The 16 Best Luxury Hotels in Chengdu

In the city, the pools are almost always indoors, often high above the rooftops, and many of them are heated. So in Chengdu you can swim all year round.The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu · XiyuheFor swimming laps: if you want to swim long laps at a 5-star hotel in Chengdu, you will find several 25-meter pools. At the Upper House Chengdu, the heated pool is on the lower level, with a sauna and steam room next to it. At The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu, underwater music accompanies you in the pool on the 23rd floor, and the Shangri-La Chengdu on the river has a heated pool with daylight.

With a view over the city: on the 48th floor of the Waldorf Astoria Chengdu, you swim in a heated pool with a Jacuzzi and loungers in front of the skyline. The St. Regis Chengdu has an indoor and an outdoor pool, and the Presidential Suite on the 29th floor even comes with its own 12-meter pool. At the W Chengdu, a 270-degree LCD wall surrounds the WET pool and its Jacuzzi.

Hot springs outside the city: at the Ocean Spring Resort Chengdu, the White Horse radon spring feeds a 3,500 m² hot-spring center with 21 pools, indoors and in the garden. On top of that, each of the 44 villas has its own spring-fed pool. At the Chengdu Expo Waterfall Hotel, you look out at the waterfall from the 520 m² indoor-outdoor pool, and in the Habitat Pavilion every room has a private hot spring.

For days devoted entirely to the spa, the drive out to Qingcheng Mountain is worth it. If you choose your 5-star hotel in Chengdu by its spa, book the Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain there: its spa is built around traditional Chinese medicine, with acupuncture, cupping and Taoist rituals.Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain · Dujiangyan CityIn the city: the spa at The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu takes up an entire floor, the 23rd, with ten treatment rooms, two couples’ suites and treatments with tea and herbs. At the Upper House Chengdu, the Mi Xun Spa occupies two converted historic courtyard houses, with Biologique Recherche facials and free yoga on weekends. For couples, the Iridium Spa at The St. Regis Chengdu has duplex suites.

Herbs from Sichuan: by the river, too, Chengdu’s luxury hotels make time for wellness. At the Shangri-La Chengdu, CHI, The Spa covers around 900 m², with eleven treatment rooms and treatments using herbs from Sichuan; there is also a fitness center with its own yoga studio and an outdoor tennis court. The Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Waldorf Astoria Chengdu has six treatment suites and a sauna with a view.

Prices start at 76 € at the Chengdu Expo Waterfall Hotel and go up to 310 € at the Upper House Chengdu; half of the hotels cost no more than 124 € a night. The table shows all 16 luxury hotels in Chengdu, sorted by area. You will find the current price for your travel dates for each hotel in the hotel list below.

What is included everywhere: daily breakfast for two, at the Upper House Chengdu as a continental breakfast. At nine hotels the suitespot benefits apply from the first night, at seven from two nights, for example at The St. Regis Chengdu, at The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu and at the Grand Hyatt Chengdu.

Upgrade and check-in: 15 hotels offer an upgrade, usually on arrival and subject to availability; at the Grand Hyatt Chengdu and at The Langbo Chengdu it is granted at booking, though not from a room to a suite. At the Gran Meliá Chengdu, an early check-in at 10 am or a late check-out at 4 pm is guaranteed instead.JW Marriott Hotel Chengdu · Tianfu SquareThe hotel credit is worth a closer look. It is usually 100 US dollars, for example at the Waldorf Astoria Chengdu; at the Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain it applies to the restaurants or the spa, at the Upper House Chengdu to food and drinks.

At The St. Regis Chengdu and at The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu, the credit is split: 50 US dollars for the spa, 50 for food and drinks. At the Gran Meliá Chengdu, the 100 US dollars come from three nights, while the other benefits there apply from the first night. Some hotels add 50 US dollars.

Plus extras: at the Waldorf Astoria Chengdu you earn double Hilton Honors points, at the Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain the minibar is included once, and at the Gran Meliá Chengdu suites earn 20 percent extra Meliá Rewards points.

Points and status: 13 of the 16 luxury hotels in Chengdu belong to a loyalty program. Marriott Bonvoy applies at four hotels, IHG One Rewards at three, World of Hyatt and ALL (Accor) at two each, Hilton Honors and Shangri-La Golden Circle at one each.

Chengdu through the seasons: every season has its charm. In spring, rapeseed blooms around the city; in summer everything is lush and green and the pools are in high season; autumn brings clear days for Qingcheng Mountain; and in winter, hotpot and hot springs keep you warm. When to book early: around National Day in early October.

How long to stay: for a 5-star hotel in Chengdu we recommend three nights – for the pandas, the teahouses in People’s Park and an evening in Taikoo Li. Add two more nights at Qingcheng Mountain or at the hot springs, and it becomes a whole trip.