InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City

The super-highrise buildings that tower over Chongqing’s busy Yuzhong district are both architecturally striking and meaningfully positioned at the confluence of two rivers, once the site of the city’s old imperial gate. InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City occupies a unique space within the ultramodern complex: while rooms and suites are housed within one of the vertical towers, the hotel’s lobby and dining venues are located in the Crystal, a “horizontal skyscraper" elevated 75 stories above the street.

Checking in at reception on the world’s highest sky bridge is an experience, though the views from guest rooms are almost as inspiring — or vertigo-inducing, depending on your perspective. The interiors are sleek and contemporary, outfitted in shades of white, ivory, and beige, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in abundant natural light. Bathrooms have marble fixtures, recessed lighting, walk-in showers, and freestanding soaking tubs. Standard features include Tivoli sound systems and Dyson hairdryers, while suites also have spacious living areas with modular sofas, walk-in closets, and views of the Yangtze. A large fitness center with a mosaic-tiled indoor pool occupies the 43rd floor, but the InterContinental’s main attraction is its series of high-end restaurants and bars stretched out along the dramatically curved and glass-walled Crystal building, all with startling views over the megacity below.