More about hotels in Guangxi
Guangxi doesn't do subtle scenery. Limestone peaks push straight up out of rice paddies and river bends around Guilin, farmers have cut entire hillsides into staircases of green at Longsheng, and down on the coast at Beihai the sand turns silver in the late afternoon light. It's one of the most photographed regions in China, and it still looks better in person than in any of the postcards.
Most people base themselves around Guilin or Yangshuo for the karst scenery, though Nanning's parks and street food scene are worth a night on their own too. There's a stay for every version of that trip, from a riverside guesthouse with bikes parked out front to a five-star resort with the mountains sitting right outside the window.
Where to stay in Guangxi
- Guilin: the main gateway, sitting right on the Li River with karst peaks framing the skyline. Good pick for first-timers who want the views without a long transfer. See Guilin hotels.
- Yangshuo: about an hour downriver from Guilin, smaller and slower, with cyclists and rock climbers everywhere and West Street lit up after dark. See Yangshuo hotels.
- Longsheng: up in the hills north of Guilin, home to the Dragon's Backbone rice terraces, with cooler air and misty mornings that make for the best photos in the whole region.
- Nanning: the provincial capital, wide tree-lined boulevards and big parks, less touristy than Guilin and a genuinely good base for food. See Nanning hotels.
- Beihai: Guangxi's coastline, built around Silver Beach's fine white sand and calm, warm water. See Beihai hotels.
- Liuzhou: an industrial city ringed by the same karst countryside as Guilin, and the birthplace of luosifen, the region's famous snail noodle soup. See Liuzhou hotels.
How much is Guangxi accommodation?
A room in Guangxi averages around AU$75 a night, though that swings a long way between a Yangshuo dorm bed and a Li River resort suite. Here's roughly what each tier buys you.
- Backpackers/Hostels: from AU$15 per night. A dorm bed in one of Yangshuo's guesthouses, some with a rooftop that looks straight at the karst peaks.
- Budget hotels/Guesthouses: from AU$35 per night. Clean private rooms, often with a bike parked out front for the day.
- Mid-range/Apartments: from AU$60 per night. A proper pool, air-con that actually works, and an easy walk to West Street or the Guilin waterfront.
- Boutique: from AU$110 per night. Smaller properties built around one specific view, whether that's the Yulong River or a private karst outlook.
- Luxury/Resorts: from AU$180 per night. Five-star service with the mountains or the river right outside, the level Shangri-La and Four Seasons-branded properties sit at here.
Top-rated hotels in Guangxi
- Sheraton Guilin Hotel: sits above the Li River with a pool deck that looks straight across at the karst peaks on the far bank.
- Shangri-La Guilin: a five-star riverside classic, with rooms on the higher floors opening onto full mountain views.
- Yangshuo Zen Garden Resort - Yulong River: set right against the Yulong River, all bamboo screens and quiet courtyards, an easy stroll to the rapids.
- Four Seasons Yunqi Resort (Yangshuo Yulonghe Eternal Love Branch): a newer resort built out into the rice fields, with private pools that face the peaks directly.
- Shangri-La Nanning: the pick if you're basing yourself in the capital, with a rooftop pool above the city skyline.
Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Guangxi
- Book Guilin for the transport links and Yangshuo for the scenery. They're only about an hour apart by road or river, so you don't have to choose just one.
- If a river view actually matters to you, check the specific room, not just the hotel description. Not every room in a "river view" resort actually faces the water.
- Rates jump hard around China's early October holiday week and Chinese New Year, plus the spring months when the karst scenery is at its greenest, so lock in those dates early.
- A bike is genuinely useful in Yangshuo. Pick a stay that already has one on hand rather than sorting a rental separately.
- Guilin's train station puts you close to the Li River pier and within a couple of hours of Longsheng by bus, so a central Guilin stay covers more ground than it looks like on a map.
Feeling hungry before you've even landed? Guilin mifen, a rice noodle in slow-cooked pork bone broth, is the dish locals eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Liuzhou's spicier luosifen has built a following well beyond Guangxi. Pair either with a Li River cruise between Guilin and Yangshuo (the stretch past Xingping is the one pictured on the 20-yuan note), a side trip to Detian Waterfall near the Vietnam border, or a morning walking the Dragon's Backbone terraces in Longsheng, and you've got a genuinely well-rounded few days.
Flying in usually means landing at Guilin or Nanning, both well connected within China. Check flights to China and browse the full China hotel selection on Traveloka to plan the rest of the trip around your Guangxi stay.
