Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Gulou
by the TopOfHotel team
Holiday Inn Express is the 4-star IHG chain pick downtown with a breakfast spread guests rate higher than the rooms — strong value, score 9.2.
Holiday Inn Express is the 4-star IHG chain pick downtown with a breakfast spread guests rate higher than the rooms — strong value, score 9.2.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Holiday Inn Express is the mid-tier brand of InterContinental Hotels Group, built around clean rooms, the functions you actually use, and a fair price. This Gulou (Drum Tower) branch sits in central Chengdu, and standard rooms start at a fairly generous 28 square metres. The look is simple — a white-and-brown palette, a firm sprung queen or twin bed, and a work desk with both EU sockets and USB. Bathrooms come with a rain shower, hairdryer and kettle, and the Wi-Fi is fast and free in every room. It won't wow you on design, but nothing about it feels cut-rate either.
Food and amenities
The thing guests review most is the breakfast buffet, and it earns the 9.4 it scores. It runs 6am to 10am across three clear zones. The Western side has wholewheat bread, croissants, fried eggs, bacon, sausage, cereal, yogurt and seasonal fruit. The Chinese side runs to brown-rice and pickled-vegetable congee, fresh dim sum, baozi, mantou, dumplings, and a made-to-order noodle station with six toppings. There's a clearly marked vegetarian zone too, plus Lavazza coffee, jasmine and oolong tea and fresh juice. One reviewer who stayed three nights said they left full every morning.
Location and getting there
The Gulou district puts you in the middle of Chengdu. Tianfu Square is about 1.5 km away — a 15-minute walk or a single stop on metro Line 1 — and it's roughly a 20-minute walk to the Chunxi Road pedestrian street. The Shufengya Theatre, where you can catch the Sichuan opera Bian Lian face-changing show, is only about 700 metres off. Kuanzhai (Wide & Narrow) Alley is a 25-minute walk or a ¥15 (about $2) taxi. Around the hotel sit Zajiang noodle joints and mala spots from ¥30 (about $4), so you can try real Sichuan heat at local prices.
Things to know before booking
The trade-offs are honest ones. It's about a 20-minute walk to Chunxi Road, so if you plan to shop there nightly you'll rely on the metro or a short taxi. The rooms are simple and functional rather than lavish — clean and comfortable, but a step below a 5-star finish. And rooms fill quickly in high season, so book a few weeks ahead if your dates land on a Chinese public holiday. None of these are dealbreakers for the price, but they're worth knowing before you commit.
Our take
Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Gulou suits couples, small families and business travelers who want a reliable chain at a fair price. If you're flying into Chengdu for the first time or doing a short 2-to-3-night trip, this one won't let you down — the breakfast alone is the best value at this price tier. Score 9.2 from us: a warm, dependable safe choice.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A 4-star Holiday Inn Express, IHG's reliable mid-tier brand — the kind of predictable, no-surprises stay that suits a first trip to China.
- Sits in the central Gulou (Drum Tower) district packed with shopping, a 15-minute walk or single Line 1 metro stop from Tianfu Square.
- Standard rooms start at a fairly roomy 28 square metres with firm queen or twin beds, a work desk with EU plug and USB, and a rain shower.
- The breakfast buffet (6am-10am) spans a Western zone, a Chinese zone with made-to-order noodles, and a separate vegetarian section — it scores 9.4 and draws the most guest praise.
- About 700 metres from the Shufengya Theatre for Sichuan opera's Bian Lian face-changing show, with real guest scores around 9.5.
- It's about a 20-minute walk to the Chunxi Road pedestrian street, so you'll lean on the Line 1 metro or a short taxi if you're shopping there often.
- Rooms are simple and functional in a white-and-brown palette — clean and comfortable, but without the lavish finish of a 5-star.
- Rooms fill quickly in high season, so book a few weeks ahead if your dates fall over a Chinese public holiday.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Chengdu
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Insider Tips
- Don't skip the breakfast — it's the single most-praised thing here, and the made-to-order noodle station with six toppings is worth getting down early for.
- Walk the 20 minutes to Chunxi Road or take one Line 1 metro stop rather than queuing for a taxi at peak hours.
- Book a Bian Lian face-changing show at the Shufengya Theatre, just 700 metres away, for a proper Sichuan opera night.
- Try the local mala and Zajiang noodle shops around the hotel — bowls start at about $4 for the real Sichuan heat at local prices.