Jolie Vue Boutique Guilin

The staff’s warmth stood out from the start. Someone took my luggage straight to the room without me needing to ask, and check-in was smooth and courteous. Compared with other places I’d stayed at recently, the genuine smiles and friendly welcome here set a great tone. Breakfast on the seventh floor was a highlight for the view alone. You look out over the Li River and Guilin’s iconic karst hills, and the restaurant staff were warm and accommodating too. There was a generous spread of noodles, salads, sweetcorn, and other hot dishes, although a lot of it leaned toward meat and seafood. As a vegetarian, I was disappointed that both vegetable dishes had shrimp or meat mixed in. It would have been easy to serve the vegetables separately. I did appreciate the fresh bread, including wholegrain, along with goji berries and walnuts for muesli, which aren’t a given in many hotels. The room was spacious and clean, with a large bed, seating area, and a comfortable modern look. The hotel has a boutique feel, tastefully designed without being extravagant. The modest lobby is elegant, and the softly lit corridors carry that contemporary feel through to the rooms. Everything was in good condition, including the striking black marble bathroom, separate shower, and deep bathtub. Slippers and amenities were laid out neatly. My main disappointment was being put on the second floor. I usually prefer a higher floor for more light and a better outlook. The window faced an architectural overhang that made the view feel like an inner courtyard tunnel. It was bright enough in the daytime, but not what I’d hoped for in a city known for its scenery. For one night it wasn’t a dealbreaker, though I wouldn’t have accepted that room for a longer stay. Other hotels on this trip had honored my higher floor request, so I’m not sure whether my agency failed to pass it on or the request was overlooked. It was a satisfying stay overall. The room was stylish and well equipped despite its position, the staff were a real bright spot, and that breakfast room is memorable. I’d especially consider it if I could get a higher room with a view to match.

We didn’t stay at the hotel, just went up to the rooftop restaurant. It was a relaxed escape from the crowds, with a good range of local and Western food and somewhere pleasant to have a drink. Prices are clearly higher than local restaurants, around 2-3x as much. The view was great and the staff were nice, though service took a while and communication could be tricky since not everyone spoke English. I had very good mojitos. The tomahawk steak wasn’t really a tomahawk, to be honest, and it was cooked oddly, almost as if it had been tossed in oil. We also ordered a “dim sum platter,” but what arrived was a dessert platter. We laughed it off rather than make a scene, since it seemed to be a translation problem: the local menu’s English version called it dim sum, and it was listed alongside noodle dishes. A table nearby ordered wine and sent it back, apparently because it wasn’t good.

The staff were very kind, and the place was neat and clean. Breakfast was great, and the room on the third floor didn’t smell musty. There was monk tea in the room, the AC worked well, and I had nothing to complain about.

The friendly staff and pretty good continental breakfast were nice, and the location is hard to beat: just steps from elephant trunk hill, the Twin Pagodas, and the pedestrian street. But the rooms need some upgrades. Ours looked nice, though the bathroom piping leaked and water pooled on the shelf under the sink, leaving a sewage smell. We reported it, but they only cleaned up and said it was fine. In the end we wrapped a towel around the pipe and bought lavender bags to cover the smell. I probably wouldn’t stay there again.