Guilin & Yangshuo Hotels with a Pool
8 Stays with Pools You Soak In Looking Out at Karst Peaks and Water

We open the pool list with the most famous pool in Guilin and Yangshuo — Alila Yangshuo scores 9.6/10 from around 2,043 real guest reviews. This design resort is converted from a 1960s sugar mill on the Li River, and what makes its pool one of the most-photographed images in China is that the pool is laid on the concrete pier once used to move sugar, with the mill's old structural columns reflected on the water, and when you look up you face the karst peaks of Yangshuo, plus river-view rooms where you open the curtains in the morning to the water and the mountains, in a quiet, private setting. Guests say over and over that the design is beautiful, the views are lovely, and the pool is the highlight you come to see for yourself. The honest catch: it's out in Yangshuo, ~65km from the city of Guilin, so it isn't the pick for the city every day, it's design-resort pricing, and a river-view room is worth specifying when you book · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

In second place is the pool whose edge seems to run straight into the Li River — Li River Resort Yangshuo takes the top score on the list at 9.7/10 from around 169 real guest reviews. This riverside four-star sits on a rise above the Li River in Shuangtan Village, Yangshuo. What works for the pool category is an open-air infinity pool whose edge seems to run into the water and the mountains, postcard-pretty in photos, plus room balconies that face the karst peaks lined up along the river, and English-speaking staff who arrange rafts, tours and show tickets. Guests say the views from the pool and the rooms are lovely enough that you don't want to leave. The honest catch: it's a small place with a still-small review count (around 169) even though the score is very high, it's out in Yangshuo ~65km from the city of Guilin, and out in the fields you rely on a car / bike since taxis are hard to find · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

For travellers who want a private pool to soak in on their own — Banyan Tree Yangshuo scores 9.6/10 from around 5,138 real guest reviews, the most on the list. The resort is laid out as southern-Chinese-style villas on the river in Fuli Town, Yangshuo, with karst peaks on three sides. What works for the pool category is that beyond the resort pool, some villas have a private swimming pool you can soak in and watch the peaks from without sharing with anyone, waking to the river and the mountains off the terrace, plus a lot to do — peacocks, alpacas, bamboo-raft floats and a sunset gong ceremony. Guests praise the quiet, the Banyan Tree-brand service, and the privacy of the villas. The honest catch: it's in Fuli Town, a fair way out of the towns of Yangshuo and Guilin (about 65km from the city of Guilin), it's the top price on the list, and the private-pool villas climb higher still · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

An infinity pool amid the rice fields that comes out postcard-pretty in photos — Shuidaotian Resort scores 9.4/10 from around 1,887 real guest reviews. This design resort sits amid the rice fields on the Yulong River, in the Ten-Mile Gallery scenic area of Yangshuo. What works for the pool category is an infinity pool whose edge runs out into the fields, sometimes a 'mirror' surface reflecting the peaks, so you swim and watch the mountains as if you've slipped into another world, plus 270° wraparound-glass rooms where you see the rice fields and karst peaks from the bed, and breakfast with Guilin rice noodles and a free afternoon tea. Guests give the views from the rooms and the pool the highest praise. The honest catch: it's out amid the fields, a way from restaurants and shops, so you need a car (taxis are scarce out there), and the rooms / villas span many grades (50–400 sqm) — for the full field view, choose the room type and check the photos when you book · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

The brand pick with a garden infinity pool, at a reachable international-brand price — Hilton Garden Inn Guilin Yangshuo scores 9.4/10 from around 2,392 real guest reviews, a high review count for a hotel in a rural area like this. This Hilton-brand hotel sits on the Li River at Xingping ancient town, Yangshuo. What works for the pool category is a garden infinity pool whose edge looks out to the mountains, plus a third-floor viewing deck for sunrise and sunset over the Li River, and the location is by the photo spot for China's ¥20-note view. Guests say the hotel is brand-new, the rooms are large and clean, and breakfast offers more choice than expected. The honest catch: Xingping is a separate riverside spot from the town of Yangshuo (~25km from West Street) and ~65km from the city of Guilin, with no metro, so you need a car / taxi · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

For travellers who want a karst-view pool in a quiet, zen mood — Yangshuo Zen Garden Resort scores 9.6/10 from around 235 real guest reviews. This restored old timber-and-stone-courtyard resort, done in zen style, is tucked into Jiwodu Village in the Ten-Mile Gallery, on the Yulong River. What works for the pool category is a chlorine-free swimming pool with a jacuzzi, both facing the karst peaks, plus zen-and-wellness classes — yoga, tai chi, a tea ceremony — and a Chinese-Mediterranean vegetarian restaurant. Guests say it's hard to find a rural stay that pairs a karst-view pool with this range of zen-style activities. The honest catch: it's a small place of 38 rooms with a still-small review count (around 235) even though the score is high, it's out in rural Yangshuo ~65km from the city of Guilin and ~7km from West Street so you need a car, and the restaurant is vegetarian-focused (not to everyone's taste) · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

The best in-city pool option in Guilin, for travellers who want to mix sightseeing with a cooling swim — Shangri-La Hotel Guilin scores 9.3/10 from around 4,143 real guest reviews. This five-star sits on the east bank of the Li River in Qixing district, by Seven Star Park. What works for the pool category is a pool set in spacious, leafy riverside garden grounds, so you can swim then wander the grounds, plus breakfast many guests call the best of the Guilin hotels (with Guilin rice noodles made fresh) and river-view rooms where you open the curtains to the water. Guests praise the relaxing grounds and pool and the reliable Shangri-La service. 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, and it's five-star pricing · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.

We close the list with the option that has both an indoor and an outdoor pool for unlimited use — Club Med Guilin scores 9.3/10 from around 1,226 real guest reviews, ranked the #1 family hotel in Guilin. This all-inclusive resort sits amid the karst peaks at the Yuzi Paradise sculpture park, Yanshan district. What works for the pool category is both an indoor and an outdoor pool for unlimited use, since they're part of the all-inclusive rate, plus plenty to do — archery, a climbing wall, tai chi — and a Mini Club where the G.O. team looks after kids all day, ideal for families who want to pay once and be done. Guests praise the G.O. team's care for the children and the sheer range of activities. The honest catch: it's out of town, ~25km (a ~40-minute drive to the city sights), it's priced per person on the all-inclusive model (which can feel less good value in a small group than a city hotel), and the resort opened in 2013, so some corners feel dated · details compiled from real reviews on Trip.com.