4-Star Hotels in Chongqing

For Teachers' Day, I planned a Chongqing staycation and booked a room at the Akelai Hotel. The lobby had a strong French retro vibe, and the location was excellent, right next to Jiefangbei and Hongyadong, with a shopping mall directly opposite, making dining and shopping very convenient. I booked a high-floor river view room. The room was spacious, and the warm lighting was very comfortable. It came with a vanity table, a soft sofa, and a bathtub. After a day of city walking, coming back to a relaxing bath instantly melted away the fatigue. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a fantastic view. From the sofa, I could see the Twin Towers and cruise ships slowly passing on the Jialing River. Quietly enjoying the river view, it truly captured the atmosphere of a mountain city. After checking in, I went to the outdoor area of the lobby bar for afternoon tea. Surrounded by greenery, I enjoyed a drink while feeling the breeze.

Facilities: Gym equipment, laundry room. Cleanliness: Any trash left outside the door was immediately picked up, and there's a special takeout recycling bin in the room, so no odors fill the whole place 👍🏻. Environment: When we checked in, they upgraded our room. We could see Jiefangbei and a bit of the river from the room, so I guess it's a river view room! 😁 The area outside the room wasn't noisy at all. Service: All the staff were very enthusiastic. Minibar: Drinks, snacks, fruit. You can see Qianximen Bridge and Hongyadong (not the full view) from the front desk.

The environment and service at Xiannvshan National Forest Park Bayu Homestay are both top-notch. The guesthouse offers pick-up and drop-off services to and from the scenic area entrance. Upon arrival, you're greeted by a tranquil courtyard surrounded by lush mountains and clear waters. The fresh air carries a faint scent of flowers and earth. The guesthouse features a modern minimalist design, with wooden pavilions and intricately carved window frames; every detail showcases the unique charm of the local culture. In terms of service, the staff are warm and attentive, from the thoughtful check-in guidance to meticulously planning sightseeing routes for guests, reflecting their genuine care. Here, you can savor authentic Bayu cuisine and experience a home-like warmth. In the morning, as the first rays of sunlight hit your window, you can stroll through the forest and embrace nature's bounty. After nightfall, the guesthouse glows with warm lights, reflecting the starry sky, making you feel as if you're in a dreamland. Every moment at Xiannvshan National Forest Park Bayu Homestay is a wonderful encounter with nature and culture, leaving you lingering and looking forward to your next visit.

This hotel is located right across from Bayi Square and is also close to the subway. Stepping out, you're on Bayi Road Food Street, where you can find all sorts of local specialty snacks. The staff were very warm and attentive. When we arrived, they immediately offered us refreshing lemon and plum juice from the hotel's self-service, which was incredibly crisp and tasty. Housekeeping was prompt; they even helped us with laundry while we were out exploring. Food delivery riders can bring orders directly to your room. Honestly, if it's not too hot, a short walk will get you to a ton of great food options. You can easily walk to Jiefangbei and Hongyadong from here, and to get to Liziba, you can take Line 2. Across the street from the hotel, you get a great mountain view, and you can even spot the Golden Eagle. I highly recommend this place for anyone who loves food and exploring!

The location is super convenient, really close to the subway station. Our room was spotless, and the staff, especially the ladies at the front desk, were so kind and patient. You can walk to Jiefangbei in just ten minutes, and the Cloud Eye observation deck and Yangtze River Cableway are right nearby too. Plus, the room offered an absolutely amazing view for night photography!

The room size is decent for travelers. The location is excellent, right next to Jiefangbei, and close to the subway. There are plenty of dining options around Jiefangbei, making life very convenient. Because it's right below Jiefangbei, it can be a bit noisy until 10 PM. Also, there might be some construction nearby recently, causing noise in the mornings, but overall, it doesn't affect sleep at night.

My stay at the HEYI Hotel (Hongyadong) during my trip to Chongqing exceeded my expectations. The location is the biggest highlight, situated in the heart of Yuzhong, right next to Hongyadong and Qiansimen Bridge. After enjoying the stilt-house night views, it was just a short walk back to the room, saving the hassle of finding a taxi late at night. Jiefangbei, the Yangtze River Cableway, and Shibati are all within walking distance, making getting around incredibly efficient. The room was clean and bright, the bathroom had a separate wet and dry area, and the mattress was just right – not too soft, not too firm – ensuring a great night's sleep after a day of exploring. The staff were friendly, and check-in and check-out were efficient. The self-service laundry room with a dryer is a huge plus for short trips away from home. As a chain hotel, the quality control is consistently good. If you're planning to visit Hongyadong, I highly recommend this place.

The location is super convenient, and the room is incredibly spacious and comfortable. The view from the room is also stunning. Plus, having a washer-dryer combo in the room is a huge bonus, especially with the hot weather; it's so convenient to wash clothes daily.

MIXED REVIEW — PLEASE READ IN FULL. First, the positives: the location and price are excellent. It is a boutique-style hotel with a distinctive colour scheme and aesthetic, which is what initially attracted me from the photos. In person, some parts of the corridors, carpet and lift area looked a little faded, but nothing terrible. The hotel is inside a multi-purpose building and located on an upper floor. There is no food provided, which was completely fine for me because there are plenty of restaurants and convenience stores nearby. I stayed for two nights. I initially had some trouble getting the air conditioning to work. One staff member was very kind and helpful. When I had trouble with it again later, another staff member came down to assist, which I appreciated, although her tone felt slightly condescending. The room decor itself was decent, but the rug was a little dusty and the room did not smell especially fresh. It was not bad, just not particularly fresh. On my second day I joined a day tour offered through the hotel. I understand this was operated by a third party, but the tour itself was genuinely excellent. I had a fantastic time and would happily recommend that experience. Unfortunately, the most serious issue happened at checkout. One staff member had previously helped take some photos of me, which I genuinely appreciated, and she actually took them quite well. At checkout, she gave me a small gift bag and asked whether I would leave a positive review. I said yes, because at that point I was genuinely planning to write a positive and detailed review myself, including many photos. However, while I had my phone open, she took the phone from me. Within a matter of seconds, she selected five stars across all categories, typed a very short positive review herself, and submitted it before I had approved or even properly seen what she had written. I was extremely shocked. The review said something along the lines of “intelligent lobby thoughtfully laid out,” which did not reflect what I personally wanted to write and did not meaningfully describe my stay. What made this especially frustrating was that I had already told her I wanted to write a detailed review and upload photos. After she submitted it, I said I wanted to add many photos. Another staff member tried to help, but the main review had already been submitted. The first staff member also appeared to know that Trip.com generally does not allow guests simply to rewrite a submitted review. This entire interaction happened in under ten seconds while she had my phone. My issue is not that the hotel asked me to leave a positive review. I had already agreed to do that. My issue is that a staff member took control of my phone, selected the ratings herself, wrote the review herself, and submitted it in my name without my approval. I contacted Trip.com immediately. Their customer service took the issue seriously, contacted the hotel, and the hotel subsequently apologised and acknowledged that a staff mistake had occurred. Trip.com also helped restore my ability to leave my own review, which I greatly appreciated. I want to be fair: without this incident, I probably would have left a generally positive review with photos. The location is excellent, the price is very good, the hotel has a distinctive style, and the tour experience was fantastic. But hotels should never take control of a guest’s review. If a hotel provides genuinely good service, guests will naturally leave good reviews. A positive review written by the actual guest, in their own words, is far more valuable than a generic review submitted on their behalf. So this was a mixed experience overall. There were things I genuinely liked, but the review incident left a very bad impression and undermined my trust in the hotel.

This stay was absolutely wonderful! The apartment's location is superb, offering beautiful river views, and getting to major attractions is incredibly convenient. The front desk staff were polite and thoughtful, even proactively offering us a free room upgrade, which was a lovely surprise. The breakfast was plentiful, and the room was cleaned daily. The hotel has an underground garage with free parking. After checking out, we accidentally left a power bank in the room, and the staff promptly called us to let us know they found it and kept it safe for us. The room was comfortable, and the service was warm and responsible. Overall, I'm extremely satisfied and will definitely choose to stay here again on my next visit to Chongqing!