The Ritz-Carlton, Xi'an

Past the Tang Dynasty city wall's south gate, The Ritz-Carlton Xi'an occupies a tower in the Qujiang cultural district, placing guests within walking distance of the Datang Everbright City pedestrian strip and the Wild Goose Pagoda grounds.

Rooms run large by Chinese city-centre standards, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing either the pagoda skyline or the Qujiang pool parklands. The Club Lounge operates across five daily food presentations — a detail rarely matched outside the brand's flagship addresses.

Qujiang sits roughly six kilometres south of the Bell Tower, Xi'an's traditional centre, best reached by Metro Line 3 from Qujiang New Area station. The Terracotta Warriors museum is a 40-minute drive east along the G30 expressway.