InterContinental Resort Jiuzhai Paradise

Any question about whether the word “paradise” is warranted should be put to rest by a look at the Jiuzhaigou Valley; the mountainous backdrop for the InterContinental Resort Jiuzhai Paradise is nothing short of spectacular. This ultra-modern steel-and-glass structure is immersed in dense forest, and is set just a few minutes’ drive from the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, which is, somehow, even more wild and picturesque.

Weighing in at 979 rooms and suites this is certainly no boutique operation. And though it may seem improbable, given the size, it’s laid out in a way that lends its accommodations an uncommon amount of privacy. The residential wings fan out from a central dome that contains what’s practically a private city; the rooms and suites themselves are luxurious but not ostentatious.

It’s in the services and amenities that the InterContinental Resort Jiuzhai Paradise truly sets itself apart. Under a glass roof are twelve terraced pools that together form the Tianyu Spa. And in the mall-like central structure are no fewer than six restaurants, serving everything from traditional Sichuan and Tibetan cuisines to upscale Western offerings. And while the resort itself is remarkably self-sufficient, to stay here without venturing into the surrounding landscapes would be the height of folly.