Upper House Chengdu

Character and identity

Set within a thousand-year-old monastery complex that still houses the active Daci Temple, Upper House Chengdu pairs deep historical context with a thoroughly contemporary build. Two glass towers by London architects Make hold 142 rooms, suites and residences, threaded with brick and bronze references to local woven crafts; the entrance is a restored century-old scholars' building with a tree-shaded courtyard and library. Rooms start at a generous 678 square feet in a pared-back white, black and taupe palette. Mi Xun Spa occupies a Qing-era courtyard, and dining runs from vegetarian at the Teahouse to Italian at Tivano, with Jing Bar handling cocktails.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this place apart is the collision of a working millennium-old monastery setting with some of the most confident contemporary hotel design in China, anchored by unusually large rooms. Book it if you value architecture, quiet and a strong spa over buzzy nightlife; the entry-level rooms are already vast, so reserve up only if you want a residence-style layout.