Restaurant India News: Sterling Holiday Resorts Opens Second Ayodhya Property Amid Faith Tourism Boom

Sterling Holiday Resorts has opened Sterling Saryu Ayodhya, marking its second property in Ayodhya and strengthening its presence in one of India’s fastest-growing spiritual destinations. The expansion aligns with the company’s destination-led growth strategy focused on heritage and pilgrimage circuits backed by standardised service and operational consistency.

Ayodhya has recorded a sharp increase in visitor traffic, supported by infrastructure upgrades, improved connectivity, and a renewed national focus on faith-driven tourism. The rise in multi-generational family travel, senior citizen movement, and organised group pilgrimages has increased demand for structured, comfort-oriented stays. With this launch, Sterling aims to add inventory and provide predictable hospitality standards, particularly during high-traffic pilgrimage periods.

Named after the sacred Saryu river, the resort has been positioned as a functional retreat for faith-led travel. Accommodation categories include Cocoon Rooms designed for rest-intensive short stays and Junior Suites aimed at extended visits. The planning reflects pilgrimage patterns that typically involve early mornings, temple visits, and extended walking schedules.

The property is located within accessible distance of Ayodhya’s temples, ghats, and transport nodes. It houses The Saryu Café, an all-day vegetarian dining outlet, along with common areas and a banquet hall suited for spiritual groups, family gatherings, and small meetings.

Vikram Lalvani, Managing Director & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts, said, “Ayodhya is a defining chapter in India’s pilgrimage landscape—where faith-led travel is being shaped by stronger infrastructure and rising demand. With Sterling Saryu Ayodhya—our second resort in the city—we are deepening destination depth to serve travellers with comfort, calm and reliability, delivered with warmth. At Sterling, we believe hospitality is not just about a stay—it’s about how you make people feel, especially in a destination where the journey is as emotional as it is spiritual.”

Rishi Uppal, Director, Kalyan KK Hotels India Pvt Ltd, added, “Ayodhya is among India’s most important spiritual destinations, and demand for organised, comfort-led hospitality is growing rapidly. We wanted to create a retreat that supports this evolving travel behaviour, and Sterling’s leadership in heritage and pilgrimage destinations—combined with its proven operating expertise—made them the right partner for this vision.”

The property also functions as a base for regional travel circuits. It connects by road to Lucknow at approximately 135 km / 3.5 hrs, Prayagraj at approximately 170 km / 4 hrs, and Varanasi at approximately 200 km / 4.5–5 hrs, supporting multi-city itineraries across North India. The launch indicates Sterling’s strategy to consolidate inventory in high-growth spiritual markets, focusing on scale, reliability, and circuit-based travel planning rather than single-destination dependency.