A Management Contract on a Working Tea Estate
Minor Hotels has signed an agreement to manage the Anantara Retreat Darjeeling Hills. The property holds 70 keys and opens in 2031. It sits inside the 849-acre Tindharia Tea Estate in West Bengal, and the plantation stays in tea production after the hotel opens.
The estate lies at Tindharia, 40 kilometres from Darjeeling town. The ground runs from 450 to 1,000 metres above sea level. Bagdogra International Airport sits 33 kilometres away, about an hour by road, with direct daily flights to Delhi, Kolkata and Bangkok.
110 Crore Rupees for 70 Keys
JK Urbana Garden Private Limited develops the retreat. The company is a joint venture between JK Urbanscapes Developers Limited and Kaushal Kumbhat, and JK Urbanscapes Developers belongs to the JK Organisation.
The project carries an investment of 110 crore rupees. Minor Hotels holds the operating agreement. The capital works out at about 1.57 crore rupees per key.
Thirty-Five Suites and Thirty-Five Tented Villas
The 70 keys split in two. Thirty-five suites sit on the upper slope and thirty-five tented villas step down the slope below. The design follows the estate's existing topography.
Planned facilities include an Anantara Spa, a fitness centre and a swimming pool above the plantation. The guest programme includes the tea factory and the tea garden. Wellness programming draws on the estate's tea-growing heritage.
750 Square Metres of Group Space
The retreat plans 750 square metres of meeting and event space. The space serves small MICE gatherings and destination weddings.
The Fourth Anantara Signing in India This Year
The Darjeeling agreement is the fourth Anantara property announced in India in 2026. Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort was announced in September 2026. Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort and Anantara Kolkata Hotel were announced in April 2026.
This property is the first Anantara Retreat in India. Anantara Retreats is the group's wellness-led format for secluded settings, with programmes covering spa treatments, yoga, fitness, nutrition and mindfulness.
Minor Hotels expects further India signings before the end of 2026. The four 2026 announcements put the brand in Hyderabad, Coorg, Kolkata and Darjeeling.
What the Two Sides Bring
Dillip Rajakarier, group CEO of Minor International, said: "Anantara Retreats belong in places that shape the stay, and Darjeeling does exactly that."
Abhishek Singhania, chairman and managing director of JK Urbanscapes Developers Limited, called Tindharia Tea Estate "a rare opportunity to create a luxury hospitality destination that draws from the character of its landscape and the legacy of its tea-growing heritage".
Maneesh Mansingka, joint managing director of JK Urbanscapes Developers Limited, said the project aims to establish a sustainable, long-term hospitality asset on the site.
The Delivery Window
The signing sets a 2031 opening, five years out. Thirty-five of the 70 keys are tented structures. Bagdogra carries the air access, and Bangkok is the one direct international service named.
Two figures carry the group and revenue read: 70 keys with 35 tented villas, and 750 square metres of meeting space, both dated to 2031. The structure is a management agreement. The joint venture funds the 110 crore rupee project and Minor Hotels operates the property under the Anantara Retreat brand.