Brijrama Palace, Varanasi - By The Ganges

“A Beautiful Banaras Experience - A Stay We Will Always Remember”

We recently stayed at BrijRama Palace as a family, and it was a truly memorable experience. The palace is magnificent, its Ganges-side location exceptional, but what stood out most was the warmth, care, and genuine hospitality of the team. As an NRI family visiting Banaras again after almost 14–15 … more

We recently stayed at BrijRama Palace as a family, and it was a truly memorable experience. The palace is magnificent, its Ganges-side location exceptional, but what stood out most was the warmth, care, and genuine hospitality of the team. As an NRI family visiting Banaras again after almost 14–15 years, this journey was especially meaningful to us. From the moment we arrived, there was a wonderful sense of familiarity and warmth that made us feel immediately at ease. The team took exceptional care of our children, introducing them to an incredible range of local flavours - from chaat and kachori to traditional sweets and countless Indian delicacies - ensuring they experienced the essence of Banaras at every opportunity. That personal attention made our stay deeply special. Food was undoubtedly one of the highlights throughout our visit. Whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, we were spoiled for choice, with authentic Banarasi cuisine prepared and served with great attention to detail. The special 10-course dining experience at their exclusive restaurant – AANGAN was particularly memorable. We were equally impressed by how seamlessly the palace brought the culture and traditions of Banaras into everyday life. From Kathak and sitar performances to the traditional paan counter, astrologer, pottery and other thoughtfully curated experiences, each day offered something unique. It never felt like a standard hotel activity programme, but rather like little pieces of Banaras woven naturally into our stay. Our children especially enjoyed these experiences, which, along with the beautifully arranged boat rides and excursions, gave them memories and an understanding of the city that we could never have created through sightseeing alone. Even while exploring the city, we always felt well looked after. Assistance was immediate whenever needed, and at times, rather than simply guiding us remotely, the team actually sent someone in person to assist us. That level of care made a real difference, particularly while travelling as a family. We would especially like to thank Arif, Kulbansh, Nitesh, Pooja, Chef Devansh, Sandeep and Cecilla each of whom, in their own way, went beyond what we would normally expect to make our stay so comfortable and memorable. There were also many others whose names we may unfortunately not recall, but whose warmth, smiles and hospitality we certainly will. BrijRama Palace gave us something quite special — a beautiful combination of the heritage, culture, food and spirituality of Banaras, delivered with genuinely personal hospitality. A heartfelt thank you to the entire BrijRama family. After being away from Banaras for so many years, you helped us reconnect with the city in a way that was meaningful not only for us, but especially for our children. We would highly recommend BrijRama Palace to anyone wishing to experience Varanasi authentically — whether travelling from within India, an NRI family rediscovering Banaras, or an international traveller experiencing this extraordinary city for the first time. काश्यां हि काशते काशी, काशी सर्वप्रकाशिका। Some places you visit, some places stay with you. We leave Banaras with beautiful memories, full hearts, and perhaps even fuller stomachs :) - thanks to the incredible food and a team who somehow never allowed us to finish a meal without insisting we try “just one more” Banarasi speciality! After 14–15 years, it was wonderful to rediscover Banaras — and even more special to see our children experience its magic for themselves. Until next time, Banaras - and a heartfelt thank you to the entire BrijRama family. 🙏

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“A memorable stay along the Ganges”

BrijRama Palace was our first stop on a 2-week tour of India arranged by Indian Excursions Co., and we spent 2 nights at the property. We chose BrijRama because we wanted to experience a luxury historical hotel in a location that would allow us to be close to the Aarti on the Ganges and, more impor… more

BrijRama Palace was our first stop on a 2-week tour of India arranged by Indian Excursions Co., and we spent 2 nights at the property. We chose BrijRama because we wanted to experience a luxury historical hotel in a location that would allow us to be close to the Aarti on the Ganges and, more importantly, give us the opportunity to observe the religious and cultural traditions that bring people to the Ganges. The arrival to the hotel is part of the experience. As there are no roads directly to the property, guests are transferred by boat from the riverside pickup area. Our journey took approximately 15 minutes and was incredibly relaxing, giving us the opportunity to watch daily life unfold along the riverbanks as we made our way to and from the hotel. We stayed in the Vasundhara Room. The room was quite large, although it did not have any windows or natural light, which could feel a little claustrophobic at times. The property is architecturally beautiful, and we also enjoyed the nightly dance and music performances they host. All of the staff we encountered were warm and welcoming throughout our stay. We really enjoyed the food at BrijRama. There were opportunities to try a lot of regional favorites during breakfast, and everything we had was very flavorful. We especially enjoyed dinner in the main dining room, where we had a delicious thali meal. Having traveled throughout India previously, it was a wonderful way to experience the different curries and flavors from this particular region. The location is truly what makes BrijRama special. I highly recommend spending some time simply walking along the Ganges and observing life as it unfolds around you. The energy along the river is something that is difficult to describe until you experience it yourself, and being just steps from the Ganges made it easy to spend time taking it all in. We also highly recommend attending the Aarti on the Ganges. BrijRama Palace was a wonderful introduction to Varanasi and a memorable first stop on our India trip.

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“Staff and service are great”

Had a wonderful dining experience at DARBHANGA restaurant. The food was fresh, delicious, and full of flavor. The presentation of the dishes was excellent and the portion sizes were satisfying. The service was friendly, polite, and attentive. The staff made us feel very welcome throughout our visit… more

Had a wonderful dining experience at DARBHANGA restaurant. The food was fresh, delicious, and full of flavor. The presentation of the dishes was excellent and the portion sizes were satisfying. The service was friendly, polite, and attentive. The staff made us feel very welcome throughout our visit. The restaurant was clean and well maintained. The ambience was comfortable, relaxing, and pleasant. Everything was well organized and served on time. Overall, it was a great experience and I really enjoyed the meal. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

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“Amazing service and food”

“The manager and the entire service team provided an exceptional dining experience from the moment we arrived. They were welcoming, professional, and attentive, making sure we felt comfortable and well taken care of throughout our visit. The service was outstanding, with the team showing great know… more

“The manager and the entire service team provided an exceptional dining experience from the moment we arrived. They were welcoming, professional, and attentive, making sure we felt comfortable and well taken care of throughout our visit. The service was outstanding, with the team showing great knowledge, patience, and care while attending to every request. The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, and beautifully prepared, with excellent taste and presentation that made every dish enjoyable. The restaurant had a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the attention to detail from the manager and staff truly made our visit memorable. I sincerely appreciate their hard work, dedication, and commitment to providing excellent hospitality, and I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food and exceptional service.”

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