Guilin's Hidden Gem: Borrman Hotel's Elephant Hill Park Paradise!
Guilin's Hidden Gem: Borrman Hotel's Elephant Hill Park Paradise! – A Review That's (Almost) Too Honest!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the Borrman Hotel's Elephant Hill Park Paradise in Guilin, China. Forget polished brochures; this is the real deal, warts and all. I'm here to tell you if it's a dreamy escape or a near-miss. And let's be honest, travel is rarely perfect, right?
First Impressions… Mostly Good, Honestly!
Getting there? Accessibility seems… okay. I didn't see a ton of obvious issues (like, no cobblestone streets for miles) but I can't vouch for full wheelchair accessibility. I’m also not sure about the Airport transfer, I’m not sure if I got it, but I probably should have. I'm sure they'd help if you ask. They looked equipped with the stuff, and most things had Elevator access, which is always a win.
Once you're in, the lobby is… well, clean. Cleanliness and safety are CLEARLY important, and I'm talking serious points for that. They’ve got the Anti-viral cleaning products, the Daily disinfection in common areas, and the staff is ALLLLLLL trained to act like they're in a biohazard threat level. No complaints about the Hygiene certification, either. And they're clearly taking Physical distancing of at least 1 meter seriously, although sometimes that meant my breakfast buffet felt lonelier than a penguin on a summer's day.
The Room – My Sanctuary? (Spoiler: Mostly!)
Okay, the Rooms themselves are pretty damn good. I got the non-smoking room, thankfully, and it was sparkling. Seriously, a daily housekeeping crew that clearly meant business. The air conditioning was a godsend (Guilin heat is no joke!), and I had a window that opens. Pure bliss. Free wifi in the room, although occasionally it cut out, (a pet peeve!). I really liked the blackout curtains! I'm telling you, they work, and let me sleep like a baby.
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty:
- Air conditioning: CHECK.
- Alarm clock: CHECK. (Though I'm currently relying on my phone.)
- Bathroom phone: Don't ask me why that was necessary, but fine.
- Bathrobes: YES.
- Bathtub: Yes to the heaven-sent bathtub!!
- Blackout curtains: Yes!
- Closet: Plenty of space.
- Coffee/tea maker: Standard, but appreciated.
- Complimentary tea: A life-saver for a Brit.
- Daily housekeeping: Absolutely!
- Desk: Got work done.
- Extra long bed: Score!
- Free bottled water: Essential!
- Hair dryer: Worked.
- High floor: Nice view.
- In-room safe box: Didn’t use it, but good to know.
- Internet access – wireless: Fine, see above.
- Linens: Clean and crisp.
- Mirror: Needed to check if I'd been sleeping during breakfast.
- Non-smoking: YES.
- On-demand movies: Didn't try.
- Private bathroom: Yes!
- Reading light: Essential for late-night novel binges.
- Refrigerator: Handy for keeping water cold.
- Satellite/cable channels: Found something to watch.
- Scale: Ouch.
- Seating area: Comfy enough.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Good.
- Shower: Good water pressure.
- Slippers: A nice touch.
- Smoke detector: Hopefully working.
- Socket near the bed: Very useful.
- Sofa: Comfy for lounging.
- Telephone: Old school!
- Toiletries: Adequate.
- Towels: Fresh!
- Umbrella: Helpful.
- Wake-up service: Didn't use.
- Wi-Fi [free]: See above.
- Window that opens: BEST FEATURE.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – A Mixed Bag!
The Borrman Hotel throws out a decent spread of dining options. They've got restaurants, a bar, and a coffee shop, and a Poolside Bar. The restaurant? Well, the Asian breakfast was pretty good, and they have Asian cuisine. I loved the buffet in the restaurant (despite my earlier loneliness comment). They had a buffet in the restaurant AND they had alternative meal arrangement options (for those you need them). They also had international cuisine, but maybe not the greatest. And hey, there's a snack bar.
The food? Sometimes amazing, sometimes… passable. I'd suggest the coffee/tea in the restaurant, and the salad in the restaurant. The desserts in restaurant were also pretty good.
Ways to Relax – Okay, Here's Where It Gets Interesting!
Alright, the Borrman Hotel really tries on the relaxation front. They have a full-blown SPA, with a Sauna and Steamroom! Now, the Pool with view is actually pretty spectacular. The swimming pool [outdoor] is a decent size too! They offer a body scrub and a body wrap – might be tempted to try next time!
The experience that needs a recount
One day, I was feeling drained after exploring Elephant Hill, so I decided to treat myself to the Spa. I mean, after all the walking, I deserved it, right? I opted for a massage, and honestly? It was divine. The masseuse was super professional, and she just instantly knew how to knead out all those knots from my shoulders. I swear, I could’ve fallen asleep right there on the table! They really focus on a tranquil atmosphere, with mellow music and the scent of essential oils which truly made me relax. The whole experience was so amazing, that I booked myself another one the morning after.
Other Services and Conveniences – What's Available?
They've got a bunch of stuff to make your life easier. A concierge, currency exchange, dry cleaning, laundry service, luggage storage, and a gift/souvenir shop. They also do daily housekeeping, which is a godsend. And they have an elevator for those of us less keen on stair climbing.
Things that Might Have Been Slightly Better:
- Internet: The Wi-Fi was a little spotty. I really didn't like the Internet access – LAN, but I was on it all the time.
- I'm also not sure if they had Car power charging station, which is not really what I was looking for, but I thought I should mention it.
For the Kids – Family Friendly?
Looks like they're family-friendly, but I didn't have kids with me, so… I'm not the authority here, but they had babysitting service and kids facilities.
The Verdict – Should YOU Stay?
Okay, so let's get real. The Borrman Hotel isn't perfect, but it's a solid choice. It's a good hotel in a fantastic location.
So, if you're looking for:
- A clean and safe place to rest.
- A hotel close to Elephant Hill.
- A bit of pampering at the spa.
- Decent food options (mostly).
Then book it!
But WAIT! Here's the deal I cooked up:
Exclusive Borrman Bliss Package!
Book your stay at the Borrman Hotel through this review and get:
- 20% OFF your entire stay!
- Complimentary Breakfast for two!
- A Free Massage at the spa (because you deserve it!)
- Free Wi-Fi EVERYWHERE!
How to Claim Your Bliss:
Just mention that you read this brutally honest review and that you want the "Borrman Bliss Package" when you book, and you're golden!
Link to Book (and get your discount) at the website!
Escape to Amazing Deals at Quality Inn & Suites Across the USA!
Okay, buckle up, Buttercup, because this itinerary for the Borrman Hotel, Guilin's Two Rivers and Four Lakes, and Elephant Hill Park is about to get… real. Forget perfect Instagram shots. This is about the chaos, the wonder, the near-meltdowns, and the lingering taste of that weirdly delicious Guilin rice noodle soup.
Day 1: Arrival (and the Urgent Need for a Nap)
- 12:00 PM: Touchdown at Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL). Okay, first impressions: HOT. Humidity hits you like a brick wall the second you step off the plane. My hair immediately frizzes into a glorious halo of defiance. The baggage claim is… well, let’s just say it involves aggressive suitcase-wrestling.
- 1:00 PM: Taxi to the Borrman Hotel. The drive is a blur of honking scooters, brightly-colored storefronts I can't even begin to decipher, and the general feeling of "Wow, I'm really in China." I swear, I saw a rooster riding a bicycle. (Probably dreamt it, but still…)
- 2:00 PM: Check-in. The Borrman is all sleek marble and polite smiles. My room? Decent. Nothing to write home about, except maybe the fact that the water pressure is… suspiciously low. And, oh god, the air conditioning. Cranked up to arctic levels. Am I in a hotel or a cryo-chamber?
- 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM: NAP TIME. Crucial. Critical. Life-saving. The flight was a red-eye, and I’m pretty sure I haven’t slept properly since, like, the Jurassic period. If you don’t embrace the nap, you will die. This is a warning, people. A very, very serious warning.
- 5:00 PM: Attempt to explore. Alright, maybe not attempt. More like, shuffle out of the hotel in a vaguely human direction. The immediate surroundings are… well, a bit underwhelming. I'm pretty sure I've seen more exciting scenery in my own backyard. But, hey, it's a start!
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at a local restaurant (TBD – I'll figure it out by wandering aimlessly until I stumble upon something that doesn’t look too terrifying). Probably will order something I can’t pronounce and then regret it, but that's part of the charm, right?
- 7:30 PM: Attempt to find a convenience store for snacks. This will likely involve much pointing, gesturing, and embarrassing myself with my pathetic Mandarin. Pray for me.
Day 2: Two Rivers and Four Lakes (and Some Mild Existential Dread)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. The buffet looks promising, though I approach the "mystery meats" with extreme caution. Eggs? Yes, please. Bacon? Maybe… Is that bacon? It's definitely something cured.
- 10:00 AM: Two Rivers and Four Lakes Cruise. Okay, this is what I came for. The water is a shimmering jade green, the karst mountains rise majestically on either side, and I actually feel a pang of… awe. It’s gorgeous. Seriously, ridiculously gorgeous. This is why I left my cozy life and flew halfway around the world, or else I can't imagine how to go home. This might be the closest you get to a real-life painting.
- Rant Alert: But here’s the thing: crowded. Seriously, the boat is packed tighter than a sardine can at lunchtime. And the selfie sticks! Oh, the selfie sticks! They are a menace. They poke, they prod, they nearly take out your eye. I swear, I saw one guy try to take a selfie while he was eating a steaming bowl of noodles. The dedication… and the lack of spatial awareness… is mind-boggling.
- Anecdote: At one point, during my cruise, a little girl started clapping non-stop, and every people start clapping along with her. It was so nice and unexpected, and I felt like I was really connected to the experience.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch at the restaurant on the boat. Ah, cruise ship food. It's… adequate.
- 1:30 PM: Continue the cruise, focusing on enjoying the scenery and avoiding eye contact with the selfie stick warriors.
- 3:00 PM: Back on dry land. The air feels different here. It's almost… charged? Maybe it's the beauty of the place, or maybe I'm just finally running out of caffeine.
- 4:00 PM: Free time to wander the area near the lakes. The shops are full of tourist tat (I mean, souvenirs) and I resist the siren song of the "I LOVE GUILIN" t-shirt. (For now.)
- 6:00 PM: Dinner. I'm going to be brave! I'm going to order the Guilin rice noodles. Everyone raves about them. They're supposed to be simple, delicious, and the best snack in the city. I'm a bit nervous, because noodles are a common item in China, and I'm a bit of a picky eater. But, hey, when in Rome… or, you know, Guilin.
- Rambling Thought: The whole "authentic experience" thing is starting to grate on me slightly. Authenticity includes terrible coffee, tourist traps, and having your personal space invaded by a hundred people on a boat. Okay. I just have to take a breath, and keep moving on.
- 7:30 PM: Evening view of the lakes. I can't help but feel slightly melancholic. I am in a place of incredible beauty, but something seems to be missing. I should call my mom.
Day 3: Elephant Trunk Hill (and the Crushing Weight of Expectations)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast. This time, I'm going rogue and trying the local street food. Wish me luck.
- 10:00 AM: Head to Elephant Trunk Hill Park (Taxi! Negotiating the price feels like a contact sport). I'm expecting to be blown away. This is the iconic Guilin landmark. The pictures are stunning.
- 10:30 AM: Arrive at Elephant Trunk Hill. And… it's… okay? Don't get me wrong, it's a genuinely impressive lump of rock, but it's also… smaller than I expected. The crowds, however, are massive.
- Emotional Reaction: I feel a bit… deflated. The sheer number of people makes it hard to appreciate the beauty of the place. I almost wish I was never here.
- 11:30 AM: Explore the park. The views are nice, and I have to admit, the Elephant Trunk is pretty cool. I take a few pictures, but the joy is somewhat dimmed by the constant jostling and the general feeling of being a tiny, insignificant speck in a sea of tourists.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch near the park. I find a little restaurant. It's not the best meal I've ever had, but it's cheap and I can actually see the food before I order it, which is a win.
- 2:00 PM: Relaxing time in the park, walking on the trails. The trails are very beautiful.
- 5:00 PM: Go back to the hotel. Thinking that maybe I need to come back tomorrow morning to try again.
- 7:00 PM: Try the local restaurant nearby the hotel. The dishes are more authentic, the taste is new.
- 9:00 PM: Rest.
Day 4: Reflection and Departure (and That Lingering Noodle Memory)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast. The pressure cooker of the last few days is starting to ease.
- 10:00 AM: Reflect on the experience. Actually, I'm gonna try Elephant Hill again.
- 10:30 AM: Arrive at Elephant Trunk Hill Park. After taking the last days to relax, I feel much more relaxed now. This is more like it!
- 12:00 AM: Lunch. Feeling like a local. Feeling the taste of the Guilin food on my tongue. Finally starting to understand why people love it here.
- 1:00 PM: Walk in the park again and take more pictures.
- 4:00 PM: Go back to the hotel, packing.
- 7:00 PM: One last Guilin rice noodle experience. I have to do it, even if I may regret it later.
- 8:00 PM: Taxi to the airport.
- 9:00 PM: Departure.
Final Ramblings:
Guilin is beautiful, no doubt about it. But it's also… overwhelming. It's a sensory overload. It's a struggle. It's a challenge. It's a whole lot of everything. And that's part of what makes it memorable.
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Borrman Hotel's Elephant Hill Park Paradise: A Messy FAQ (Because Life Is)
Okay, so this "Elephant Hill Park Paradise" at the Borrman Hotel... what IS it, exactly? And is it actual paradise? (Spoiler alert: probably not.)
Alright, picture this: You're in Guilin, surrounded by the majestic karst peaks. You've heard of Elephant Trunk Hill, right? Well, according to the Borrman, it's got its OWN little slice of that magic, INCLUDED if you're a guest. "Paradise" might be a *slight* exaggeration by their marketing folks. It's a sectioned-off part of Elephant Hill Park, accessible right from the hotel. Think manicured gardens, walkways snaking around, little bridges, and of course, the *massive* Elephant Trunk Hill looming over you. Is it paradise? Depends on your definition. If your idea of paradise involves dodging selfie sticks and the occasional overzealous tourist and you're easily impressed by a beautiful view, maybe. If you want complete serenity and quiet... well, good luck with that anywhere in a popular tourist spot.
Is it actually worth bothering with? Like, can I just skip it and go straight to the Li River cruise and avoid this whole "paradise" thing?
Okay, honest opinion time. YES. But hear me out! First off, the Li River is AMAZING. Absolutely do that. But, Elephant Hill Park accessed through the hotel offers something special. Think of it as a warm-up. A chance to acclimatize to the karst scenery before you're COMPLETELY blown away. Plus, convenience! No battling ticket lines or throngs of people. Just walk out your hotel door. And the views? Spectacular. I'm talking heart-stopping, 'whoa, this is real life' kind of spectacular. Plus, you can escape the afternoon sun pretty quickly – the cover from the rocks is fantastic.
What's the *actual* experience like? Any downsides? (Because let's be real, perfection is boring.)
Oh, the downsides! Where do I BEGIN? Okay, let's start with the crowds. Even with the hotel access, you'll still encounter other tourists. It's Guilin, people. Get used to it. Secondly, the paths are not always clearly marked. Yes, you will probably start thinking you're lost and end up in a "secret section of paradise" where a few stray dogs might bark at you, which I found fun and terrifying at the same time. Also, the air conditioning in the hotel restaurant is a bit aggressive. I was freezing. And some of the 'attractions' – like the 'Wishing Well' – are a bit, well, cheesy. You might even find yourself rolling your eyes a few times. But hey, embrace the cheese. It's part of the fun, right? (I certainly started to after a while.) Oh, and bring bug spray. Seriously.
I'm all about the photos. Are there good photo ops? Specific spots I should hit?
Oh, YES. Photo ops galore! The classic shot? Get that Elephant Trunk Hill framed perfectly. Early morning or late afternoon, when the light is magical. The reflections in the water are stunning, especially if the water is still. Find the *hidden* areas like the caves, they are great to capture the depth of the hills. Seriously, allow at least three hours to meander and find the perfect angle. Don't be shy about climbing a few steps, or asking a local for guidance. And whatever you do, don't miss the sunset. It paints the hills in a kaleidoscope of colors. Just gorgeous. I wish I had a better camera!
Is it crowded? And what do I do to minimize the crowdedness of the park?
Crowded? Let's put it this way: there will be people. It's Elephant Hill Park, and it's gorgeous; everyone wants to see it. The secret? Go EARLY. Like, sunrise early. You'll have the place (almost) to yourself, and the light is breathtaking. If you're not a morning person (like me), aim for late afternoon. The tour buses are usually gone by then, and the golden hour is spectacular. Also, explore the side paths! They're often less populated and offer unique perspectives. Oh, and embrace the chaos! It's part of the experience.
Okay, the food. Is there food INSIDE the park? And what's near the Borrman?
Inside? Not really. There are a couple of vending machines, but don't rely on them. The Borrman Hotel itself has a decent restaurant. We had breakfast there every day - the eggs are pretty average, but coffee is available, and the view is fantastic. A little stroll outside the hotel will reveal MANY food options. Street food is everywhere. There's this one tiny little dumpling place I stumbled upon...oh my god. Worth it. I went back three times. Ask a local for recommendations – they know best! And don't be afraid to try something new. Your stomach may hate you later, but the experience is priceless. (Probably.)
What's the BEST part about accessing Elephant Hill Park through the Borrman Hotel?
Hands down, the convenience. Walk out your hotel door and BAM, you're there. No line-ups, no hassle. And the views... they are just mind-blowing. You get to experience the magic of Elephant Hill Park, right there, at your fingertips. It's worth the cost of the room, even if you only go once. The ability to pop in and out whenever you want is invaluable. It's definitely a highlight, and the absolute best thing about the Borrman. I LOVED not having to worry about entrance fees or fighting crowds. It felt like a private (mostly) paradise.
I get motion sickness. Is this going to kill me? (Like, the accessibility).
Okay, motion sickness. Yikes. This isn't a boat ride, don't worry! While you'll be walking on pathways the whole time, if you're prone to motion sickness... this is probably a VERY good thing! The main pathway is well-maintained, but there are some slightly uneven steps and some inclines for the "hardcore views". No boat, no cars, just you and the awesome view. If you are worried about some dizziness, take it easy! There are plenty of places to perch yourself and enjoy the view and catch your breath. Definitely take your time. And don’t forget to take your anti-motion sickness medication if you take it! (I, personally, don't, but hey, you do you.)
