How This Stay In Kurseong Changed The Way I Look At The Hills I Grew Up Around

“Goodbyes” by Post Malone was playing in the car as we crossed Darjeeling More, a stretch of road I must have travelled a thousand times. I took this route every school day while studying at Delhi Public School, Dagapur, in Siliguri. It is also the road that leads to Kurseong, where I was headed that morning. I had come home for Durga Puja, but there was something rather fitting about the song playing on repeat. I would be leaving for Delhi directly from the property I was going to visit. It was also the first time I had been invited to review a stay so close to home.

The drive from my house to Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa, Darjeeling takes roughly an hour and a half. It passed in a blink, as familiar routes tend to. Before I knew it, the landscape of tea bushes, winding roads, and hillside settlements had given way to the resort's entrance.

A teeka on my forehead and a welcome drink of Makaibari green tea with lemon and honey set the tone on arrival. Having managed barely two hours of sleep the previous night, I was particularly grateful for the latter. From the lobby, the hills stretched out in layers, and stepping outside revealed a view that made me pause. Far below was Siliguri, the town where I grew up, glinting in the distance.

The name Chia Kutir offered an introduction to the property's identity. Chia is derived from the Nepali word for tea, while kutir means house. It was, quite literally, the House of Tea.

Waking Up To The Hills

I was put up in the Luxury King Bed Valley View Room with Balcony, in the newer extension. The first thing I noticed was the large glass windows, a plush king-sized bed, and all the comforts you would expect from a Taj property. There was a coffee machine, which meant my mornings began with a cup in hand on the balcony, the valley of Kurseong unfolding before me.

That balcony gave me the best sunrise I had seen in years. The sun rose red, completely red, and the sky around it turned to hues of gold and crimson, with a few clouds drifting through. Siliguri was visible from the same spot. I stood there longer than I needed to, thinking about how strange it is to be a guest in your own geography.

Watching The Day Fade

Afternoons in the hills have their own unhurried pace, but evenings arrive rather quickly in Kurseong. After an afternoon bath, I stepped out to find the light already fading. The crickets had begun their evening chorus, and the sun was making its way behind the hills. As darkness settled, little lights began appearing across the slopes. Houses that had been almost invisible during the day gradually began to shimmer in the dark. It struck me that the property made you look outward rather than inward.

At a press conference during my visit, Harshavardhan Neotia of Ambuja Neotia spoke about the importance of allowing a destination to shape the architecture of a hotel. In scenic locations, he believes, the building should take a step back and let the landscape lead. In other settings, art and sculpture can become what he calls "pause points," elements that make guests stop and look twice. Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa, Darjeeling seems to understand what kind of hotel it was. Even so, the touches of art and artefacts, and the bamboo, timber, stone, and terracotta, keep everything in sync with what Taj hospitality stands for.

Where Tea Is A Way Of Life

You cannot talk about this resort without talking about Makaibari. Founded in 1859 in Kurseong, it is among the most storied tea estates in Darjeeling and is often described as the world’s first permaculture tea estate. The resort sits within this expansive tea-growing landscape, with plantations stretching out in every direction.

The association went well beyond the property's name and welcome drink. Guests could experience the estate through tea tastings, walks and trails, making the plantation an integral part of the stay. It also gave the resort a distinct sense of place, something that cannot be replicated simply by incorporating regional design elements or local ingredients into a hotel.

Neotia spoke about the challenges of developing and marketing a luxury property in a destination such as Kurseong. He acknowledged that the partnership with Taj gave the project the reach and support it needed to take shape. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), recalled celebrating his 60th birthday at the property, describing it as one of the most talked-about hotels of 2023.

What I found most interesting was the logic behind the location. For the luxury traveller, Neotia explained, travel time had to be short, ideally under four hours, and, more importantly, predictable. Having driven from Siliguri that morning, I could appreciate the appeal. The hills felt far removed from the bustle of town, yet getting there did not require an entire day of travel.

A Taste Of The Hills

Food was another reason to look forward to each meal. At Mountain Table, the resort's restaurant, the menu brings together regional ingredients and international influences. My lunch began with Jardin Tostaditos, a salad featuring Darjeeling-grown heart of palm and avocado, dressed with ginger, sesame and truffle soy. Sweet potato and sago crisps added texture. This was followed by a Kalimpong cheese and kale soup, and garlic-infused chicken momo. A visit to the hills would hardly feel complete without a plate of momo.

The mains took a more adventurous turn. The Himalayan salt-baked sea bass and prawn came in a lemongrass-infused coconut reduction, finished with timur oil. The Himalayan peppercorn lent the dish its characteristic tingling sensation. I also tried the timur-spiced tofu with watercress, homemade buckwheat noodles and gundruk salsa, which brought the flavours of fermented Nepali greens into the mix. A Himalayan cheesecake with berry compote rounded off the meal.

Dinner at Sonargaon, the resort's fine-dining restaurant specialising in eastern Indian cuisine, brought me closer to home in a different way. The menu drew from the culinary traditions of the Raj and the Zamindari kitchens, and as a Bengali, I tend to approach this cuisine with fairly high expectations. The chingri malaikari was a highlight. The prawns were served in a creamy gravy with a subtle hint of mustard, and I paired them with hot rice, begun bhaja and chholar dal, and for a moment I was at my own family table. Chhatwal made a point I kept thinking about as I ate—in the metros, IHCL can keep things simple, but in experiential destinations like this one, cookie-cutter does not work.

My last morning began at Chia Verandah, the all-day dining restaurant with an al fresco setting. Its spread includes seasonal produce sourced from small farms, alongside Asian and international favourites. I stuck to my usual—a cheese omelette, idli, sambar, chicken sausages and papaya, with a cup of coffee, taken with the mist still hanging over the hills.

There was also The Glass Bar, where you can sip rare single malts and boutique rums behind glass walls that frame the outdoors. After dinner, it was a good place to end the day.

Taking A Little Bit Of Home With Me

I left for Delhi from the property, as I had always known I would. But somewhere between the red sunrise, the tea gardens, and a meal that reminded me of home, I had begun to look at the place I grew up in a little differently. I had travelled these roads countless times, passed these hills on ordinary days and watched the lights come on across the valley without giving them much thought. This time, I had the luxury of slowing down and taking it all in. I returned to Delhi with a renewed appreciation for the landscapes, flavours, and little details that had always been part of my life in Siliguri. Perhaps that is what made this stay special. Sometimes, you have to experience home as a traveller to realise just how much it has to offer.

The Information

Address: Makaibari Tea Estate, Pankhabari Rd, Gardens, Makai Bari Tea Garden, Kurseong, West Bengal 734203

Tariff: INR 58,900 onwards

Keys: 101 rooms and suites

Contact: +91 90462 46061

Website: tajhotels.com/en-in/hotels/taj-chia-kutir-darjeeling

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