Kunming Hotels: Where to Stay in Kunming & Best Hotels in Kunming

Since most of the Kunming Attractions gather at Kunming downtown, Kunming City Center Area is always the best and hottest choice to stay for visitors. Plenty of accommodation options, temples, lakes, museums, flower markets, restaurants and shopping streets make the downtown area also the most convenient place to stay!

Hotels in Kunming City Center can be mostly found at Wuhua District (五华区), Guandu District (官渡区) and Panlong District (盘龙区), from budget 3-star hostels to 5 star hotels for you to choose. If you are a first-timer in Kunming, we would suggest you to stay at a hotel near Green Park (Cuihu) in Wuhua District, and then you will find the scenic lakes, temples, food streets, and even university in short walking distance. Night life there will also be charming. Clubs and shopping streets won’t be closed until the mid-night. Guandu District is also a good place to stay. It is only 5 kilometers away from Green Lake area and close to Kunming Railway Station (昆明站) and Kunming Coach Station (昆明汽车站). There are 1000+ hotels for you to select in Guandu District. The southeastern part of Kunming Panlong District is also close to Green Park and provides 500+ good hotels to stay.

Recommended Hotels in Kunming City Center:

• Kunming Kaiwah Plaza Hotel (佳华广场酒店) ★★★★★
• Zhongwei Green Lake Hotel (昆明翠湖宾馆) ★★★★★
• Grand Park Kunming (昆明君乐酒店) ★★★★★
• Kunming Uchoice Hotel (昆明希桥酒店) ★★★★
• Kunming Daguanchuanjin Hotel (昆明大观穿金酒店) ★★★★
• Kunming Yingui (silver chest) Boutique Hotel (昆明银柜精品酒店) ★★★

>> 3 Days Kunming Spring City Tour

Kunming Changshui International Airport (昆明长水国际机场) located in northeastern part of Kunming is nowadays the only airport in Kunming. The airport is about 28km away from Kunming downtown, which takes about 40 minutes by car. If your flight arrives at Kunming at or after mid-night, you are suggested to find a hotel near the airport to take a rest.

Compared with Kunming downtown, the Kunming Airport area has fewer hotels to choose and most of them are in comfort 2-star and 3-star. But they all will meet your basic needs like hot water. There are also about 14 hotels in relatively luxury 4-star for you to stay.

Warm tip: Since the amount of hotels near Kunming Airport is relatively limited, it is usually a hard work to find a hotel to stay during peak seasons like the first week of May and October. You are advised to book your hotel in advance once you happen to visit Kunming during that period of time.

Recommended Hotels near Kunming Airport:

• Kunming Huishang International Hotel (昆明徽商国际酒店) ★★★★
• Wan Jin An Hotel (昆明长水机场万金安酒店) ★★★★

>> 5 Days Kunming Golf Tour with Spring City Highlights

Dongchuan Red Land, with the reputation of God's Magic Palette in Yunnan, is a pure paradise for photographers and nature lovers. This scenic area is hidden in the mountainous area that about 150km northeast of Kunming downtown, which needs 3 hours around by car. Normally, tourists, especially for those dreaming to appreciate the sublime sunrise and sunset scenery there, will stay one night in the villages of Dongchuan Red Land.

There are three sightseeing and driving routes at the large Dongchuan Red Land Scenic Area. And the hotels settled at where these three routes meet are usually the popular choice to stay. Some tourists also choose to stay near the sightseeing site named Luoxiagou (落霞沟) to capture the most beautiful sunset scenery.

Before visiting Dongchuan Red Land, you should know that hotels in this remote area are all in basic 2-star. They couldn’t give you more modern comforts but will meet your basic needs like hot water. If you ask for much about accommodation and only want a glimpse of this wonderful land, you are suggested to stay at hotels in Kunming downtown area and then drive to Dongchuan in the next morning to have a short day tour.

Recommended Hotels at Dongchuan Red Land:

• Kaiquan Boutique Hotel (东川开权精品酒店) ★★★★
• Red Earth Luoxiagou Chunqiu Hotel (东川红土地落霞沟春秋大酒店) ★★★
• 东川昆明红土映像酒店 ★★★★

>> 4 Days Kunming & Dongchuan Red Land Tour

Kunming Stone Forest, or known as Shilin, is a massive tourist area full of giant stalagmite-like karst pillars. Listed as World Heritage Site by UNECO in 2007, it has long been a must-visit site for tourists coming to Kunming. About half an hour away from Shilin, there are also Karst Caves in Jiuxiang waiting for your visit.

It takes about 1.5~2 hours from Kunming downtown to Stone Forest by car ride. Tourists usually choose to have a one-day side trip to Stone Forest from their hotel in Kunming downtown and get back to the hotel after their tour. So there is no need for them to find a hotel near Kunming Stone Forest. However, if you want to take a rest right after your tour or have plans to go further south to Yuanyang Rice Terraces, you will also find some good hotels to stay at Shilin County (石林彝族自治县) near the Stone Forest Scenic Area.

Recommended Hotels near Kunming Stone Forest:

• Shilin Yinruilin International Hotel (石林银瑞林国际大酒店) ★★★★★
• Days Hotel & Suites Tongce Shilin (石林同策戴斯大酒店) ★★★★★
• Bosheng Holiday Hotel (石林铂晟假日酒店/石林铂晟酒店) ★★★★

>> 3 Days Kunming Tour to Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave

Few tourists heading to Kunming for the attractions in Kunming only! The reasons attracting them to Yunnan are the world-renowned Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La. Therefore, after landing in Kunming and having a short tour there, they will extend their journey to these popular destinations. Such a Classic Yunnan Tour is really hot and needs only 8 days around.

>> 8 Days Classic Yunnan Tour (Kunming / Dali / Lijiang / Shangri-La)

If you want to add more surprises into your Yunnan tour, you are highly recommended to spend another 3 days around to Yuanyang Rice Terraces and Jianshui Ancient Town.

>> 11 Days Amazing Yunnan Tour (Kunming / Yuanyang / Jianshui / Kunming / Lijiang / Shangri-La)

Know more about How to Plan a Kunming Tour

Have plan to visit Kunming and Yunnan, but feel trouble about the transportation, hotel, tickets, best visiting time and other trip plan? Travel with us China Discovery and let our experienced travel consultants help you! We will take care of everything for you and then you can focus on the great scenery, culture, story and history of Yunnan! Our local driver and guide will accompany you all the way and tell you every insider tips and stories.

The tour can be tailor-made according to your group size, interests, physical condition, time, plan, budget and every special need. Please feel free to contact us if you need any help!