Where to Stay in Yangshuo?
6 Li River & West Street Hotels — Resorts, Rice Fields and the Yulong River

We open with the design resort that scores highest on the list, and one of the two here with a full review page from us — Alila Yangshuo holds a compiled 9.6/10 from around 2,043 real guest reviews. It's a five-star resort converted from a 1960s sugar mill on the Li River in Yangshuo, with raw brick-and-concrete shells blended into contemporary architecture that has become the draw in itself, and a swimming pool set on the old sugar-conveyor platform looking out at the karst peaks. Guests say the same things over and over: the architecture is striking, the atmosphere is calm, the service is good, and the mountain-and-river views are worth the trip. The honest catch: it's out of Yangshuo town in the riverside countryside (a fair way from West Street, so use the transfer), and it's design-resort pricing.

This is the luxury riverside resort that ties for the top score, has the most reviews on the list, and also carries a full review page from us — Banyan Tree Yangshuo holds a compiled 9.6/10 from around 5,138 real guest reviews. It's a five-star villa resort in southern-Chinese style on the Li / Yulong rivers at Fuli Town, Yangshuo, with karst peaks on three sides; the rooms are villas looking out over the river and the peaks, and there are top-tier villas with a private pool. Guests love the privacy, the mountain-and-river views, the Banyan Tree-level service, and the relaxed honeymoon-friendly mood. The honest catch: it's out at Fuli Town beyond Yangshuo town itself (a fair way from West Street), and it has the highest from-price on the list.

This is the small hillside boutique resort that holds the highest score on the list (from a smaller review base than the others) — Li River Resort holds a compiled 9.7/10 from around 169 real guest reviews. It's a 21-room four-star set on a rise at Shuangtan Village on the Li River near Xingping, and what guests rave about most is the infinity pool and viewing deck looking out at a bend of the river lined with karst peaks. The English-speaking staff are helpful, the on-site restaurant does both Chinese and Western food well, and the mood is calm, like retreating into nature. The honest catch: the review base is still small (~169), it's up a hill out of Yangshuo town (you need the transfer, not the pick for walking West Street), and it's a small resort with limited rooms.

This is a riverside five-star in central Yangshuo that walks to West Street, and it has the most reviews of the near-West-Street group — Green Lotus Hotel holds a compiled 9.2/10 from around 2,348 real guest reviews. The five-star sits at the foot of Green Lotus Peak (碧莲峰) on the Li River in central Yangshuo, and the edge is that it's a ~5-minute walk to West Street, so you step straight out to eat, drink and shop. There's a large pool, a gym, a kids' play corner and river-view rooms, and guests praise the location that gives you both the riverfront and West Street, the helpful staff and the clean rooms. The honest catch: it's been open a while, so the styling is classic rather than a new design resort, the city / garden-view rooms don't get the river, and it's near West Street, which is lively at night (some rooms get noise).

This is a Yulong-River boutique that international guests have long favoured for its setting and service — Yangshuo Mountain Retreat holds a compiled 9.2/10 from around 748 real guest reviews. The property sits on the Yulong River (遇龙河) near Yulong Bridge, among the rice fields and karst peaks, and what guests unanimously praise is the riverside setting, calm as an oasis — meals on the lawn by the water looking at the river and the mountains, morning and evening. The English-speaking staff give warm service, the rooms are clean in an old-Chinese style, and you can cycle or take a bamboo raft through the fields straight from the door. The honest catch: it's out of Yangshuo town in the countryside (a fair way from West Street, so you need a vehicle), the rooms are old-Chinese in style rather than modern, and it's a small rural property.

We close with the central-Yangshuo four-star that's great value and has the most reviews after the luxury brands — Grand Rezen Hotel Yangshuo holds a compiled 9.3/10 from around 1,506 real guest reviews. The four-star sits in central Yangshuo facing Yangshuo Park (阳朔公园), and the edge is that it's a ~5-minute walk to West Street and about 15 minutes to the Yangshuo pier — good for anyone who wants a central, walk-out-to-eat base on a mid budget. Guests praise the spacious brand-standard rooms, the location within walking reach of everything in town, and a starting price as light as ~¥270 (฿1,350). The honest catch: it's a four-star in town, not riverside or with rice-field views like a resort, it's in an area that's lively at night (outer rooms may get noise), and it's a mid-tier brand rather than luxury.