Where to stay in Guangzhou in 2026: Best areas and hotels for every traveller

Planning a trip to Guangzhou but have absolutely no idea where to stay? When I was researching this interesting city, for my trip, I found it hard to work out where I should base myself. After visiting and having a great time, I’ve put together this guide to help you plan your trip.

Planning your trip?
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Hotels, I use Agoda
Insurance: Cover-More
Rentals: Discover Cars
RVs: Motorhome Republic
Transfers: Welcome Pickups
Travel eSIM: Simify

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Getting Oriented

If it’s your first time heading to Guangzhou, figuring out where to stay can feel overwhelming. I remember staring at a big, zoomed-out map of the city, and honestly, I freaked out a bit. Back then, I used Google Maps to pinpoint all the spots I wanted to visit, marking them with stars to get a clearer picture of where everything was. It’s a simple trick I’d recommend—make a list of what you want to see and do, then use a map on your favourite hotel booking site to mark those places. This way, you can be confident your accommodation is in the right neighbourhood for your plans.

Where to stay

We tried two very different places on our trip. First up was the Guangzhou Yingshang Hotel — and I’ll be straight with you, it was a disaster. The hotel itself was run down, the staff were unfriendly, and the location, near a railway station and some shopping outlets, felt dead on arrival. It was tough to get around, with hardly anything to do nearby and very limited food options. If you’re on holiday, avoid the fashion district where this hotel sits—it’s really better suited to business travellers or clothing buyers visiting the shops in that area. The photos make it look way better than it is. After two very uncomfortable nights, we moved out. Avoid at all costs. 

Our second place was a complete 180: South & North International Apartments. This spot was brilliant! Right near Beijing Road, it put us in the heart of the action — shops, restaurants, public transport, and all the main sights were just a short walk away. I honestly wish we’d stayed here the whole time. Even if South & North isn’t available for your trip, I highly recommend basing yourself near Beijing Road. It’s lively and friendly, with heaps of choices for shopping, eating, and sightseeing — plus, it’s easy to get around from there.

Getting around

Getting around in Guangzhou is pretty easy, all you should need is a map and a general understanding of where you are. We used the train to get around and it was really easy to navigate, just make sure you have lots of change on you to put into the ticket machine. We found the ticket machines at the stations had an English language selection, which made it easy.

When you’re trying to catch cabs, make sure you have taken a photograph or screenshot of the Chinese name and Chinese characters of the place you’d like to visit. That way you can show them to the cab driver or ask for help if you get lost. I found it was really easy to navigate my way around Guangzhou as everything you want to see is pretty close. The train system was easy to work out and it was easy to get around without any hustle. Also, the train felt very safe.

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