Chennai : Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited has announced its entry into Varanasi with the opening of Sterling Varanasi, adding one of India’s most significant spiritual destinations to its growing portfolio.
Located near the revered Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, the 33-room hotel offers convenient access to Assi Ghat, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University and the ghats of the Ganges, giving guests a well-connected base from which to experience Kashi.
The opening strengthens Sterling’s presence across destinations where faith and spirituality are powerful reasons to travel. With Ayodhya, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Guruvayur, Tiruvannamalai, Pushkar, Madurai and Puri already part of its network, Varanasi adds an important destination to the company’s growing spiritual travel footprint.
For Sterling, the opportunity goes beyond pilgrimage. Faith-led journeys are increasingly intersecting with family travel, culture, cuisine, heritage and discovery, while travellers seek greater comfort, reliability and quality hospitality.
Commenting on the opening, Vikram Lalvani, Managing Director & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts (SHRL), said:
“Our strategy is to understand why India travels and build around those reasons. Spiritual travel has always been one of India’s most enduring travel motivations; what is changing is the traveller and the experience around the journey.
In Varanasi, the reason to travel may begin with faith, but the journey can extend into family, culture, cuisine, history and discovery. Our role is to make that experience more comfortable, reliable and meaningful. Kashi therefore becomes an important addition to Sterling’s destination-led growth strategy.”
Sterling Varanasi features 33 contemporary rooms, including the unique Premier Rooms with balconies offering views of Kashi.
Its vegetarian restaurant, RASA KASHI, draws inspiration from Varanasi’s food traditions while offering a wider menu for contemporary travellers, bringing together two elements deeply associated with the city—food and faith.
On the fifth floor, KASHI REGALIA, a partially covered glass-roof venue with 180-degree views across Varanasi, offers a distinctive setting for intimate celebrations, family gatherings and special occasions.
Guests can build their stay around the rhythms of the destination—from early-morning boat journeys on the Ganges and the evening Ganga Aarti to temple visits, Sarnath, Banarasi cuisine, silk and local craft traditions.
Mr. Arya Vishwajeet Singh, Aditi Group, Owner of Sterling Varanasi, said:
“Our vision was to create a contemporary hospitality address that understands why people come to Varanasi and makes that journey easier and more comfortable. Sterling brings the brand reach, operating expertise and distribution strength to establish the property as a trusted hospitality address in the city.”
The addition of Varanasi further advances Sterling’s Destination Architect strategy—building its network around why people travel, rather than conventional destination categories alone. A journey may begin with the hills, wildlife, wellness, culture or spirituality.
****