There are numerous hostels, hotels and guesthouses in Gulin.  Whether you’re looking for top-end or budget accommodation, there’s something for everyone.  We recommend this really funky hostel:

Backstreet Youth Hostel

3 Renmin Rd.

(across from the Sheraton Hotel)

Guilin

Email: guilinhostel@hotmail.com

Phone: 86-0773-2819936

Room Info & Costs: 

The double rooms at this hostel were extraordinary.  We had a large, clean room with private bathroom for 110RMB/night.  The hostel had a fun, communal sitting area and a small restaurant.  You can find travellers hanging out here having beers during dinner time.  On Wednesdays the hostel puts on a dumpling night.  Everyone (staff included) gets together and hand makes dumplings from scratch!  You then get to feast on the finished product for free.  It made for a really fun night.  The staff at this hostel speak really good English and are willing to help in any way they can.

They run tours to the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces for 130RMB/person.  For us, having limited time and not being able to sleep at the villages near the rice terraces, this was a great deal.  A van is filled with backpackers (there were about 10 of us), taken to the lookout point and then left to wander around ourselves, with a meeting time about 5 hours later.  It was great and didn’t feel like we were being shuttled around like a typical tour.

Pros:  friendly staff, English is spoken, funky hostel, fun dumping night, really nice rooms, great price

Cons:  wi-fi is only available in the lobby area.