Nestled in the Lebong Valley, just 30 minutes from Darjeeling town, Ging Tea House offers a rare blend of privacy, elegance, and authenticity. It’s not a hotel. It’s a residence – one where history whispers through the wooden floorboards and modern comforts arrive without fuss.

The Heritage & Revival of Ging

Originally built in the early 1800s, the Ging Tea House was once the proud residence of the British estate manager of Ging Tea Estate – one of the oldest and most scenic estates in the region. After years of disuse, it was carefully restored with minimal structural changes, preserving its colonial bones while introducing boutique-level detailing.

Today, the bungalow stands as a hallmark of tasteful restoration. The creamy white facade, sloped roofs, manicured lawns, and wraparound verandahs evoke an era of afternoon teas, leather-bound journals, and long walks through the hills.

Refined Living in Nature’s Lap

The house offers just six luxury suites, each distinctively styled with antique furniture, wooden beams, classic upholstery, and large windows that bring in Darjeeling’s famed golden light. The suites are named after the Himalayan peaks they overlook – Singalila, Kanchenjunga, Sandakphu – each with an attached modern bathroom and charming seating area.

The interior spaces are cozy yet grand: chandeliers hang from timber ceilings, fireplaces add warmth to drawing rooms, and colonial-era artifacts are tastefully displayed. You’ll find a reading room, an intimate dining room, and a glass conservatory that catches both sunrise and birdsong.

But the true showstopper? The view. From nearly every room and garden nook, you see endless tea slopes tumbling down into the valley, with Kanchenjunga’s mighty silhouette in the distance.

Immersive Tea Life

Ging Tea House is located in the heart of the Ging Tea Estate – a fully operational tea garden managed by the famous Chamong Group. Guests are welcomed not as outsiders but as temporary residents of the estate.

Activities include:

• Estate Walks: Leisurely strolls through the plantations with expert guides who explain tea cultivation, plucking cycles, and estate history.
• Tea Factory Visits: While Ging has its own factory, guests are sometimes taken to the Chamong factory to observe the complete tea-making process.
• Private Tea Tastings: Discover how seasonal flushes vary in aroma and character. Learn to pair different teas with food or time of day.
• Photography & Painting Spots: The scenic layout of the estate is ideal for landscape artists and nature photographers.

The entire tea experience is unrushed, personalized, and built around genuine interaction – not staged performances.

Dining with a Personal Touch

The dining experience at Ging is designed to reflect both the estate’s heritage and the diversity of the region’s culinary influences. Meals are prepared by in-house chefs using estate-grown or locally sourced produce.

Expect Anglo-Indian dishes like shepherd’s pie and roast chicken served alongside Himalayan delicacies such as thenthuk soup or Tibetan-style sautéd greens. There’s a daily set menu, but preferences are always welcomed – vegan, vegetarian, and Jain meals can be easily accommodated.

Each meal is served in the formal dining room or on the garden terrace, paired with carefully selected Darjeeling teas – often from the same estate you overlook while eating.

Activities for the Curious & the Quiet

Ging Tea House encourages both activity and stillness.

For explorers:

• Hike down to the nearby Rangeet River.
• Take a day trip to Darjeeling’s town center, Ghoom Monastery, or the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
• Explore the lesser-known Lebong Valley villages.

For those seeking peace:

• Relax in the garden with a book from the house library.
• Practice yoga at sunrise with birdsong as your soundtrack.
• Journal in the conservatory with Kanchenjunga watching over you.

Evenings often end with tea-infused cocktails, a crackling fireplace, and conversations with fellow guests who are as enchanted by Ging as you are.

Responsible Luxury

Ging Tea House is deeply committed to preserving its environment and community:

• Staff are hired from local villages and trained in hospitality.
• The house runs on solar water heaters and uses spring-filtered water.
• Waste is composted, plastic is avoided, and toiletries are organic.

Every guest is encouraged to tread lightly – in spirit and footprint.

Getting There

Ging Tea House is about 15 km (40–45 minutes) from Darjeeling town and roughly 3.5 hours from Bagdogra Airport or NJP Railway Station. The final stretch winds down into Lebong Valley – narrow but scenic – and can be covered by estate-arranged vehicles.

Because of its location, Ging offers the best of both worlds: close enough for convenience, remote enough to hear only the wind through tea bushes.