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Radisson amenities at a relatively affordable price—a good deal if you think being on the river will be too much. Guest rooms are large and comfortable, with thick drapes and chocolate-brown furniture offset by pale walls. There’s a full spa and a smallish pool with wooden deck chairs and its own bar; breakfasts are served in the bright sunflower-themed coffee shop. The free railway station transfer is very convenient if you’re arriving by overnight train from Delhi. The only drawback of this otherwise good chain hotel is that none of the rooms have views worth mentioning.

The Mall, Cantonment, Varanasi 221 002. 0542/250-1515. Fax 0542/250-1516. www.radisson.com. radvar@sify.com. 116 units. Rs 5,000 superior double; Rs 7,000 club room; Rs 9,000 suite; Rs 1,100 extra bed. Rates include breakfast; taxes extra. Check online for special deals. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; lounge and pastry bar; airport transfer (Rs 715); babysitting; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; health club; Internet (Rs 300/hr., Rs 1,300/day); palmist; outdoor pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (complimentary).

Waterfront

Ganges View Guesthouse You’re required to remove your shoes upon entering this lovely colonial lodge at the edge of the Ganges, and it’s an appropriate gesture of respect given the effort that has turned the best budget guesthouse into such a comfortable haven. In fact, it’s so popular with certain repeat guests (many of them artists and musicians) that you’d do well to book your room up to a year in advance. The gorgeous, simple guest rooms feature marble floors and French doors that open onto enclosed corridors filled with ornamental columns, charming objets de art, good art, antique furniture, and animal trophies. Book an upstairs room and specify clearly if you also want a waterfront view. Evening meals (which should be booked in advance) are traditional (vegetarian only) affairs taken in the pretty dining room, but the large, open-air upstairs terrace is a delightful spot for breakfast (additional charge), accompanied by excellent views of activity at the ghats down below.

B1/163 Assi Ghat, Varanasi 221 006. 0542/231-3218. Fax 0542/236-9695. hotelgangesview@yahoo.com. 14 units (with showers). Rs 2,500 downstairs double; Rs 3,500 upstairs double. Rates are discounted Apr–Sept. No credit cards. Amenities: Dining room; airport transfer (Rs 1,200); musical performances; room service. In room: A/C

Palace on Ganges It’s no palace, and it’s not in the center of things, but for the waterfront this is a reasonably smart option. Guest rooms are small but attractive, with marble or parquet floors and rugs, king-size beds with hard foam mattresses, and some of the best amenities on the Ganges. Walls are decorated with artworks reflecting aspects of Indian heritage sites, and each room is a tribute to a different regional style. Bathrooms (showers only) are tiny. The heritage theme is carried throughout, with polished brown marble stairways, dark wood paneling, and intricately carved period furniture featuring inlaid decorative tiles. Although its location overlooking the Ganges is one of the selling points, you aren’t guaranteed a river-view room (do request one, though longer stays enjoy first dibs), and views from the rooftop terrace restaurant (Jain food only) include an unpleasant garbage dump at the water’s edge.

B-1/158 Assighat, Varanasi 221 001. 0542/231-5050, -4304, or -4305. Fax 0542/220-4898 or 0542/231-4306. www.palaceonganges.com. info@palaceonganges.com. 24 units (with showers). Rs 3,000 double; off season (May–July) Rs 2,000 double. Taxes extra. AE, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; doctor-on-call; room service. In room: A/C, TV, minibar.

A Palace on the River/Rashmi Guest House Also strategically located by the banks of the river, this hotel/guesthouse is more expensive than Ganges View or Palace on Ganges but is highly popular for its exceptional, friendly staff—everyone loves Pappu, their in-house guide and perhaps Rashmi’s biggest asset, along with their rooftop restaurant