Perfection!

“I can’t believe I left my visit to Glenburn (and Darjeeling) to the end of my time in India. I definitely would have returned if I’d been earlier in my tour. The overall experience is fabulous, though there are adjustments that could be made to the property to make it out of this world.

The property may not be as fancy as some five star resorts but the experience is everything you could hope for, largely thanks to the wonderful efforts of caretakers Will and Faye (and Alex, who is helping for a few months). They went out of their way to make the it memorable, warm and welcoming.

The views and the grounds of the estate are lovely. The tea fields are interesting for a few hours. A lot of guests loved the trek to the Ranjeet River. I preferred whiling away the hours on the front verandah, which really is the perfect antidote to the chaos and dirt of most Indian cities. The catering is superb – kudos to the kitchen staff. If you like kitsch, it’s worth the visit to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – though much of its journey is through town centres, cheek by jowl with people and their homes. The Shimla toy train may be better. Was lucky to catch a glimpse of Kanchenjunga on my last day but many don’t get that lucky. It’s still beautiful with or without that experience.

The rooms are gorgeously quaint and the attention to detail with the decor is lovely. I loved all the butterfly touches in the Butterfly Room. But the owners may want to consider upgrading the sealing of rooms and electricity given the rates are in the higher bracket for the region. Post monsoon, I found a lot of creepy crawlies were making their way inside through gaps in the windows and an external door that couldn’t close/lock. Also plugging in and using the hairdryer could get a bit buzzy given the old electrics. An upgrade to smooth the road to the property also wouldn’t go astray. There is bumpy and there is feeling like you’re in a washing machine. It’s manageable if you don’t get car sick but would be horrible if you do – I think the driver also makes a big difference. I did the road with two fabulous drivers and a less careful one as I was leaving and I noticed the difference.

Despite those quibbles, I’d go again in a heart beat. Really loved the place. I was lucky to get a late room over the Dusshera/Durga Pooja holiday but apparently it books up fast.”