Any hotel recommendations for Kunming, China?

[Dean1953]

In December, I'm flying LAX to CNX on China Eastern airlines.  It's an 8 day trip and I didn't want to waste any time going through BKK.  Outbound is good, with a 4 hour layover in Shanghai.  The return is horrible, with an 11 hour layover in Kunming and a 3 hour layover in Shanghai.  A couple of questions for those that have flown China Eastern, particularly through Kunming.  Is China Eastern generally an on time airline?  I read in several places that the airport at Kunming isn't heated at night.  I would consider staying at the airport but having no heat and the average temperature in December being 3 C degrees at night, that could be a deal breaker.  Has anyone booked a hotel that they could recommend?   Is there free wifi that is accessible to foreigners at the airport?    Any information about Kunming and the airport would be appreciated.

[Teak]

Hi, I have stayed several times in the  Camillia Hotel in Kunming and then with the #3 ex wife at her apartment in KMG. Camilia Hotel... a bar is only a few steps away with English speakers and a big hotel at the intersection is higher end and good deals, if connected. Last time I went through (less the wife)  I found a hotel on line next to the airport. Looked good and cheaper. Thought I could walk from the airport. Ahhh, nope. Kunming airport is big. An old beat up van picked me up at the airport, droves at least an hour into a sketchy place near midnight. Turned down a railroad track and drove along  the tracks to the hotel. No road. My knife was in hand and ready....been though scary things previously. These guys took me to a basic hotel, friendly, kids around. Nice as could be. Picked me up in the morning and took me to the airport on time to CNX. A wee basic, but, really nice people and reliable. Be prepared and don't jump to conclusions.

 

 

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Edited August 18, 2016 by Teak

[Teak]

Big airport....try the Camiilia

[Thailand]

http://english.ctrip.com/hotels/list?&city=34&zone=2860&&Allianceid=14883&SID=429443&ouid=hotel&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=Kunming+airport+hotel&utm_campaign=Airport+Hotel_exact

[Oscar2]

Dean, sounds like a difficult trip. why didn't you book Korean Air LAX-CNX?? absolute comfort all the way, including free showers and free small room in the Airport in Seoul to catch a few hours of sleep if needed? Korean Air is an excellent airline.

[Dean1953]

Besides the LAX to CNX portion, I fly Southwest MCI to LAX.  My China Eastern flight leaves just after midnight December 4.  I fly to LAX the day before around 7 PM.  After arriving on China Eastern on December 14 at 9 AM, my Southwest flight leaves around 6 PM.  I had a credit on Southwest that had to be used by December 20 and that credit paid for the round trip ticket.  The China Eastern ticket only cost $537, which is at least $300 cheaper than Cathy Pacific.  My wife and son flew Korean air last month from MCI and it costs them around $1,550 per ticket.  The only purpose of this trip is to do some work on my house in Bosang, particularly getting the underground sprinkler system working, in order to rent it out.  I wouldn't go if the cost had been $800 and over for the plane tickets.  I appreciate the hotel recommendations but am probably more concerned about flight delays on the Southwest flight on December 3 and particularly a flight delay on the return on China Eastern (CNX-Kunming-Shianghai-LAX), as it seems that China Eastern is known for flight delays.  

[Dante99]

Yeh those delays can result in rebooking costs, overnight hotel costs and then Korean Air starts looking good.

 

Anyway Good Luck Dean, hope you get the sprinkler system running.  How long have you been workng on that now?  Seems like 5 or 6 years ago when you started posting about it.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Dante99

[Dean1953]

It was working up until June, 2015, when I had to go over to have my leaning perimeter wall torn down.  The controls for the sprinkler system were on that wall and I wasn't there to see the new wall completed and the sprinkler system not put back.  I tried to get the caretaker to hire someone to fix it but she suddenly never communicated with me after that, instead talking to my Thai wife, who was her friend and had hired her.  My wife had no desire to hire someone to fix it last month.  Besides the sprinklers, I'd like to finally find a gardener to take care of the grounds.  A Thai friend has been taking care of it, hiring several persons to cut it every 6 weeks for 3,500 baht.  I'm hoping that for 3.500 baht a month, I can find a gardener that can come by twice a month and cut the grass, trim the trees and fertilize the grass.  I also have a garden patio that I installed with sand and street pavers, neglecting to put a barrier under the sand to keep grass and weeds from growing.  I'll take out the pavers and sand and put a proper sheeting down and the sand and hire someone to put the pavers back in.  I have a cement pond in front of the patio and have looked into keeping fish in it like I did when living there but will leave that for the renters (hopefully).  Concerning flight delays, I'm not worried about Southwest but China Eastern, particularly the return portion.  I can cancel the Southwest return if it looks like I won't make the connection and try to reschedule it a day or two later (midweek tickets LAX-MCI never get that expensive except around the holidays).   I have a brother that lives in San Diego and can visit him for a few days

[LawrenceChee]

China Eastern is in general on time through the Kunming route and better than Shanghai / Beijing. 

 

Airport is big and modern, free wifi can only be assessed through a china registered phone number pin which is annoying. 

 

If you arrive at an odd hour then most stuff is closed. Head to a hotel is the best recommendation. The one quoted by other posters is a good no frill noter for a shower and sleep