Shangri-La Hotel Guilin

We stayed two nights in December 2025. The view from the room is the big draw, and for the price of a five-star hotel, I think it’s worth staying here for that. The property was nice and well kept inside and out. The rooms were spacious, with a comfortable big bed, but honestly they felt run down and not very clean. The couch felt really icky. Dinner at the restaurant was very good, with lots of dishes to choose from.

There’s plenty to keep kids busy here, including a mini zoo on the grounds and a complimentary little train ride for hotel guests. Families can also get connecting rooms. The hotel looks grand, the room size is comfortable, though the rooms feel a little dated. Breakfast has a very good international spread. We ate at Shang Palace and liked the Chinese food, which was great and reasonably priced. An in-house discount applies when you charge it to your room. Service could be better for Shang standards, and it would be nice if the front desk staff smiled more and were friendlier.

On both of our visits the hotel was fairly full, but it didn’t feel crowded apart from breakfast, and even then it wasn’t too packed. The staff were friendly and helpful. It’s an excellent hotel, even by Shangri-la standards. I do think some things could be improved, since it doesn’t perform as well as some in bigger, fancier cities. If you’re foreign, staff are still friendly, but service may improve if you can speak even a little Mandarin, like asking for help or asking what something is. I’d like to try the Horizon club lounge next time.

The breakfast buffet was a highlight for me, with lots of choices and very good food, though at busy times it can be hard to get a seat. If you’re dining with someone, grab a table first and have one person hold it, or you may come back with your food to find a stranger sitting with you. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the hotel is in a handy spot near Elephant Trunk Hill and other sights. It’s one of Guilin’s five-star hotels and, even at 15 years old, still looks grand inside and out. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, but a bit dated and missing USB outlets. I booked the breakfast-included package. It’s a solid place for a comfortable stay in Guilin.