Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling 

Colonial style bungalows set in a tea plantation

Glenburn Tea Estate where a love story fashioned one of the world’s most charming hotels.

Glenburn Tea Estate is a charming boutique family-run guest house. It began when the owner fell in love with a fourth-generation tea planter and together they seized the opportunity to buy their own tea estate near Darjeeling. They have lovingly restored the colonial bungalow to create a wonderful homely base set amongst 1,000 acres of private forest. Tea has been planted here since 1859 and a tour of the plantation and its factory will show the processes involved to create the perfect blend. Sample the different flavours with a tasting session of black, white, green and oolong teas or take one of the many hiking trails through the estate.

Why we love Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling

  • The eight individually designed country-style rooms are served by 55 members of staff

  • Explore the trails where you can meet local tea pickers and see the area’s beautiful flora and fauna

  • Afternoon tea is a daily ritual with cakes and other delicious treats

  • Different themed menus celebrate the Tibetan, Nepali, Burmese, Northern Indian and Thali cultures infused in the area

Darjeeling
Accessible from Bagdogra airport (approx. 3 hours by road) which is a 2-hour flight from New Delhi; New Delhi is an 8½-hour flight from the UK
Set above the River Rungeet and against a dramatic backdrop of the Kanchenjunga Mountain range near Darjeeling
Glenburn Tea Estate is a 1-hour 30-minute drive from Darjeeling and 4 hours from Gangtok. It is a 3-hour drive from Bagdogra Airport

Facilities

  • Restaurants & bars
  • Spas & wellness
  • Activities
  • Sustainability

Gastronomy is at the heart of Glenburn and many guests enjoy a cooking class to learn about the flavours of the region. Using fresh herbs from the garden, some wonderful family recipes including tea leaf pakoras and delicious curries are served at the candle-lit dinners.

After hiking one of the many trails, reward yourself with a reflexology treatment with a chamomile and mint foot soak or let the masseuse massage you with Darjeeling green tea oil.

There are a range of hikes from a couple of hours in the early morning to full day excursions. It’s all about hiking around the estate followed by picnics on the riverbanks, among the tea fields or next to a remote waterfall. There's an open-kitchen policy here so you can pop in and watch the staff prepare the meals.

The Glenburn Welfare Programme supports local schools, the hospital and the Glenburn Kalakendra Academy for performing arts.