The first thing that struck me as I drove through the gates of Taj Nadesar Palace was the silence. Just minutes away, Varanasi pulsed with its usual rhythm — the clang of temple bells, the cries of flower-sellers, the crush of pilgrims scurrying toward the Ganges. Yet here, tucked away in mango orchards and jasmine fields, the city’s chaos dissolved. It was as though I had slipped through a secret portal into another century.
A Royal Whisper In Varanasi
Built in 1782 and later acquired by Maharaja Prabhu Narayan Singh of Benares, the palace was once the seat of princely life. Its guest list reads like a history book: King George V and Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Dalai Lama, among others. Their portraits still grace the walls, lending the property an air of a private gallery where time seems to stand still.
A Palace That Feels Like Home
I’m welcomed into the palace by a chandan-tilak anointed priest blowing full-throated into a conch shell. A red tilak is applied on my forehead, a marigold garland slung around my neck and a confetti of rose petals showered. Feeling no less than a royal myself, I’m shepherded towards a chandeliered lobby by the hotels’ management team where the famed Benarasi thandai, rose sherbet and assorted local sweets arrive in a fancy tier stand.
Crossing into the palace’s interiors, I’m immediately struck by its intimacy. With only 14 suites, Nadesar feels less like a grand hotel and more like a private home still inhabited by its royals. My luxurious Pandit Nehru suite opened into high colonial ceilings, a hand-carved four-poster bed, multiple chandeliers and a marble-clad bathroom with a claw-foot tub deep enough to disappear into. On the dresser sat an antique mirror, its frame chipped delicately with age — a reminder that opulence here has been lived in, not merely curated.
“The soul of Nadesar lies in its intimacy,” Vishal Singh, the affable General Manager, tells me as I tuck into a delicious lunch of grilled Chilean seabass and minestrone soup in the palace’s intimate dining hall. “Unlike other heritage hotels that impress with scale, this palace whispers its history. Guests come here not just for luxury, but for a sense of connection — to the city, to its past, and to themselves.”
The interiors themselves carry the stamp of devotion. Inspired by the flowers offered daily at the Ganges — rose, marigold, jasmine — the design threads a spiritual rhythm into every space. It felt as if even the furniture had been chosen with reverence.
Mornings With Peacocks, Evenings In Carriages
On my first morning, I wander into the palace’s lush, rain-washed orchards as the sun crested over Varanasi’s ancient skyline. The lawns, bordered by rose trellises and mango orchards, shimmered with dew. A pair of peacocks strutted across the grounds, their tails catching the light like moving tapestries. The jasmine fields released their perfume into the air, a fragrance that seemed to follow me wherever I went.
Later in the evening I climbed into the palace’s horse-drawn carriage, still guided by descendants of the original royal coachman. As the horses trotted along the gravel, lanterns flickered against the palace façade. I leaned back against the velvet seat and imagined the Maharaja returning home after ceremonial duties — the same clip-clop of hooves, the same starlit sky, the same perfume of roses in the air.
The coachman, Naseem Mohammed, told me softly as we rode, “My grandfather drove this very carriage when Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1961. He would polish the brass lamps for hours, making sure they gleamed like gold. We still keep the same pride today. For us, it is not work — it is tradition.” His words reminded me that the palace’s heritage isn’t only in marble and mosaics, but in the people who have carried its story across generations.
The Rare Luxury Of Seclusion
In a city that throbs with sacred energy, Nadesar Palace offers something rare: seclusion. Here, the loudest sound is birdsong, the brightest light the shimmer of lanterns in the gardens. To stay at Nadesar is to experience the luxury of stillness — an intimacy that allows the outside world to recede.
Even meals carry this sense of quiet ritual. Breakfasts are served on sun-dappled verandahs with the rustle of leaves for company. One night, I dined under the stars in the jasmine fields, the table set with crystal glasses and flickering candles. Musicians serenaded me with soulful classical ragas. The menu drew from both international classics and heirloom recipes once crafted in the royal kitchens of Benares. Every bite seemed seasoned with history.
So Spa, So Good
The next morning I visited the J Wellness Circle spa, a sanctuary within a sanctuary. I opted for an aroma massage, where fragrant oils — lavender, rose, and sandalwood — were worked expertly into tired muscles, followed by a rejuvenating facial that left my skin tingling with freshness. The therapies felt indulgent yet grounding, rooted in India’s healing traditions but tailored with modern sensitivity. Emerging afterward, I felt as though I had shed not just fatigue but time itself. Secretly, I wondered if I could take Jenny the therapist back home with me!
There’s a small pool edged by palm trees, where I spent some time reading. There’s even a croquet lawn and a five-hole golf course — a nod to the palace’s colonial past. Every corner here whispers a story.
Between Sacred And Regal
The magic of Nadesar lies in its contrast with the city just beyond its walls. In the mornings, I braved the labyrinth of Varanasi’s ghats — watching priests chant as dawn lit the river, listening to the rhythmic splash of oars, inhaling smoke from cremation pyres that spiraled skyward. By afternoon, I was back in the palace gardens, sipping tea beneath a mango tree while peacocks called across the lawns. A visit to nearby heritage site of Sarnath added another rich layer to my pilgrimage.
“Varanasi is intensity itself — life, death, devotion, all colliding on the ghats,” Singh reflected. “Nadesar is its counterpoint, a retreat that allows guests to absorb the city’s energy but return to stillness. It is this balance that makes the palace truly unique.”
A Living Heritage
Taj Hotels has done a remarkable job restoring Nadesar, ensuring modern comforts don’t overpower its historic spirit. The renovation has been painstaking, preserving frescoes, antique furniture, and the palace’s architectural integrity while weaving in contemporary luxuries almost invisibly. Walking through the corridors, I never once felt the jarring clash of past and present; instead, the two blended seamlessly, allowing the palace’s original character to shine through.
Even after the makeover, the marble floors still echo with quiet footsteps, the verandahs still trap the scent of roses on the breeze, and the antiques — polished yet imperfect — remind you that this was once a home, not just a hotel.
A Final Glimpse
On my last evening, lanterns glowed in the gardens as the sound of distant Ganga aarti chants floated in from the ghats. The carriage rolled across the gravel once more, wheels tracing the same path they had for centuries.
In that moment, it struck me: in a city obsessed with eternity, the palace offers something subtler. Not permanence, but continuity. Staying at Taj Nadesar Palace I experienced Varanasi through a royal prism — while stepping into a world where jasmine and history entwine, where opulence wears the softness of memory, and where time, just for a while, seems to pause.
Neeta Lal, formerly Senior Editor TOI, India Today and The Asian Age, is a SOPA-nominated journalist exploring the intersections of luxury, sustainability, and wellness in South Asia and beyond. She has travelled to 75 countries and her work has appeared in over 150 publications including Forbes, Fortune, SCMP, The Guardian, BBC Travel, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Foreign Policy, Global Asia, NatGeo, The National, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Nikkei Asia, and many more.
