Short answer
In Guilin, stay near the city centre or the Two Rivers and Four Lakes for food and transport. In Yangshuo, stay off West Street near the Yulong River or in the old town lanes. In Xingping, stay by the river for the twenty-yuan view.
Guilin
The city centre is the most practical base: walkable to food streets, close to the lakes, and a short taxi to the stations. The Qixing Park area is quieter and greener, good for families.
Avoid hotels on the main traffic arteries if you are sensitive to noise. For an early cruise, the Diecai district is convenient to the pier. The Xiangshan district is close to the airport road.
Yangshuo
West Street is loud at night. The better stays are in the lanes behind it or along the Yulong River, where you get rice fields and karst views. The Yangshuo area guide maps the trade-offs.
For a quieter base, Xingping is 40 minutes downstream and has the best-known viewpoint. It is small, with limited nightlife and fewer restaurants.
Longji and beyond
In Longji, staying overnight in Ping'an or Dazhai is the only way to see dawn light and avoid the day-trip crowds. Guesthouses are simple but comfortable.
The areas hub compares all eight bases, and the getting around briefing explains transfers.
Related questions
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