5-Star Hotels in Yunnan, China

"Had a perfect babymoon at Anantara! Everything was wonderful – the environment was quiet and serene, and all the hotel staff were well-trained and proactive in offering help. The rice noodles and coffee at breakfast were excellent! The photo shoot was also great; the photographer was professional and excellent at setting a good mood. It's also worth mentioning that the Filipino performers hired by the hotel were very professional, and I really enjoyed them! Finally, the little elephant gift I received upon checkout was a delightful surprise, I loved it so much!"

"This is a beautiful hotel nestled within the Mile Dongfengyun Scenic Area. Stepping into the lobby, the ingeniously designed echo wall immediately catches your eye. I had booked a twin room, and the hotel thoughtfully upgraded me to a room with a private hot spring courtyard, where the iconic Kaleidoscope Art Center stands directly across the way. The room was very comfortable, with all amenities readily available. After exploring the scenic area, we enjoyed a fantastic meal at the hotel's Chinese restaurant. While the scenery had already impressed me, the restaurant's offerings elevated the overall experience even further. The architecture blends seamlessly with nature, creating a wonderful ambiance. I've truly fallen in love with this small city of Mile and have already secretly planned to visit again."

"This hotel is an absolute must-stay when visiting the city, with an unbeatable location! Not only are the hotel's services and facilities comprehensive, but the staff are also incredibly attentive and enthusiastic. You won't have to worry about dining or shopping here, as it's surrounded by all sorts of delicious food options and malls, making getting around super convenient. The room was clean and comfortable, and the space was just right for two people with two large suitcases. Oh, and definitely don't forget to order some takeout and experience interacting with their delivery robot – it's really fun! Highly recommend!"

"The hotel is relatively new, located directly opposite the pier for boat tours on Erhai Lake. I stayed for two nights over the weekend and wasn't bothered by any noise from the road. The room had a JBL speaker, a humidifier, complimentary welcome fruit, and free soft drinks in the mini-fridge. They also offered a complimentary 'starry sky' afternoon tea on the top floor. The gym and swimming pool on the 23rd floor offer great views. Bathroom amenities, hairdryer, and breakfast are all as pictured. It's about 8 km from the ancient city and 10 km from the airport, so it's conveniently located between the two. There are many dining options downstairs, and you can also take a stroll to Erhai Park. The service was excellent; they called to remind me and provide information the day before check-in, and there was a selection of pillows available. Soundproofing was average, but luckily, my neighbors were quiet during my two-day stay. The breakfast restaurant is a bit small but offers specialty rice noodles, roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted potatoes. Overall, it's decent, though it can't compare to Shangri-La. It's comparable to the Dali Shili Hilton. The Shili Hilton's facilities are a bit older, but the rooms are larger, and it's closer to the ancient city, the Erhai Lake corridor, and the Cangshan Mountain cableway, though further from the airport."

"Had a wonderful experience. The butler, Xiao Jie, proactively asked about my needs beforehand. The most memorable parts were: 1. The spa was incredibly comfortable. The therapist used their elbows to precisely target my pain points and alleviate them. 2. The room had an essential oil diffuser, which created a lovely ambiance. When the oil ran out and needed refilling, the butler even asked me what scent I preferred – very thoughtful! I recommend the bergamot. 3. The room was truly spacious. The hot spring bath area also had a separate shower, which was perfect for washing before and after a soak without having to walk back and forth. 4. There was also a charming 'Dingfengbo' wild garden at the back with a gentle drizzle, small plants, and a stream – a delightful surprise!"

"The Grand Hyatt Kunming is a five-star hotel that opened last year in Kunming. It was meant to be the newest five-star hotel, but with the opening of the Shangri-La this year, it no longer holds that title. The hotel is located near Dongfeng Square, and the building itself is very tall. If you drive up, you'll see a fountain at the entrance, but it's not a traditional one; instead, it's one of those modern ground-level types where water jets out from various points. Entering through the main door, you're greeted by the hotel's iconic sight: a grand, high arched design. Above it, there's a crossbeam with a jade slab on one side and a sculpture on the other. The entire design is very impressive and makes for a great photo opportunity. Continuing inside, you arrive at the hotel reception, which also serves as the check-in desk. A distinctive feature is the chandelier behind the reception desk; from a distance, it looks like calligraphy brushes hanging on a rack, a thoughtful touch. On the other side, there are two sets of sofas, and behind the set at the far end, there's an interesting decoration that appears to be made from a carpet-like material. Between the reception area and the elevators, there's a hallway. It's clad entirely in dark wood, creating a profound and luxurious feel. At the end, a large marble slab serves as decoration, contributing to the overall sophisticated atmosphere. Taking the elevator up to the room, I noticed that each elevator lobby is adorned with small podocarpus trees, which is a charming and ingenious detail. Today, I'm staying in a junior suite. Upon entering, the first thing you see is a small antechamber. By the window in this area, there's a sofa paired with a round table and an armchair. Welcome fruits and snacks were already laid out on the table; the snacks were fried potato chips and cashews, and the fruits were very fresh. As they are local Yunnan produce, they tasted excellent. Moving into the bedroom, the design is very well-balanced and stable. In the center is a double bed, facing a television. Behind the bed is a floor-to-ceiling glass window, offering views of the adjacent garden and some stone houses. To the side, there's a door that opens into the bathroom. The bathroom features a large washbasin, with a shower on one side and the toilet on the other. The entire space is very generous, making for a comfortable shower experience. Besides the room, I also checked out the hotel's public areas. First, the swimming pool. It's a long, rectangular pool with plenty of natural light streaming in from the side. Interestingly, there are several rooms that connect to both the swimming pool and the spa. There's also a gym. Overall, the public facilities are quite comprehensive. Breakfast is served on the fifth floor in a buffet style, offering a wide variety of food. Generally speaking, apart from the more distant InterContinental, the Grand Hyatt is a very good five-star hotel in Kunming. The newly opened Shangri-La this year has roughly doubled its prices. If you're looking for a newer five-star hotel with better value for money, the Grand Hyatt remains an excellent choice."

"Families, come and stay here! It was an amazing experience (not a shill, purely my own voluntary feelings). We loved it so much that on the second day, we decided to extend our stay for a whole week! 🥹 From the welcoming atmosphere, the staff, the accommodation environment, to the food, everything was arranged to meet guests' needs. For two young people who usually skip breakfast, the fact that we consistently had breakfast for a whole week speaks volumes about the freshness and deliciousness of the food! The environment is very artistic, comfortable, and clean, with many spots perfect for handsome guys and beautiful ladies to take photos! The boss, staff, manager, and butler were all incredibly enthusiastic and we're so grateful for their thoughtful hospitality towards us, visitors from out of town 💖 This will definitely be our top choice in Dali again next time!!"

"The room was absolutely amazing, it felt like I was living right in the scenery of Napa Lake. Waking up to blue skies, white clouds, and green grass, plus getting to interact with the donkeys and cows right outside was a treat. The biggest surprise was breakfast; the food was the best I've had at any Shangri-La hotel. I highly recommend the black truffle scrambled eggs. The service was also excellent; the staff even helped us with our luggage."

"Jianglu's service is exceptional. I had previously read reviews mentioning that while the facilities were good, the service fell short, and I almost missed out on this hidden gem of a hotel. During my visit to Meili Snow Mountain, I stayed at Songtsam, Ji Xia Shan, Jianglu, and Shi Qi. I feel I can confidently comment on the overall service of each. First, regarding butler service: I made a last-minute booking for Jianglu around 5 PM, and immediately after, Jianglu contacted me to add my butler on WeChat. Songtsam added me two days in advance. For Shi Qi, I had to actively call them in the late afternoon, almost 5 PM, the day before check-in to get added. Ji Xia Shan didn't contact me until almost 8 PM the night before check-in, and again, I had to call them to add the butler (Ji Xia Shan explained that they had called me around 3 PM that afternoon but no one answered, and then they asked Trip.com to send me an SMS, but no one followed up to check on the next day's guests – I was quite disappointed by this, as I would have been forgotten if I hadn't called proactively). Aside from these issues, the butler service at all hotels was generally good. Regarding location and snow mountain views: Jianglu is right next to the observation deck, directly facing the Thirteen Peaks – an excellent location. You can enjoy panoramic views of the snow mountain from the balcony, though it's a bit tricky to see while lying down. Ji Xia Shan is more secluded; only the suites seem to offer direct snow mountain views from the room, while other rooms don't. During summer, definitely avoid the Yunling room type. They claim you can see Baima and Meili Snow Mountain, but it's completely obstructed by vegetation. You'd be better off booking a cheaper room type. The floor-to-ceiling windows in Ji Xia Shan's fourth-floor cafe observation deck offer stunning snow mountain views. Shi Qi is across the road from Feilai Temple observation deck, surrounded by bookstores, cultural creative shops, convenience stores, and many other guesthouses. I chose the 'Lianshan' room, which in pictures showed the bed directly facing the snow mountain, but it's not actually direct. The cafe also has floor-to-ceiling windows, offering beautiful snow mountain views. Songtsam's snow mountain rooms truly allow you to see the snow mountain from bed. Songtsam is located on a separate mountain, and it's the only hotel there. So, if your budget is around 3,000 RMB, unless you're staying at Songtsam where you can see the snow mountain from bed, for other hotels, I recommend booking the cheapest room type and just going to the observation deck for the views. Regarding noise: If you prefer peace and quiet, definitely avoid Shi Qi. The Feilai Temple scenic area is very lively, and new hotels are being built nearby, plus the hotel itself is renovating its restaurant. The hotel is also right by the road, with large trucks frequently passing by and honking – the noise is truly terrible. However, if you enjoy a lively atmosphere, the Feilai Temple area is like a small town with many shops, and construction hours are from 9 AM to 6 PM. Jianglu, Ji Xia Shan, and Songtsam, on the other hand, are all very quiet and perfect for a relaxing and healthy getaway. Regarding dining: The food at all these places is decent. Shi Qi's meal prices are significantly cheaper than the others, though their stir-fries are a bit on the oily side. Only Songtsam's breakfast starts at 7 AM, which is great for early risers or those needing to leave early. Songtsam's beef 'er-si' (rice noodles) is delicious; when I asked the chef for a few more pieces of beef, he gave me a whole bowlful. The other hotels' breakfasts all start at 8 AM. Jianglu is unique in that breakfast runs until 1 PM and is unlimited. Regarding afternoon tea: The cakes at Shi Qi's afternoon tea are very good, and they have many drink options. Jianglu's afternoon tea is simpler, with only green tea available. However, their paid coffee bar offers a wide selection of drinks, including hot cocktails, which was a pleasant surprise for me as I can't have cold drinks. Songtsam's afternoon tea is buffet-style. Ji Xia Shan offers complimentary coffee and tea all day, and their afternoon tea features delicious dried beef. Regarding facilities: Jianglu is quite distinctive and very thoughtful. Besides the usual fruits and snacks, Jianglu's rooms also provide facial masks and facial cleansing towels, and even condoms. At the front desk, you can find self-service makeup remover wipes, hair ties, hair clips, motion sickness patches, and more. Regarding ginger tea: For me, ginger tea is excellent for relieving altitude sickness and stomach discomfort. Songtsam's ginger tea is the best, with perfect taste and temperature. Jianglu's is a bit too sweet and lukewarm, Ji Xia Shan's is too spicy, and Shi Qi doesn't offer ginger tea. In summary, I am very satisfied with Jianglu. Coincidentally, I only saw the 'Golden Mountain at Sunrise' during my stay at Jianglu, which felt very fortunate. Jianglu is also great for photos, with a very textured feel, and I was very happy with the travel photoshoot I had there."