Rissai Valley lies in the Zhongcha Valley near Jiuzhaigou, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Sichuan named for the nine Tibetan villages in its mountains, where snow peaks, emerald lakes and waterfalls fill a nature reserve of nearly 180,000 acres. The 87 villas, designed by WATG with interiors by the late Jaya Ibrahim and landscape by John Pettigrew, reinterpret the houses of the old villages nearby and draw on Tibetan art and craft; floor-to-ceiling windows and terraces with fire pits face the Minshan mountains. Each guest is looked after by a Nieba, named for the Tibetan stewards who once served nobles and leaders, on call day and night. Days are for hiking and cycling in the reserve, night-sky viewing, village home visits, incense workshops and waterfall yoga, and the resort arranges guided transport into the national park. Cai Lin Xuan cooks Sichuan, Tibetan and Cantonese dishes, La Montagne pairs Mediterranean cooking with local ingredients, and Bo Ri Village sets out a market-style table. Rissai Spa draws on Tibetan ritual, with seven treatment rooms and a heated indoor pool facing the peaks.
- Nearest airport
- Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport (JZH), 31 Miles / 50 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 87 villas
Insider tip Fly the last stretch by helicopter from Jiuzhai Huanglong to a helipad near the resort, which arranges the final transfer.
Why I choose it A rare chance to stay well in Jiuzhaigou, with Tibetan village life and the national park on the doorstep.