Italian cuisine at The Temple House Chengdu's Tivano restaurant (left) and a pizza (right) was created in a wood-fired oven

From shady courtyards to traditional Chinese architecture and bespoke furniture, The Temple House offers a heritage-infused form of luxury with a few contemporary flourishes.

Continuing this heady blend of influences, breakfast at the hotel marries Eastern tradition and Western modernity. One morning I had a salmon and sun dried tomato omelette, the next, Eggs Benedict, and on the final day dim sum. When in Chengdu.

Interestingly, the hotel houses an Italian restaurant and the succulent antipasti, pizza and pastas made quite a refreshing change to the Sichuan cuisine that dominated our lunch and dinners during the trip, not that that was anything to complain about.

The Panda Centre is not far from the hotel and is filled with the black and white bears of all ages, all busily chewing on their bamboo and pancakes and proving why they are possibly the most adorable bear in the world