Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling

West Bengal, India

Plantation Retreat

A boutique plantation retreat set in a 1600 acre tea garden.

Set within 1,600 acres of working tea estate, forests, and river valleys, Glenburn Tea Estate offers a luxury plantation stay in the hills of Darjeeling. Established as one of India’s pioneering tea experiences, the boutique hotel comprises two bungalows that blend the charm of plantation living with the warmth of a private country home. Founded by Husna-Tara Prakash and Anshuman Prakash, Glenburn remains deeply connected to its tea-growing heritage, with more than half the estate preserved as wild forests, creating a rare balance between cultivation and conservation. Surrounded by rolling tea slopes, mountain views, tea-picker villages and diverse landscapes, Glenburn provides an intimate window into the culture, history, and rhythm of Darjeeling’s tea country and the local Nepali community.

Operational Period

Open throughout the Year

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Yoga

Spa

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Laundry

Parking

What you would love

The estate is a great choice for nature lovers and peace-seekers, as well as those who want to hike all day and return to luxury at night. Also ideal for families and friends who want shared experiences that span age groups and interests. Young explorers can forage for local plants, choose vegetables for dinner, and learn to make momos in the hotel kitchen. Enjoying both gentle as well as more challenging hikes, learning about how tea is made in the field and the factory, and exploring local villages are special adventures enjoyed by everyone.

The Gallery

Your Stay at Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling, West Bengal

Glenburn comprises two heritage bungalows — the Burra Bungalow and the Water Lily Bungalow — with eight suites between them, each with verandas looking over tea-covered hills and views of Kanchenjunga on clear days. The suites are named after local mountains, tea divisions, flowers or the two local rivers.

The Burra Bungalow has a formal dining room where guests gather for lively community meals, and four suites, leading to the verandah or drawing room.

The Kanchenjunga Suite, The Planters' Suite and The Rose Suite are all spacious with adjoining rooms, perfect for families. Teak floors, period armchairs, and a colonial feel define this heritage bungalow, surrounded by gardens on all sides. The Simbong Butterfly Room is the smallest of the four, named after a nearby tea division, with a fireplace and brightly lit bay windows.

The Water Lily Bungalow, with direct views of the mountains from each room, has another four suites.

The Camellia Suite, named after the botanical tea plant, has the option of twin beds when needed. The Singalila Suite has dramatic views on both sides towards Darjeeling Town as well as the mountains. The Rung Dung Suite and The Rungeet Suite have bay windows with an additional bed, views of tea slopes and forests, and look down towards the river valleys that these rooms are named after

All suites in both bungalows have teak floors, antique furniture and hand-embroidered linen. Bathrooms are well equipped with walk-in rain showers and free-standing bathtubs, as well as Darjeeling Green Tea Toiletries.

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ROOMS & GUESTS

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Perfectly RARE

The Glenburn Tea Tour is a must do. Covering the tea fields as well as the tea factory, this tailored programme helps you understand the work and life of the tea picking community, as well as the journey of the tea leaf right through to the cup, with a tea tasting session introducing all varieties of tea that are made on the estate. Visits to the tea fields include hikes of varying difficulty, and a picnic lunch either by the river, or at our Glenburn Orchard with a local Nepalese thali.

Destination

Darjeeling - where mist-draped tea gardens meet views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak. This legendary hill station has captivated travellers for centuries with its world-renowned tea, UNESCO Heritage railway, and cinematic landscapes.

Beyond the towns and tourist trails lies Darjeeling's best-kept secret: private tea estates where the region's true character unfolds.

Founded in 1859, Glenburn Tea Estate, one of only 87 tea estates that produces GI-certified Darjeeling Tea, offers a pioneering boutique luxury experience, nestled in gardens where beauty, tranquillity, and authentic hill station charm remain gloriously intact.

Design and Concept

Glenburn's two plantation bungalows sit atop a hill, within 1,600 acres of Darjeeling tea estate, where rolling hills meet protected forests and Himalayan views. Owner Husna-Tara Prakash, from Calcutta’s celebrated 'Chaiwala family,' has shaped Glenburn into something closer to a beautiful home than a hotel, and her passion shows in every fine detail.

The Glenburn experience begins at the airport on arrival where guests are greeted with cool towels and refreshments, and a scenic picnic en-route to the estate. At the estate, a second welcome takes place with home-made iced tea on the veranda of the historic Burra Bungalow. Rooms and guest areas have hand-embroidered linen, fresh flowers, and wicker loungers overlooking the surrounding hills and valleys. The bungalows were designed around plantation living: deep verandas, high ceilings, and windows oriented toward gardens and views.

More than half the land remains uncultivated — wild forest, birdlife, and the river valleys coexisting alongside the tea. The experience reflects this balance: riverside picnics, high teas with freshly baked cakes, nature trails through the fields and forests. Guests often describe it as a homecoming.

Know Your Host

England-born, Oxford and Cambridge-educated, Husna-Tara Prakash met fourth-generation tea planter Anshuman Prakash during a gap-year adventure. Inspired by Kerala's tea tourism and European vineyards, the couple opened Glenburn to guests in 2002. Husna-Tara's meticulous renovation with her mentor- designer Bronwyn Latif earned recognition in The Tatler Travel Guide as one of the world's top 101 hotels soon after they opened. A decade later, she expanded The Glenburn Experience to Calcutta, offering curated walks and tours that reveal the city's rich colonial heritage and its living culture. The Glenburn Penthouse, a 9 suite boutique hotel perched atop Kanak Towers in the vibrant, historic city centre, was added to the Glenburn brand in 2018 and is one of the most charming boutique hotels of the city, with an award-winning restaurant and cafe on site.

Facilities

The charm of Glenburn lies within its quiet moments. Dreamily relaxed on a wicker chair with tea and pakoras by your side and a book in hand is how you may want to picture yourself from the moment you book your stay here. The hotel offers a compact spa offering signature Glenburn tea therapies. Gardens are adorned with seasonal flowers and fragrant honeysuckle. Fresh flowers and fruit baskets brighten each room. Hot water bottles and electric blankets offer refuge from the chill, while overhead fans provide relief on warm days.

Bathrooms combine nostalgia with luxury; claw footed bathtubs alongside modern rain showers and hair dryers, all complemented by Darjeeling Green Tea toiletries that capture the essence of the tea estate.

Dining

Glenburn's dining blends Nepali, Indian, Burmese and continental flavours, using fresh produce from the estate's organic gardens. Meals are served in the Burra Bungalow's formal dining room, on the Water Lily' Bungalow’s deep verandas, open lawns or under the shaded pomelo tree — with tea garden views by day and a twinkling of Darjeeling's city lights by night — or in private outdoor settings across the property. Picnic tables are set up at riverside or hillside locations depending on plans for the day.

Experience

The estate offers numerous hiking options with walking trails through the tea fields and forests where you can explore wildflowers, local plants, birds, and quaint villages. Opt for a hike to the Glenburn Camp on the banks of the Rangeet River, past the Seven Sisters Waterfall en-route to the Glenburn Orchard, or select a vantage spot for a planter’s picnic lunch amidst the tea bushes. Most evenings are spent around the bonfire with live music and local dance performances arranged on prior request. Endless verandas, open fire places and refreshing cups of tea and freshly baked cakes provide perfect respite after a long day out exploring. A collection of books and board games, cooking classes, relaxing massages and stargazing complements the nature activities by day for both adults and children keeping everyone engaged well into the gentle evenings.

COOKING CLASS

VILLAGE WALK

FISHING

YOGA

PICNIC

TEA / SPICE TOUR

NATURE WALK

HIKING

TEA EXPERIENCE

BIRDING

Explore Around

Savour Darjeeling Town

From the UNESCO-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to the glorious Teesta River, the region has much to offer to the explorer. Enjoy a mix of cultures, the gorgeousness of the tea gardens, and adventure as you make your way through the Queen of Hills.

Unveil the Mysteries at Batasia Loop

Discover this spiral railway loop, an engineering marvel, that offers panoramic views of the Himalayas and a lush garden setting. It's a great spot for photographers and nature lovers alike, especially at sunrise.

Marvel at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

Encounter unique high-altitude wildlife, including the rare snow leopards and red pandas. This zoo focuses on conservation and offers an educational glimpse into the region’s diverse fauna.