Glenburn Penthouse

Glenburn Penthouse is strategically located just off Park Street, perched high with panoramic views of the city as seen from the open-air lounge or the infinity pool. Inspired by all that is chic and elegant, from French doors, antique four-poster beds, mirrored furniture, fine carpets that adorn the wooden floors to the Parisian designed bespoke wallpaper with scenes of rural India from days gone by, Glenburn Penthouse is a secret retreat, a haven of quiet luxury above the bustling streets of the city of Kolkata.

The centre stage of the Glenburn Penthouse experience is the Drawing and Dining Room showcasing scenes of rural India from yesteryears on aesthetically designed ‘Hindoostan’ wallpaper. This serenade of beauty and style continues leading to a balcony and a Tea Verandah overlooking the Victoria Memorial. It is perfect for outdoor dining; and breakfast and afternoon tea is served here when the weather gods smile. A pleasant breeze graces these terraces most part of the year, transforming it into the ideal lounge. The thoughtfully curated vintage fans and crisp white wicker furniture, tropical plants and cool marble floors enhance the charm of the many private guest areas of The Penthouse.

The chic, cosmopolitan feel is omnipresent in the property, creating the perfect city escape flavoured with ‘Glenburn Experience’ which has been honed over the years in the hills of Darjeeling in a blissful tea estate. Starting with your airport pickup, every aspect of this curated experience is programmed to the finest detail.

Destination

With a recorded history dating back to 1690 AD, Calcutta or Kolkata as it is known today, is a city of charming chaos and churn that defines it even to this day. Declared a Presidency city, Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1773 leading to a profusion of colonial buildings. It has the accolade of the highest density of British architecture outside of the United Kingdom. Parallelly, an all too Indian and Bengali cosmos exists within the city – in its temples, bazaars and overflowing streets.

Accommodation

Glenburn Penthouse has nine spacious suites, each with a large sleeping area decked with antique four-poster beds, and adequate desk and sitting space for a couple to live and work comfortably. The soft, elegant ambience juxtaposed with lots of natural light creates an ambience for focus. Wooden shutters on all the windows allow for control over the filtered shade during the hottest parts of the day. Twist them open to reveal the spectacular views rendering curtains or blinds redundant. The choice of colours and hues are well thought out with shades of celadon green, yellow and white, complementing mirrored furniture and fabrics. Glenburn’s signature tea print on the bed linen and hand-embroidered luxury cotton sheets are at once reminiscent of the hills and an invitation to experience it. Art curation here reflects the historical theme with all walls whispering interesting tales of journeys taken by travellers before.

Wooden floors accented by fine carpets create warmth and serenity for a soulful rest in the privacy of suites. The elegant hallways, dressing rooms and the private bathrooms are decked by cool marble floors providing much-needed respite on the sunnier days of Kolkata.

Two categories of suites are on offer at Glenburn Penthouse. The Royal Bengal Suites are large and spacious with panoramic vistas of Victoria Memorial through the picturesque windows or private access to a verandah and terrace. Four of the nine suites are of this category. The Calcutta Suites, although as luxurious as Royal Bengal Suites, offer hindered views of the Calcutta skyline. One of them has a private verandah, while all of them have beautiful antique four-poster beds, some twin-sized, others king-sized. Every suite has well-appointed large white-marble bathrooms, equipped with bathtubs and walk-in showers, with lots of natural light and Glenburn Therapy Darjeeling Green Tea bath accessories to soothe.

Dining

The Glenburn Experience is evident even in the culinary choices. Mealtimes are an epitome of this with a blend of colonial, Bengali, Anglo-Indian and Kolkata street-food inspired dishes with a contemporary twist. ‘Menu of the Day’ for lunch and dinner offers choices spanning these gastronomical themes. Fresh local ingredients are used for all dishes. Breakfast and afternoon tea are included in the tariff.

Experiences

Glenburn Penthouse partners with the intellectual elite of Kolkata who are proud and happy to showcase their city. Join them on expertly curated experiences of the ‘city of joy’.

One such expert is Nayana Gangooly. She has over 30 years’ experience in curating the finest Indian textiles and encouraging local craftspeople and artisans to showcase their wares. She is deeply committed to Kolkata, its heritage, culture, history and vibrancy. More recently, she has immersed herself in the history and idiosyncrasies of the city, using her own family history, wide range of connections, and immense interest in the subject to become an established ‘Kolkata host’. She is someone who feels and describes one of India’s most fascinating and soulful cities with passion, eloquence and knowledge. An active member of Kolkata’s jazz movement, she is also a founder member of the city’s wine club. Kolkata city walk transforms into a personal experience for those who take her tours, showing them aspects of the city that take them beyond the obvious and what’s on the surface.

Why we love this place

Everything at Glenburn is unhurried and timed to perfection with a generous effusion of the sophisticated and chic. The attention to detail is impeccable, and defines all dimensions of the stay.

About your host

Husna-Tara Prakash grew up with the best of both worlds; born and brought up in England, she spent eight years of her childhood at a boarding school in India. She returned to England at 16 to complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma at Oxford. During a gap-year backpacking expedition around the world, she met Anshuman Prakash, a fourth-generation tea planter and six years later after a Natural Science and Post Graduate Certificate of Education degree at the University of Cambridge, she returned to India to marry him. After two years on a tea plantation in Kerala where tourism was growing, Anshuman and Husna-Tara conceived the idea of opening tea estates to visitors, a bit like vineyards do in other parts of the world. In the summer of 2002, Husna-Tara and Bronwyn Latif, a talented designer from Delhi, lovingly restored The Burra Bungalow at Glenburn. Five years later, The Tatler Travel Guide included Glenburn in its list of The Best 101 Hotels of the World. A decade later, she was able to extend The Glenburn Experience to Kolkata, unravelling the rich colonial history of the city to visitors through cultural and historical walks and tours.

Responsible/Sustainable Tourism

Glenburn Penthouse has used the Glenburn Tea Estate’s sustainability practices as a template to build upon. While a city poses certain restrictions on what practices can be adopted, the owners strive to include all that is possible.

No Single Use Plastic: Safe filtered drinking water is available in glass bottles. There is minimal use of single use plastic and there is focussed attempt to further reduce this. Bamboo toiletries are available in the bathrooms.

Safe Garbage Disposal: Recycling and composting measures are firmly in place keeping the city municipal laws in mind.

Local Community Engagement: As with the Tea Estate, Glenburn Penthouse is deeply engaged with the local community and the staff are from the city. Glenburn sources the produce for meals and other items locally.

Sensitive Destination Discovery: Expert guided walks help unravel the cultural nuances of this centuries-old city.

Heritage Preservation: The Glenburn Penthouse property has the choicest of antique furniture, lovingly restored and looked after.

Human Touch: Support is given in the form of training and upskilling of staff and community. Members of the staff receive subsidised rations and free medical treatment.

Our Recommendation

Key to the Glenburn Penthouse experience is the historical and cultural walks and tours with expert guides who take you to unique places in the city, based on any special interest or just a curiosity, interacting with local people, dining in their homes, and connecting with the fabric that makes up this vibrant city.

A discrete, elegant residence in the heart of historic Kolkata