Varanasi Travel Forum

I would like some info on the Sahi River View Guesthouse from anyone who has stayed there. I plan to be in Varanasi in February with some friends (women around 50 years of age), so would like to smooth out any bumps I can for them.
Thanks, Lesley.

i just came back from varanasi. it's a very exciting place but also very dirty and backward (electricity went out 5 times a day during my stay, even in the airport. the street lights are out of order), and there's hardly any proper road (mostly sand and mud road). air pollution is also a big problem. i also heard that guest houses near the ganges river directly pump water from the river, so better not risk your life. I stayed in the taj ganges hotel in the cantonment area, which is the most expensive in varanasi. But it's SAFE. there're some other nice hotels in this area, which are actually not very expensive compared to hotels in big cities like delhi. Varanasi is definitely worth visiting, but if you can afford it, stay in a proper hotel!
we also hired a government tour guide from the tourism office (the real one). the price is cheap for a 4 hour morning tour, which includes a private car, boat ride at the river and all the admission fees. the best part is that the guide took us to many interesting temples which are buried in the maze of the small alleys along the river. Without him, we wouldn't be able to find those places, since the roads are not marked in the map.
in the evening, you can stroll along the river front. At 6:30pm everyday, there's a big religious ceremony at the Dashashvamedha Ghat (main ghat). Very interesting.

Hi there - I stayed at this guesthouse in Dec 2003 for 5 nights. I really enjoyed my stay - the place is family run, in a good location, and I felt safe staying there and leaving my belongings there (I usually travel with a fair amount of camera and video equipment). The rooms are quite basic, but were clean. I stayed in one of the deluxe A/C rooms, which had a shared balcony with one other room. The owners were very friendly, and when I have a chance to return to Varanasi, I hope to stay there again. A few additional comments.... As I'm sure you're aware it located at Assi ghat, which is essentially the last ghat at that end of town. It has a nice, relaxed atmosphere in the evenings (as well as during the day). When I was there a small temple was under construction on the land between the small street where the guest house is located and the Ganges. Each day I would start out early in the morning and walk all the way down the river along the ghats, and then come back in the evening for dinner at the guest house. If your friends are up for a lots of walking, then the location is good because you can walk downriver during the day and then come back to a nice quiet place along the river during the evening (you could also easily hire a boat from the area as well). When I left each morning I would let the owners know when I would like to have dinner, and I'd show up in the evenings after taking pictures all day and have a nice vegetarian thali (they only serve vegi food) on the small rooftop). There were also local students displaying and selling their artwork at Assi Ghat a couple of evenings while I was there. I bought two wonderful watercolors of by these students of scenes along the Ganges.

Again, it's a basic place in terms of rooms and amenities, but it was clean, the owners were very friendly, I enjoyed the dinners on the rooftop, and I hope to stay there again when I have the opportunity to return. If you have any specific questions, post a reply and I'll try to give you some additional feedback.

Thanks very much for your great reply. It sounds exactly like I'd imagined. Tell me, do they have the usual pillows that feel like balsa wood?
The location and the friendly service sound perfect although I was hoping the decor was a bit less basic. If you know of any other hotel I could try please let me know. Loved your photo.......did that cobra still have it's fangs???
I am unreasonably afraid of snakes and have had a few unpleasant encounters with them in India. In 1994 my husband and I were touring on an Enfield Bullet and pushing our way carefully through a crowded bazaar in Almora when suddenly close beside us a man was walking along with a HUGE python wrapped around his upper body - probably a busker of some sort - I nearly unseated us both as I lunged away from the ghastly creature.
Anyway......thanks again for your reply. Lesley.

Hello, am from india. am visting varanasi in NOV 06. wanted to know whether u styed in sahi river view guesthouse. HOw is it and wht was the acoomodation charges then?
hope u get back to me answering.
thnku

This reply is probably way too late but I have been in India and have just logged on. I liked the Sahi Riverview Guesthouse very much. It is in a great position with uninterrupted views of the Ganges. It is in a quiet area. It is clean and the food is good. No silks draped about but good solid decor and it has everything you need.

Hi, could you pass along the contact information for this hotel. I would like to stay there in Jan 2007. Thank you!