Venus Royal Hotel Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill and Sun and Moon Twin Towers

Venus Royal Hotel Guilin occupies the first to fifth floors of No. 11 Binjiang Road in the Xiangshan District of Guilin, Guangxi, China, on the Li River waterfront. This is the Binjiang Road branch of the Venus Royal brand, and its name reflects the nearby landmarks: Elephant Trunk Hill, the limestone formation that shaped like an elephant drinking from the river, and the Sun and Moon Twin Towers (Sun and Moon Pagodas) on Shanhu Lake. Both are a short walk from the entrance, and the central Zhengyang Pedestrian Street is close by.

The hotel is a mid-range property that fills the lower floors of a larger building, so it has the feel of a compact urban hotel rather than a resort. Booking.com guests rate it around 8.8 out of 10, equal to 4.4 on this guide's scale. Typical four-star rates in Guilin are about ¥425 (roughly $63) per night, which indicates the likely price level.

Room types are the Standard Room and the Family Room, with air conditioning and wifi. Dining is not detailed for the property, so guests commonly use the many noodle shops, Guangxi restaurants and cafes around Binjiang Road and the pedestrian street. No pool, spa or fitness centre is listed, so the property is best seen as a practical base.

The service style is tourist-oriented and straightforward, with staff able to help with luggage, taxis and Li River cruise bookings to Yangshuo. The hotel suits independent travellers and families who want to walk to the main sights, particularly Elephant Trunk Hill, the riverfront promenade and the lake district.