Glenburn Tea Estate

Steeped in history, Glenburn Tea Estate dates from 1859 and eventually passed to the Prakash family who opened Glenburn Tea Estate as a small luxury boutique hotel in 2002. The original Burra Bungalow was lovingly restored, and another Water Lily Bungalow opened in 2008.  Glenburn Tea Estate has everything you want, such as the cosy verandas from where you can sit with a steaming cup of Glenburn-produced tea, looking out at the snow-capped Kangchenjunga.

The two bungalows have four bedrooms in each, all lovingly furnished with period furniture and modern amenities. In the main Burra Bungalow you find the Kanchenjunga Suite, Planter’s Suite, Rose Suite and Butterfly Room – the Planter’s is the most colonial, taking you back to the era of the East India Company, but is the only suite without an old-fashioned free-standing bathtub (it does have a lovely walk-in shower). Kanchenjunga is great for families, with a queen size bed added in the adjoining dressing room. The four suites in the Water Lily Bungalow are again lovely, the pick of which is the Rung Dung Suite. Down at the bottom of the estate, you have the option of spending a night in their log-cabin, perfect for a wilderness experience.

Glenburn is such a social place, and many guests come for weeks at a time. Breakfast and lunch are served on the veranda or in  the gardens. Guests tend to meet before dinner for a good old-fashioned G&T before wandering in for dinner is served in the dining room, and is a very social affair, with many bottles of wine opened as the stories flow into the night.

There is so much to do in and around Glenburn. Many guest use it as a base to explore Darjeeling (about 1 hour 15 minute drive away) or Kalimpong (2 hours). There are many short or long walks you can do in the hills and mountains around the estate, or you can opt for a short walk through the tea-fields themselves before visiting a working tea factory. Guests also have the option for a spot of fishing. Many guests however love to just come and relax, tea in the hand. You can also opt for a massage or two, or just a quick foot massage after taking a walk in the grounds.