Yangshuo Mountain Retreat — Hotel in Guilin

Nestled along the Yulong River, framed by the dramatic karst peaks that make Yangshuo so unique, the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat offers a setting that feels almost otherworldly. These steep, moss-green limestone formations rise like ancient sentinels from the lush landscape, while the gentle river winds past dense bamboo groves. Watching the bamboo rafts drift by from the privacy of one’s balcony is an experience in itself – especially when the mist clings to the peaks or the sky glows at sunset.||The welcome here is every bit as warm as the scenery is striking. I was greeted with lemon tea and biscuits, and personally shown to my room – a spacious haven designed in the style of a traditional Chinese home. Dark wood furniture, intricate carved details, and a four-poster canopy bed created a romantic, almost nostalgic charm. The bathroom continued the theme, with a stone basin, bamboo accents, and both a regular and a rainfall shower (though the rainfall head could use replacing for a fresher look). Everything felt lovingly maintained, clean, and tidy.||From the balcony, the view of the river and mountains was simply spellbinding. Wicker chairs invited lingering over tea or coffee – though here I must note that the in-room coffee came only in sweetened “2-in-1” sachets with powdered milk, which I personally find less appealing. In a country where unsweetened dairy products are rare, this may be a matter of local taste, but a basic black coffee option would be a welcome addition. A small but quirky omission was the lack of a stirrer or spoon – I ended up improvising with my toothbrush.||The property embraces sustainability, offering refillable glass bottles instead of single-use plastic and providing complimentary bicycles to explore the surrounding countryside – a thoughtful touch in such an eminently bike-friendly region.||The staff deserve particular praise. When I needed assistance with a travel restriction on carrying a power bank in China, they went above and beyond – making calls to the post office, checking regulations, and offering to handle the logistics entirely on my behalf. Though the solution proved impossible, the effort and genuine care left a lasting impression.||Alas, my only true disappointment – and it is a significant one – was the bed. The mattress was extremely firm, essentially a thin topper (around 10 cm) over a hard base with no give at all. Even for those accustomed to firm beds, this was unforgiving. I resorted to layering all available pillows under the sheet to soften the surface, which helped a little, but in any hotel, sleeping comfort should not be compromised. For me, a poor night’s sleep undermines even the loveliest stay, and I would strongly encourage the hotel to consider investing in better mattresses or additional cushioning.||Despite this, the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat remains an enchanting place to unwind – a slower, gentler counterpoint to busier parts of China. With scenery that stirs the soul, a palpable sense of place, and genuinely caring service, it is easy to understand why so many guests fall under its spell. If the bed were as inviting as the rest of the experience, it would be close...

We stayed at the Yangshuo resort for two nights this past June 2025. The weather and the scenery was perfect! We stayed in a second floor room with a balcony that looked out over the grounds and river. We loved being able to watch the rafts travel down the river from the couch on our balcony! The room had everything that we needed for a comfortable stay and the newly remodeled bathroom was fantastic! Room was clean and the mattress was firmer than I am used to but we slept well. The staff was always so eager to help and organize activities for us. We got the private car to and from the airport and that was a lifesaver! The driver was waiting for us at the airport with our name on a sign as we emerged and even had an umbrella for us when it started to rain! Check in was fast and easy and our room was ready when we arrived. We arranged for the airport transfers a few weeks before we arrived and then asked the front desk to arrange a driver to take us around for hikes and sightseeing while we were there. The grounds are amazing and we loved walking on the path next to the river. There are bikes that you can use and scooters that you can rent but we just enjoyed walking. The food at the hotel was excellent there were western options for breakfast that I appreciated. We didn't feel comfortable drinking the water in the rooms and still bought bottled water to drink and to brush our teeth with. There is a septic system so toilet paper cannot be flushed which was not a big deal to us but just something to be aware of. We drove past other resorts in other locations and we felt so lucky that we had chosen to stay where we did! We would 10/10 recommend staying at Yangshuo and...

We thoroughly enjoyed the two nights spent at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat resort style hotel. Our room was clean and very comfortable. The views from our balcony were absolutely astonishing! The location could not have been closer to the river and surrounding mountains. A true gem! ||The retreat has a focus on environmental conservation, which we absolutely loved. The staff were all super friendly and fluent in English, so asking questions was a breeze. The resort offers many on-site amenities, such as laundry service, full bar and restaurant, free bikes, and a stunning courtyard and walkway next to the river. ||We had several meals at the restaurant and all the food was excellent. They have a delicious variety of fresh fruit juices and milk shakes which we ordered with every meal!||The area is naturally beautiful and very photogenic. There’s a bike path just off the property that runs along the river for several kilometers. We checked out bikes every day and made great use of this! ||The retreat is so comfortable and relaxing with a fantastic location as well as great amenities and activities nearby. We’d highly recommend this place and plan to rebook there for any...