Chengdu has a new reason to book a trip beyond the pandas. Upper House Chengdu, the mainland's first hotel from The Set collection, has turned a cluster of Qing Dynasty buildings in the heart of Sichuan's capital into a five-star stay that manages to feel both historic and quietly modern.
Location is the big draw. The hotel sits inside Taikoo Li, the city's buzzy shopping district where designer boutiques occupy restored traditional houses. Despite the neon and crowds outside, it occupies a secluded lane, so it's surprisingly calm. IFS Mall with its famous giant panda sculpture clambering up the facade is a 10-minute walk, Chunxi Road's food streets and the metro are close by, and shuttle buses to the panda research centres depart nearby. Wenshu Yuan Monastery and Kuanzhai Alley are a 15-20 minute DiDi ride away. From Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, allow around 90 minutes by car.
The centrepiece is a courtyard lobby converted from a former translator's office by Make Architects, with original Sichuan hemlock columns and beams, bamboo-wattle walls and grey clay tiles all carefully restored. Red lanterns, a century-old plane tree and a silver phoenix feather sculpture by local artist Wu Haiying give it real atmosphere. Rooms, all 100 of them plus 42 residences, sit in two new towers whose glass panels carry bamboo patterns.
Space is the luxury here: even entry-level rooms run 678 square feet, suite-sized by most city standards. Expect minimalist cream-and-grey interiors, down duvets, dark stone bathrooms with Dyson hairdryers and Bamford toiletries, and a generous complimentary "maxi bar" stocked with beer, soft drinks, White Rabbit sweets and locally made peanut crisps.
Food leans local. The Temple Café does a semi-buffet breakfast with strong à la carte add-ons — the pork wontons reportedly justify a daily order. Mi Xun Teahouse is a vegetarian restaurant built around a "mountain and spring" concept, using produce from Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan; think spinach dan dan noodles with pistachio and a fragrant Sichuan yellow bud tea, Mengding Huangya. There's also Italian-Mediterranean Tivano and the plant-filled Jing Bar with DJ nights.
The spa is the signature experience. Housed in another converted Qing Dynasty building, Mixun Spa offers traditional Chinese medicine-inspired treatments, including a bamboo massage using hand-polished bamboo from Qingcheng Mountain, warmed and worked along lymphatic points. Afterwards, the courtyard with lanterns and distant skyscrapers is a good spot for tea.
Practical details: check-in 2pm, check-out noon; two wheelchair-accessible rooms and lifts throughout; a two-bedroom family suite with bunk bed plus interconnected options; and pets allowed in the residence building with advance notice, a RMB 200 daily cleaning fee and a RMB 5,000 deposit.
Who's it for? Couples and first-timers who want a discreet, central base with design credentials — reviewers note celebrity sightings at check-in. It's less suited to anyone chasing a nature retreat. If you're planning a Chengdu city break around pandas, hot pot and old teahouses, this is an easy place to anchor it. Review by Venus Wong for The Independent Travel.
