Varanasi's restored palace turned luxury hotel finds place in Michelin list

The 210-year-old heritage property turned luxury hotel, the Brij Rama Palace in Varanasi recently found itself on the Michelin Guide’s list. The property got featured on Guide’s Tablet Hotels website. The property made it to the 2022 list owing to its iconic beauty and royal face.

The palace that stands on the banks of Darbhanga Ghat is Varanasi’s oldest landmark and was built in 1812 by Shridhara Narayana Munshi, who was the minister of the Nagpur estate. In 1994, the palace was bought out by the Brijrama Hospitality group and its renovation into a luxury hotel took 18 years.

Without the availability of alcohol and non-vegetarian food, the review of the property called it a small sacrifice to make for the experience.

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The review of the luxury hotel described the property in detail. It said that tourists can arrive at the palace through a boat rather than attempting to “wrestle with Varanasi’s snarled roads.” The review describes the palace to be reflecting styles of many eras.

The review read: “The elevator is a replacement for what is alleged to have been the first one installed in South Asia, and the furnishings and décor lavishly recall the past — though there’s nothing faded about Brij Rama.”

The property has 32 rooms of royal splendour and offers a wide range of activities.

Apart from the obvious influence of Maratha architecture, the property blends it with modern facilities and styles to provide a comfortable yet royal stay at the palace.

The hotel also holds wellness programmes. Palace’s Kashi Wellness Spa offers programmes inspired by the ancient Vedas. Among the other services, special therapies are also offered that initiate rejuvenation and healing of mind, body and soul. Deep-tissue massages also make up the activity menu.

The property is a member of Heritage Hotels of India.

Towering over the Ganges, the hotel is conveniently located near the Dashashwamedha Ghat and the famous Viswanath Temple.

The Michelin Guides are a series of guide books that have been published by a French company Michelin since 1900. These guide books award up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a few selected establishments, including hotels and restaurants.