A Renewed Realm, Joyful Travel (Experience at Sheraton Guilin Hotel)

Autumn cicadas begin to chirp,

The seasons slowly shift.

Will the weather turn cooler soon?

I once longed so much

For the heat to end quickly,

But now, I can't help feeling lonely.

How can humans be so capricious?

To the east lies the beautiful Li River, to the south the charming Elephant Trunk Hill, near to Seven Star Park, and to the north the peaks of Fubo Hill and Diecai Hill. The location is uniquely advantageous, truly a "place where mountains and rivers meet."

The magnificent Roman-style lobby, the luxurious and unique open-view elevator, the serene courtyard garden with pavilions, waterfalls, lush greenery, and elegant scenery—modern facilities blend seamlessly with natural beauty.

This is the long-established international chain five-star hotel in Guilin—Sheraton Guilin Hotel.

After waiting for so long, I finally get to experience its renewed realm this autumn.

I am not lonely, nor am I capricious; waiting is a kind of promise.

I am used to placing emotion above reason,

And playing a nocturne about parting,

Letting the gentle night of longing continue.

**Location & Transportation:** The hotel is located at No. 15 Binjiang Road, Xiufeng District, Guilin, about 31 km by car from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport, about 4 km from Guilin Railway Station, and about 8 km from Guilin North Station.

**Renovation Style:** Situated in the heart of Guilin city, surrounded by emerald mountains and the beautiful Li River, as a long-established international chain five-star hotel, the main building has long merged with the surrounding lush greenery and rolling landscapes. The newly renovated public spaces and guest rooms incorporate elegant Guilin landscape elements, blending a luxurious and refined modern style with the traditional artistic conception of ink-wash painting.

**Guest Room Views:** Buildings in central Guilin are generally limited in height to maintain harmony between urban architecture and natural scenery. Although the hotel building is not very tall, it occupies a large area, with over 400 guest rooms. This time I experienced a river-view king suite facing the Li River. Opening the windows of the living room, the main bathroom hallway, and the bedroom, the view is expansive. Looking out, the winding river hides among the camphor trees along the bank, stirring the imagination.

In the seating area, the contrasting colors of the single sofa and chaise lounge, along with the selection of wall art, not only add a touch of liveliness to the warm and elegant overall style but also create a separate space for indoor portrait photography. The coffee table in the living room adopts a modern, minimalist style, with prominent storage function and suitable for still-life photography.

**Toiletries:** This set of Le Grand Bain toiletries includes conditioner, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel, and soap, blended with energizing bergamot and balancing vetiver. Its advantage is that it is preservative-free, and its cleansing and moisturizing effects slowly release and nourish the body unnoticed.

**Bathroom Fixtures:** Shower and handheld showerhead brand COSO; toilet, bathtub, sink, and faucet brand American Standard. These products are consistently durable and long-lasting. The shower heats up quickly and maintains a constant temperature, allowing every guest to quickly relieve physical fatigue and rejuvenate.

**Bedding & Linens:** Linens and bedding brand Canasin; mattress brand King Koil. King Koil mattresses have always been my favorite, bar none. Whether for an afternoon nap or a full night's sleep, the combination of King Koil and Canasin always gives peace of mind. No matter the weather or environment, this pair ensures optimal comfort and balanced body support.

**Smart Devices:** Smart LCD TV and multi-functional Bluetooth wireless speaker with LCD alarm clock meet basic leisure needs for guests.

**Amenities:** It is recommended to use the outdoor swimming pool before 10:00 or after 16:00. At other times, the gym next to the pool offers indoor cardio exercises. The gym features imported fitness equipment, including cardio machines, combined abdominal/back/leg trainers, weight training equipment, treadmills, ellipticals, etc. Outside the lobby bar, there is an outdoor garden with pavilions, rockeries, a pond, and lush greenery. Since the lobby bar also functions as an executive lounge, I recommend both Marriott elite members enjoying Happy Hours and afternoon tea guests to visit and take photos. When the setting sun falls on the bar counter by the window, a mixed fruit juice accompanies a colorful afternoon. On weekend evenings, there are also live band performances.

**Nearby Entertainment:** Given the hotel's prime location, why not take a City Walk in the early morning or at dusk? Recommended destinations:

* **Zhengyang Pedestrian Street:** 2-minute walk from the hotel, located in the city center, 666 meters long, a pedestrian street integrating leisure, shopping, and entertainment. It connects with Shangshui Food Street and Miao Street Food Street.

* **Dongxi Alley · Xiaoyao Tower:** 10-minute walk from the hotel. Xiaoyao Tower was the east gate tower of Guizhou City in the Tang Dynasty, housing a stone inscription of "Xiaoyao Tower" by Yan Zhenqing. Dongxi Alley includes traditional Guilin lanes like Jiangnan Lane and Lanjing Lane, a commercial district integrating leisure, food, and shopping.

* **Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbi Hill):** 7-minute walk from the hotel. It is the emblem hill of Guilin, named for its resemblance to an elephant drinking from the Li River. The cave in Elephant Trunk Hill Park also contains the cellar for Guilin's specialty Sanhua liquor.

* **Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas:** 5-minute walk from the hotel. They are famous scenic spots in the Two Rivers and Four Lakes water system. The Sun Pagoda is made of copper, the Moon Pagoda of glazed tiles, connected by a 10-meter underwater tunnel.

* **Ancient South Gate (also known as Banyan Tree Gate):** 15-minute walk from the hotel. It was the south gate of "Tang City" in Guilin, with a history of over 1,300 years. According to the Ming Dynasty "Unification Annals," the gate was built in the Tang Dynasty with a banyan tree planted, whose roots stretched across the gate over time.

* **Solitary Beauty Peak (Duxiu Feng) · Prince City Scenic Area:** 15-minute walk from the hotel. It was the princely mansion of Zhu Shouqian, the Jingjiang Prince of the Ming Dynasty. There is a saying: "After seeing the Prince City, you know Guilin." The famous inscription "Guilin's landscape is the best under heaven" is carved on the cliff of Solitary Beauty Peak.

* **Mulong Lake Scenic Area:** 8-minute drive from the hotel. Above the lake is Mulong Cave, hence the name Mulong Lake. It was remodeled based on Song Dynasty architecture like "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," making it a unique lake section in the Two Rivers and Four Lakes system.

* **Diecai Hill (Folded Brocade Hill):** 6-minute drive from the hotel. For over a thousand years, Diecai Hill has been known as a gathering place of landscapes, attracting countless visitors and leaving many precious inscriptions. It consists of Yue Hill, Siwang Hill, Mingyue Peak, and Xianhe Peak. From the top, you can overlook the city and the Li River scenery.

* **Seven Star Park:** 15-minute walk from the hotel. It integrates Guilin's mountains, water, caves, rocks, courtyards, architecture, and cultural relics. It includes Camel Hill, Longyin Cave, Crescent Hill, Putuo Hill, Seven Star Cave, zoo, children's playground, etc.

In addition to the City Walk route, I also recommend a must-do boat tour of Guilin's Two Rivers and Four Lakes water system.

The Two Rivers and Four Lakes refer to the Li River, Taohua River, Rong Lake, Shan Lake, Gui Lake, and Mulong Lake, forming Guilin's ring city water system, a beautiful scenic belt in the city center.

Waterway tours of Guilin flourished in the Tang Dynasty and peaked in the Song Dynasty when the city was dense with lakes and waterways. A small boat could take in all the scenic spots. Today, the Two Rivers and Four Lakes system recreates that former prosperity. Cruising the Two Rivers and Four Lakes has become the top choice for domestic and international tourists to explore Guilin city.

Guilin is a classic landscape city, where natural scenery is the basic element of the cityscape. The Two Rivers and Four Lakes truly reflect the beautiful scene of "a thousand peaks stand around the wild, one river embraces the city," and the harmonious landscape of "city within scenery, scenery within the city." As a classic circular tour route in central Guilin, visitors can see over a dozen famous hills along the Li River, such as Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Diecai Hill, Seven Star Hill, Yao Hill, Old Man Hill, Baoji Hill, etc. Along the Taohua River, there are historic sites like the Relic Pagoda, Hongqiao Dam, Zhuzi Archway, and Dujiao Pavilion. You can also visit classical Chinese gardens—Rong Lake and Shan Lake area, the eco-garden Gui Lake area, and the Song culture garden Mulong Lake area, enjoying the World Famous Bridges Expo Park, Famous Flowers and Trees Expo Park, Pavilions Expo Park, and Sculpture Expo Park. At night, the brilliant artistic lighting creates a colorful, dreamlike, and inspiring elegant atmosphere. It lets you appreciate the harmony between city and nature, and understand why people say, "I'd rather be a Guilin local than an immortal."

Bus routes 2, 16, 23, 33, 88 can reach Wenchang Bridge Pier; bus route 2 can reach Riyue Bay Pier and Zhiyin Tai Pier. Please arrive at the designated pier 20 minutes before departure to avoid missing the boat.

Times, prices, and specific cruise routes vary by season; please refer to the actual situation on the day.

While people rush to explore the unknown universe,

I indulge in afternoons with your company.

**Buffet Breakfast:** In Guilin, nothing beats a bowl of Guilin rice noodles. If that's not enough, have another bowl of Fula (fermented bean curd soup). The Yaqin Atrium Café on the 2nd floor of Sheraton Guilin offers buffet breakfast and dinner. Unlike other hotel restaurants, Yaqin Café is completely open. Breakfast has a rich variety: Chinese hot dishes, Western pastries, hot tea, coffee, milk, and juices. Coffee is available for takeaway. I especially recommend Guilin rice noodles and Fula. Fula is made by cooking crushed beancurd sheets, wood ear mushrooms, scallions, vermicelli, peanuts, and tofu skin in rice soup, similar to a non-spicy version of Hulatang (pepper soup). You can add dried chili flakes, pickled vegetables, etc. In addition, the steamed glutinous rice chicken has both the fragrance of lotus leaves and tender chicken; the beef pie is crispy with savory filling.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 06:30-10:00, Saturday and Sunday 06:30-10:30.

**Afternoon Tea:** If you want to stay in the hotel, remember to enjoy a double afternoon tea set at the lobby bar on the 1st floor, like I did. The set includes: 2 McChicken wings, 2 tomato shrimp tarts, 2 cheese tart shells with meat sauce, 2 pickled salmon cheese rolls, 1 portion of popcorn, 2 explosive vanilla fruit puffs, 2 mango Bahvalais cups, 1 blueberry cheesecake, 1 matcha bangg cake, 1 lemon cake, 1 strawberry ball, 1 green tea parfait, 1 colorful fruit cup, 2 summer sweetheart iced drinks. The mixed fruit juice is sweet but not cloying, the desserts are well-formed and tasty, the meat is fresh, and the fried items are crispy.

However, I must warn you: don't go too late, or you'll be too full, which might affect your appetite for the buffet dinner later.

**Buffet Dinner:** It seems that the buffet dinner at Sheraton Guilin has always been very popular with locals, so when I booked, the staff specifically reminded me to arrive at the restaurant before 18:00. I remind you all the same.

Based on my personal experience, the dishes are indeed substantial and thoughtful, and they rotate daily based on seasonal ingredients. Seafood sashimi like conch, clams, prawns, salmon; grilled items like steak, lamb chops, oysters, scallops, squid, tenderloin, chicken wings, basa; steamed and boiled dishes like clams, mussels, squid, prawns, crabs, hand-made beef balls; various cold cuts like salt-baked chicken, roast duck, char siu, red sausages; soup stews like ginkgo duck soup, clear-braised turtle soup; plus table-side carved beef tongue and pork belly. There are so many delicious options, even ice cream balls and a nightly signature giveaway: one baked lobster with cheese per person.

Opening hours: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 18:00-21:00.

Additionally, the Cathay Chinese Restaurant on the 1st floor offers local Guilin cuisine, Cantonese, and Sichuan dishes, along with banquet service and large conference receptions. The Yunwei Restaurant on the 7th floor features an open kitchen and stunning views of the Li River, mainly used for small banquets and surprise parties, and can be customized. If you want to create a romantic surprise for your loved one, consider Sheraton Guilin Hotel.

We wake up and breathe together,

We grieve and strive together,

We travel and experience the world together.

Dreams yet to be fulfilled,

Let time's wind carry them.

Original text and images copyright © @Tianlan Niandai. For reproduction, please contact.

I am a contracted photographer for AirAsia, Tourism Malaysia, Tourism Authority of Thailand, and the Embassy of Canada in China; a financial writer; an all-media professional; a signed travel writer; a signed photographer; winner of the Yunnan News Award (Online Commentary Award, Innovative News Award).