Bridgerton Season 4: The perfect layover spot in India for Anthony and Kate

Dearest gentle travellers,

The much-awaited Bridgerton season 3 has come to an end. While the Penelope-Colin romance failed to entice us, some may make peace in the saying, "Two out of three ain't bad"!

Seasons 1 and 2 outshined season 3, and how! But no amount of lousy dialogues, unbuilt romances, group flirtations with an older man or dull sitting-in-silence romances can help negate the beauty of living in the Regency era and all its charms. There are things we like and always will– the grand living rooms, piano recitals, and TEA are some of them.

Queen Charlotte savoring tea from exquisite cups (Credits: Thekitchn) 

Tea was, without a doubt, the centre of all social interactions. There was tea when guests arrived, tea at parties, celebrations, and at work. The day was punctuated by tea breaks with a cup at 11 am and one more at 3 pm. Then, you could have as many cups as you want in between. So much so that the concept of 'elevenses' (A short break for light refreshments) was coined after the morning tea break slot!

Not much has changed: From the 1800s to 2024

Tea provides as much of a sense of comfort now as it provided back then. With the monsoon season hitting the roof in Mumbai, we seek joy in chai and crispy pakoras. The gorgeous horse carriages have been replaced with savvy local trains, the heels with old stored-in racks for the monsoon season flats that we don't mind getting away with. Then was the citrusy Bergamot oil flavours of Earl Grey, and here, as we write this from our head office, ginger and cardamom are in the air.

What chai is to us and Earl Grey is to the English, Matcha is to Japan. Like they say–It's impossible to dislike Matcha; if you don't like it, you just haven't let yourself acquire a taste for it. Did you know? In Morocco, green mint tea is a symbol of hospitality. It is served in three rounds, each with a different strength. You would be deemed impolite if you refused tea! Tea is consumed during weddings, family celebrations, birth ceremonies and even deaths.

Savoury tea has its fair share of followers. The buttery Tibetan Yak salt tea keeps them warm and energised in the cold climate. Yerba mate, a traditionally prepared tea, is quite popular in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. The greenish-golden brew looks gorgeous and has a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Comfort and connection in the shared ritual of drinking tea

Tea has played a key role in teleporting us to a certain state of mind through time. Picture this. It's a busy day at work; you walk to the nearest chai thela and get a cutting chai; don't you feel a sense of relief and joy? You chit-chat with your colleagues, and all is good in the world again. It's a sensory experience; all your senses are stimulated without you even realising it. They are sending signals saying– I'm happy here! And that's when you take a deep breath and forget all your work woes. Entering an artistically curated space, surrounded by rows of books in a grand library, and vibing with like-minded individuals or simply watching a quite sunset with your loved ones could evoke a similar feeling within us.

Guests enjoying each others' company on a misty morning at The Hosteller, Chakrata

When we were curating the design and layout of The Hosteller Chakrata, we could quickly draw parallels between the space and that of a mini English castle. The hostel, enveloped in greens and garden spaces, offers a welcome respite from city life. The space is not commercialised; you won't find a line of hotels in this town. It has amenities such as bird baths, a beautiful swing, art and architecture, interweaving the local Pahali influence with grandeur. The bird viewing deck opens to a wilderness foray and beautiful surroundings. The hills, homely food, and rooms full of explorers make the common rooms come alive with the spirit of togetherness.

Chakrata in summer is as sweet as it is in the winter. You can walk for hours without a care in the world. Moila top , an hour into Chakrata, resembles a colour palette. White horses roaming around carelessly in the wilderness is a sight you can behold for a lifetime! The Pahadi chai in Chakrata is sweet; the people sweater. Come winter, it is one of the few cities in Uttarakhand to receive snowfall, and that is too much before the other towns are covered with snow.

Stunning view of The Hosteller Chakrata (Credits: The Hosteller)

An international adventure

In Bridgerton season 3, Viscountess Kate fondly recalls her time with her sister in India. We hope to see more of the Viscount and Viscountess in the next season, or even better, a spinoff dedicated to their time in India. And what better place to host them than at our our very own stunning hostel? The Hosteller Chakrata is one of our best selling hostels and offers a varierty of accomodations ranging from dormitories to private rooms to a cozy villa overlooking the misty mountains.

We can easily envision Kate and Anthony enjoying this stunning town, just 2 hours from Dehradun. Once they arrive, we’d definitely encourage them to join a game of Pall Mall. We’re excited to see Kate, Anthony and Edwina compete in a lively gaming match. Before we let the horses loose, we’re thrilled to let you know that we have already sent out invitations to host them at The Hosteller Chakrata!

A shot from Bridgerton season 3 (Credits: ubitc.com)