Ascott Raffles City Chongqing - Life at 250 Meters in China's Leaning Towers

Sleeping 250 meters above street level in a building shaped like a sailing ship requires a certain suspension of disbelief. Ascott Raffles City Chongqing sits within one of China's most ambitious architectural projects – a complex of eight towers connected by a 300-meter horizontal skybridge that locals call The Crystal.

Designed by Moshe Safdie, the same architect behind Singapore's Marina Bay Sands, this isn't your typical serviced apartment. It's where you'll find century-old furniture sharing space with vinyl recorders, where an infinity pool floats in the sky, and where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers converge just outside your window.

Location

The property occupies prime real estate at Chaotianmen, the historic tip of Yuzhong District's peninsula where two of China's major rivers meet. You can walk to the Jiefangbei Central Business District, and the Chaotianmen Metro Station sits literally at the building's doorstep.

The surrounding area reads like a Chongqing highlights reel: Chaotianmen Dock, the Yangtze River Cableway, and Hongya Cave are all within easy reach. Chongqing North Railway Station is about 10 kilometers away, while Jiangbei International Airport requires a 25-kilometer drive.

Below the apartments, Raffles City Shopping Mall sprawls across five floors with over 400 stores. It's the kind of place where you'll find Singaporean brands like Bee Cheng Hiang alongside international names, local hotpot restaurants next to Burger King, and enough bubble tea shops to fuel a small army.

Sailing Ships and Sky Bridges

The complex is a product of massive ambition – a 24 billion yuan investment that took seven years to complete, opening in 2019. The sail-shaped towers tilt north at 14 degrees, then south at minus 10 degrees, creating the undulating facade that gives the buildings their distinctive profile. Four of the 250-meter towers support The Crystal skybridge on their roofs, held aloft by 26 giant beams, the largest weighing over 250 tons.

The northernmost towers stretch to 356 meters. The entire complex contains 1.12 million square meters of space across shopping, offices, residences, and hospitality. It's earned recognition as one of the "Top Ten New Cultural and Tourism Landmarks in Chengdu and Chongqing" and won awards for best high-rise building and structural engineering.

The Lobby

Step inside and the design immediately references Chongqing's mountainous terrain. Stone wall textures evoke the natural landscape of this famously vertical city, a deliberate counterpoint to the rush of urban arrival. The aesthetic continues the sailing vessel concept with stark lines and neutral tones – no unnecessary flourishes, just clean surfaces that channel the building's nautical inspiration.

SHAN Restaurant

The first-floor restaurant spans 280 square meters with seating for 88 inside and 24 on the outdoor terrace. The menu covers Chinese and Western dishes, though specifics about what you'll actually eat remain vague in the official descriptions.

What matters more is the setting: floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the mountain garden, and the neutral palette from the lobby continues here. It's where breakfast happens for apartment residents, though day visitors can book tables too.

Studio Executive

At 41 square meters, the Studio Executive gives you more breathing room than standard studios. The space includes an independent living area, a fully equipped kitchen with rice cooker and toaster, and a work desk with chair – essentials for business travelers planning extended stays. Twin beds come standard, though the maximum occupancy is two people.

The bathroom features eco-friendly amenities, bathrobes, and a combination tub-shower setup. A washer and dryer mean you can pack light. The design maintains that nautical cabin concept: white walls, stark lines, gray and blue tones punctuated with wood accents. Everything you need, nothing you don't.

Two-Bedroom Premier

This is where the property shows off. At 181 square meters, the Two-Bedroom Premier occupies higher floors, which means you get those dramatic views of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. The layout includes two bedrooms (one with a super king bed, one with twins), two bathrooms (one with a bathtub), and a dining area with a six-person table.

The kitchen comes fully loaded with all the kitchenware, glassware, and appliances you'd expect in a proper home. A washer and dryer are tucked away somewhere. Maximum occupancy is four people, though a fifth can be accommodated for an additional charge.

The same design philosophy applies: clean lines derived from ship decks, neutral grays and harmonizing blues, wood tones adding warmth. It's a cabin, just a very large one floating in the sky.

Time Traveler's Capsule

Here's where things get interesting. This specially curated apartment functions as a living museum, featuring eight pieces of century-old artistic furniture, a world-classic vinyl recorder, and six limited-edition French photography works. The concept is "Encounter – More beautiful moments," an invitation to experience how art and design have evolved over time while you're staying in decidedly modern surroundings.

The collection blends these historical pieces into what's described as a "beautiful and quiet space" – a deliberate contrast to the futuristic building surrounding it. It's an odd juxtaposition, old world craftsmanship inside a structure that could double as a spaceship, but that tension is precisely the point.

Yoga Room

The second-floor clubhouse area houses a dedicated yoga space equipped with professional gear and separated into distinct zones. It's positioned as a place to "calm your mind and unwind from fatigue," which is serviceable marketing speak for a quiet room with mats and props where you can stretch in peace.

Children's Playroom

Also on the second floor, the children's playroom offers a contained space where kids can play safely and have fun.

The indoor pool sits on the second floor of the clubhouse area, available exclusively to residents. It's positioned as a space to "relax and exercise," which covers the functional basics but undersells the novelty of swimming inside a building that's part of a complex featuring a sky-high infinity pool reserved for private club members paying 60,000 yuan annually.

This is the democratic version – still nice, still indoors, still views of Chongqing, just not quite at cloud level. The pool is fully equipped, temperature controlled, and far enough from the street noise to feel like an escape, which is really all you can ask from a hotel pool anyway.