An immersive experience at the century-old Pembroke tea plantation in Coonoor

An immersive experience of tea at 100-year-old Pembroke estate in Coonoor

As dusk settles over the hills in The Nilgiris, the century-old tea bushes at Pembroke tea estate glow in a golden light. After a 30-minute drive from Coonoor along scenic winding roads past Manjacombai, I am at Pembroke Villa enjoying tea, crunchy vegetable pakoras, and stunning views. Amidst the exotic blooms at the garden, a pair of Japanese cherry blossom trees stand tall showing off abundant pale pink flowers.

“My father, VE Ramesh, founder of Pembroke Group is a passionate gardener,” says Rahul Vairavan, managing partner of the group, as we tour the tea garden. “He believes that any place is lively when there is greenery, laughter and conversations. That’s how the family estate evolved into offering an immersive Nilgiris experience complete with a visit to our tea factory.” A guided tour takes visitors through every stage of tea production, from plucking to processing and witnessing the process from leaf to cup.

Dip teas including Kashmiri kahwa with saffron extract, paan, turmeric-cinnamon blends, signature rose cardamom, mint, berry blush and detox green teas | Photo Credit: K Jeshi

The tea plantation, spread across several acres, dates back to 1924, making them third-generation planters. “Our ancestors had plantations in Malaysia, Coonoor, Coorg, and rubber estates in Kailash. This was originally a 1000-acre property split among families. My husband Ramesh retained the estate and plantation,” recalls Muthu Ramesh, master tea blender at the group. The family took over the property in 1986, renovated and opened it as a homestay in 2016. The century-old bungalow, a three-bedroom residence is now a five-room property with three rooms inside the main house, and two independent cottages outside. The bungalow can accommodate up to 20 guests. Named Pembroke, inspired by Pembrokeshire in Wales, it still retains its colonial charm of concrete roofing, layered with tin sheets beneath old tiles, and sturdy walls built with locally sourced materials that keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter. Classic, full-length French windows open to the lawns and bonfires light up the lawn at night. Rooms are named after Pembroke Welsh corgi, a preferred breed of Queen Elizabeth II, who owned more than 30 during her reign, Port Pembroke, HMS Pembroke to name a few. “We didn’t want to disturb the original architecture,” says Rahul, adding that they enhanced it with modern amenities.

The bungalow retains its colonial charm of concrete roofing layered with tin sheets beneath old tiles, and sturdy walls built with locally sourced materials that keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

At first, there was no internet. “We wanted people to truly unwind,” says V Shivashree, who heads hospitality. Over time, changes were made organically. Post-pandemic, guests began working remotely from the hills, prompting the addition of Wi-Fi. A television followed, largely because visitors wanted to watch IPL matches together in the evenings.