the Camel Inn of Dali

The hotel is right by the west gate of the ancient citadel, which makes the location very convenient. It was introduced as the first five-star hotel built in Dali. It's huge, with more than 500 rooms split across many zones, so remember your area number and follow the signs to avoid getting lost. The lobby, corridors, and courtyard have lots of wooden and stone statues, along with ornamental plants. Rooms are at least 50m2 and each has a private yard. There are many trees, so close the door when you go out into the yard or mosquitoes and insects can get into the room. The building is old, though, and some room equipment is outdated and sometimes breaks.

We were a group of more than 30 people staying here on 2nd September 2025, and had a terrible experience. Most of the rooms had air conditioning that wasn't working properly. We complained to the Hotel PIC, but they ignored us, saying the hotel was only at 10% occupancy and couldn't fully turn on the centralized AirCon. There were complaints from people throughout our group: room TVs wouldn't turn on, phones didn't work, and the hotel corridors weren't fully lit. It was quite dark walking to our rooms. You'll regret choosing this hotel.

For my first time in Dali, China, this was a place I'd recommend. It's very close to the ancient town and easy to get to from the main road. The route into the ancient town is quite adventurous.

There's a good mix of Chinese and Western food at breakfast. The hotel has beautiful Chinese decor, with a striking collection of Chinese furniture and all kinds of statues, both made by people and natural ones. It's on the edge of Old City, about a 20-minute walk from the centre.