There are three main areas to stay. The old part of the city by the ghats, captures the true atmosphere of the city. Many of the budget hotels are in this area. The other two areas are around the railway and bus station, and the spacious Cantonment area, north of the railway station, where most of the higher class hotels are located.

Where to Stay—Lower & Middle

Cantonment Area
This area is north of the Varanasi Junction railway station. Except for in the hotels, there are not many eating places in this area.
Hotel Surya (385-930, maybe 343-014) is a recommended place that has rooms with bath for Rs 250/350 and rooms with A/C for Rs 650/700. It is a peaceful place with a nice garden and a philosophical manager who used to be a tourist guide, so he is very helpful. You can camp on the lawn for Rs 30. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel Shalimar (46227) has rooms with hot water ranging from Rs 200/250 to Rs 350/450. They may give a discount if you ask.
Tourist Dak Bungalow (42182), on The Mall, is a little run-down, but it has a nice garden. The rooms are Rs 200/350 and the dorm beds are Rs 40.
Hotel Temples Town (46582), Patel Nagar, by the station, is a good quiet place with rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 200/275. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel India (342-912), 59 Patel Nagar, is a good place with rooms with hot water for Rs 350/450 and Rs 900/1150 with A/C. Some of the rooms do not have windows. It has a good restaurant.
The nearby well-managed Hotel Vaibav (46588) is also good, but slightly cheaper, with clean comfortable rooms for Rs 350/450 and Rs 675/850 with A/C.

City Centre—Lahurabir Area
The Lahurabir area is fairly convenient for the railway station and bus stand, but is located away from the old city.
GM Guest House (361-292), Chandrika Colony, near the church, has good-sized clean rooms with hot water. Some rooms have a balcony. It is a good place.
The friendly Hotel Buddha (343-686) has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 150/175 and rooms with hot water for Rs 150/200. It is in an older building with high ceilings and a verandah. It has a restaurant.
Hotel Barahdari (330-581; fax 330-581), east of Lahurabir, near the GPO, at Maidagin, has comfortable air-cooled rooms for Rs 400/450 and A/C rooms for Rs 600/650. It has a garden and a good vegetarian restaurant.
Hotel Varuna (358-524), between the railway station and the ghats, opposite Sigra Police Station, has rooms for Rs 275/350 and Rs 600/650 with A/C. It is in a quiet area.
Hotel Ajaya has rooms for Rs 250/300 and Rs 550/600 with air-cooling. It is one of the best hotels in the area and is recommended for budget travelers. 24-hour checkout.
The two-star Pradeep Hotel (344963; fax 344-898), at Jagatganj, has rooms with hot water and a TV for Rs 450/500 and Rs 750/850 with A/C.
Hotel Gautam is a good place with clean rooms for Rs 400/450 and Rs 350/400 with A/C. It is a bit overpriced.
Hotel Avaneesh (350-730), Station Rd, has small, modern, comfortable A/C rooms for Rs 500/550.

Railway and Bus Station Area
There are many cheaper hotels in this area. The Retiring Rooms at the railway station are Rs 125/200 and with A/C Rs 350. A dorm bed is Rs 50. You can get a discount if you stay less than 12 hours.
SN Lodge has rooms with common bath for Rs 90/100 and Rs 1100/130 with bath.
Tourist Bungalow (343-413), off Parade Kothi, Grand Trunk Rd, is the best place in the area. It has rooms ranging from Rs 125/225 to Rs 300/375 and dorm beds are Rs 50. An A/C room is Rs 500/600. It is a popular place and is often full. It has a nice garden and is within walking distance of the railway and bus stations. Touts may bring you to another place called “Tourist Bungalow” which does not have a garden.
Hotel Relax (343-503), by the Tourist Bungalow, has rooms with bath for Rs 150/200 and with air-cooling for Rs 200/275. 24-hour checkout. It is a good alternative, if the Tourist Bungalow is full.
Raj Kamal Hotel has rooms for Rs 110/160.
Hotel Sandona (346-555) has clean basic rooms for Rs 150/200.
Nar India (343-586), Grand Trunk Rd, near the railway station, has a room with common bath with a TV for Rs 175/200, Rs 250/300 with bath, and Rs 400/450 with A/C. 24-hour checkout.

Old City and Ghats Area
The streets are so narrow here that bike-rickshaws cannot fit down the lanes, so you have to be able to carry all your baggage to get a room here. This is where the real budget places are. Many of the places in this area are very basic. This area has a lot of atmosphere and some hotels have great views of the Ganges and the ghats.

Yogi Lodge (322-588) is a very popular place. It has basic rooms with common bath and hot showers for Rs 100/120. A dorm bed is Rs 60. If you are a backpacker, this is a popular place to stay and meet people. It is often full. People often do not like this place because it is too basic. Often rickshaw drivers or touts (commission agent) will bring you to some place with a similar name, where they will get a commission. Three different people wanting to come here told me they were brought to three other places by commission agents.
Sadhu Lodge, near the Yogi Lodge, is good, clean place with basic rooms with common bath for Rs 90.
Golden Lodge (323-832), nearby at D8/35 Kalika Lane, is popular and has a rooftop patio. It has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 90 and a room with bath and hot water is Rs 125.
Scindhia Guest House (320-319; fax 327-317), by Manikarnika Ghat, has a good view of the Ganges. Rooms are Rs 100/150 with common bath and Rs 150 to Rs 175 with bath. An air-cooled room with bath and a balcony is Rs 300. Dorm beds Rs 30. To get to this place you have to walk to Manikarnika Ghat and then up a dirt hill by the river.
Shanti Lodge (322-568), down a road that goes to Manikar­nika Ghat, is a very popular budget place by the burning ghat, with basic rooms with common bath for Rs 80/100 and Rs 140 to Rs 250 for a room with bath. Some of the rooms do not have windows. It has a 24-hour restaurant on the roof which has a great view of the Ganges. It is well-managed and also has a travel agency.
Sandhya Guest House (313-2920, near the Shivala post office, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 90/100 and a room with bath is Rs 110/140. It has a restaurant on the roof.
Trimurti Guest House (322-554), near the Visvanath Temple, is a good place with rooms with common bath for Rs 60/100 and Rs 150 with bath. A dorm bed is Rs 40.
Vishnu Rest House (329-206) is located right next to the Ganges and has a great view of the river from the terraces. A single room with bath is Rs 80. Double rooms go for between Rs 100 and Rs 200 and have hot water. You can get to this hotel by first going to Dasaswamedha Ghat, you then turn right after reaching the Ganges, and walk a few minutes. Other hotels have similar names to fool you to come to those places.
Kumiko House (324-308), next door, has good views of the Ganges. Small rooms with common bath are Rs 100/130 and Rs 200 with bath. A dorm bed is Rs 40. It is managed by an Indian man and his Japanese wife and is popular with Japanese. These two places are often full.
Sita Guest House has some rooms which have good views of the Ganges. A room with a common bath is Rs 125/200 and a double room with bath and hot water is Rs 350.
Sri Venkateshwar Lodge (322-357), 5/64 Dasaswamedha Ghat Road, near Dasaswamedha Ghat, is a good place with clean rooms with common bath for Rs 100/130 and a double room with hot water for Rs 200. It is well-managed.
Alaknanda Guest House (327-177), north of Dasaswamedha Ghat, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 110/140 and Rs 200 for a room with a view of the Ganges, hot water and an air-cooler.
Sun Shiv Hotel (52468), 54/16-D Ravi Niketan, Jaddumandi Road, is a few blocks from the Old City area. It is a good place in a quiet area. It has rooms for Rs 175/300. The owner is a very knowledgeable and helpful person, and if this is important to you, this is the place to stay. It is a recommended place, if you don’t mind staying out of the main Old City area.
Hotel Ganges (321-097), Dasa­swa­medha Road, has rooms for Rs 275/350 and Rs 500/5500 with A/C. It is set back a little from the road.
Seema Hotel (352-686) 37/42 Baradev, has rooms with bath and a TV for Rs 350/400 and Rs 550/600 with A/C.
Alka Hotel (328-445), D 3/23, Meerghat, overlooking the Ganges, is a good place with rooms for Rs 650/750. It is one of the best hotels in the area. The area around this hotel did not look so safe for a woman to walk alone at night.
Other Areas
GM Guest House (361-292), 1 Chandrika Colony, Sigra, is a little away from the Old City area. It has large, clean, budget and middle range rooms and is a very good value.
Hotel Faran is a good place.
Hotel Temple on Ganges (312-340), Asi Ghat, is a recommended place which is located in a good peaceful location. Some of the rooms have a great view of the Ganges. It has nice clean rooms for Rs 350/500. There are yoga lessons here and they can arrange a good guide for the city. It is a good distance from the Old City area. It has a rooftop veg restaurant.

Where to Stay—High
Hotel de Paris (346-601; fax 348-520), The Mall, in the Cantonment area, has a spacious garden and good, large comfortable rooms for Rs 900/1100, some with A/C. It is an older building that is starting to show its age.
Hotel Clarks Varanasi (348-501, fax 348-186), The Mall, in the Cantonment area, is an old famous building with atmosphere, dating to the British era. It also has a modern extension and a good swimming pool open to non-guest (Rs 200). Rooms costs $80/100. It is the best place in town.
Next to the Hotel Clarks is the new three-star Hotel Best Western Ideal (348-091; fax 348-685), which has good, comfortable, modern, spacious rooms for Rs 1500/1800. It has a good restaurant. It has free airport transfer. It is a well-managed, recommended place at a reasonable price.
Hotel Taj Ganges (345-100; fax 348-067), Nadesar Palace Grounds, is the most opulent place in town with rooms ranging from $120/140 up to $250. It has excellent facilities including tennis courts, a pool and yoga classes. The best rooms have a view of the pool.
The four-star Hotel Varanasi Ashok (346-020; fax 348-089), The Mall, Cantonment area next to Hotel Clarks, has a quiet location with air-conditioned rooms for Rs 1700/2700. It has a pool and a nice large garden. The best rooms have a view of the pool. It has a good restaurant.
The four-star Hindustan International (351-484; fax 350-931), C21/3 Maldahiya, in the center of the city, has a pool and modern comfortable rooms for $40/75. It is a business-type hotel.

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