WHAT TO SEE
Shoppers will inevitably head to the Tai Koo Li and IFS retail centres, but more typical Chinese goods can be found along Chunxi Street, which runs east-west from IFS most of the way to Tianfu Square.
To buy souvenirs, try local snacks or drink tea, head to the restored Kuanzhai Alley – also called the “wide and narrow alley” – located about a 15-minute walk west of Tianfu Square. This area of “old Chengdu” alleys and courtyards offers a pleasant, if somewhat theme park-like, cultural experience.
Jinli Street is a maze of narrow lanes reconstructed in similarly traditional fashion, where domestic Chinese tourists buy up fiery-hot chillies in various forms.
Jinli Street occupies the northern tip of a park that surrounds the Wuhou Temple (entry RMB60/£7), which was built during the Three Kingdoms period (AD220-280) to honour Zhuge Liang, a military strategist of the era. It’s a genuine piece of ancient history, and a peaceful place to escape the city.
Another refuge is People’s Park, where one of the city’s oldest tea-drinking establishments, the Heming Teahouse, is still popular. A short walk from here is the new Chengdu
Museum (open Tues-Sun 9am-5pm; free), a huge glass block on the western side of Tianfu Square that is well worth a few hours of your time.
WHERE TO STAY Niccolo Connected to the IFS shopping mall and facing the outdoor luxury shopping precinct of Tai Koo Li, this 230-room “contemporary urban chic” hotel opened in April 2015 and houses beautiful art and event spaces such as an oval glass Conservatory and a Sky Garden. marcopolohotels.com Grand Hyatt This 390-room hotel opened in July 2015 in the Chunxi Road shopping district. Designed in “French mansion style”, its 3,000 sqm of event space includes a ballroom with a Versailles-style garden terrace, while the No 8 restaurant is designed like a local market. chengdu.grand.hyatt.com Wanda Reign Located by the Jinjiang River, the hotel opened in December 2015 and boasts a 41st-floor lobby with great views. More than 50 types of marble have been used throughout this opulent property. wandahotels.com IFS Residences Rising above its namesake shopping mall, this luxury serviced apartment complex opened 150 of its units in November, with as many more due to be ready by early this year. All of its facilities are for in-house residents only. ifsresidences.com The Temple House Occupying one corner of Tai Koo Li, the Temple House is part renovated heritage temple, part gleaming smoked-glass towers. Its 100 rooms and 42 serviced residences sport minimalist décor, while its underground pool, gym and meeting rooms make clever use of skylights. thetemplehousehotel.com Shangri-La A 593-room hotel near the river, this was one of the earliest international brands to open in Chengdu, in 2007. The Horizon Club rooms and lounge occupy high floors with sweeping views over the city. shangri-la.com St Regis This luxury property opened in 2014 near Tianfu Square, offering 279 plush rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and a spa. stregis.com Hilton The 315-room Hilton opened in September 2015 in the Tianfu New Area south of the city. Housed in one of the Seaton Plaza towers, it has executive rooms on floors 32 to 37, with the executive lounge providing panoramic views. A topfloor gym and pool are the highest in Chengdu. hilton.com JW Marriott Opened in October 2016 and offering 345 rooms close to Tianfu Square, the hotel’s main selling point is its large ballroom with accompanying roof garden. marriott.com Fraser Suites This popular, centrally located serviced apartment property offers 360 one-, two- and threebedroom apartments, a pool, a snooker room and a large outdoor barbecue terrace. chengdu. frasershospitality.com Other hotels South of the river are properties such as the Somerset Riverview, Ascott Raffles City, Kempinski (undergoing renovation this year), Oakwood and Renaissance. On the right is the New Century Global Centre – one of the largest buildings in the world by floor area (1.76 million sqm) – which includes two Intercontinentals, while closer to the Hilton, new arrivals include a Fairmont and Marriott.
A Waldorf Astoria is scheduled to launch in September near the New Century Global Centre, while a Four Points by Sheraton is planned to open in the Hi-Tech Zone next year, joining two other Four Points properties in the city.