Where to stay in Guilin: Zen Tea House Seven Stars Park Hotel
In Guilin there are many hotels to stay in, considering the amount of tourists who visit this area. Prices, of course, are often low as in whole China, but equally often the poor quality of accommodation does not justify the savings. The Zen Tea House hotel we stayed in, was an excellent compromise between a modest price and a comfortable and clean structure.
The hotel is not far from the actual center of Guilin, east of one of the branches of the Li River that runs through the city. It is a bit difficult to find it from the main street, as it is hidden behind a front row of houses. The entrance overlooks the river, as well as the terrace on the top floor from which you can see a part of the city. By taxi it is about 45' from the airport, and 5' from the center where there are shops and restaurants. These can also be reached with a 20' walk.
When we visited the hotel, the living area was being renovated. The reception is a good place to relax for a hot tea, always ready for guests, and to find information for excursions. The staff is very knowledgeable and, not to be underestimated, speaks good English. They will act as a go-between to book excursions, cruises, activities and transport or to order a take-away dinner, and will give you good advice on the territory. You will also find an original collection of products available to guests, from insect repellent, to muscle relaxant balm, from deodorant to moisturizing cream.
On the ground floor is also the room for breakfast, included in our stay and very welcome. You can choose between the Asian version, which includes a bowl with sauteed eggs and vegetables, fruit salad and Liu sha bao, soft sandwiches filled with egg yolk, and a Western version, which includes toasts to be spread with jam. The room is very cozy, with a wooden basement on which there are futon beds, furnished in a minimal and elegant way, spacious enough for two people.
The stay costs about 35 € per night, breakfast excluded.
We decided not to include the still cheap breakfast because for 2 of the 4 days of our stay, we had in our plan early morning activities, starting before the scheduled time for breakfast service. Breakfast can be requested, when necessary, the evening before at the reception.
This content is NOT SPONSORED, but based on my genuine personal experience. Spontaneous opinions, positive and negative, shareable or not, that I hope will help to live better travel experiences. My advice is a guide to lead you through world explorations, but the real journey, you build it!
