The Elgin

The Room

The Elgin is one of Darjeeling's legacy heritage hotels — built in 1887, operating continuously since, and extensively restored while retaining its original character. The dining room occupies what was the Elgin family's main drawing room — wood-panelled walls, a working fireplace, antique silver, linen-draped tables lit by candles each evening. Meals are served in courses, announced by a bell, in a format that has not substantially changed since the 1920s.

The menu is Raj-era continental — roast meats, Yorkshire pudding, cream soups, apple crumble, Windsor soup on the cold winter evenings — preserved as a historical tradition and cooked with conviction. There is also a modest Indian menu for hotel guests who prefer it. The wine list is shorter than a modern fine-dining room but correctly chosen; the gin selection, built during two centuries of British patronage, is the drinks highlight.

The room's atmosphere at night is unreplicable — candles, fireplace, antique portraits, the sound of the hotel grandfather clock in the lobby — and is perhaps the single most evocative colonial-era dining setting anywhere in India. Dress is smart; a jacket is appreciated.

Dinner is set-course for non-residents at ₹3,500 to ₹4,500 per head, or à la carte. Reservations are essential and should be made through the hotel. The room seats around forty; there are typically only two or three non-resident bookings a night.