Kunming Food, Fun, and Travel Guide: SUMA Bar - Instantly Immerse Yourself in Yunnan Charm

【Have a Cocktail Made with Wild Yunnan Mushrooms · Kunming Shangri-La SUMA Bar Opens】 On April 30, as Shangri-La's new masterpiece in the Chinese market, Kunming Shangri-La officially opened SUMA, a bar inspired by the destination's characteristics, kicking off the full opening of the hotel at the end of 2025. SUMA is jointly created by the Shangri-La Group and the well-known bar manager SG Group, deeply integrating local culture, handicrafts, and human connections to create a unique destination experience. SUMA is the first concept bar launched by the Shangri-La Group's dual-brand project after the opening of Kunming JEN Hotel in 2024, injecting new vitality into the city's pulse. Through the harmonious resonance of exquisite enjoyment and cultural narrative, it reawakens the social life scene of the neighborhood. The bar brand "SUMA" is taken from the Yi language, meaning "azalea" and "woman," which is a tribute to the local ethnic minority culture in Yunnan. The bar's inspiration comes from Yunnan's rich biodiversity, local food culture, and folk traditions. The carefully crafted space design, the richly layered cultural narrative, and the expressive flavor presentation open up a new perspective for guests to explore Yunnan. The SUMA space design experience begins with a corridor that integrates the cultural totems of ethnic minorities in Yunnan. The traditional patterns of the Yi, Bai, Naxi, Lisu, Jingpo, and Hani ethnic groups are intertwined here, creating a gorgeous and textured space. The interior of the bar features a tent-style ceiling made of traditional Yunnan fabrics, and the central chandelier is inspired by Yunnan lanterns. Passing through the corridor, you will enter "SUMA Secret Realm," a delicate space inspired by alpine mountains and traditional weaving techniques. The SUMA rooftop bar is seamlessly connected to the Shangri-La rooftop garden, presenting an open garden landscape with intertwined flowers and vines, interspersed with herbs, and a central fountain flowing quietly, creating a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere in harmony with nature. SUMA cleverly integrates these elements into the cocktail experience. For example, the innovative "Yak Butter Classic" is inspired by the popular butter tea in the Shangri-La (Diqing) area. This cocktail blends malt whiskey with SG Group's MUGI shochu, butter, Pu'er tea, and natural orange blossom honey to present a silky, smoky, slightly spicy, earthy, and grainy spirit. The "Magic Manhattan" pays tribute to Yunnan's reputation as the "Kingdom of Wild Mushrooms," using Templeton rye whiskey as a base, paired with locally picked matsutake and termite mushrooms, supplemented with orange liqueur-flavored vermouth and green walnuts, to create a rich, umami-filled cocktail. Tan Jie, General Manager of Kunming Shangri-La, said: "SUMA is the prelude to the hotel's opening, allowing guests to experience the unique experience here in advance. We hope to redefine the role of the hotel through SUMA - to become a window to the local culture, bringing a truly touching impression of Yunnan, and allowing guests from all over the world to deeply experience the charm of Yunnan." In order to allow guests to better explore the diverse flavors of Yunnan, SUMA ingeniously designed the menu as a rotatable folding fan, with different fan surfaces representing different flavors: spicy, floral and fruity, extremely fresh, and bitter. This creative "flavor guide" breaks the tradition of classifying by type or concentration of alcohol, allowing guests to no longer be limited by the choice of alcohol, but to follow the taste they desire to start their exploration journey. Chen Huaiqian, China Director of SG Group's consulting department, said, "SUMA is a gift we dedicate to Yunnan. It continues SG Group's consistent concept of telling moving stories through flavors. In the process of deeply exploring Yunnan's food culture and life traditions, we respectfully and imaginatively re-interpret these elements, allowing ingredients, memories, and handicrafts to intertwine and collide, sparking inspiration." Kunming Shangri-La JEN Hotel