Best Family Hotels in Guilin
8 Stays with Pools, Family Rooms & Easy Sightseeing in the Karst City

We open the family list with the stay built specifically for parents and kids, and it has the highest score and most reviews on the whole list — SYYF Family-Friendly Hotel scores 9.7/10 from around 10,867 real guest reviews. It positions itself as Guilin's parent-child resort, central in Xiangshan district, an easy walk to Elephant Trunk Hill and the Two Rivers Four Lakes. What parents say over and over is that it has a separate kids' pool alongside the outdoor pool, plus a colourful kids' play area, and parent-child rooms kitted out with a kids' tent, bed guard rails and kids' supplies; a great many reviews are tagged 'perfect for kids' and 'clean pool'. The honest catch: it's a popular local property that fills up fast on holidays (book ahead), it's a four-star rather than an international brand, and it's worth confirming foreign-passport check-in when you book · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

This is the all-inclusive resort many parents think of first when they bring the kids — Club Med Guilin scores 9.3/10 from around 1,224 real guest reviews and is ranked the No.1 family hotel in Guilin on Trip.com. It's a five-star resort set in the Yuzi Paradise sculpture park, ringed by karst peaks. What makes it easy on parents is a kids' club (Mini Club) looking after the children, both indoor and outdoor pools, and 20-plus activities from rock climbing and archery to the flying trapeze, plus an all-inclusive setup with buffet meals (Chinese and global dishes for the kids to choose from); guests say the kids stay busy and the parents actually get a break. The honest catch: it's out of town, ~25km away (a ~50-minute drive), so it isn't the pick if you want to see the city every day, it's all-inclusive resort pricing, and you'll want to check the kids' activity and childcare schedule with the resort ahead · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

This is the easiest riverside five-star to travel with the family among the international brands — Shangri-La Hotel Guilin scores 9.3/10 from around 4,143 real guest reviews. It sits on the east bank of the Li River in Qixing district, with spacious grounds for kids to run around, and what wins families over is a kids' club, a kids' pool and free cribs, plus an edge you won't find elsewhere — you can walk to Seven Star Park (七星公园) and its giant pandas, since it's right next door. Guests praise the lovely river views, the reliable Shangri-La service, and the relaxing grounds and pool that suit kids. The honest catch: it's on the east bank, not in the walkable sightseeing core (a ~10-minute taxi to Central Square), the city-view rooms don't get the river (specify a river-view or family room when booking), and it's five-star pricing.

This is the big-brand five-star with the edge on location — which counts for a lot with kids, since you can walk to the key sights — Sheraton Guilin Hotel scores 9.1/10 from around 4,876 real guest reviews. It sits on the Li River on Binjiang Road in Xiufeng district, and the standout is that it's a ~5-minute walk to Elephant Trunk Hill and an easy walk to the Two Rivers Four Lakes and the Zhengyang pedestrian street (so you can walk the kids to food in the evening without taxis). It has a pool, family / connecting rooms, and Li River-view rooms that aren't easy to find from a city-centre hotel; guests praise the walk-everywhere location and the Sheraton-brand service. The honest catch: the building has been open a while, so the styling is classic rather than the newest in town, the city-view rooms don't get the river, and rates rise in high season and on holidays.

This is the best-value four-star on the list, and it works well for families on a sensible budget — Universal Hotel scores 9.5/10 from around 5,293 real guest reviews, higher than several of the city-centre five-stars. It's in the city centre 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 works for families is that it has a 45–50 sqm triple room and a ~60 sqm river-view family suite — room for everyone at a light price — plus a Li River sunrise-view room where you open the curtains in the morning to the bridge and karst peaks. Guests call the rooms clean and great value in a central spot starting at just around ¥130 (฿650). The honest catch: it's a four-star with no pool or resort facilities, the entry rooms are twin city views (the family / river-view rooms need to be specified), and the Liberation Bridge area is busy in the evening.

This is an Atour-brand design midscale that ties Universal at peak score and scores higher than several of the city-centre five-stars — good for families who want a clean design room dead-centre on the pedestrian street — 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 (step out of the room and you can eat and wander with the kids straight away), plus a 32–38 sqm family room at a still-light price. Guests praise the clean, warm-toned design rooms, Atour's signature beds, scent and reading nook, and the comfortable beds. 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).

This is the Yangshuo resort many parents choose because the kids can swim happily with a gorgeous view — Shuidaotian Resort scores 9.4/10 from around 1,880 real guest reviews. It sits on the Yulong River in Yangshuo's Ten-Mile Gallery area, among the rice fields and karst peaks, and what works for families is an infinity pool looking out over the rice terraces for the kids to swim with a view, plus a kids' play area and a rice-field mini-train that reviews say keep kids busy for a whole afternoon, with family rooms and two-bedrooms to sleep everyone comfortably. Guests praise the lovely views, the spacious common areas, and the countryside setting where kids can run around. The honest catch: it's in Yangshuo, ~65km from central Guilin (and out in the countryside beyond that), it's not the pick for seeing the city, and you'll want to check the transfer / getting in and out ahead · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

We close the family list with the city landmark kids love for its façade-waterfall show — Lijiang Waterfall Hotel scores 9.1/10 from around 2,996 real guest reviews. The tower stands right by Central Square (中心广场), facing Shanhu Lake, an easy walk to the Sun & Moon Pagodas and the Zhengyang pedestrian street, and its signature is a record-setting (Guinness) façade waterfall released on a schedule that kids love to watch, plus it has family rooms and a central location you can walk the kids to everything from. Guests praise the walk-to-everything spot and a five-star starting price that's lighter than its rivals. The honest catch: it's one of the city's older landmark towers, so parts feel classic, the city-view rooms don't get the lake / waterfall, and Central Square is a busy area (lively at times).