Three Days and Two Nights at Regent Chongqing: The Hotel Itself Is the Destination

On my first visit to Chongqing, I stayed at the Regent Hotel. This three-day, two-night hotel experience became my first impression of the city. I left reluctantly, finally understanding why people say you must stay at the Regent when visiting Chongqing.

Indeed, like a poem: 'Mountain rains fall at dusk in Ba.' Chongqing's mornings are damp; after a heavy downpour, the air is exceptionally fresh, and the city shimmers faintly in the morning mist. At the hotel lobby entrance, bright green Poncirus trifoliata are placed—the flowers here change with the seasons: lotus in summer, reeds in autumn, orchids in winter. Let's start from here: take a morning stroll through the hotel and embark on a journey through Chongqing's culture and memories. Everywhere you look, there are bricks, tiles, colored glaze, and stilted buildings—all an abstract tribute to the city of Chongqing.

Large walls serve as silent, atmospheric backdrops.

Look closely: the golden walls in the hotel display a mottled appearance. In ancient times, palaces were generously gilded, and as time passed, the gold became worn. The designer used gold leaf to create a deliberate cracked gold paint effect, evoking a sense of imperial nobility.

The white walls are not empty either: three-dimensional camellia flowers exude dynamic beauty, with blossoms falling from the sky like a dream. There are also bamboo-mat walls that immediately bring a smile to locals from Chongqing. I've heard that as soon as summer arrives, people in Chongqing lay out bamboo mats early, and families sit on them, chatting leisurely through the long, hot summer nights.

Various decorations in the hotel's public areas

Heavy components from Chongqing's military factories have been transformed into dignified art pieces. On screens made of ramie fabric, clouds and seas rise and fall, revealing Chongqing's terraced fields. The paintings on the walls are even more remarkable: the layered mountain scenes look up close to be made from chili seeds and chili oil! Each tiny chili pepper forms the image of the mountain city...

Regent uses those humble, everyday materials found in life as decorations, yet they exude elegance and grandeur. There is no arrogance of a luxury hotel here; every detail brings people and objects closer together.

This is the pinnacle of hotel service.

What is the upper limit of hotel service? I believe the Regent has a say. From check-in, every staff member you meet greets you with a bright smile. Good-looking young men rush to take your luggage, and a butler accompanies you all the way to your room, explaining in detail the services, facilities, and how to use them.

On the guest room desk, a nine-grid wooden box is placed, filled with local Chongqing snacks. The drinks in the mini-fridge are free to enjoy. Tianfu Cola, a drink that was all the rage in the 1970s and 1980s in the Chongqing and Southwest region, is both lavish and romantic. Besides the nine-grid tasting, there are also bags of Chongqing local specialty snacks to enjoy freely: small twisted dough sticks, broad beans... When you finish them, they are replenished the next day! Staying in the room feels like visiting a good friend's home, treated with warm hospitality.

The room is fully equipped with full-sized Frederic Malle toiletries, camellia face masks, a Dyson hairdryer. A card lists everything you might need during your stay; just call the butler, and they will deliver it to your room. The variety is thoughtful and comprehensive—anything you can think of and even things you can't, including a shoe dryer! I asked for a steam eye mask, a curling iron, dental floss, and nail clippers. If you forgot your contact lens solution and case, no need to order from delivery apps; you can also enjoy a free service of washing and ironing three items of clothing per day, plus a customized bath experience...

It was also my first time seeing a hotel offering a pillow menu—a row of adorable mini pillows to choose from!

It was my first time seeing the butler cabinet design in a hotel room: food deliveries are placed directly into the small cabinet in the room; when you return, you can open it and take it. If you order a delivery yourself, the butler will come to your room to pick it up. This ensures privacy while providing convenience for guests.

Breakfast is served until 10:30 AM. There is an authentic Chongqing noodle station with dedicated staff who take your order, record your preferred spiciness level and special requests, and then give you a noodle number tag. Your hot bowl of noodles is brought to your table.

After breakfast, you can go swimming or work out. Guess how good the gym service can be? The cotton socks provided for workouts are of such quality that you can take them home and wear them for a long time, haha!

Chongqing Regent Chinese Restaurant: Witness the myriad possibilities of Sichuan cuisine.

This was my first meal at the Regent and also my first encounter with Chongqing's cuisine. Stepping out of the elevator, I was captivated by a crystal bird-shaped vessel made of 250,000 crystals. Viewed from the side, it resembles a phoenix; from the front and back, it looks like a wine vessel. The crystal is crystal clear, with a fluid and dynamic design—grand and gorgeous.

In the large private room, the walls depict Chongqing's topography in an abstract style. Looking closely, you can identify the Yuzhong Peninsula, Chaotianmen, and the confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers, which looks like a yuanyang hot pot. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of Chongqing's bustling traffic and stunning river scenery. On the large round table, an impressive fresh flower arrangement sits, and above the table hangs a huge copper camellia—the city flower of Chongqing.

The executive chef of the restaurant explained that the restaurant mainly serves Cantonese cuisine. Who would have thought that this meal would be Cantonese cuisine fused with Sichuan cuisine! The cold appetizers alone were enough to make a spice lover applaud!

'Ice-pot Chili- Spiced Abalone': This ingredient, commonly seen in Qingdao, is prepared here with a rich, spicy flavor. The depth of flavor comes from marinating in a secret sauce for eight hours.

'Sichuan-style Couple's Delight Slices' features delicious beef tongue. 'Chongqing-style Braised Head Cabbage with Soft Silver Threads' includes Fuling pickled vegetables. The pig ear cartilage, stewed for four hours, is crunchy and refreshing. These cold dishes seem simple but are full of surprises. 'Wasabi Glazed Cherry Tomatoes': Tomatoes are hollowed out and filled with sake and walnuts—endless creativity...

Recommended dishes worth trying:

Garlic-scented Braised Chicken Soup with Coconut and Fish Lip, Three-Onion Wok-Fried Boston Lobster, Steamed Blue-Spotted Grouper with Tangerine Peel and Olive, Chongqing-style Softshell Turtle with Fried Dough Stick, Mustard-Scallion Wagyu with Crispy Chicken Sushi... Flambéed Orange Liqueur Crispy Duck is set on fire tableside, and Chongqing-style Spicy Chicken is both numbing and spicy.

Inviting family, friends, or important guests to dine here is a very dignified and generous dining experience!

More than just a meal: Watching a culinary performance at Robbin's.

Besides the hotel, the restaurants at Regent Chongqing are also renowned. The Robbin's Western Restaurant has been listed in the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide for four consecutive years and is the only Western restaurant in Chongqing to receive this honor. Even before noon, guests had already arrived to dine, with many tables decorated with balloons and petals in advance for celebrations of anniversaries.

The main dining area has 50 seats and also offers a teppanyaki private room. The decor retains classic Chinese elements while incorporating Chongqing flavors. The windows are uniquely designed, with metal wires forming scenes of daily life, capturing Chongqing's past and present—rows of small buildings, both hot pot restaurants and teahouses.

Before the main meal, guests can go to the self-service salad bar to compose a plate of their favorite side dishes. The colorful presentation whets the appetite: baby corn, fox nuts, lotus seeds, chestnuts, taro, king prawns, matsutake slices, fresh seafood, and delicate desserts. I suggest not taking too much at once, because the main course is the highlight.

In the private room, everyone sits together, listening to the chef explain and watching the live cooking. This immersive dining experience goes beyond the food itself. The chef prepares the daily dishes according to the weather and atmosphere. Since it rained in Chongqing and was a bit chilly, he made a warm old hen soup for us. Before the main course, a sweet orange-flavored dessert was served to refresh the palate. The main course arrived with flair: fresh sapphire shrimp, lively big prawns, the chef's proud bone-in Rossini beef, small tomahawk steaks... The steak was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, brimming with meaty fragrance.

The chef loves cooking and enthusiastically shared the ingredients and seasonings he used, proudly explaining his own development and blending process. He said the salt used for the steak is called 'Mingqian salt', made by boiling tea leaves picked before Qingming Festival. Food brings us enjoyment, but the chef's passion in creating the dishes is even more touching.

A surprise moment at Robbin's: The waiter suddenly wheeled in a small cart and made a chestnut cake on the spot, surprising Xiao Mo, who was about to have a birthday. Fine chestnut puree fell like rain, and everyone exclaimed in delight. The small cake was novel and adorable. Candles were lit, and everyone sang the birthday song together—an unforgettable moment of joy.

Chongqing Regent Hotel Hot Pot-Themed Afternoon Tea

This is the kind of thing that shocks outsiders for a thousand years! Who would have imagined that this bubbling, fragrant nine-grid spicy hot pot is actually all desserts and afternoon tea? The pastry chef must be a creative and romantic person. The Ba Lang at the first floor of Regent Hotel features transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, white walls carved with thousands of camellias, and a fireplace-shaped tabletop that looks like a warm flame. The recently launched hot pot-themed afternoon tea is a must-try. Watch us demonstrate a 'raw hot pot' series!

In this pot, the 'duck intestines' are made of jelly, using peach puree and green tea as ingredients, with a smooth texture. The 'braised chicken feet' are made of chocolate mousse—the pattern on the skin is so realistic it's hard to tell it's fake! It uses French Valrhona Guanaja 40% chocolate, light cream, and chocolate crunch pearls to create layers.

The 'fat beef rolls' are raspberry red velvet: raspberry jam and yogurt are mixed to produce beautiful layers, then sliced and wrapped in red velvet cake sponge. The 'duck blood' is made of foie gras: classic French foie gras mousse paired with raspberry and red wine, sweet and sour with a creamy texture. The 'mushrooms' are raw coconut latte cocoa; 'corn' is vanilla mango cheese; 'crispy pork' uses rice cake and shrimp paste wrapped in tuna paste. The drinks are also memorable: Vicia Soy Milk, a unique cocktail made with the indispensable hot pot drink—my favorite Chongqing taste!

📍 Address: Ba Lang, Afternoon Tea Restaurant, Regent Chongqing

💰 Chongqing Hot Pot-Themed Afternoon Tea for Two: 388+

Two Rivers Bar's Dazzling Night: This Moment in Chongqing

One of the most stunning moments in Chongqing was meeting good friends at the Two Rivers Bar on the seventh floor of Regent. We waited from dusk until dark, watching the city light up. Leaning on the railing, we gazed at the dazzling nightscape of the Yuzhong Peninsula and the Jialing River, taking in Hongya Cave and Chongqing's magical architecture across the river. A gentle breeze brushed our faces—a romantic early-summer moment.

The Two Rivers Bar is truly beautiful. During the blue hour, candle lanterns were lit one by one. The poetic design of pavilions and towers is both modern and graceful. There is a live band performance every night, and you can stay until dawn, falling asleep with the city.

The bartender patiently crafted each cocktail full of mountain city characteristics. It was an eye-opener to see Shapingba Ciqikou twists, the magnificent scenery of Wu Mountain Gorges, Jiulongpo Huangjueping Art Street, and Fuling pickled vegetables in a small glass... Architecture, food, and scenery combined with Chongqing stories make the specialty cocktails vivid and creative, with unique ingredient combinations creating a wonderful taste sensation.

Cheers, my friend! Tonight, let's get drunk in the mountain city!

Location: 7th Floor, Regent Chongqing