Holiday Inn Express Properties in Jianyang

The hotel is located in the new district of Jianyang, which feels like a hotel cluster. There's also a tourist street nearby with plenty of local food and specialties you can buy. Funnily enough, I used to work in Chengdu for a year, and I remember local specialties like Zhang Fei Beef. This time, I discovered 'Dog Poop Candy' here, which was quite good! It's a bit like the peanut brittle from my hometown in Hubei, but less sweet and with a softer texture. It's very close to Chengdu Tianfu Airport, and the hotel offers a free shuttle service. I arrived at T2 and got on the shuttle at Gate 21. The ride was about 30 minutes. I also noticed that the hotel's shuttle seems to be the last one in the pickup sequence, so once you board, you can leave right away without stopping at other hotels to pick up more people. The shuttle departs on the hour for airport drop-offs, and on the half-hour for airport pickups at Tianfu Airport. For example, I got on the shuttle at 10:30 AM at the airport, which was perfect – I only waited 5 minutes. I was the only one being picked up at that time, so I had an entire tour bus to myself. There was a row of BBQ stalls across the street from the hotel in the evening, but I didn't have time to try them. To save time when I first arrived, I ordered takeout – a bowl of noodles for 22 RMB, which felt quite expensive. It might be because the surrounding area caters mostly to tourists, making things relatively pricier. In the evening, I had Jianyang lamb soup, half a catty, with two small pancakes, totaling 68 RMB. This is comparable to city prices, even a bit more expensive than some cities in the central and western regions. But the taste was good! The hotel's breakfast was a bit simple but sufficient. The room facilities were relatively new, and it was quite comfortable to stay in. I often saw foreigners in the lobby and elevators, which suggests this hotel really is a tourist hub. Holiday Inn is a global hotel group, so perhaps foreigners trust the brand, leading to more of them staying here. I suspect many people might stop over here when visiting Chengdu, using it as a base before heading into the city for sightseeing. The only downside is that the hotel is a bit far from Jianyang's old town, so you'd need a taxi if you wanted to visit and explore the old area.