Ramada Encore by Wyndham Kunming Guandu

I was amazed when I first walked into the room. It was so spacious that I couldn't believe how much I had paid for it! Kunming was my first stop in China, so this hotel really gave me a great first impression. I wasn't expecting anything fancy, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well-equipped the room was. It had everything I needed and more, including a projector for watching TV, a bean bag, a work desk, and a clean bathroom with all the essentials. The view was beautiful too! The only downside was the soundproofing. When my room was quiet, I could hear people in the next room quite clearly. I'm not sure whether the walls were thin or my neighbours were just particularly loud. The hotel seemed to be located in a residential building shared with other residents. However, I felt safe, as a key card was required to access the guest floors. The lobby was quite busy, possibly because of its proximity to the high-speed railway station and the number of travellers passing through. I only stayed for one night, and I honestly wished I could have stayed longer. For the price, the room exceeded my expectations. Such a lovely surprise and a great start to my trip to China!

It added value to our trip!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Ramada Encore. The location suited us as it was a 10-15 minutes walk to the Kunming Railway Station. Rooms were very large, plenty of space for 2 people. The property is also equipped with a laundry room a few floors down. The only pain point we felt was the cleanliness of the lifts as well as the waiting time. As there are multiple floors heading up from the lobby before we reach the hotels room floors, expect a bit of delay in trying to get a lift as they are also often full. Overall though, the stay was enjoyable.

Our stay at the Ramada Encore was overall acceptable for a short city visit, but it is not a property we are likely to return to. At check-in, we experienced some difficulty with our passports, as the staff requested additional documentation that we have never been asked for elsewhere in the country. This may be a local policy, but as frequent travelers, it felt unusual and slowed down the process. One important point to note is that the hotel shares the building with other hotels and only occupies a portion of the floors. As a result, the elevators are shared among all guests, with no access control. This led to constant elevator traffic, including delivery personnel, and we were informed that non-guests have occasionally accessed the premises. We booked a family room and requested a quiet space. The room itself was spacious, clean, and comfortable. Our children especially enjoyed the large projector for evening entertainment. The bathroom was also clean and well-sized. Housekeeping staff were kind and helpful throughout our stay. The fitness room was quite limited, with only basic equipment (a couple of treadmills, weights, and a few machines), although clean towels and water were provided. On the other hand, the laundry facilities were excellent and very convenient. Breakfast offered a reasonable selection of both Eastern and Western options, which was sufficient for our stay. The surrounding area had enough restaurants and shops, although it is located some distance from the main attractions. We attempted to walk on our first day, but the nearby canal area was unfortunately not well maintained, which discouraged us from exploring on foot further. Although we requested a quiet room, our second night was disrupted by very noisy neighbors in the adjacent room. There was loud shouting, repeated doorbell ringing, and general disturbance late into the night. At around 00:30, I went to reception to report the issue. Communication was challenging as none of the staff spoke English, and it initially felt difficult to get assistance. However, once the issue was understood, the staff did contact the room, and the noise subsided. Overall, while the hotel met basic expectations in terms of cleanliness and amenities, the issues with noise, communication, and shared facilities affected our experience. As someone who frequently stays with Wyndham properties, this visit was disappointing compared to previous experiences.