CGH Earth has entered the Eastern Himalayas after more than four decades of operations in Southern India, marking a new phase in the hospitality group’s expansion. The Singell Tea Estate in Kurseong, West Bengal, represents its first venture beyond Southern India, while the group is also preparing a property in Kalimpong.
Located within the Singell Tea Estate, established in 1871, the Kurseong property combines a restored heritage bungalow with a contemporary wing. The retreat features 11 rooms and is designed around experiences that connect guests with the surrounding landscape and local culture.
Guests can take part in plantation walks, tea factory tours, village trails, riverside picnics, tea tastings, and storytelling sessions. These experiences provide an opportunity to explore the heritage and natural setting of the tea estate.
“At CGH Earth, we have always believed that travel is most meaningful when it is deeply connected to the spirit of a place. Our expansion into the Eastern Himalayas is a natural evolution of this philosophy. The region’s remarkable ecological diversity, cultural richness, and heritage offer an incredible opportunity to create experiences that are immersive, authentic, and rooted in the landscape,” said Michael Dominic, CEO & MD, CGH Earth Experience Hotels.
The property’s culinary offering also draws from the food traditions of the Darjeeling hills. Local ingredients such as gundruk, kinema, Himalayan nettles, silam, and buckwheat feature in the cuisine, with dishes prepared using techniques including foraging, fermentation, smoking, and slow-cooking.
Meanwhile, CGH Earth is extending the same approach to its planned Kalimpong property. The group’s expansion into the Eastern Himalayas places conservation, cultural heritage, and local communities at the centre of its hospitality strategy.
“For over three decades, CGH Earth has shaped hospitality around the belief that every destination should be left richer than it was found. Rooted in conservation, cultural heritage, and community partnerships, this philosophy will define both our Kurseong and Kalimpong properties,” said George Joseph, Vice President, Operations, CGH Earth.
With its Kurseong debut and upcoming Kalimpong property, CGH Earth is taking its destination-focused hospitality model into the Eastern Himalayas. The move expands the group’s geographic presence while maintaining its emphasis on landscape, heritage, local cuisine, conservation, and community-led experiences.
