A discreet bolthole adds historic charm to Chongqing’s skyscraper jumble

The latest opening of the Chinese Sunayata boutique hotel group breathes new life into the time-weathered shell of Chongqing’s 120-year-old French Charity Hall (Ren’ai Tang), a one-time church, hospital and girls’ school built by French missionaries in the early 1900s. It’s a remarkably ambitious adaptive reuse project in this city bristling with gleaming towers, where demolition is often easier than conservation. Here, vaulted ceilings and aged timber beams remain the backdrop for a discreet 25-key bolthole that might just be Chongqing’s most design-forward stay.

Wallpaper* checks in at Sunyata Ren’ai Hall Hotel, Chongqing

What’s on your doorstep?

The hotel hides along the higgledy-piggledy Shancheng Alley in the Yuzhong district, one of the city’s oldest quarters and once the diplomatic heart of wartime Chongqing, when the government relocated here during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1940s. It’s an oddly atmospheric setting: next door is the Ren’ai Wildness Garden, a scatter of plant- filled ruins that includes a bomb shelter and the original bell tower, while part of the main building still functions as a church, though now draws in more day-trippers than worshippers. From the lobby’s doorstep, an alley lined with tea houses and traditional snack vendors zigzags up to the nearest road and taxi drop-off point a five-minute walk away, though porters are on hand for luggage runs.

Who is behind the design?

Local design studio Wuji Decoration, led by principal designer Xie Bin, took on the building’s renovation with a group of long-time collaborators across various disciplines. They salvaged what they could and restored many of the original wooden floors, arched doorways, and ceiling beams to their former glory. New additions were bespoke and cut to measure: much of the furniture takes its inspiration from the buildings’ shape, like the angular wooden wardrobes modelled on the church’s pointed doors. There’s a scattering of antiques from France, and bedrooms feature gorgeous wooden headboards with mother-of-pearl inlays. The biggest eye-catchers come courtesy of Chengdu-based artist Ji Xian of Sovan Studio, who worked with veteran artisans to create the sculptural lampshades from bamboo and paper that furnish the restaurants and rooms.

The room to book

There are no duds, but the suites are the prize picks, giving you ample space to spread out with brilliant views of the Yangtze River and the sci-fi skyline rising behind it. Rooms on the top floor show off the building’s exposed century-old beams, while all share the same old-meets-new aesthetic of cream-coloured walls, cobalt and oxblood accents, and plenty of natural light. Bathrooms are generously sized, with soaking tubs and showers clad in glossy red travertine. Amenities are attuned to Chongqing’s steamy climate, with washing detergent for damp T-shirts (if the city’s infamously frequent rainfall doesn’t drench you, the 90 per cent humidity certainly will) and clothes steamers, plus lens wipes, earplugs and sleep masks by the bedside. The complimentary minibar is well curated too, with green juice, winter melon soda and a neat selection of Chinese teas.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Breakfast kicks off at White Cliff, the lobby-side main restaurant, with a small spread of fruit, pastries (the egg tarts are worth a second round), and, if you can handle it in the early A.M., meat skewers slicked in mala chilli oil. A tick-box à la carte menu runs from English fry-ups to dim sum, noodle soups and congee. By lunch and dinner, the restaurant pivots to southwest Chinese cooking, spotlighting standouts such as Guizhou sour catfish soup, Yunnanese mushroom stir-fries and peppercorn-loaded Sichuan hotpots. The nearby Mossland Bar, sheathed in copper panels, doubles as an all-day lounge with free coffee, a help-yourself buffet of fruit, snacks and soft drinks, and even house wine. Drop in for sundowners on the terrace out front, which delivers eye-popping views over the Yangtze.

Soon to open is Just Chill, a bistro tucked between the basement’s stone arches unearthed during the renovation, which promises a menu that leans into pizzas, pastries and brunch plates.

Service with a smile?

Staff are helpful and hands-on, especially the young local team who can point you to neighbourhood spots or help you navigate Chongqing’s maze-like streets. The hotel is clearly aimed at domestic visitors (I was reportedly the first foreign guest more than a month after opening), and there are occasional language hiccups, though in most cases, the Google Translate app will be enough to sort those out. Perks are generous: complimentary drinks at Mossland, plus nightly ‘evening treats’ delivered to your room, from rice and snow fungus soup to the occasional boiled pig ear salad.

The verdict

The Sunyata Ren’ai Hall Hotel is a rare, soulful alternative to Chongqing’s run of rather predictable big-brand towers. It doesn’t aim for the glossy precision of an international chain, but its appeal lies elsewhere: a stay inside a century-old landmark, deep in old Yuzhong, where the city’s history is still clearly on show. Service can feel idiosyncratic at times, and outsiders may bump into a few only-in-China quirks, but that’s part of the immersion.

The Sunyata Ren’ai Hall Hotel is located at No.80, Shancheng Lane, Nanjimen Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.