Guilin Hotels and Accommodation

(Guilin, Guangxi, China)

The accommodation available in Guilin comes in all guises and it is very normal for backpackers to spend a long time checking out the cheap hotels around both the bus and railway stations. Budget lodging is not usually particularly easy to come by in Guilin, although mid-range hotels are rarely overly expensive and generally offer decent value.

Being known for its monsoon season, the weather greatly impacts the accommodation scene in Guilin. The wettest period tends to be between April and June, and this is when most hotels offer their biggest discounts, to entice tourists into the city at this quiet time. If you do choose to holiday during this period, a raincoat and umbrella is well worth packing.

Where to Stay

The main hotels in central Guilin tend to line the busy artery of the Zhongshan Nanlu. The Overseas Chinese Hotel is located here and is one of the city's cheapest, often being favoured by backpackers.

Rather more upmarket is the Baileman Jiudian and also the Meidu Fandian, with both of these hotels residing on the Nanhuan Lu, which intersects the Zhongshan Nanlu and runs alongside the Li River (Li Jiang).

Close to the Central Square, the Jinfeng Binguan Hotel is known in Guilin for its regular discounts, while the Golden Elephant on the Binjiang Lu features riverside rooms, and also views of the Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbi Shan), one of the city's most famous sights.

Luxury accommodation in Guilin is in good supply, although a number of the hotels really do stand out. The best include the Osmanthus Hotel on the Zhongshan Nanlu, and also the Bravo on the Ronghu Nanlu, the latter of which offers the city's only swimming pool and a choice of restaurants, specialising in oriental and Western cuisine.