Shiva Ganges View Guest House

This 150-year-old property has been managed by the Tandone family for the past 25 years. The uncle is very welcoming. The cook prepares tasty, homemade dishes—definitely try the paranthas, dal, and aloojeera. The rooms and terrace offer stunning views. Getting here from the main road involves a daily 5-minute walk through narrow lanes. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the place itself.

At first, I had concerns about this place based on some of the reviews I had read online, but given its location, I decided to stay anyway. I am so glad I did, because this turned out to be the best decision I made, and I had a fabulous time.I think the issue is setting expectations. The place is kind of a hybrid of a homestay and a high-quality hotel, sitting somewhere in the middle. The management and team want to give you a particular experience, which is clearly very important for them, and make you feel at home and welcome. They make an effort to tell you what you need to know and about the services they offer. Some tours come at a premium, but there are advantages to booking through the hotel.I was fortunate to have a room on the top floor overlooking the river with a small balcony. It was terrific, and I would have loved to stay longer. I loved watching life go by on the Ganga because the view was amazing. That said, when I finally made it up to the rooftop terrace, that was even better. In an afternoon, I had space to take my laptop out and do some photo editing whilst watching life go by over the Ganga - I even spotted a beautiful kingfisher.Breakfast was OK, and given the small number of guests, I think what they served was appropriate - no complaints from me.The room itself was clean, had everything I needed, and the shower was good, with hot water when I needed it. The room had good AC and a ceiling fan.So, a few minor trade-offs: you're right on the river, with a fantastic view of the life going on there. That means you must walk through the old city streets to get to the hotel. However, if you book your taxi with the hotel, they will guide you and help you with your bags from where the taxi must stop. The streets are narrow and filthy, but it's like that everywhere - not the fault of the hotel. However, on the plus side, you're right next to the river, so you can easily walk along it rather than use the side streets. For me, this was a no-brainer. The other is that, I guess, because it's like a homestay, they sometimes lock the door and don't make it clear when they do. Make sure you get their WhatsApp number so you can call them if you are caught out and need to open the door. It only happened to me once on the Sunday evening, and the door was opened within 5 minutes.Overall, I highly recommend this place. It's a wonderful place, with lovely staff, and despite a few minor trade-offs, the pros significantly outweigh the cons.

Solo Traveller • United Kingdom • Nov 2025

It was difficult for me to book something other than an internationally branded hotel because there are so many unknowns. I was pleasantly surprised by this place. Very well kept and clean, spacious rooms, lots of character., really cool location in old town. My only warning is that this place is not easy to get to by car and Uber drivers likely won’t take the chit. If you’re a backpacker and can take a motorbike, it’s doable.

Solo Traveller • United States • Nov 2025

You can enjoy a stunning view of the Ganges. Even if you don’t stay in a river-view room, you can still appreciate the view from the rooftop.

Solo Traveller • South Korea • Feb 2025

Our one day stay there was an amazing experience. The views, rooms, food everything was perfect. The terrace view was like a cherry on top.

Couple • India • Jan 2025