Trip Overview
When: November (best weather in Kunming - "Spring City" lives up to its name)
Duration: 2 days
Travelers: Couple
Budget: ~1,000 RMB (~$140 USD) per person
Accommodation: InterContinental Kunming (昆明洲际酒店)
Why Kunming?
Wang Zengqi once said: "Kunming's weather is so good, why would anyone be in a hurry to leave?" This line stuck with me. While Wang spent his life nostalgic for his hometown Gaoyou, Kunming became his emotional second home. He lovingly described Kunming's customs, weather, scenery, and food in his works - the rice noodles, corn, mushrooms, pickled pears, kudzu, steamed chicken, and more. The streets he mentioned - Wenlin Street, Longxiang Street, Fengzhu Street, Qinjun Street, Fu Yongdao - are still there today, alongside the Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Arch, Daguan Tower, and Dianchi Lake.
This time, I came to Kunming for the InterContinental Kunming's Egyptian Mummy Family Room - a themed room inspired by ancient Egyptian gods.
Location & Transport
The hotel is located at No. 5 Yijing Road, Xishan District, Kunming. It's 38 km from Kunming Changshui International Airport (about 45-60 minutes by car), 10 km from Kunming Railway Station, and 10 km from downtown Kunming.
The hotel sits in the core of the Dianchi Lake (滇池) National Tourism Resort, bordering the "Highland Pearl" Dianchi Lake. Surrounded by mountains and gardens, it's close to Western Hills Forest Park, Yunnan Ethnic Village (云南民族村), and Haigeng Dam (海埂大坝). The hotel is 1.7 km from Yunnan Ethnic Village and 1.3 km from Haigeng Dam. During this season, don't forget to walk to Haigeng Dam to feed the red-beaked gulls!
Room Design: Egyptian Theme
The hotel's interior design features a "Beautiful Butterfly" theme, as if a flock of colorful butterflies adds a bright touch to the Dianchi lakeside. The outdoor garden overflows with Southeast Asian flair and Yunnan minority architectural features. As a hotel in Yunnan - a province with many ethnic minorities - the InterContinental Kunming respectfully showcases its regional culture.
The hotel has 536 luxury rooms and elegant suites. The vivid butterfly wall murals under the light and nature-inspired design uniquely blend Yunnan traditional characteristics with international fashion elements. Nearly half of the rooms have large balconies overlooking Dianchi Lake, plus various personalized facilities like separate entertainment rooms. All rooms are equipped with digital entertainment systems, tropical rain-style shower facilities, spacious work areas, and high-speed internet.
Egyptian Mummy Family Room: Worth the Hype?
Unlike conventional room experiences, this time I traveled through time and history with my companion, checking into the Egyptian Mummy Family Room to explore the mysterious charms of ancient Egypt.
The ancient Egyptian gods are glorious and immortal. The British Museum transformed these deities into adorable "Egyptian Mummies" - half-human, half-animal figures representing different meanings:
Bast (巴斯特) - One of Egypt's most popular goddesses, usually depicted with a cat's head on a human body. Powers: Moon's blessing. Type: Support.
Thoth (托特) - God of wisdom and the moon, usually shown with an ibis head or baboon. Powers: Wisdom and knowledge. Type: Support.
Anubis (阿努比斯) - Guide and guardian of the dead in Egyptian mythology, depicted with a jackal's head. Powers: Weighing hearts against feathers. Type: Guardian.
Horus (荷鲁斯) - Guardian of Egyptian pharaohs, usually with an eagle (falcon) head. Powers: Eye of Horus. Type: Combat.
Sobek (索贝克) - God of rivers and swamps in Egyptian mythology, depicted with a crocodile head. Powers: Nile's blessing. Type: Guardian.
Ra (拉) - Sun god, usually shown with an eagle head. Powers: Light of the sun. Type: Guardian.
The vibrant colors that meet the eye are just the beginning of the adventure. The Bast goddess and Anubis pillows have been waiting long enough. Ride the rocking horse to the Giza Pyramids, set up a tent with god patterns painted on it, and sleep well under the gods' protection all night.
Amenities
Bath Products: Byredo Blanc series - a unique fragrance, different from荒野玫瑰 (Rose of No Man's Land) or Super Cedar. Clean, elegant, with a pure and intellectual quality, perfectly matching the InterContinental brand's high-end positioning. Minimalist style - exactly my cup of tea. The cleaning power and skin-feel give a clean, restrained youthful vibe. Love at first sight!
Bathroom Fixtures: Kohler sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and Hansgrohe showers with instant hot water - as reliable as ever.
Bedding: Canasin linens and King Koil mattresses - soft yet firm, very comfortable. Excellent support for the spine, breathable, temperature-controlling, and soundproofing.
Smart Devices: LG TVs and Philips wireless speaker alarm clock - meeting all entertainment needs.
Kids' Amenities: A Total Win
But the above isn't the main point - since it's an Egyptian Mummy Family Room, more preparation was made for the little ones.
Towels, cups, toothbrushes, toiletries, pajamas, slippers, cups, and tissue boxes with Egyptian Mummy patterns let children bathe safely. Floating ducks and swimming turtles are placed in the bathtub to accompany kids in water play.
Anti-collision corners, non-slip stools, children's toilet seats, and chair cushions with Egyptian Mummy themes protect the little explorers on their Egyptian adventure.
There are also Egyptian Mummy-themed educational flying chess, puzzles, and encyclopedic books to help宝贝们 (little ones) use their brains in games and start a new decryption diary.
Even the "Do Not Disturb" door hanger is in Egyptian Mummy theme, as if constantly warning passersby not to disturb this mysterious Egyptian exploration journey.
The Egyptian Mummy Family Room is full of stories, waiting for you.
You can bring your children to experience the simplest childhood happiness,
witness every wonderful moment of their happy growth,
play freely, worry-free - that's true childhood.
Or, like me, go experience it yourself.
The burdens of reality are already heavy enough,
so put on the Egyptian Mummy pajamas,
wear the adult Egyptian Mummy slippers,
sit on the floor and play a round of flying chess,
hug the Bast or Anubis pillow and crawl into the tent,
Life sometimes needs to be empty,
Stay in the Egyptian Mummy Family Room,
Who's not a child anyway?
Dining: A Culinary Journey
I couldn't get Egyptian food, but the InterContinental Kunming's dining is equally distinctive. Traditional Yunnan cuisine and Southeast Asian dishes - Yunnan's unique minority flavors are regional delicacies you must try.
The hotel has two restaurants and one lobby bar. At Xiangdao Chinese Restaurant (香稻中餐厅), you can enjoy exquisite Guangdong dishes and authentic Yunnan flavors. The Hani people live mainly in the Honghe, Jiangcheng, Mojiang, Lvchun, Xinzhen, and Zhenyuan counties between the Yuanjiang and Lancang rivers in Yunnan. The Long Street Banquet (长街宴) is a custom during the Hani October New Year - a blessing feast. The all-day dining restaurant is named "Long Street" (长街) to highlight local Yunnan culture and offer guests a wide variety of dining options. The bright and spacious open kitchen allows guests to enjoy delicious food while watching global cuisines being cooked. The Butterfly Bar (彩蝶吧) echoes the hotel's "Beautiful Butterfly" theme - enjoy a relaxed drink in the lobby while listening to the singer's melodious music, the best way to experience Yunnan's slow life.
Must-Try at Long Street Restaurant
First recommended: dishes on the Long Street Must-Eat List - curry seafood, Thai pork fried rice, Italian pizza, braised meats... After eating, I couldn't help but praise the hotel chef's mastery of Southeast Asian cuisine.
Second must-try: specialty dishes from across Yunnan: steam pot chicken (汽锅鸡), lamb hot pot (羊汤锅), Yiliang roast duck (宜良烤鸭), Xuanwei stir-fried pork (宣威小炒肉), Zhanyi spicy chicken (沾益辣子鸡), Binhai haisao fish (宾川海稍鱼), Yongping yellow-braised chicken (永平黄焖鸡), Black Three Chop (黑三剁), Red Three Chop (红三剁), lemongrass grilled fish (香茅草烤鱼), Jingpo cold chicken (景颇凉鸡)... One stop to taste food from Yunnan's 16 prefectures and 26 ethnic groups. The key is the authentic taste.
Beyond that, the restaurant offers unlimited global feast - fresh salmon sashimi, tempura, soba noodles, crispy Indian naan... Multiple seafood cooked on the spot, various grilled items made to order. Exquisite hot pot with original or spicy broth, fresh vegetables and meat for you to choose freely, dipping sauces that will spoil you for choice. Mango mousse, tiramisu, durian cake and other desserts with various fresh fruits and salads. You must try the Yunnan specialty tamarind juice - I couldn't stop drinking it. If you're tired of Haagen-Dazs, you can also choose Dubarry's rainbow ice cream.
I always think any buffet dinner without seasonal limited dishes is playing tricks. At Long Street Restaurant, you don't need to get them yourself - chefs will bring these dishes to your table on small carts. Current limited-time delicacies: Wellington beef steak with exquisite plating, Boston lobster pasta with amazing taste, Yangcheng lake hairy crab with juicy crab roe.
The Long Street Restaurant not only has abundant dishes - while tasting food, you can also enjoy the beautiful garden scenery. Even sitting indoors, there's waterfall landscaping and resident singers, satisfying your taste, vision, and hearing comprehensively.
The restaurant offers thoughtful service, providing children's high chairs, long party tables, and party spaces, accommodating needs from family dinners to company team building. There's also an exclusive dining area for IHG InterContinental members. When the head chef tours the floor, they kindly remind you to boil the hot pot before cooking meat, and that lamb chops taste best with pepper salt.
Breakfast: Yunnan Specialties
Regarding buffet breakfast, the standard dishes are plentiful. Special recommendations for Yunnan特色小吃 (Yunnan specialty snacks): Rice noodle crossing the bridge (过桥米线), stewed er si (饵丝), cold rice sheet rolls (凉卷粉), pea flour soup (稀豆粉), Da Jiu Jia (大救驾), buckwheat pancakes (荞麦饼), buckwheat strips (苦荞条), pumpkin cakes (南瓜饼), Mengzi rice cake (蒙自年糕), egg white cakes (蛋清饼), modern pancakes (摩登粑粑), fried milk fans (炸乳扇), fried milk cheese (炸乳饼), baked饵块 (烧饵块), and steamed bread with fermented dough (破酥包). If you still think it's not enough... let's talk after you finish all these.
Epilogue
I used to think that only by going far and seeing many scenic spots could I fulfill my dreams. Now, standing 2,200 km from my homeland, I instead seek a stable place where I can lie down properly.
After working so hard, I finally understand that I don't really have any dreams, nor do I want to go to distant places to see beautiful scenery. I just want a home where I can sleep peacefully.
My heart is at peace because of what I do. May everyone eventually find their place of rest.