HOTELS ACCORD THE TEA EXPERIENCE A LUXURY SPIN

From promoting gourmet teas to exotic pairings with food, how hotels are redefining the tea experience for their guests while adding to their revenues

- ATHIRA LAJI

In India, tea is considered to be more than just a way of life. It is also a ritual, our cultural marking, a celebration, or even an escape from a stressful life. In 2018, India was the second-largest producer of tea in the world, with an estimated production of 1,183.27 million kilograms. Assam had the highest production of tea in the fiscal year 2019; the number now stands at 322 million kg, 7% more than a year ago.

What was once quintessentially an Indian experience is now being adopted by the world as a spiced Chai Latte, a malty, robust, spiced and sweet concoction, catapulting chai into a premium millennial drink. Manu Nair, Director – F&B, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa says, “Tea is a stimulator, a beverage that you look forward to drinking every morning and evening, to help you deal with the day​ or unwind at the end of it. Tea is not just therapeutic, but great to taste, besides being zero calories.”

The rise and rise of gourmet tea

Hotels serving teas beyond the regular Earl Grey and Darjeeling have helped popularise gourmet teas. Cafes and restaurants in hotels now serve single estate teas and unique blends. According to Manas Tiwari, F&B Manager, Roseate Hotels & Resorts, tea is a gastronomical delight, marked by the variance in geography and the tea estates they are grown in. Apart from being a gastronomical delight, teas have also evolved into a wellness drink. Subrata Mukherji, Business Head, Typhoo India says, “Owing to its wellness property, tea is treated as a versatile ingredient and used in mocktails, cocktails and summer coolers. The rise in sales can be attributed to demands from the millennials.”