A Must Stay in Yangshuo: Banyan Tree Resort Review

Last updated on April 16th, 2025

Ever since I moved to China, I wanted to visit the magical and mountainous place called Yangshuo. Yangshuo is known for its majestic landscapes that are covered in tall mountains and winding rivers. These mountains are so popular that they even appear on the back of the Chinese currency. From Shenzhen to Yangshuo, it only takes about three hours on board a train. After some serious research, I decided the best option was to stay at the Banyan Tree Yangshuo.

Click HERE to check out the Banyan Tree Yangshuo!

The Banyan Tree Yangshuo is located about 12 km outside of the city center. Located along a river I was fully encompassed with a sense of serenity. The design and architecture incorporate lots of traditional Chinese influences. There was a Chinese pagoda in the middle of a pond just outside of my room!

My large room was located on the same floor as the lobby, which was very convenient. The hotel is quite new! Once I opened the door I was impressed by many characteristics in the room including the tea and coffee station, the gorgeous bathtub, the balcony and the modern charging point near the desk. It was definitely a warm welcome with a box of fruit on the living room table. Throughout the stay, the service was on point. Every time they cleaned or did turn-down service, they went the extra mile to make sure everything was flawless. They often left treats which is a sure way to make Pierre like you. I also liked how the laid out the robes on the beds in the evening. It’s the small touches that make the big differences.

After spending some time in the room, it was nice to explore the grounds. The property offers lots of facilities including a pool along the river, a medium-size gym and of course, a spa. I enjoyed the massage so much I wrote a full article about the experience here.

The resort has many activities, some are complementary and some are for an additional fee. I did like that they had free to use bikes. The property also offers a free shuttle bus to the center of Yangshuo multiple times per day. One of the days there we took a raft down the Yulong river. It was beautiful but hot in the middle of the day! Pro tip: go rafting in the morning or evening.

The Banyan Tree Yangshuo has two restaurants, a Chinese restaurant and a western restaurant. You’ll be able to read my full review of their Baiyun Chinese restaurant in a separate article. The western restaurant is where you’ll find the incredible buffet breakfast. I ate sever meals there and was satisfied with all! They really hit a home run with the quality of the food and the taste far exceeded my expectations. To top it off, all of the staff were incredibly kind and accommodating.

I was quite impressed in the fact that they offered both champagne and beer at breakfast! They really want to make sure you’ll have a good vacation. Wink. Overall, the food at the property was very enjoyable. Well done Banyan Tree Yangshuo!

The Banyan Tree Yangshuo is close enough to the action of nearby activities but just far enough away to offer a really tranquil experience. I think it’s always nice to have a lovely place to return to after exploring the outdoors. Not only does this property have fantastic facilities, great activity options and good service, but also a lovely food. It will take a little effort to get there, but I promise it’s worth it! Yangshuo, China is definitely a bucket list destination and I’m quite certain that the Banyan Tree is the best place to stay while visiting!

Banyan Tree Yangshuo

Hotel

No. 168 Zhengdong Street, Fuli Town
Yangshuo, Guilin, Guangxi
P.R.China 541905

Phone: +86 773 322 8888

Pierre Blake

Travel enthusiast, writer, and photographer. Sharing tips and tricks to help you explore the world on any budget.