All kinds of hotels are available in Varanasi. The cheapest hotels are located in the city center and not far from the Ganges, but the maintenance can be unsatisfactory and the meetings are not always the best.
In an average category, we recommend the Temple on Ganges (Assi Ghat). Extremely clean, efficient manager, nice staff, nice terrace overlooking the Ganges. The service could be improved and faster, but you can not have it all.
Definitely further from the center, in the airy district of Cantonment, are concentrated most of the top-class hotels. In the middle category, Surya can be recommended. It has a good restaurant (the Canton) opening onto an interior garden.