Tea Harvester Munnar

The views at Tea Harvester are mesmerizing, and it was lovely to stroll around and take photos. Set among tea plantations and forest, the property offered a peaceful vacation stay. The food was tasty and reasonably priced, and the complimentary breakfast had plenty of choices to enjoy. Staff were polite and gentle with guests. The rooms are larger than usual and have balconies, with a feel that recalls an earlier time. Rooms on the first and second floors have better views. There is also a dining area and a swimming pool. A quality stay and a positive experience.

The food is a real highlight, with excellent choices of small and larger dishes. You can eat indoors or on the terrace, with birdsong around you. The pool is small, but nice for a refreshing swim on a hot day. Bring your own alcohol along, though they'll provide glasses. Hidden among trees and tea plantations, this is a lovely spot. Rooms are basic but clean, with a TV and mini-fridge.

The tea garden setting and the views in my photos from the room and building are lovely, but the facilities don't justify the price. The road in is so narrow that passing a vehicle coming the other way is difficult. We put up with one night, then left quickly for somewhere better. Don't rely fully on the booking site photos. There were a few positives: the staff were courteous, breakfast was reasonably tasty, and there's a small outdoor swimming pool. But the room had a cockroach as soon as we walked in. The bedsheet and comforter were discolored and stained; we were told guests eat on the bed, which we found amusing. A smell of something burning outside was getting into the room, and the toilet had a damp odor from poor air circulation. There were stains inside the water bottle lid and on the bathroom soap dispenser.

The tea estate setting gives the resort a good view, though from the balcony we mostly saw the forest and trees behind it. The rooms are just okay, with stone-clad interiors. I'd suggest staying one night at most for the tea garden view, as there isn't much else to explore. Food and service were disappointing. We checked in during the afternoon and only saw two or three people in the kitchen. They mainly serve chapati, and the food wasn't good. There didn't seem to be dedicated staff: the manager cooked, served, and cleared tables himself. Breakfast choices were limited too. The dining area by the swimming pool smelled foul the whole time, possibly because of the fish and fountain there, which didn't look clean. Our bedsheet was torn.