Where to stay in Chengdu?

Qingyang District: stay in the cultural center

At the heart of Chengdu lies the city's cultural and administrative heart: the Qingyang district. This modern city center has plenty to offer. There are a number of museums, including the Sichuan Museum and the Chengdu Museum, as well as parks (Tianfu Square and People's Park) that offer a veritable patch of greenery amidst the buildings.

When it comes to contrasts, Qingyang is not to be outdone. The district is home to Wenshu Monastery, Chengdu's largest Buddhist temple, with its 13-storey pagoda and sumptuous pavilions steeped in history.

Amid the skyscrapers, you'll also find small streets whose buildings seem frozen in time: the Kuan and Zhai alleys (more commonly known as Kuanzhai alleys). Here, you can wander through narrow streets and traditional facades, punctuated by authentic siheyuan, or traditional houses. Once an exclusively historical district, today it's home to an array of restaurants, street food stalls, cafés, teahouses and small souvenir shops.

Qingyang is the ideal place to stay to enjoy Chengdu's day and night life. Day or night, you'll find everything you need to stay, eat, drink or get around. The district is very well served by a network of buses and subways that take you wherever you want to go, covering more than 500km.

On the other hand, it's worth noting that accommodation prices in this tourist area are generally high, and accommodation is quickly snapped up. Nevertheless, it remains the ideal place to stay if you want to discover Sichuan's capital on foot.

Accommodation in Jinjiang district

On the other side of Tianfu Square, the Jinjiang district borders the river of the same name. It's best known for its famous Chunxi Road. This pedestrian shopping avenue is a shopper's delight, with over 700 boutiques and street food stalls popping up on every corner.

A little further along, the 81m-long Anshun Bridge overlooks the river. It's notable for its sumptuous Ming and Qing dynasty-style restaurant, as impressive in daylight as it is under night-time illumination.

If you venture further south from Jinjiang, to Shansheng, you'll discover a quieter area, far from the crowded thoroughfares. Here, you can enjoy the flower market, stroll between the bars and typical restaurants and take in the "bobo" atmosphere of the district, which offers many views that will delight photographers.

Both north and south, you'll find plenty of affordable eateries, from street food to real establishments.

Accommodation is concentrated on the border between Jinjiang and Qingyang, offering relatively affordable prices for staying close to the center and enjoying the local nightlife.

Finally, the subway and bus network serves this area quite well, although in the south, buses are concentrated around the main arteries.

It's the ideal place to stay if you like shopping, nightlife and fresh air!

Wuhou, stay in a historic yet modern neighborhood

The Wuhou district lies to the west and is home to the famous temple of the same name. The temple covers an area of over 37,000m² and is listed as one of Chengdu's historic buildings. It houses the temple, a museum and the shrine erected in honor of Emperor Liu Bei.

Shopping enthusiasts will find several boutiques and a huge shopping mall, while culture fans can experience the Sanxingdui Art Museum or the Natural History Museum.

Finally, you'll also find Jinli Road, one of the city's oldest streets. Today, it's one of the district's liveliest and most touristy areas, attracting the curious and locals alike with its traditional buildings, small craft shops, teahouses, theaters and puppet stages. You'll also find all kinds of street food and small restaurants serving local cuisine.

There are relatively few places to stay in this area, and prices vary greatly depending on the type of accommodation. On the contrary, you'll find more restaurants and bars that have set up shop to cater for the needs of tourists and students from nearby universities.

Wuhou, like the other districts, is well served by metro and bus.

Chenghua District for a green getaway

Chenghua lies to the east of the city and comprises a very urban part anda more vegetated part to the east. Although the area is predominantly residential, there are a few restaurants clustered around the famous Jianshe Road in the city center, as well as a very good public transport network.

When it comes to activities, there's never a dull moment in Chenghua. You can visit the Chengdu Zoo, close to the Zhaojue temple, stroll through the many parks, but above all, discover the giant pandas at the Panda Research Center, which not only protects this endangered species, but allows you to observe them in their natural habitat.

Closer to the urban areas, you'll also find the Dong Jiao Jiyi, a cultural and creative center for the arts, music, dance, film and photography.

There'slittle accommodation available in the area, and it's rather expensive, so it's not always easy to stay there. On the other hand, you can easily reach the various points of interest by public transport.

Accommodation in the Jinniu district

The Jinniu district lies to the north-west of Chengdu and comprises a large vegetated area. Numerous parks can be found here, including the Botanical Park, Shaheyuan Park and Outdoor Music Park, as well as the Happy Valley amusement park.

Museums in the area include the Yonling museum, associated with the mausoleum of Wang Jian, founding emperor of the Shu Empire.

While there are a few interesting things to do in the district, it's not necessarily a prime choice for accommodation: while lodgings are affordable, they are few and far between, as are restaurants and cafés once you move away from the area surrounding the Kuanzhai alleys. It's mainly a residential area, which is reflected in the apartment blocks that have been built here.

But if you still wish to stay overnight, Jinniu has an extensive public transport network, making it easy to get to and from other places of interest.