Ram Bhawan Residency

The location, the staff, meeting other travellers staying there. It was a lovely experience

Some options for vegetarians for breakfast besides eggs.

I loved it! It's an old Varanasi house with no frills, but such character. The staff are lovely and helpful. Rooms were old-fashioned, but in a really good way. They were also very clean - mine even had a little balcony, with mesh to guard against the monkeys! Breakfast was simple, but great - and I ended up chatting with other guests for 3 hours! That's the thing with this place, it has a nice communal vibe. The kind of guesthouse that is fading away in the modern world. The rooftop restaurant/cafe was also great - with views over the city. Finally the location, it's basically a one minute walk to the river - and less than five minutes to Dashashwamedh Ghat, where aarti/evening prayer takes place. You can't beat it.

I really can't think of anything bad to say. Lots of bureaucracy to check in initially - but that's all over India. But maybe smoothing the check-in process might be good for guests - and the staff!

A traditional property in the heart of Varanasi and close to mother Ganges and the Ghats. The staff were welcoming and kind, the atmosphere was lovely and homely and I loved the communal style eating. Very close to everything. I would definitely come again!

The rooms are very traditional so if you want modern, this isn't for you, but I loved the rooms. The bed was quite hard but I slept okay. As it's very central, you will experience noise from outside but that's part of the experience of being in Varanasi. As a solo traveller, it was quite overwhelming finding the property as the alleys are too small for vehicles but Google maps was a must and people are very kind and shop keepers helped me locate the property. .

Friendly and democratic atmosphere. Cosy, charming, cute, easy to find, deeply Indian style. Just few steps from Ganga. Nice panorama on the roof. The swing on top floor brings back to inner child. Welcoming staff always around to help. Special thanks to Ashu - such a cheeky spirit, made me feel like at home. Posibilities for privacy and socialisation are in perfect harmony. Room was spacious, light and cosy - perfect for private yoga classes and rest after adventurous days. Exceeded expectations. I would have loved to stay longer...

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Property has a lot of character and an interesting location in the maze of alleyways of the old town - this has its pros and cons in terms of getting around as the area is 10-15min walk to nearest tuktuk/taxi pick up point and can feel a bit disconcerting as a solo traveller until you get your bearings in daylight but the staff were great walking to meet me on arrival. The plus side is it is walking distance to ganga aarti and lots of hidden cafes. Staff were helpful and responsive to my requests. It feels a bit like staying in someone's home but short of a home stay they also respect your privacy if you want it.

The property is cash only which wouldn't normally be an issue except I was hard pressed finding an ATM that actually had cash in it near the area (ended up trying six different ones but also had to walk a long way with bundles of cash on me as I stayed 4 nights). I overlooked this in the detailed pre-arrival instructions provided by the staff and highly recommend you get money out before arriving in Varanasi. It seems a fundamental to western tourists but toilet paper isn't supplied (you can get this from a laneway convenience store nearby).

I see no redeeming features of this place other than location.

Broken shower tray, very unwelcoming staff on arrival, outrageous amount of information requested on arrival, people could see into room through door at all times, extremely difficult to get to with luggage on arrival as taxis cannot make it down the narrow streets.