Thomas Cook Subsidiary Sterling Resorts Opens 33-Room Hotel In Varanasi

Thomas Cook's subsidiary, Sterling Holiday Resorts, has launched a 33-room hotel in Varanasi, marking its entry into the spiritual tourism market in India. The hotel, Sterling Varanasi, opened on September 29, 2026, and is situated near the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, providing easy access to other popular sites in the city such as Assi Ghat, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Banaras Hindu University, and the Ganges ghats.

The hotel's amenities include a vegetarian restaurant, Rasa Kashi, inspired by local food traditions, and Kashi Regalia, a partially covered glass-roof venue on the fifth floor, offering panoramic views of Varanasi. Sterling Varanasi comprises 33 contemporary rooms, with Premier Rooms offering balconies that overlook Kashi. The property aims to enhance the travel experience for faith-based tourists, a significant motivation for Indian travelers.

Vikram Lalvani, Managing Director & CEO of Sterling Holiday Resorts, emphasized the company's focus on understanding and catering to travel motivations in India, noting that spiritual travel remains crucial for Indian travelers. Arya Vishwajeet Singh, Owner of Sterling Varanasi and Aditi Group, highlighted the vision to create a modern hospitality address, stating that Sterling brings brand reach, operational expertise, and distribution strength to the city.

This strategic addition to Sterling's network of spiritual destinations, which includes Ayodhya, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Guruvayur, Tiruvannamalai, Pushkar, Madurai, and Puri, brings the total number of locations managed by the company to over 67 across its 3,900 keys.