my Mac.)
http://www.hotelgangesview.com/photo_gallery.htm

It is more of a guesthouse, I suppose, than hotel, but definitely recommended.

live42day

I am always suspicious of reviews of hotels on Trip Advisor that are glowing, but there is only one submission from the poster. I find this on a lot of hotels in India. Unfortunately I have already booked and paid for a Palace on the River in full. I will report back when I return.

live42day

I just emailed the Palace on the River to arrange an airport pick up. They quoted me $30USD to pick us up, there are two of us. Is that not high? I thought I saw that the usual fare was around $10.
Has anyone done this recently?.

dogster

Hi live - this is one case where I think you should pay it.

Yup, it's high - but if you try and do it another way, as you'll discover, first you'll be besieged with taxi-drivers, then dumped at the edge of a rabbit-warren of alleyways with all your luggage and stress, stress, stress until you find the place. There is no way for a car to get close.

That high cost will get you from airport to front door, complete with a man who will carry your bags on his head thru the alleys. Just do it - or you'll pay.

You're in the loop now. Don't try to fight it - and don't stress. Just avoid a certain guide and nothing will go wrong. Once you're there, you are in the middle of everything. Just go out into it. Easy.

live42day

You are right Dogster, sometimes it is worth the money. I will pay for the advantage of less stress. Thanks for the advice.
which guide should I avoid? Pappu?

dogster

live, I can't answer that. I suggest you go back to Tripadvisor and make your own decisions. I'm merely noting my perceptions of activity in there.

All I did was wander around for a week, stay inside the Rashmi loop and everything was perfectly good. Except when Bruno, the hotel Great Dane dragged me into the Ganges - but that's another story.

Here's what I wrote at the time:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...--varanasi.cfm

Give them my regards, tell the guy at reception you've been talking to the man who was blessed by Bruno and you might get a smile in return.

Then you can read this:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...n-varanasi.cfm

That'll re-focus you. It'll all be good. Trust me. What happens in Tripadvisor has nothing at all to do with your wonderful upcoming adventure in Varanasi. Just embrace it all. When you hear music, abandon everything and go toward the sound. Don't walk the dog.

Craig

I too am wondering about the Palace on the River, having paid up front. I am in possession of an e-mail that states that pick-up/drop-off is included at an extra $30 which I paid. I do intend to confirm a few days ahead of time to make sure someone shows up at the airport. Anything else I need to do? If I had a week, then the services of a guide (Pappu? or are there a bunch of them all going by the name of Pappu?) would not be needed but to have a handler would be helpful, I think...we really only have 2 full days plus the afternoon of our arrival.

live42day

When are you there Craig? We check in on Feb 11th for four days, after being in Kathmandu for four nights.