Pagoda Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li

I had two very different stays, so I’d book here for a short visit but not a long one. On the first night, the staff were prompt at check-in and the room on the 32nd floor was clean and well kept. They also left free drinks in the mini fridge and 2 sheet masks. On another night, the service felt tired and dismissive. My room looked worn, with splintered door edges and stains on the desk chair. The hair dryer didn’t work, and the tea towels had stains, as if they’d been used and folded back onto the shelves. I asked for another dryer, which arrived promptly. A day later the hotel called asking where I’d left the hairdryer. It made me feel they thought I’d taken it, and left a bad taste in my mouth. They later found it but didn’t tell me or apologize for disrupting my trip with the call. I only found out after texting to ask if they’d located it.

The main drawback is the pricing. This shop’s prices are higher than other places, and after buying something here you can almost always find the same item cheaper elsewhere. Panda headbands are 5 RMB here, compared with 2 RMB or even 1 RMB if you walk toward Chunxi Road. Panda hats cost 79-129 RMB here, while similar ones elsewhere are around 29-49 RMB. Backpacks are 69-89 RMB here, versus 45RMB at the Panda Grandpa shop. Small panda keychains cost 15-30 RMB here, while other shops sell them for 10 RMB wholesale or retail. Even the 2.9-RMB knitted bag on special at the entrance isn’t the cheapest in Chengdu. I thought it was a good deal compared with the 4 RMB “internet-famous Panda Grandpa” version, until I found the exact same item for 1.6 RMB this year and went elsewhere. Panda souvenir shops are extremely competitive these days. This review was meant for Panda Boss (Panda Boss), at No. 16 Huaxing East Street, 1st Floor. It’s a well-known local souvenir chain, but stupid Google Maps doesn’t even list this famous shop. Truly useless. 🤦‍♀️🗺️ One nice thing is the free stamp collecting. Some of the large stamps showing pandas with famous local landmarks are quite nice. There aren’t as many stamps as at some wholesale panda shops, but you can tell the owner is trying hard to attract customers. 👍🐼

We stayed at the Pagoda Hotel in Chengdu recently, and the room was cozy and clean. They offer complimentary high tea on weekends and free supper every night from 10-11pm. The location is great, within walking distance of the popular Chunxi Road and TaiKoo Li. Highly recommend it for a comfortable stay in the city.

The free laundry service was useful, and there were complimentary afternoon and evening snacks as well as a great breakfast. It’s a modern hotel with clean rooms and good value. A great place to stay in Chengdu.