Wander Station Varanasi — Hotel in Uttar Pradesh

This is a very difficult review to have to do, however, I am sticking to my honest, fair and unbiased ethos and experience of reviewing each place I visit or stay at. Firstly, The Wander Station had some very kind staff members which made it unique, one of these members were Harsh who was very friendly and kind, I am sure he will do very well in his career. There was a young female staff member (not sure of her name) she was also very kind. In addition were the other young men who helped us with our bags to and from the hostel, thank you.

Now the problems encountered:

The problems regarding the details of our stay:

The toilet had a continuous leak which we addressed 3 times. This was listened to after the third time. To this, a man put something around the toilet, however it still leaked throughout our stay.

The air-con unit wasn’t working it would stay on and beep throughout the night. To this, we asked the staff multiple times, which they did try and fix the unit. However, the unit was never fully fixed and they didn’t explain this after trying to fix it. The staff would then leave our room without any explanation.

On the final time the Air-con unit was looked at, a member of staff came up to our room and was confrontational with me saying ‘why are you looking like that, what is your problem bro’. To this, I felt extremely uncomfortable in my room and calmly said to him my reasons that I am listing here as to why I am not happy. He just suggested I talk with reception. I think this manner is very unprofessional or personable.

We paid for our Laundry to be washed, it came back after 24 hours smelling of smoke. We spoke to a member of staff who did suggest the smell was the detergent and they redone our washing for us.

The Wi-Fi cut out for a long period of time, to which they didn’t explain, they said I could use the main reception Wi-Fi, but this didn’t always work as I was on floor 1.

There was a leak in the bathroom, to which a big bucket was used to catch the water, to this we had to often empty the bucket, which made the entire floor soaking and dangerous to walk on without slipping.

The TV didn’t work and they didn’t provide the additional remote until we asked multiple times. As you needed the second remote to switch on the TV box.

There was a piece of wood under our air-con unit on the wall, which was somehow displaced onto our floor when we woke up around 6AM.

To this, you could see into the outside of the hostel and warm air was coming through. Not to mention, they have many monkeys climbing around the building that could have come through into our room.

We then got someone to come to our room to fix it twice. The first time, a young lad came to fix it, he tried to hammer a nail in and then said ‘wait a minute’. We waited half an hour and went back down to reception to find him with others chatting and laughing.

We asked if he was fixing our wall or not and he did apologise and went and got another older guy who managed to fix the wall, preventing any wildlife from perhaps entering our room.

Overall the majority of staff were friendly, you could tell they were at times trying their best, but with all these issues and the rude gentleman, and the fact that many times they would come to our room, look at the problem, say a few words and not return, we lost faith and did not feel comfortable to carry out our stay.

This caused us much anxiety and as mentioned previously, we felt we had no choice but to pay for another flight and loose out on the later flight booked.

Not once did this Hostel suggest to us another room or any form of compensation other than the additional ‘free rewash of our clothes’.

I like to think we are kind, respectful, reasonable and friendly people. However, we did worry for our stay and didn’t feel secure staying at that property.

We did think the least they could do was to refund us for our stay or offer another room, but this wasn’t the case. However, they did not charge us for the additional nights we were...

Hostel Stay Review – Varanasi

During my recent trip to Varanasi, I stayed at Wander station and it was an experience worth sharing. Located in the heart of the city, the hostel provided easy access to the ghats, temples, and bustling markets, making it a great base for exploring.

The hostel had a vibrant, backpacker-friendly atmosphere with a mix of international and Indian travellers. The common areas were well-maintained, featuring cozy seating, books, and even a rooftop with a stunning view of the Ganges. The dorms were clean, with comfortable bunk beds, lockers for security, and air-conditioning (which was a relief in Varanasi’s heat!). Private rooms were also available for those seeking more privacy.

The staff was friendly, always ready to help with travel tips, local recommendations, and even arranging boat rides on the Ganges. Their hospitality made the stay even more enjoyable, as they treated guests more like friends than customers.

The in-house café served a mix of Indian and continental dishes at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoyed the chai sessions in the evening, where guests gathered to share travel stories. The hostel also organized music events and cultural walks, adding to the immersive experience. Situated close to Dashashwamedh Ghat, the hostel was within walking distance of the main attractions. Despite being in a lively area, the hostel itself was peaceful. Public transport and tuk-tuks were easily available for exploring other parts of the city.

For budget travellers, solo backpackers, or even small groups, this hostel in Varanasi is a fantastic choice. The combination of affordability, comfort, and cultural experiences made my stay memorable. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a social yet relaxing place to stay in this spiritual...

Stay was good. They have major issue of check-out timings which is 10:30 a.m. .As we checked-in late in night we have requested for additional few hours next day during check-out but they turned down the same. They should allow guests additional time during check-out if they have checked-in late in night.

There is no provision of breakfast service in room and for taking that you have to visit their restaurant upstairs. Moreover that restaurant is just make shift arrangement and you have to take your meals in hot and humid conditions during summers/monsoons.

You have to walk through many narrow & dirty lanes from main road which is approximately 650m to reach hostel. But it is really great on their part that they help you to guide and carry luggage from the main road to hostel.

Hi sir , I was going through your reply to my above review would like to reiterate here that we have observed that you have a strict policy of checking out the room by 1030 a.m, if there is availability then also you insist to checkout at the same time. Same issue I have noticed with other guests also who were staying at your place.Kindly be flexible in case with those guests who are checking late in night. Now regarding service of breakfast ,as during check-in we have enquired about food service in private room but your representative at the desk told us that we have to take the same at roof top. No food will be served in private room also. As you told rooftop restaurant is owned and operated seperately but it is part of your hostel property and there is no near by food joint ,every body will prefer to take meals at the restaurant early aur late in night. Kindly take care of the same as you have some control of the restaurant as he is operating on providing services to the guests...