Hotel Ganges view is overpriced and whilst it is right on Assi Ghat I found it to be too far away from the main action of the other ghats. The rooms are spacious and very clean however I found the staff not that friendly especially when I asked for a taxi to the airport and they didn't book it until I was ready to leave and thus I almost missed my flight. When the car finally arrived the manager didn't even say "goodbye" or "thankyou"

Despite being a beautiful hotel in a good location carrying a wonderful air of charm and character of Varanasi, most of our group got sick during the stay there and we observed many other guests sick all with the same symptoms of dysentery or vomiting. I took a look in the kitchen to find out how such an upmarket place could allow this and saw a very old and not sufficient water filter for the drinking water and the plates being washed in the hotels water which is simply well water. I tried to raise this with the owner informing so many guests had gotten sick during the stay and he denied it vehemently stating they must have eaten elsewhere, though some of our party had only eaten at the hotel. So please take care of food and water at this hotel and please complain about this if you see guests vomiting on the stairs (as we did) or with serious dysentery as it must change. The well needs to be tested and a RO filter MUST be installed this kind of standard for the prices they charge is disgraceful. This all said Varanasi and the Ganges are as pollluted as ever so it is critical to take extra care you stay in a place you will not get sick.

One of my favorite places to stay, the Hotel Ganges View is perfectly located in Assi Ghat. Shashankji runs a fabulous property and the staff is absolutely wonderful. It is a charming place and the food is absolutely wonderful. As a vintage hotel, it doesn't have many modern amenities, which is ok given the atmosphere. Unfortunately, it's popularity has driven prices up in recent years and it can sometimes be difficult to get a room, but it's worth trying. A wonderful oasis in a sometimes chaotic place.

I love the Hotel Ganges View Hotel. I stayed there in 2004 and again in December 2011. But the price increased dramatically during that time period. From a place for visiting scholars it has moved to a much higher price range. If you can afford it, though, it is worth it. The rooms are comfortable (although the beds hard) and clean and the bathrooms work. Just like in 2004, every night about 8 pm the electricity shuts off momentarily and a generator goes on for about an hour or so, which can be noisy, depending on how sensitive you are and the location of your room. So carry your flashlight with you at night! The breakfast, on the open air terrace is great -- you can order whatever you want - continental and Indian - but no fresh juice. The dinner is also very good vegetarian and worth opting for over other restaurants in the area, although a little too much paneer cheese for my liking (as a vegan). Be careful about having laundry sent out -- they tried to charge me 20 rupees to wash a pair of socks and I had a number of pairs bringing my total laundry bill to over 800 rupees!! But they reduced it to 500 rupees, still expensive for India, but it was done in one day. So ask about the price first before sending laundry out. The service is excellent. But don't count on wi-fi. Despite saying it "would be coming", it was never running during our 3 days there. There is a good cyber cafe next door for your needs (with its own generator as well). The view from the balcony is wonderful.