Kunming, ChinaXishan
InterContinental Kunming
Butterfly-winged lakeside resort
Xishan Kunming, China
Opened
2013
Price
$$$
Rated for
Wellness Resort LocalOutside the door
The house
IHGButterfly-winged lakeside resort
Low-rise pavilions spread across lakeside gardens, encircling waterways and outdoor hot springs away from the city center.
What it’s good at
Notable
Outdoor hot spring pools and private open-air soaking tubs in ground-floor courtyard rooms.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
The InterContinental Kunming is, strangely enough, a bit of both — it’s set within the limits of the city of Kunming itself, but rather than some city-center skyscraper, it finds itself in the quasi-rural lakeside district.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Haigeng Dam and Dianchi Lake sit just down the road, looking across the water to the Western Hills.
The rooms
Most rooms look out from private balconies across the gardens, and thirteen ground-floor rooms have courtyard hot-spring tubs.
The indoor pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The indoor lap pool is heated to 28°C beneath reflective ceilings hung with glowing butterfly sculptures.
The spa and hot springs
A lantern-lit timber portal leads to the spa, and mosaic-tiled hot spring pools wind through garden foliage.
At the table
Open show kitchens at The Market serve Yunnan small-pot rice noodles, and glass doors open onto courtyard gardens.
How it began
Architects shaped the resort to resemble a butterfly in flight, honoring Yunnan's hundreds of native butterfly species.
Kunming
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.