"Brij Rama Palace was first a fort, then an aristocratic residence, and now, a luxury hotel. You’ll arrive by boat via the Ganges, rather than attempt to wrestle with Varanasi’s snarled roads, and you’ll find yourself in an eclectic environment — the interiors span any number of eras and styles, and the elevator is a replacement for what is alleged to have been the first one installed in South Asia." - Mark Fedeli