Beyond Pilgrimage: Why Varanasi Is the Next Growth Chapter for Sterling
Sterling deepens its spiritual tourism strategy with a 33-room hotel in Kashi, built on a growing network of destinations where faith meets culture, family travel and discovery.
By SOH Edit Team
Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited has entered Varanasi with the opening of Sterling Varanasi, adding one of India’s most significant spiritual destinations to its portfolio.
Located near the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, the 33-room hotel provides access to Assi Ghat, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University and the Ganges ghats.
The property extends Sterling’s presence across destinations where spirituality is a key travel driver. Its existing network includes Ayodhya, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Guruvayur, Tiruvannamalai, Pushkar, Madurai and Puri.
Beyond Pilgrimage
The larger opportunity lies in how spiritual travel is evolving. A journey that begins with faith can increasingly extend into family experiences, local cuisine, heritage, culture and discovery.
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, he adds, the journey can move beyond faith into culture, cuisine, history and discovery, creating a broader hospitality proposition around the destination.
For Sterling, Varanasi is part of a wider Destination Architect strategy built around why people travel rather than conventional destination categories.
“Our vision was to create a contemporary hospitality address that understands why people come to Varanasi and makes that journey easier and more comfortable,” says Arya Vishwajeet Singh, Aditi Group, Owner of Sterling Varanasi.
Vikram Lalvani, Managing Director & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts (SHRL).
A Contemporary Base in Kashi
Sterling Varanasi features 33 rooms, including Premier Rooms with balconies overlooking Kashi. Its vegetarian restaurant, RASA KASHI, draws from Varanasi’s food traditions while catering to contemporary travellers. On the fifth floor, KASHI REGALIA offers a partially covered, glass-roof setting with 180-degree city views for intimate celebrations and gatherings.
The hotel also positions itself as a base for experiencing the city,, from early-morning boat rides and the Ganga Aarti to visits to Sarnath, Banarasi cuisine, silk and local craft traditions.
With Varanasi added to its network, Sterling is betting on a broader interpretation of spiritual travel, one where faith can be the starting point, but not necessarily the entire journey.
Property Highlights:
- 33 rooms
- Rasa Kashi restaurant
- Kashi Regalia restaurant
