Budget Hotels in Guilin
8 Best-Value Stays from ¥70–¥360 — Central and Walkable

We open the budget list with the best value of the lot — a four-star that scores higher than several of the city-centre five-stars, yet starts at a three-star-chain price. Universal Hotel scores 9.5/10 from around 5,293 real guest reviews. It sits by Liberation Bridge (解放桥) in Xiufeng district, an easy walk to the Two Rivers Four Lakes and the Zhengyang pedestrian street, and what guests rave about most is the Li River sunrise-view room — open the curtains in the morning to the bridge and karst peaks over the water, still far cheaper than a river-view room at a five-star. Rooms are clean and well-equipped, and it's great value in a central spot from around ¥130 (฿650). The honest catch: it's a four-star with no resort facilities, the entry rooms are city views (the river-view rooms cost more and need to be specified), and the Liberation Bridge area is busy in the evening.

This is the design chain that scores highest among the three-star chains on this list, and it starts very light — JI Hotel (Two Rivers Four Lakes) scores 9.6/10 from around 996 real guest reviews (the score and reviews are compiled from real reviews on Trip.com). It's a JI Hotel (全季) chain property that opened in 2021 on Zhongshan Middle Road in Diecai district, an easy walk to the Two Rivers Four Lakes and Central Square. Guests praise the clean rooms, the warm-toned JI design with a predictable, reliable standard, the good front-desk service, and great value from around ¥100 (฿500). The honest catch: it's a sleep-focused three-star chain with no pool or river view, standard rooms are compact, and JI Hotel has several branches in Guilin — confirm the 'Two Rivers Four Lakes' branch when booking.

This is the three-star chain with the best central spot in the budget group — right on the Zhengyang pedestrian street — Hanting Premium Hotel (Zhengyang) scores 9.5/10 from around 1,222 real guest reviews (the score and reviews are compiled from real reviews on Trip.com). It's a Hanting (汉庭) Premium chain property that opened in 2021 at No.2 on the Zhengyang pedestrian street (正阳步行街) in Xiufeng district; step outside and you're among the shops and restaurants, with Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun & Moon Pagodas an easy walk. Guests praise the walk-out-and-explore location, the clean newer rooms, and the predictable chain standard, from around ¥110 (฿550). The honest catch: it's a sleep-focused three-star chain, standard rooms are compact, and it's on a pedestrian street that's busy in the evening (street-facing rooms may get noise).

This is the three-star chain with the most reviews on the whole list, and it starts at the lightest price — Lavande Hotel (Central Square · Elephant Trunk Hill) scores 9.2/10 from around 6,528 real guest reviews. This Lavande (丽枫) chain hotel is on the Zhengyang pedestrian street (正阳步行街) in the city centre, an easy walk to the Sun & Moon Pagodas and Central Square. Guests almost unanimously call the rooms modern and clean, great value, and a predictable chain standard, with a location you can shop and eat from the moment you arrive. The honest catch: it's a practical three-star chain with no resort facilities, the Superior rooms are compact, the lobby is on the 5th floor of a commercial building (find the right entrance), and the pedestrian-street area is busy in the evening.

This is the design chain with the highest score on the whole list — JI Hotel (Elephant Trunk Hill · Liberation Bridge) scores 9.7/10 from around 1,636 real guest reviews (the score and reviews are compiled from real reviews on Trip.com). It's a JI Hotel (全季) chain property on Qixia Road in Qixing district, near Elephant Trunk Hill and Liberation Bridge, an easy walk to the Two Rivers Four Lakes. Guests praise the very clean rooms, the warm-toned JI design with a predictable, reliable standard, the good service, and a location that walks to the key sights, from around ¥130 (฿650). The honest catch: it's a sleep-focused three-star chain with no pool or river view, standard rooms are compact, and JI Hotel has several branches in Guilin — confirm the 'Elephant Trunk Hill / Liberation Bridge' branch when booking.

If you'll pay a little more to step up to a full four-star on the lake, this one is good value — Guilin Bravo Hotel scores 9.4/10 from around 2,245 real guest reviews. It's a four-star that used to be the Holiday Inn Guilin, on Ronghu Lake (榕湖), where the lake-view rooms open onto the water and the peaks behind. Guests praise the leafy, calm lakeside setting, the lake-view rooms as the best value, the Grand Wing in better condition than the older section, and the ~10-minute walk to the city centre and night market. The honest catch: the main building is older with some classic-condition parts (pick the Grand Wing if you want a newer room), the entry rooms in the main building don't get the lake view, and it's not right on the pedestrian street (a ~10-minute walk).

We round off the hotels with a design four-star at the top of the budget range that still scores at the peak with a fully central location — Atour Hotel (Zhengyang · Two Rivers Four Lakes · Elephant Trunk Hill) scores 9.5/10 from around 2,330 real guest reviews. It sits on the Zhengyang pedestrian street (正阳步行街) in the city centre, and the edge is a location that walks easily to Elephant Trunk Hill and the Sun & Moon Pagodas. Guests praise the clean, warm-toned design rooms, Atour's signature beds, scent and reading nook, the comfortable beds, and good value in a central spot from around ¥360 (฿1,800). The honest catch: it's a midscale with no pool or river view, standard rooms are compact, and it's on a pedestrian street that's busy in the evening (street-facing rooms may get noise).

We close the list with the cheapest option — a top-rated social hostel that's the floor on price. Guilin Wada Hostel is a backpacker hostel with both dorm beds from ¥70 and private rooms, scoring around 9.0/10 (a cross-platform rating). It has a central location within walking distance of Central Square. What guests praise most is the English-speaking desk and the help with cruises and Yangshuo transfers (great for solo travellers who don't speak Chinese), the common space for meeting fellow travellers, and the lightest prices on the list. The honest catch: it's a hostel with basic facilities, the dorm beds use shared bathrooms, and as a local property, it's worth confirming foreign-passport check-in and your arrival time when you book.