The Glenburn Tea Estate

If you are looking for that picture-perfect colonial plantation house, overlooking rolling tea plantations with the snow-capped Himalayas beyond, then Glenburn Tea Estate is what you are after. There is nothing quite like sitting on the peaceful verandah, tea in hand, and looking out over the views. You can use it as a base to explore the Raj era hill station of Darjeeling, or take walks in through the working tea estate, or just sit back and enjoy the surroundings. It is easily one of the prettiest boutique hotels in India and is a true Scott Dunn favorite.

Glenburn Tea Estate was originally started by a Scottish tea company in 1859 and passed into one of India's prominent tea planting families, the Prakashes. The estate was lovingly restored in 2002 and since then has been widely regarded as one of the very best luxury boutique hotels in India, with guests returning year after year.

There are two bungalows, the first being the 150-year old Burra Bungalow which contains four rooms which open out onto the verandah. Guests all eat together, ensuring a fantastic convivial atmosphere at night, and there is a lovely colonial style sitting room. The rooms and suites have all been lovingly furnished, blending old and new in equal measure. They often interweave a collection of homely and rich pastel colors with antique furniture. The second bungalow is the Waterlily Bungalow, again offering four bedrooms. If you want, there is also the Glenburn Lodge which is a simple log cabin at the bottom of the estate overlooking the river.

The convivial nature of Glenburn comes to the fore with its dining. Breakfast and lunch are served on the verandah or in the gardens. Expect to tuck into G&Ts in the garden before all guests head into the dining room for a candle-lit meal (although private dining is possible). The vegetables are grown on the estate and the offering ranges from continental, oriental and Indian.

By day you can take a range of day-walks or day-trips to Sikkim, Kalimpong or Darjeeling. There are opportunities to raft the nearby river, head off fishing, birdwatching or just taking a picnic. There is actually a great deal to do, but in reality, just sitting on the verandah reading a book and looking at the views can simply soak up the hours in abject happiness! We recommend staying here for 3 or 4 nights as it's quite a journey to get to the remote bungalow and it also offers a fantastic and relaxing place to unwind for a few days.