Guilin travel guide - where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Guilin, Guangxi, China. Famous for the Li River, karst peaks and the Longji Rice Terraces.
Accommodation overview
Guilin offers lodging for every budget, from hostel dorms and guesthouses to 3-star city hotels and five-star riverside and resort properties. The most convenient base is the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area around Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, with walking access to Elephant Trunk Hill, the Sun and Moon Pagodas and night dining. Binjiang Road and the Li River waterfront suit river views, the area near Guilin Railway Station and Zhongshan South Road suits short stays and budget hotels, and the countryside near the Taohua River and Lujiacun is quieter. Many visitors also split a stay with Yangshuo, an hour south by road, where guesthouses and resorts overlook the karst peaks. Hotels book up and rise in price during the October Golden Week and the summer holidays.
- Budget
- ¥40-190 (~$6-28) per night, from hostel dorm beds to 3-star city hotels
- Mid-range
- ¥190-600 (~$28-89) per night for 3-4 star hotels and boutique inns around the lakes
- Luxury
- ¥600-2,330+ (~$89-345+) per night, from the city's five-star hotels to Banyan Tree Yangshuo villas
- Where to stay
- Two Rivers and Four Lakes / Zhengyang Pedestrian Street (Xiufeng and Xiangshan districts) for walking access to Elephant Trunk Hill, the Sun and Moon Pagodas and night dining
Hotels by budget
Find accommodation that fits your travel budget.
Budget-friendly
Riverside Wing Hotel Guilin
A Wing Group hotel on Binjiang Road facing the Li River, a few minutes' walk from the Sheraton and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street.
Check rates on Booking.comGuilin Central Hostel (Muxi)
A long-running hostel in the city centre across from the Sheraton, with an English-speaking tour desk offering Li River, Yangshuo and Longsheng trips.
Check rates on Booking.comWada Youth Hostel
A backpacker hostel affiliated with Hostelling International, across from the botanical garden, known for Yangshuo and Longsheng tour packages.
Check rates on Booking.comGuilin Ming Palace International Youth Hostel
A budget hostel next to the west gate of the Solitary Beauty Peak walled area and the Li River.
Check rates on Booking.comLakeside Inn
A hostel-style inn on the shore of Shanhu Lake, rated 8.9 out of 10 on Booking.com from more than 400 reviews.
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Holiday Inn Express Guilin City Center
An IHG-brand hotel two blocks from the Central Square and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, popular for its location and included breakfast.
Check rates on Booking.comGangShe Rooftop View Hotel (Two Rivers and Four Lakes, Elephant Trunk Hill)
A boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace in the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area; one of the most-reviewed Guilin hotels on Trip.com with more than 13,000 reviews.
Check rates on Booking.comJolie Vue Boutique Hotel Guilin
A boutique hotel on Binjiang Road near Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun and Moon Pagodas, rated 9.3 out of 10 on Booking.com.
Check rates on Booking.comAtour Hotel Guilin Two Rivers and Four Lakes Elephant Trunk Hill
An Atour-brand hotel on Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, the central dining and shopping street, close to Shanhu Lake.
Check rates on Booking.comAroma Tea House Formula Museum Hotel Guilin
A small tea-themed hotel of about 22 rooms on the south bank of Rong Lake, one of the highest-reviewed Guilin hotels on Booking.com with more than 1,600 reviews.
Check rates on Booking.comGuilin Ronghu Hotel
A lakeside hotel on a site dating to 1953 beside Rong Lake that reopened in 2026 after renovation.
Check rates on Booking.comGuilin Bravo Hotel
A long-established upscale hotel on Ronghu South Road overlooking Rong Lake, with Chinese restaurants and a lobby bar.
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A four-star hotel on the Li River bank near Elephant Trunk Hill and Seven Star Cave.
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A convention-oriented hotel on Lijiang Road beside the Guilin exhibition centre, on the Li River's east side.
Check rates on Booking.comGuilin Park Hotel
A hotel in Diecai District north of the old centre with an on-site restaurant serving Chinese set meals.
Check rates on Booking.comEcharm (Yishang) Hotel Guilin Zhongshan Road
A mid-range chain hotel on Zhongshan Middle Road between Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and Elephant Trunk Hill, with the AGAN Guangxi restaurant on the second floor.
Check rates on Booking.comVenus Royal Hotel Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill and Sun and Moon Twin Towers
The Binjiang Road branch of Venus Royal, a short walk from Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun and Moon Twin Towers.
Check rates on Booking.comElephant Trunk Hill Hotel
A hotel a few minutes' walk from the Elephant Trunk Hill scenic area, rated 9.6 out of 10 on Trip.com from more than 3,000 reviews.
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A central hotel on Jiefang East Road near the Li River and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, rated 9.8 out of 10 on Trip.com from about 4,900 reviews.
Check rates on Booking.comWangcheng Boutique Hotel
A boutique hotel on Renmin Road behind the Sheraton, in the pedestrian-street dining district.
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A hotel on the Central Square between the Sun and Moon Pagodas and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, with the Jinlong Zhai Guilin restaurant on its fourth floor.
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A Hilton-brand hotel opened in 2017 about 1.9 km from Guilin Railway Station, with praise for location and staff and complaints about parking and breakfast.
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A courtyard-style resort in the Taohua River countryside west of the city, about 9.5 out of 10 on Booking.com from more than 500 reviews.
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An all-inclusive resort with 294 rooms inside the Yuzi Paradise sculpture park, roughly 50 km from Liangjiang Airport. Located in Yanshan District, outside Guilin city.
Check rates on Booking.comLuxury
Sheraton Guilin Hotel
A 408-room riverfront hotel renovated in 2021, two minutes' walk from Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and a short walk from Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun and Moon Pagodas.
Check rates on Booking.comLijiang Waterfall Hotel
A long-established five-star beside Shanhu Lake in the central tourist district, known for an artificial waterfall down its facade that is recorded by Guinness World Records.
Check rates on Booking.comShangri-La Guilin
A 439-room resort-style hotel opened in 2009 with landscaped gardens and family facilities. It sits away from the central lakes, so taxis are needed for the main sights.
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Choose your base based on your interests and travel style.
Two Rivers and Four Lakes / Zhengyang (Xiufeng and Xiangshan)
The central tourist core around Shanhu and Rong lakes, the Sun and Moon Pagodas, Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and Elephant Trunk Hill; most mid-range hotels, hostels and the Sheraton and Lijiang Waterfall hotels are here.
Best for: First-time visitors, night walks and restaurants
Binjiang Road and Li River waterfront
Riverfront stretch from the Sheraton to Elephant Trunk Hill with river-view boutique hotels such as Jolie Vue, Venus Royal and Riverside Wing.
Best for: River views and short walks to the cruise piers
Railway station and Minzhu/Zhongshan South Road
Mid-range and budget chain hotels south of Rong Lake and near Guilin Railway Station, including Hampton by Hilton and hostels on Huancheng Xiyi Road.
Best for: Early trains and budget stays
Qixing District and Lijiang Road (east bank)
Quieter east-bank district near Seven Star Park, the Guilin exhibition centre and the Shangri-La.
Best for: Families and business trips with car access
Taohua River / Lujiacun countryside
Courtyard resorts and guesthouses west of the city beside the Taohua River, about 15 minutes from the centre by car.
Best for: Quiet stays with garden settings
Lingui and Yanshan (outer districts)
Newer chain hotels such as Four Points by Sheraton Guilin Lingui and Hampton by Hilton Lingui in Lingui; Club Med Guilin and Steigenberger Guilin in Yanshan.
Best for: Resort stays and travellers with a car
Our top picks
Handpicked recommendations for every type of traveler.
Sheraton Guilin Hotel
A 408-room riverfront hotel renovated in 2021, two minutes' walk from Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and a short walk from Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun and Moon Pagodas.
Check rates on Booking.comLijiang Waterfall Hotel
A long-established five-star beside Shanhu Lake in the central tourist district, known for an artificial waterfall down its facade that is recorded by Guinness World Records.
Check rates on Booking.comShangri-La Guilin
A 439-room resort-style hotel opened in 2009 with landscaped gardens and family facilities. It sits away from the central lakes, so taxis are needed for the main sights.
Check rates on Booking.comHoliday Inn Express Guilin City Center
An IHG-brand hotel two blocks from the Central Square and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, popular for its location and included breakfast.
Check rates on Booking.comGangShe Rooftop View Hotel (Two Rivers and Four Lakes, Elephant Trunk Hill)
A boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace in the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area; one of the most-reviewed Guilin hotels on Trip.com with more than 13,000 reviews.
Check rates on Booking.comJolie Vue Boutique Hotel Guilin
A boutique hotel on Binjiang Road near Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun and Moon Pagodas, rated 9.3 out of 10 on Booking.com.
Check rates on Booking.comBooking tips
Get the best deals and avoid common mistakes.
Book Guilin hotels two to four weeks ahead for the Golden Week holiday (1-7 October) and the Spring Festival period, when rates rise and the best-rated central hotels fill first
Pick a hotel in the Two Rivers and Four Lakes area (Binjiang Road, Zhengyang, Minzhu Road) to walk to the night-lit pagodas and the pedestrian street
Hotels near Guilin Railway Station or Guilin North Station suit one-night stops before the Li River cruise or the Longji rice terraces, and several offer free pickup on multi-night stays
Check the exact branch name: Atour, Venus Royal and Orange operate several Guilin branches with different addresses
Show the address in Chinese to taxi drivers; Didi and Alipay taxi booking work with a foreign-linked Alipay account
Yangshuo resorts (Banyan Tree, Aurua Sugar House, voco, Hilton Garden Inn) are 65-90 km from Guilin city and need a transfer of 1.5 to 2 hours
Foreign guests must be registered by the hotel with a passport at check-in; carry the original passport
Alternative accommodations
Beyond traditional hotels, consider these options.
Guesthouses
Family-run guesthouses offer authentic local experiences and often include home-cooked meals. Great for cultural immersion.
Serviced apartments
Ideal for longer stays or families. Kitchen facilities help save money and provide flexibility.
Hostels
Budget-friendly option for solo travelers. Dorms and private rooms available with social common areas.