Where to stay in Guilin: a first-timer’s guide to 4 areas
Where to stay in Guilin: the city centre for a first trip (hotels typically about $33 a night), Qixing for a quieter, newer hotel (about $34), and Guilin Station to spend less (about $24).
Guilin is the gateway to the Li River and its karst peaks, and most trips here are really two places: the city, where you arrive and board the Li River cruise, and Yangshuo, the small town where the cruise ends and the countryside begins. In the city itself, the sights, the food streets and the night views are packed into a walkable centre between the river and four lakes. We compared 79 hotels in 4 areas: what each is like, its catch, who it suits, what its hotels typically cost and the best-rated ones, so you can choose by your own priorities.
Short on time? The quick answer
- First trip, one or two nightsthe city centre $33The lakes, the pagodas, East-West Alley and the night food streets on foot.
- Best valueGuilin North $20, Guilin Station $24 or the city centre $33The lowest typical prices of the areas with 8 or more hotels.
- Families and longer staysQixing $34Calmer streets, Seven Star Park and newer, roomier hotels, the centre across the river.
- Early train to Yangshuo or onwardGuilin North $20 or Guilin Station $24The high-speed station, or the central station with buses and trains.
- LuxuryQixing $34 or the city centre $33The highest typical prices and many of the city's grandest hotels.
Best areas to stay in Guilin at a glance
| Area | Best for | Typical price | Transit | Evenings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Rivers and Four Lakes (city centre)Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, East-West Alley, Elephant Trunk Hill | Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, East-West Alley, Elephant Trunk Hill | $33 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 9.4 |
| Qixing (Seven Star Park)Seven Star Park, the east bank, newer hotels | Seven Star Park, the east bank, newer hotels | $34 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 9.3 |
| Guilin Railway Stationtrains, buses, value | trains, buses, value | $24 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 9.2 |
| Guilin North Railway Stationhigh-speed trains | high-speed trains | $20 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 8.9 |
Typical price: the median nightly rate of the area's hotels on Staylist World. Transit: metro, rail and airport links. Evenings: how lively the area is after about 9 pm. Score: the average hotel score.
4 rules before you choose an area
- Decide first: Guilin or Yangshuo. Guilin is the city; Yangshuo is the small town about 60 km down the Li River, where the karst countryside, the Yulong River and the cycling are. Most first trips sleep one or two nights in Guilin and two or three in Yangshuo. Stay longer in Guilin for the city sights, Reed Flute Cave and a day trip to the Longji rice terraces.
- Plan the night after the Li River cruise. The cruise runs one way, downstream, from piers outside the city (Mopanshan for 3-star boats, Zhujiang for 4-star) and ends in Yangshuo about four hours later. Book your Yangshuo hotel for that night and travel light. Check whether your ticket includes a hotel pickup; otherwise a taxi to the pier costs about ¥100.
- Pay for a view only if the room has one. "River view" and "lake view" in a hotel's name do not mean every room faces the water. Choose the room type that names the view, and read the reviews that mention it.
- Check the hotel accepts foreign guests. Mid-range and upscale hotels almost always do; some small and budget hotels cannot register foreign passports. Trip.com shows this on the hotel page, and our hotel pages flag it.
1. Two Rivers and Four Lakes (city centre): best for a first trip
Why stay here. Guilin's walkable centre, ringed by the Li River, the Peach Blossom River and four lakes. Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and the restored lanes of East-West Alley are here, the Sun and Moon Pagodas are lit up on Shanhu Lake at night, and Elephant Trunk Hill, the rock arch where the Peach Blossom River meets the Li River, is at the south end. Hotels near the river and the hill sell rooms with views.
The catch. It is crowded and loud on holiday evenings, and many hotels are older. Street-facing rooms can be noisy, and only some rooms in "view" hotels face the river or the hill.
- Good for
- First-timers, short stays, couples, evening walks and food
- Not ideal for
- Light sleepers on holiday weekends
By the numbers: 35 hotels, typically about $33 a night (most $18 to $54), average score 9.4. Includes 1 female-only.
Best hotels in the city centre
- 19.8GangShe Rooftop View Hotel l (Guilin Two Rivers And Four Lakes Elephant Trunk Hill)4-star · about 10 min walk to Zhengyang Pedestrian Streetfrom $39 / night
- 29.8Li River Hotel (Guilin Two Rivers and Four Lakes Xiangshan Scenic Spot)5-star · about 2 min walk to Zhengyang Pedestrian Streetfrom $164 / night
- 39.8Lijiang Moon View · Quiet Holiday Lakeside Hotel (Guilin Two Rivers & Four Lakes Area)4-star · about 12 min walk to Zhengyang Pedestrian Streetfrom $51 / night
2. Qixing (Seven Star Park): best for a quieter, newer hotel
Why stay here. The east bank of the Li River, across the bridges from the centre: Seven Star Park with its karst peaks and cave, the convention and exhibition centre, and newer hotels, often for less than in the centre. The centre is 15 to 25 minutes on foot across the river.
The catch. There are fewer restaurants and less to do in the evening than in the centre.
- Good for
- Families, longer stays, value seekers
- Not ideal for
- Nightlife
By the numbers: 15 hotels, typically about $34 a night (most $17 to $56), average score 9.3. Includes 1 capsule.
Best hotels in Qixing
- 19.7Orange Hotel (Guilin Convention and Exhibition Center Lijiang Road)4-star · about 13 min walk to Seven Star Parkfrom $33 / night
- 29.7Dongjiang Courtyard Hotel4-star · about 17 min walk to Seven Star Parkfrom $35 / night
- 39.7Ji Hotel Guilin Qixing Convention and Exhibition Center Fuxing Road4-star · about 12 min walk to Seven Star Parkfrom $34 / night
3. Guilin Railway Station: best for trains and value
Why stay here. Zhongshan South Road around Guilin Station, the central railway station, with chain hotels and the city centre about 25 minutes' walk north. It suits a night before a train, or an early start for Yangshuo.
The catch. Station streets are busy and plain, and the cheapest hotels can be dated. Read the bad reviews before you book.
- Good for
- Train trips, value seekers, one-night stays
- Not ideal for
- A scenic base
By the numbers: 14 hotels, typically about $24 a night (most $13 to $28), average score 9.2.
Best hotels near Guilin Station
- 19.7Versailles Hotel (Guilin Two Rivers and Four Lakes Railway Station Branch)4-star · about 3 min walk to Guilin Railway Stationfrom $24 / night
- 29.7Guilin Railway Station Atour Hotel (Yingtai Building)4-star · about 2 min walk to Guilin Railway Stationfrom $41 / night
- 39.6Metropolo Jinjiang Hotels (Guilin Railway Station The Mixc)4-star · about 1 min walk to Guilin Railway Stationfrom $29 / night
4. Guilin North Railway Station: best for early high-speed trains
Why stay here. Guilin's main high-speed station, about 6 km north of the centre, with trains to Yangshuo in about 20 to 25 minutes and to Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
The catch. It is far from the river and the sights, so it suits one night before an early train, not a whole stay.
- Good for
- Early trains, one-night stopovers
- Not ideal for
- Sightseeing
By the numbers: 15 hotels, typically about $20 a night (most $16 to $22), average score 8.9.
Best hotels in Guilin North
- 19.6Mehood Hotel (Guilin North Railway Station High-speed Railway Plaza)3-star · about 2 min walk to Guilin North Railway Stationfrom $21 / night
- 29.6Atour Hotel （Guilin North Railway Station North Zhongshan Road）4-star · about 7 min walk to Guilin North Railway Stationfrom $35 / night
- 39.5Guilin North Railway Station Hua Residence Licheng Hotel4-star · about 1 min walk to Guilin North Railway Stationfrom $25 / night
Staying a week? Split your stay
Two nights in Guilin and two or three in Yangshuo suit most first trips: arrive in Guilin, take the Li River cruise to Yangshuo, and add a day for the Longji rice terraces, about two to two and a half hours north by road, if you have time.
Where not to stay in Guilin
- Guilin for the whole trip if you came for the countryside: Yangshuo is an hour or more away each way.
- Guilin North for a whole stay: it is about 6 km from the river and the sights.
- Budget hotels whose bad reviews mention damp rooms or noise from the street.
Tips for booking a hotel in Guilin
- Book the Li River cruise before you book Yangshuo. Fares depend on the boat: sources in 2026 give about ¥215 for 3-star boats and ¥320 to ¥360 for 4-star. Buy from an official channel or a known agency, check which pier is on your ticket, and expect about four hours on the river.
- Yangshuo Station is not in Yangshuo town. High-speed trains from Guilin North or Guilin West take about 20 to 25 minutes, but Yangshuo Station is about 25 to 34 km from West Street: allow about an hour by shuttle bus, or about ¥100 to ¥115 by taxi. Direct buses from Guilin to Yangshuo's bus station, next to West Street, take about 75 to 90 minutes. Where to stay in Yangshuo.
- Read the bad reviews before you book. Guilin is humid, and the complaints are specific: damp rooms, musty smells and street noise in the centre. Every hotel below links to its 1-2 star reviews. Check any hotel's bad reviews.
- Set up payments before you fly. Link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay: taxis, cruise tickets and street food are paid by QR code. How to set up Alipay as a foreigner.
- Sort out mobile data. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked on Chinese networks; a roaming plan or a travel eSIM bought before you fly keeps them working, and maps work offline only if you download them first.
Before you go to Guilin
- Hotels in Guilin for foreigners: 159 hotels whose booking page says they accept guests from all countries.
- Hotels that accept foreigners in China: how to book, check-in with a passport, deposits and police registration.
- What hotels cost in Guilin, by star class and budget.
- Paying: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly.
- Entry: check whether you can visit China visa-free for 30 days or use the 240-hour transit.
The best hotel in each area, side by side
One pick per area, compared on score, typical price and what guests say.
Compare 4 areas' top hotels or explore Guilin on the map
Questions about where to stay in Guilin
Is it better to stay in Guilin or Yangshuo?
Both, for most trips. Guilin is where you arrive and where the Li River cruise starts; Yangshuo, where it ends, is the place for the karst countryside, cycling and the Yulong River. A common plan is one or two nights in Guilin and two or three in Yangshuo. If you only have two nights, spend them in Yangshuo and see Guilin's centre on the way.
Where should I stay in Guilin for the first time?
In the centre, around the Two Rivers and Four Lakes, Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and East-West Alley: the lit pagodas, the night food streets and Elephant Trunk Hill are on foot. Staylist World compares 35 rated hotels there, typically about $33 a night.
What is the cheapest area to stay in Guilin?
Guilin North (about $20 a night), Guilin Station (about $24 a night) and the city centre (about $33 a night) have the lowest typical prices of the areas we compared, counting only areas with 8 or more hotels.
Where to stay in Guilin with kids?
Qixing, on the east bank: calmer than the centre, next to Seven Star Park, and its hotels are often newer and roomier. Staylist World compares 15 hotels there, typically about $34 a night.
How many nights do I need in Guilin?
One or two nights in the city is enough for most visitors, plus two or three in Yangshuo. Add a night if you want a day trip to the Longji rice terraces.
How far are the Li River cruise piers from Guilin?
Roughly 25 to 30 km from the centre, about 40 minutes by car. Mopanshan pier serves the 3-star boats and Zhujiang pier the 4-star ones; check which pier is on your ticket and whether it includes a hotel pickup.
Can foreigners stay in any hotel in Guilin?
Most hotels on international booking sites accept foreign guests, but some small and budget hotels cannot register foreign passports. Check that the listing says it accepts guests from all countries before you pay.
Should I stay in more than one area of Guilin?
Two nights in Guilin and two or three in Yangshuo suit most first trips: arrive in Guilin, take the Li River cruise to Yangshuo, and add a day for the Longji rice terraces, about two to two and a half hours north by road, if you have time.
Where are the female-only hotels in Guilin?
Staylist World lists female-only hotels, capsules and floors in the city centre (1). See all of them on the female-only hotels page.
Our verdict
For a first trip, stay in Guilin's centre around the lakes and Zhengyang Pedestrian Street for a night or two, then take the Li River cruise and spend the rest of the trip in Yangshuo. Choose Qixing for a quieter, newer hotel, the railway station to spend less, and Guilin North only before an early train.
How we compared: each hotel belongs to its nearest area centre (within walking distance) and is counted once. Walk times are estimates from the map. Prices, scores and guest praise or complaints come from Staylist World's data and AI overviews of guest reviews; transit and evening ratings are our own judgement of rail links and nightlife. Previously observed price; confirm current price and availability. Data updated 6 November 2026. How Staylist ranks hotels.