The classic Yunnan route is not a one-hotel trip, so choosing where to stay starts with how many nights you will spend in each city. Kunming is where you land and change trains. Dali splits into the new town of Xiaguan and the old town. Lijiang splits into the old town, the newer districts around it, and the old town of Shuhe to the north. This page lists only hotels whose own website, or operator website, we read twice. That is why local-style guesthouses inside the old towns are missing: we say plainly that we have not checked them. We have not stayed at any hotel here.
For the route overview see the Yunnan travel guide. Fees and rules for single sights are on the pages for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the Stone Forest and Lijiang Old Town. Entry rules, payments and internet limits for the whole country are on the China hub.
Areas compared
The grouping of areas is our suggestion. Travel times come from the hotel websites named in the last two columns. Where we have no official source we say we did not check.
| City | Area | Best for | Think about | Getting around, per the sources | Checked hotels here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunming | CBD (Xishan, Panlong) | A first night, shopping, metro access | Not an old-town area, and room rates run above budget hotels (our observation, we did not check rates) | Shangri-La says it connects to Line 3; Sofitel says it is next to Line 5 | Sofitel Kunming, Shangri-La Kunming |
| Kunming | Dianchi Road side | Mid-range hotels, a pool | 5.1 km from the railway station, per the hotel | Close to Exit A of Fuhai station | Novotel Kunming City Center |
| Kunming | Beijing Road, Tangzixiang | Tight budgets, near the railway station and Lines 1 and 2 | A basic hotel with few facilities | About 5 minutes on foot to the station, per the hotel | ibis Kunming Beijing Rd |
| Kunming | Guandu, south | Families, larger rooms | Far from the centre | About 22 minutes to the railway station and about 40 minutes to the airport, per the hotel | Grand Mercure Kunming South |
| Kunming | Near Changshui airport | Very early or very late flights | Far from the city sights | 2.3 km from the airport with a shuttle every 30 minutes, per the hotel | Mercure KunMing Airport |
| Dali | Xiaguan, south shore of Erhai | Lake views, close to the railway station | Not the old town; Wikivoyage places the old town about 13 km to the north | Dali railway station 2.8 km away, per the hotel | Pullman Dali |
| Dali | Canggeng Road, between mountain and lake | A quieter stay | 35 minutes by car from the railway station, per the hotel | The hotel gives no walking time to the old town | Mercure Dali Ancient City |
| Lijiang | Near the old town (newer districts) | Walking or a short ride to the old town | Taxis cannot enter the old town (Wikivoyage) | ibis says 700 m from the old town; Mercure says close to the old town and 35 minutes to the airport | Mercure Lijiang Old Town, Ibis Lijiang Qixing Street |
| Lijiang | Shuhe, to the north | Resorts, mountain views, avoiding the crowded main old town | A different old town from Dayan, so you ride in to the main one | Banyan Tree says 15 minutes to Dayan; Pullman says the railway station is a 15-minute drive | Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa, Banyan Tree Lijiang |
A discrepancy we saw: Kunming hotels quote different times to the airport (30 to 40 minutes), because each gives its own estimate. Wikivoyage gives 30 to 40 minutes for a taxi from the airport and warns that traffic is heavy, so always allow more than the figure.
The 12 hotels, checked against their own sites
The facts in the cards come from the hotels' own websites and the operators' sites (Accor for Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, ibis, Pullman, Grand Mercure and Banyan Tree, which has a page on Accor, plus the Shangri-La site). We checked twice on 16 and 17 October 2026. Some pages are written in English and some were translated for us; we keep only what the hotel itself states.
| Hotel | City and area | Class | What the hotel site says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sofitel Kunming | Kunming CBD | Luxury | 381 rooms, next to Metro Line 5, and says it is the tallest hotel in Kunming |
| Shangri-La Kunming | Kunming, next to the CBD | Luxury | Connects to Metro Line 3, walkable to a mall |
| Novotel Kunming City Center | Kunming, Dianchi Road | Mid-range | 140 rooms, near Exit A of Fuhai station |
| ibis Kunming Beijing Rd | Kunming, Beijing Road | Budget | About 5 minutes on foot to Tangzixiang station and the ring-line station |
| Grand Mercure Kunming South | Kunming, Guandu | Luxury | 161 rooms, smallest room 39 sq m |
| Mercure KunMing Airport | Kunming, near the airport | Mid-range | 2.3 km from the airport, free shuttle every 30 minutes |
| Pullman Dali | Dali, Xiaguan | Luxury | 220 rooms on the south shore of Erhai Lake, rooftop bar |
| Mercure Dali Ancient City | Dali, Canggeng Road | Mid-range | 89 rooms, between Cangshan mountain and Erhai Lake |
| Mercure Lijiang Old Town | Lijiang, near the old town | Mid-range | 104 rooms on Yuxue Road, near the old town |
| Ibis Lijiang Qixing Street Hotel | Lijiang, Qixing Street | Budget | 700 m from the ancient town, 82 rooms |
| Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa | Lijiang, Shuhe | Luxury | Next to Shuhe ancient town, views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, villas with hot-spring baths |
| Banyan Tree Lijiang | Lijiang, Shuhe | Luxury | 15 minutes to the historic town of Dayan, spa and outdoor pool |
Hand-picked places to stay
Examples of established Yunnan hotels, spread across areas and budget bands. Every fact below was checked against the hotel's own website or a reputable source on 2026-10-16 and links to that source. We have not stayed at these places and give no ratings; we show no prices because rates change daily. The band is the property class (hostel or guesthouse, mid-range, upscale), not a live price.
| Hotel | Area | Band | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sofitel Kunming | CBD, Xishan District, Kunming | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a high-rise upscale base next to a metro line and the CBD, with Green Lake and Nanping Street close by according to the hotel. |
| Shangri-La Kunming | Next to the CBD, Panlong District, Kunming | Upscale | It suits travellers who want a large upscale hotel with direct metro access and shopping malls within walking distance. |
| Novotel Kunming City Center | Dianchi Road, Xishan District, Kunming | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a mid-range, non-smoking hotel with a pool and a metro station nearby, on the Dianchi Lake side of the city. |
| ibis Kunming Beijing Rd | Beijing Road, near Tang Zi Xiang, Kunming | Budget | It suits budget travellers who want to be near two metro lines and the railway station in central Kunming. |
| Grand Mercure Kunming South | Guandu District, south of Kunming | Upscale | It suits families and travellers who want large rooms in the quieter south of the city near Guandu Ancient Town and Dian Lake. |
| Mercure KunMing Airport | Airport East Road, Guandu District, near Changshui Airport | Mid-range | It suits travellers with an early flight or a late arrival who want to sleep near Changshui Airport. |
| Pullman Dali | Southern shore of Erhai Lake, Xiaguan, Dali | Upscale | It suits travellers who want an upscale lake-view hotel in the modern Xiaguan part of Dali with the railway station nearby. |
| Mercure Dali Ancient City | Canger Avenue, between Cangshan and Erhai Lake, Dali | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a quieter mid-range base between the mountains and the lake, away from Xiaguan's modern town. |
| Mercure Lijiang Old Town | Yuxue Avenue, near Lijiang Old Town | Mid-range | It suits travellers who want a mid-range hotel close to, but not inside, the old town. |
| Ibis Lijiang Qixing Street Hotel | Qixing Street, Gucheng District, Lijiang | Budget | It suits budget travellers who want to walk to Lijiang Old Town and have shops and restaurants around. |
| Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa | Next to Shuhe Ancient Town, Lijiang | Upscale | It suits couples and families who want a resort with mountain views next to Shuhe rather than inside the busy old town. |
| Banyan Tree Lijiang | Yuerong Road, Shuhe, Gucheng District, Lijiang | Upscale | It suits couples who want a luxury spa resort near Shuhe with views toward Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. |
Sofitel Kunming
- The hotel is in Kunming's CBD beside Metro Line 5. [Source]
- It has 381 rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and 270-degree skyline views. [Source]
- The hotel describes itself as the tallest hotel in Kunming. [Source]
- Green Lake, Yunnan Museum and Nanping Street are described as minutes away. [Source]
- The address is 777 South Huan Cheng Road, Xishan District. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a high-rise upscale base next to a metro line and the CBD, with Green Lake and Nanping Street close by according to the hotel.
Keep in mind: The hotel is in the CBD, not in a heritage district. The page does not give a metro walking time to Line 5, so check the map before booking.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Shangri-La Kunming
- The address is No.88-1 Dongfeng East Road, Panlong District, Kunming. [Source]
- Guests can stroll to Spring City 66, MixC and Tuodong Sports Centre. [Source]
- The hotel says it is 30 minutes from Changshui International Airport and has direct access to Metro Line 3. [Source]
- The design is described as inspired by mansions of Yunnan tea plantations. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a large upscale hotel with direct metro access and shopping malls within walking distance.
Keep in mind: The page does not state the number of rooms, and the airport time is the hotel's own estimate. Traffic in Kunming can be heavy, so allow extra time.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Novotel Kunming City Center
- The hotel has 140 rooms with free Wi-Fi. [Source]
- The address is No 384 Dianchi Road, Xishan District. [Source]
- It is close to Exit A of Fuhai Subway Station. [Source]
- There is an indoor temperature-controlled swimming pool. [Source]
- The hotel names Dianchi Lake, Kunming Old Street and Yunnan Ethnic Village as nearby attractions. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a mid-range, non-smoking hotel with a pool and a metro station nearby, on the Dianchi Lake side of the city.
Keep in mind: The hotel lists Kunming Station as 5.1 km and about 20 minutes by car. It is not in the old-town area, so check distances to your planned sights.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
ibis Kunming Beijing Rd
- The hotel is in the central business district of Kunming's golden area. [Source]
- The hotel says Metro Line 2 Tang Zi Xiang station and Line 1 Ring Road station are about 5 minutes on foot. [Source]
- The address is No.326, Beijing Road, Kunming 650011. [Source]
- The hotel gives 40 minutes to Kunming Changshui International Airport. [Source]
Suits: It suits budget travellers who want to be near two metro lines and the railway station in central Kunming.
Keep in mind: This is an economy hotel and the page lists few facilities. It does not say how the 40-minute airport time is travelled.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Grand Mercure Kunming South
- The hotel is near Dian Lake, Guandu Ancient Town, Yunnan Grand Theater and Yunnan Museum. [Source]
- It has 161 guest rooms. [Source]
- The address is No 567 Erji Road, Guandu District. [Source]
- The hotel says it is 40 minutes to Changshui Airport and about 22 minutes to Kunming Railway Station. [Source]
- The minimum room size is 39 square metres and the maximum is 82 square metres. [Source]
Suits: It suits families and travellers who want large rooms in the quieter south of the city near Guandu Ancient Town and Dian Lake.
Keep in mind: The hotel is away from the city centre. Its own access panel gives 24 minutes by car to Kunming Railway Station and 39 minutes to the airport, slightly different from the description text.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure KunMing Airport
- The hotel is 2.3 km from the airport, about an 8-minute drive. [Source]
- The hotel offers a complimentary airport shuttle every 30 minutes. [Source]
- The address is 17 Airport East Road, Guandu District, Kunming 650000. [Source]
- It offers over 136 guest rooms of various types. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers with an early flight or a late arrival who want to sleep near Changshui Airport.
Keep in mind: The hotel is far from the city sights. The page does not say whether the shuttle runs around the clock.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Pullman Dali
- The hotel is on the southern shore of Erhai Lake. [Source]
- It has 220 guest rooms. [Source]
- There is a rooftop bar with a panoramic lake view. [Source]
- The hotel is opposite Dali Port with a lake view. [Source]
- The design is described as fusing modern design with local Bai artistry. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want an upscale lake-view hotel in the modern Xiaguan part of Dali with the railway station nearby.
Keep in mind: Xiaguan (Dali New Town) is not the old town. Wikivoyage puts Dali Old Town about 13 km to the north, so plan a taxi or bus to the old town.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure Dali Ancient City
- The hotel is on Canger Avenue between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. [Source]
- The hotel gives a 35-minute drive from Dali Railway Station and 50 minutes from Dali Fengyi Airport. [Source]
- It has 89 guest rooms. [Source]
- The hotel has a 24-hour fitness centre. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a quieter mid-range base between the mountains and the lake, away from Xiaguan's modern town.
Keep in mind: The page does not give a walking time to the old town gates. It lists 35 minutes by car from the railway station, so plan transport.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Mercure Lijiang Old Town
- The address is No. 195 Yuxue Avenue, Lijiang Gucheng District. [Source]
- The hotel is near Lijiang Old Town and a 35-minute drive from the airport. [Source]
- It has 104 guest rooms with separate wet and dry bathrooms. [Source]
- The hotel says it is close to the Old Town of Lijiang. [Source]
Suits: It suits travellers who want a mid-range hotel close to, but not inside, the old town.
Keep in mind: The page says near the old town and does not give a walking time. The hotel is in a commercial plaza, not a Naxi-style guesthouse.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Ibis Lijiang Qixing Street Hotel
- The hotel is only 700 metres from Lijiang ancient city. [Source]
- It has 82 guest rooms. [Source]
- The address is No. 2 Qixing Street, Gucheng District, Lijiang City. [Source]
- The hotel is surrounded by shopping, dining and entertainment facilities. [Source]
Suits: It suits budget travellers who want to walk to Lijiang Old Town and have shops and restaurants around.
Keep in mind: This is an economy hotel in the modern urban area. The page does not describe how the 700 metres are walked.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa
- The resort is next to Shuhe Ancient Town. [Source]
- The hotel describes views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. [Source]
- There are villas with private courtyards and outdoor hot tubs. [Source]
- The address is Shuhe Old Town Entrance Road, Lijiang. [Source]
- The hotel lists Lijiang Railway Station at 10 km, a 15-minute drive. [Source]
Suits: It suits couples and families who want a resort with mountain views next to Shuhe rather than inside the busy old town.
Keep in mind: Shuhe is a separate old town, about 8 km north of Lijiang Old Town according to Wikivoyage. Plan a bus or taxi to Dayan old town.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
Banyan Tree Lijiang
- The hotel says it is located 2,000 m above sea level. [Source]
- The hotel is 40 minutes from Lijiang Airport. [Source]
- The resort is 15 minutes from the historical town of Dayan. [Source]
- The address is Yuerong Road Shuhe, Gucheng District, Yunnan Province. [Source]
- The resort has a spa and wellness centre, a fitness centre and an outdoor pool. [Source]
Suits: It suits couples who want a luxury spa resort near Shuhe with views toward Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Keep in mind: The hotel gives its own height as 2,000 m, while Wikivoyage gives Lijiang as about 2,400 m, so treat altitude as roughly 2,000-2,400 m. It is outside the old town.
Official site Check rates on Booking.com Checked 2026-10-16
We list only two hotels in Dali, and neither is inside the old town walls. If you want to sleep in a Bai or Naxi-style courtyard house, you will need to read the reviews and map on a booking platform yourself, because we have not checked those guesthouses' own sites. Other chains (Hilton, IHG, Marriott, Hyatt) could not be read from our machine on the check day, so they did not pass our two-check rule. That does not mean they are poor.
Choosing by trip type
| Trip type | Look first at | Why, from the checked sources |
|---|---|---|
| First visit, 7 days, few hotel changes | Kunming 1 to 2 nights, Dali 2 nights, Lijiang 3 nights | Follows the plan in our route guide (our suggestion) |
| Tight budget | The two ibis hotels | Classed as budget; ibis Lijiang is 700 m from the old town per the hotel |
| Walking the Lijiang old town | ibis Qixing Street or Mercure Lijiang Old Town | Both say they are near the old town, but check the map |
| A quiet stay with mountain views | Shuhe (Pullman or Banyan Tree) | Next to Shuhe ancient town, with snow-mountain views stated |
| Very early or very late flight | Mercure KunMing Airport | 2.3 km from the airport with a shuttle, per the hotel |
| Families who need space | Grand Mercure Kunming South | Rooms of 39 to 82 sq m per the hotel |
Check before you book
- Open a map and measure the distance from the hotel to where you actually want to go. Some hotel sites give a radius or an approximate time without saying whether it is on foot or by car.
- Some Dali and Lijiang hotels are far from the old town. Ask about a shuttle. Taxis cannot enter Lijiang Old Town (Wikivoyage), so luggage may have to be pulled by hand or collected by hotel staff.
- Lijiang is at about 2,400 m. The route guide has the advice on taking the first day easy.
- Check cancellation terms, check-in time and the documents the hotel needs from foreign passport holders.
Frequently asked questions
Which area of Kunming should I stay in?
For a hotel next to the metro and shopping, look at the CBD. For a tight budget close to the railway station, look at Beijing Road. For a very early flight, look near the airport. See the table above.
Can I stay inside the old towns of Dali or Lijiang?
Yes, but this page has no hotel inside the old town walls because we have not checked the official sites of the guesthouses. The checked options are near or outside the old towns.
Can taxis enter Lijiang Old Town?
Wikivoyage says taxis are not allowed in. You get out at a gate and walk, or ask the hotel to send someone with a cart for your bags. Check with the hotel you choose.
How far are the Dali hotels from the old town?
Wikivoyage places the old town about 13 km north of Xiaguan. Mercure Dali's site gives a 35-minute drive from the railway station and no walking time to the old-town gate.
Does this page show prices?
No. Prices change daily. Use the check-price button on the hotel card and enter your dates.
Why are Hilton, IHG, Marriott and Hyatt hotels missing?
Their sites could not be read from our machine on the check day, so they failed our two-check rule. That does not mean they are poor.
When was this page checked?
Hotel text and travel information were checked against the official sites on 16 and 17 October 2026. A hotel not on this page is not necessarily a poor one.
How this page compares
We read Travel China Guide's Kunming page, which names no hotels, and China Highlights' 7-day Yunnan itinerary, which gives general area advice (for example, that the Jinma Biji Archway area is busy and can be noisy) and dollar cost estimates, but no hotel-site-checked distances. This page has no room prices and no scores, but every card was checked against the hotel's own website twice, and it says plainly that guesthouses inside the old towns are not covered.
Links on this page and our earnings
The hotel search buttons on this page open the providers' own destination search pages as of 17 October 2026. We have no registered affiliate link for Yunnan and have earned no commission. Our disclosure page explains how affiliate links work and what we never do.
Official sources and further reading
- Kunming Changshui Airport (official): getting into the city (Metro Line 6, taxis)
- Wikivoyage: Kunming (metro, bus stations; not official)
- Wikivoyage: Dali (Xiaguan and the old town; not official)
- Wikivoyage: Lijiang (taxis cannot enter the old town, Shuhe; not official)
- Sofitel Kunming (Accor)
- Shangri-La Kunming
- Novotel Kunming City Center (Accor)
- ibis Kunming Beijing Rd (Accor)
- Grand Mercure Kunming South (Accor)
- Mercure KunMing Airport (Accor)
- Pullman Dali (Accor)
- Mercure Dali Ancient City (Accor)
- Mercure Lijiang Old Town (Accor)
- Ibis Lijiang Qixing Street Hotel (Accor)
- Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa (Accor)
- Banyan Tree Lijiang (page on Accor)
- Travel China Guide: Kunming travel guide (benchmark)
- China Highlights: Yunnan 7-day itinerary (benchmark)
Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
