NICCOLO CHENGDU @ Timeless Pleasures

Star luxury hotels are not in short supply and cater for those demanding travel wanderlust in Chengdu, China and Niccolo Chengdu sets luxury lodging for a degree of timeless pleasures. mylifestylenews writes.

Chengdu, the 4th largest city in China and with 21.4 million people living in this vibrant city, is not short of superlatives, from long history to its well preserved culture and heritage that’s brought forward to this very modern day with world-class infrastructures such as two enormous international well facilitated airports, stunning luxury shopping precincts, not forgetting being the epicentre of the popular Sichuan hotpot and vibrant dining culture and so forth.

In the heart of Chengdu’s bustling CBD is a luxury shopping and commercial precinct comprised of two large leading developments, the IFS shopping mall and the open-plan Taikoo Li retail-led mixed-use that offer unique shopping and leisure experience in Jinjiang district and the Niccolo Hotel has a pre-eminent position standing tall on Hongxing road that is right in the middle of this shopping mecca – IFS is attached to the hotel and Taikoo Li is directly across the road.

While the Niccolo Chengdu is not short of amenities on its doorstep, as a brand, the Niccolo aligns itself with culture, art and fashion, so the location is fitting. Unbeknownst to us, the CBD footprint is larger than expected, which turns out to be a voyage of discovery. Should you wish to go more local outside of a star luxury environment, you are also on the footprints of some great and exciting local food as well as local shopping exploration. Needless to say, you can enjoy the ubiquitous Sichuan hotpot anywhere in this locale as they are in abundance everywhere you look and you will be assured of a uniquely local experience. It is simply a foodie and shopping paradise.

We made our own way to the hotel and on arrival at the ground level entrance on Shamao street  we were warmly greeted by Jimmy the doorman who brightened up our rainy day very quickly with his huge smile and attentiveness. Jimmy directed us to the lift and to the third floor which is the main hotel lobby for our check-in and also the driveway entrance for grand arrivals if you wish to arrive by car and leads you through the Tea Lounge which is also an enchanting space and is referred to as the “jewel box” by the hotel team.

The bright, spacious and airy lobby is a beautiful space to be introduced to the brand, as it was flooded with natural light even on a rainy day of our arrival, the light and attractive marble flooring well adorned with graceful floral arrangements together with numerous art installations and artworks juxtaposed with the beautifully chosen furniture to create life in a cathedral-like vestibule.

Stella who checked us in quickly motioned to us to complete the check-in formalities, prompt, precise and with warmth and we were already won over with the brand contact experience. The check-in was brief and we made our own way to the 24^th floor and discovered our new abode in Chengdu that has a superb view over the luxury shopping precinct and beyond and we couldn’t have been happier.
 

Its minimalist contemporary interiors are not particularly glam, but one person’s glam is another’s gaudy – so that’s a tick for us. The design strengths are the unphotographable kind, the whole room felt so warm, light and comfortable, which is all down to the interior design decisions in a simple, natural colour palette that is well done on that front and not forgetting the stunning Chengdu CBD view catching the goings-on of the bustling city and beyond that makes a huge difference.

Although the hotel is some ten years old, it is very well kept and ticks all the boxes such as the extremely luxurious comfortable king bed with the finest linens; uncomplicated tech-savvy touch controls for the window blinds and light switches; quiet air-conditioning; a large wardrobe and working desk; large sofa and easy chair to relax in; a bright marble bathroom (with the option of opening up the blinds to see into the bedroom) with premium Italian brand Lorenzo Villoresi bathroom amenities and separate toilet and large walk-in shower; and plenty of available floor space to spread out your suitcases and shopping purchases.

While Niccolo Chengdu prides itself in providing personalized, caring service and exciting experiences, after settling in we were given a pleasantly surprise personalised tour of the huge premise that has established its own unique identity.

The swimming pool and fitness centre on the sixth floor exceeded our expectations with a long pool for lap swimming and spacious pool deck with views over Taikoo Li  which is beautiful in design especially the wall waterfalls feature. 

A spacious and well equipped steam and sauna to follow with high ceilings that create more space than there actually is which is all flooded with natural light through the floor to ceiling windows that is quite pleasing.

Our tour continued to the other side of the hotel main lobby where the STEAK FRITES & BAR features some delightful art work commissioned by the hotel with once an expatriate in Chile and now residing in Chengdu artist Icy Tan of her vivid, eye-catching and colourful illustrations and artworks from her manifested scenes of everyday life People Watching series, that makes a playful and welcoming environment which even extends to the tabletop settings.

STEAK FRITES & BAR

The entire lobby level spaces have the double height floor to ceiling windows overlooking Taikoo Li and the city vista. In addition to STEAK FRITE & BAR and The Tea Lounge on the same lobby level.

Down on level two you have the signature Sichuan and Cantonese restaurant YUE HIN serving classic and celebrated dishes. Across the hallway is the adjacent all-day-dining Niccolo Kitchen which has some very striking and attractive interior design elements that make it look more like an upmarket bistro.

From here you also have direct access to IFS shopping mall, which is handy to have should you wish to have a walk when the weather is not conducive which was the case on most days during our visit. Besides, there were connecting bridges to cross over the adjacent buildings and numerous functions rooms and grand ballrooms to facilitate multi international events, conferences, as well as weddings.

Breakfast at Niccolo Kitchen is a fine repast with western and local specialities, but being in Chengdu we highly recommend you try the local noodles, dumplings, and, in particular, Xiao Long Bao, as you are spoilt for choice together with some other delicious options. The buffet section is huge and chefs are at your disposal to prepare noodles to order a-la-minute for you and they do not disappoint. Overall, we were bowled over by the variety of local options for its great selections and quality.

Hotpot was introduced for lunch and dinner here during our visit, and while it does not have the extensive menu a stand-alone Sichuan hotpot restaurant would offer, there are some classic hotpot options in the comfort of a luxury hotel which is always appealing.

Our stay was not long enough, as Chengdu has so much to offer both within the city and beyond, but we had certainly maxed out our stay in Niccolo Chengdu by exploring and sampling the delicious food as much as possible as well as the luxuriate facilities.

Many team members made our stay much more memorable because of their service, especially the new breed of knowledgeable concierge team called Niccolo City Insiders, Steven and Dandy, Jilly in Niccolo Kitchen and Gloria, Vicky and Nick in YUE HIN for their sincere and honest hospitality. You would be hard pressed to find a luxury hotel with such a top notch location and views to match, both within the hotel and beyond for a new encounter timeless pleasure and an enjoyable staycation experience.

Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 4.5/5
Housekeeping: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

Niccolo Chengdu
Tower 3, Chengdu IFS,

No.1 Section 3,

Hongxing Road, Jinjiang District

Chengdu, China

Tel: +86 28 8220 8888

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.

YUE HIN - Indulge Your Dining Senses

Specializing in authentic Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine, YUE HIN at Niccolo Chengdu strives to capture the natural flavours of fine ingredients and essential produce - potentially from the local farmers and supplies throughout the country, mastering the culinary and innovative dining concept to please your demanding palate as well as to indulge your dining senses to another level. mylifestylenews writes.

Dining in signature Chinese restaurants in hotels in China is always a delight, with more or less a certain degree of confidence assured guaranteed. Not only that, they really want to showcase more than just the basics in terms of culinary experience by scratching their creative minds further by adding some touches of luxury which creates an elevated and memorable dining experience. YUE HIN at Niccolo Chengdu is no exception, with some creative and delicious food to be savoured.

Tucked away at the corner on the second floor of the hotel and posing a conundrum – it is an open plan dining room with views out to the attached luxury IFS shopping mall. The striking interior design catches all eyes from passersby, thanks to the team behind the Hong Kong based Cheng Chung Design (CCD) lead by Joe Cheng with attention to details contributed to create this superlative YUE HIN’s interior and dining ambience.

The mood is cozy and with hues of fiery red chosen to highlight the entire restaurant, not only bringing grandeur of ostentation yet the extravagant space also reflects the elegance of the entire restaurant with some elements of detail gracefully juxtaposed with the entire design concept. Some exterior seating in the thoroughfare with only vertical acrylic panels designed in oriental motif in a vertical pergola style to create a “wall or partition” on two sides, there really is not much privacy (unless you book one of the many private dining rooms) but allows a more friendlier dining ambience.

These panels are very attractive and allow a view inside and outside, depending on where you are being seated, so it may be good for business, as the open view may attract walk-ins from shoppers who wander in the shopping mall and remind in-house guests going to the adjacent all-day dining Niccolo Kitchen that there is a Chinese restaurant, but for us it was a tad distracting, so the main focus was to be about the food.

The main dining room is broken up by large sofa seatings adorned with planted bonsai trees. A collection displayed art works on the back wall which was a disconnect, as they didn’t seem to fit the Chinese theme, whereas there are other delightful Chinese accents, such as the metal birdcages in a more modern take on interior design.

Tabletops are kept very simple with some attractive and colorful print show plates in red lattice patterns, so overall a modern Chinese bent rather than traditional, fitting the hotel’s design ethos of looking forward, not to the past.
 

The large menu offers some salivating and traditional Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine, from signature dishes to nouvelle gastronomy for diners to explore the unknown from the traditional dishes.
 

<Marinated Tree Tomato>
We began our dinner with two different starter platters of cold dishes to whet the taste buds. First, this trio platter came with halved marinated yellow tree tomato that offers a fresh yet stunning flavour that was almost redolent of grapes and cherries, organically delicious, juicy and burst in your mouth effect in one go. Expect the unexpected from the opening palate.
 
<Foie Gras with Caviar>
A second mouth full bite is the foie gras topped with caviar. Texture wise it  was on the grainy side and less creamy, a bit like a tasty egg yolk hard boiled in texture and the caviar added additional savoury finish on palate.

<Qing Yuan Chicken with Mixed Ginger/Shallots>
The last dish on this platter is two tender slices of Qing Yuan chicken from Guangdong province which is re-known for its local agricultural resources over thousands of years of cultivation history. Qian Yuan chickens are cage-free, raised in mountain areas, inhaling the freshest air from their surrounds. Hence, the meat are intense in flavour and taste much more tender, being well marinated with Chinese rice wine for its aromatic light crispy skin, served with the mixed ginger and shallots on the side to compliment the subtle flavour.
 

<Fried Shredded Taro>
The second trio platter came with a slaw of deep-fried Taro, light, fluffy and tasty.

<Agropyron Cristatum Salad>
A jelly cup consists of asparagus crested wheat grass foraged plants dressed with tasty vinegar that offers a delicious crunchy mouthful in one bite.

<Deep-Fried Pork Jowl with Chilli Sauce>
A rather chewy snacker that was to be expected with intense flavour from the Sichuan chilli marinade and the aromatic sesame seed. We loved it!

<Double-Boiled Pine Mushrooms Soup with Pork and Chicken>
A delicious consommé style of soup that was a clear broth with such blossoming flavours derived from the aromatic mushrooms and poultry. Perfection for such a classic Chinese soup!

<BBQ Platter>
Roasted Crispy Pork Cube

Traditionally, a 5-layer of fat and meat combination from the cut of meat to produce the most flavoursome crispy pork “belly” with a balance of meat and fat combination, while there was only three layers chosen here, but there was a lightness in the crispiness, with some juicy less tender meat and mostly fat resulted in a quite bland taste and less satisfying on palate.

Barbecued Pork with Honey Sauce aka Char Siu

The appearance was good with a charred and crispy finish, but the marinade was a little too sweet, so you could immediately ditch the accompanying caster sugar. The meat was on the dry side and not juicy enough to savour and delight the expected traditional barbecued pork palate.

Roasted Crispy Duck with Chinese Five Spices

A light and crispy skin to die for and young, tender juicy meat was well marinated. Despite all three portions were rather small but the duck was the most delicious and the best of all three on this BBQ platter.
 

<Roasted Crispy “Qing Yuan” Chicken with Mashed Shrimps and Pork>
More like a premium banquet dish with extremely crispy golden brown chicken skin minus the oily part, stuffed with minced pork and shrimps that was redolent in the main ‘mash’. A very delicious dish that was well executed.
 

<Boiled baby Cabbage with Chicken Soup & Salty Pork>
A beautifully farmer style hearty soup with a subtle chicken flavour and cured salty pork taste from its bone, boiled with baby cabbage which had been cooked just enough to remain a little crunchy in texture. This winter warmer soup was a total winner and a delicious classic!
 

<Dan Dan Noodles with Minced Pork and Pickles>
A rather safe rendition. First, the presentation did not look too inviting from a traditional Dan Dan noodles dish as expected and lacking some individuality. Instead, it looked as if it had been modified to suit the western or touristy palate from its presentation and taste. The noodle texture did not stand out, rather overcooked and also lacked the numb and peppery kick from the chilies.
 

<Braised Tofu with Minced Beef and Sichuan Pepper>
By the look at it, you just can’t wait to dive in. The rich color and taste was perfection, with the right balance of chilli oil, medium heat (to our palate satisfaction) Sichuan pepper that was not numbing and silken tofu that could not be beaten for texture and lastly, minced beef that was well seasoned, so tender and flavoursome. This was the outstanding and satisfying dish of the evening! A genuinely viva Sichuan dish to be celebrated.
 

<Deep-fried Rice with Shrimps, Coriander in Lobster Soup>
The deep-fried crispy rice is the highlight (which is added to the lobster broth at the table) and the beautifully clear lobster soup was delicate yet rich in flavour. It was simply so enjoyable. The small chunks of lobster and diced asparagus added that textural counterpoint on the palate. A winning dish!
 

<Baked BBQ Pork Puff>
The first “pre-dessert” came as a baked BBQ Pork sphere Puff which is more like a savoury than dessert. This classic modern take on the Cantonese bun had a soft, flaky, airy texture and just the right sweet and savoury filling. Perfectly executed and so moreish!
 

<Steamed ‘Panda’ Custard Bun with Egg Yolk & Cream>
You can’t go without any panda’s elements or motifs when dining in Chengdu where this fabulous steamed ‘Panda’ custard bun was sticking his head out from the basket that would win over any guest and it had a deliciously not too sweet yet rich custard filling. Kudos to the chefs.

The overall dining experience in YUE HIN was delightful. The service was very warm and friendly, even with some little English communication hiccups they were trying very hard to please, but we got there and had a very enjoyable experience. Gloria, our server on that evening was extremely accommodating and helpful. We were well-looked after by Vicky, the restaurant manager who provided excellent service to please and the Sommelier, Nick, was very attentive and showed warmth in service. Given that we were the only non-local guests, it was a great effort from the team and we appreciated the culinary and service skills on all fronts. YUE HIN is a dining destination where you can enjoy the comfort of hotel luxury as well as a classic Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 4.5/5
Food & Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

YUE HIN
Tower 3, Chengdu IFS,

No.1 Section 3,

Hongxing Road, Jinjiang District

Chengdu, China

Tel: +86 28 8220 8888

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated. 

THE TEMPLE HOUSE - When History Meets Luxury

Sleek, utilitarian and thoughtful design that respects the fact of the entire inspirational architectural design cannot be an eyesore or needlessly extravagant. The Temple House in century old Chengdu preserves the traditional classic architectural approach with modern amenities and state-of-the-art facilities, yet, not forgetting the elevated experiences and heartfelt service that allows you to explore the unknown and beyond. mylifestylenews writes.

The city of Chengdu can be a conundrum, as you enter the city proper from either airports (yes, they have two enormous international airports) and approximately 14.2 kilometres from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and 74.6 kilometres if you choose to arrive from the newer Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. The Temple House chauffeur, Bruce awaited our arrival from Shanghai and greeted us warmly, promptly escorted us to a brand new Audi SUV that picks up the hotel guests and VIPs in such a splendid chariot. The charming Bruce is a font of information, fluent in English and had such a bubbly personality, so already we felt like we were in safe hands and picked his brains for some local recommendations and the transfer just flew by.

Upon entering the city precincts, you’ll see the typical high density high rise – so prevalent in China – but then all of a sudden you turn into vibrant streets that has those exciting and inviting local food eat-outs, restaurants, retails shopping that from one bustling street to another, it just never ends.

Approaching The Temple House in pretty good traffic condition, the joy ride ended when we were confronted with an ancient stone-walled entrance and immediately the excitement continues for what is to unfold before our eyes. Elegant bamboo tresses frame the House’s entrance, we stepped out of the Limo and through a historic brick arched entrance into an enchanting courtyard strewn with red lanterns that immediately evoked a sense of history and our hearts skipped a beat!

The Swire Group has a habit of knowingly creating a refined and unique destination for luxury boutique design hotel aficionados who seek an alternative, intimate and personalized experience in luxury travel. The House Collective comprises The upper House in Hong Kong, The Middle House in Shanghai as well as The Temple House in Chengdu each of which are uniquely imagined, whether it is old or new, or a combination of both that defy comparison. Each House is a sophisticated, singular piece of design, created by talented architects and designers that reflect the unique qualities of their surroundings.

The Temple House in Chengdu embraces the new while adding a touch of history and offers luxury facilities that celebrates Chengdu’s ancient history. Set on former temple grounds and hidden amongst the laneways of Taikoo Li Chengdu, a vibrant open plan shopping precinct in the heart of the Jinjiang District. As part of the Chengdu Daci Temple Cultural and Commercial Complex comprising six historic buildings, The Temple House is a beautifully restored Qing Dynasty heritage building and now an urban sanctuary with modern amenities as well as endless surprises around every corner.

Delivering such a sophisticated design was the team behind MAKE’s Lead Architect to reflect the hotel’s heritage location by incorporating the original buildings into the design and introducing local themes such as terraced fields which can been seen from the courtyard’s undulating landscape surrounding The Temple House.

The grand staircase connecting the reception area to the courtyard below leading to the locally loved Tivano Italian restaurant also resembles Sichuan’s steep hillsides.

The silk-producing Chengdu region is famous for its brocade weaves and this traditional pattern drew inspiration to create the hotel’s city-facing exterior façade with intricate fretwork interweaving brass elements within the brickwork.

A sense of place was essentially created to integrate the design into the local community and not to isolate it from its context, echoing Chengdu’s landscape and traditional architectural elements such as bamboo, timber brick and stone with an ultra-modern and highly individual aesthetic paying homage to the city’s heritage and cultural touchstones.

The House adheres to a typical siheyuan “courtyard house” design with a sequence of courtyard gardens bordered by two L-shaped medium rise modern buildings. As we stepped into the intimate and inviting lobby, you can look behind and around you at the history of this historical House embracing Chinese architectural traditions and look forward to the new, which is all the guest accommodation among many other facilities and guest experiences and so forth.

The arrival experience was very warm and friendly with a ever-ready team at your service to assist you in all request for a worry free staycation. We were quickly escorted to our room to complete the formalities, which is always a nice personal touch.

Opened in July 2015, The Temple House consists of 100-room and 42-residence serviced apartments that include a separate kitchen. Our room was allocated on the 8^th floor was an unexpected surprise, as we had been upgraded to the Studio 90 room type. The 96sqm room with a huge outdoor balcony and two key views – one looking to Taikoo Li Luxury shopping precinct next door and the other looking out to the front of the hotel and beyond to the wide spread of the city, both were equally captivating.

The look carries through to the room, where the theme is dark and monochrome, which is appealing and encourages a sense of space and belonging and stylish urban retreat. Dark timber finishes and subtle textures add warmth to the entire ambience with custom-made furniture.

The room had so much space with a sleek modern design, showcasing premium finishes, contemporary colour schemes, and the latest appliances together with complimentary high speed internet access complemented by urban resort-quality facilities ensures a sophisticated lifestyle of comfort and luxury.

 A small vestibule leads you through two sets of capacious wardrobes and then to your right a super king bed with luxury down bedding, long desk area, a daily complimentary Maxi bar of beers, soft drinks and snacks and living section in front of the bed looking out to the bustling Taikoo Li.

Then, to your left is the huge separate walk-in rain shower room and toilet and long shelf for spreading out your luggage, as well as plenty of floor space to open multiple suitcases. In between both sections – directly behind the bed – is a walk-through section comprising the double vanity on one side and the huge bathtub on the other, which is separated from the bedroom by a beautiful open wooden oriental Chinese screen enhances the already bespoke aesthetic and running the full length of the room is a spacious outdoor balcony.

A sweet and heart-warming welcome 'Hot-Pot" amenity.

Health and wellness is naturally well covered with a fabulous below ground turquoise indoor pool where you can float beneath sculptural skylights and is quite sizeable and chic in its interior design plus the extra wet areas include steam and sauna rooms.

 Adjacent to the pool is a fitness centre that ticks all the boxes to sweat away the stress of travel.

For a complete holistic journey there is the tranquil Mi Xun Spa in the adjacent building behind the delectable vegetarian Mi Xun Tea House where you can enjoy restorative treatments inspired by ancient Chinese practices and modern Western therapies.

Breakfast is located in The Temple Cafe and is a semi-buffet experience. On a quiet day it can be delightful, but on a busy day it was a little frustrating with food order delays and inconsistent quality. Despite some service staff are spot on and some leave you wondering how they deliver on the guest experience, but overall pleasing nonetheless with a few hit-and-miss.

The buffet set up is nicely done and errs on the side of Cantonese flavours rather than a strong Sichuan province bent. The use of Jing branded tea which is of a high premium selection and the coffee is also a good standard quality. From dumplings to noodles and then some of the Asian and Chinese selection to the western dishes were always enjoyable and quality ingredients were used throughout the breakfast menu. There were not any discernible daily specials, but you would be hard pressed to get bored each day unless you were staying for a week or more.

While we did have some ‘lost in translation’ moments, we also had fantastic experiences with many front of the house team members going that extra mile with lots of smiles that made you feel at ease in a foreign environment. Overall it was quite a memorable staycation. The Temple House effortlessly blends essential elements of Chengdu landscape, centuries-old traditions and contemporary lifestyle urban luxury experience. When history meets luxury, it is time to pause and slow down your pace to marvel the marvelous in this distinctive landmark in the heart of Chengdu’s CBD.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5

Housekeeping: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5

The Temple House
81, Bitieshi Street,

Jingjiang District,

Chengdu, China

Tel: +86 28 6636 9999

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.