Hilton Nanjing Niushoushan is nestled in Niushou Mountain Scenic Area, Jiangning District, Nanjing City. It is close to the Buddhist Top Temple, Top Tower, and Top Palace, where the only existing parietal bone relic of Sakyamuni Buddha is now enshrined. It was also here that Master Farong founded the far-reaching Niutou School of Zen in the Tang Dynasty.

In the overall design, the team took the concepts of "Heart, Delight and Emptiness" from the Niutou School of Zen and translated them into an Eastern aesthetic that is simple and ethereal, natural and pristine, serene and joyful. The design eschews figurative elements such as Buddha statues and scriptures to create a holiday experience that heals the body and mind and makes guests feel at ease.

The ceiling, inspired by the “kasaya” (a patchwork robe worn by Buddhist monks), floats above. In the center, moss is implanted into the interior landscape, and the ceiling is draped with lush plants, mimicking a secret forest for monks' meditation in ancient times. To soften the strong visual impact of the four giant columns in front of the reception desk, a combination of flowing water curtains and tempered glass is installed around them to create a sense of lightness. The original water feature in the atrium is replaced with a stone feature with hand-crafted ripples to ease the load. Some of the rock-like artwork is made from a hollowed copper mould.

The hotel has a specially designed vegetarian restaurant and meditation rooms. The guest room can also be a place for meditation, reading and tea tasting, giving guests an unprecedented holiday experience.

The wood and stone used in the hotel are locally sourced to avoid carbon emissions during transportation. Eco-friendly materials have also been specially selected. For example, the walls of the speciality restaurant are finished with MCM (modified clay materials), which can be recycled and reused for agricultural soil. The spa floor is made of SPC with wood grain, an environmentally friendly material. In the guest room area, eco-friendly inorganic textured paint, a type of inorganic plaster, is used extensively.