Hotels in Chongqing

Chongqing: Mountain City on the Yangtze

Chongqing sits at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers in southwest China, a municipality of over 32 million people spread across steep ridgelines and river valleys. The city's verticality defines daily life — elevated highways thread through mid-rise towers, and the Hongya Cave complex cascades 11 storeys down a cliff face above the Jialing. Founded as Yuzhou during the Sui dynasty and designated a wartime capital under Chiang Kai-shek from 1937 to 1945, Chongqing carries layers of history rarely matched in Chinese cities its size.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Most hotels anchor around Jiefangbei (Liberation Monument), the central CBD, or along the Nanbin Road riverfront in Nan'an District, which offers direct views of the illuminated skyline after dark. The Chongqing Rail Transit network runs eight lines, including the celebrated Line 2, whose trains pass directly through the residential towers of Liziba Station. Travelers use the monorail to reach Eling Park and the riverside cable car to cross the Yangtze to Nan'an.

Practical Tips

• Climate: Summers are hot and humid (July average 38 °C); autumn (October–November) is the most comfortable season.
• Food: Chongqing hotpot differs from Sichuan variants — the broth uses tallow fat and dried chili, not bean paste; order at Jiefangbei's riverside strip.
• Transit: A single-day rail pass covers all metro lines; buy at any staffed ticket window with a passport.
• Yangtze cruises: Three Gorges departures leave from 朝天门 (Chaotianmen) Dock, 1 km northeast of Jiefangbei.