Hualuxe Leshan, an IHG Hotel

Eight kilometers from the Giant Buddha, the largest stone-carved Buddha on earth, this contemporary hotel makes a sensible home base for Emei Mountain and Oriental Buddha Capital too. Latticed gold screens, arched corridors with suspended bird sculptures, and a red-toned lobby artwork set the tone. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows and Chinese tea sets, and Cai Feng Lou keeps nine private dining rooms for anyone who brought the whole group.