The Hump Hostel

The Hump Youth Hostel is in a traditional three-story building with plenty of character, but it’s also handy for getting around Kunming. Food stalls, shops, and cultural sights are close by, and the MRT is less than 1km away. Taxis are easy to find, with fares around RMB 20-40. A local meal for two costs about RMB 40, and Kunming Railway Station is four MRT stops away. The rooms are roomy and well looked after. I also liked the clean, modern bathrooms, which were a pleasant surprise in an older building.

I stayed at the Hump Hostel almost a decade ago, and I still remember it well enough to write about it years later. I hope it hasn’t changed too much. Our room was clean, and the terrace bar was a great place to have beers, chat after sightseeing, or meet people in the evening. We met a German guy and a Colombian girl there, and the four of us spontaneously decided to walk around Shilin the next morning. That worked out much better than taking a tour bus, since some of the cool places in Shilin can’t be reached on those tours. It’s still one of the coolest hostels I’ve stayed at in China.

If you’re young and like drinking beer and playing pool, you might enjoy this place. I didn’t. The nicer rooms seemed overpriced to me compared with standard 2 star hotels in Kunming, and the staff at reception were chaotic, unfriendly, and lacking enthusiasm. They kept my passport for a full hour, which I really disliked. I’d booked two nights and paid a deposit. When I tried to pay ahead for the second day, a young woman refused and said I could pay tomorrow. The next day, they told me the room was booked out and tried to move me into a windowless cubicle. I checked.

The deck area is great for lying in the sun or taking an afternoon nap. The beds were warm and comfortable, and the internet was fast. The rooms weren’t quiet, but the sounds outside felt happy and fun, not like traffic and yelling, as in much of China. Most of the staff were really helpful. The bar staff seemed silent and weird, though. You’d order food or ask them something and they’d just stare at you without saying anything.