Hotel Bintang 2 di Guangxi, China

Get this hotel!!! We were supposed to stay for a night and then decide what to do - we ended up staying 3 nights and were very sad to leave. Every so often when you travel your hotel experience significantly improved your holiday - this was one of those cases! First of all the basics, we were looking for a nice family friendly hotel walking distance from the beach - and this certainly fit that category. The rooms are fine, you could see the sea from the windows, comfortable beds, pretty clean, slippers, plenty of towels, wifi everywhere etc. There was also a small playground for small kids and hammocks (picture) etc which was cool, we also saw mahjong tables, but didn't have the time to play. The hotel is located near a fairly large field, filled with exotic birds, butterflies and crickets etc. There were also geckos everywhere (love them), but we didn't see any inside the room. There were some mosquitos outside on the terrace (don't love them), but the repellent took care of those and we didn't have any in our rooms. Felt like you were near nature, in a good way. The kids loved to play on the beach, it's great for sand castles (the hotel had buckets and shovels free of charge) and searching for crabs, fish, shells, sea snails etc... The moms loved it too, especially to walk around and explore during low tide. (the hotel also provided equipment to catch crabs and other sea creatures etc if you wanted to - they also had a service to cook them for you) We especially enjoyed playing under a nearby pier during low tide to avoid getting badly sunburned. The supermarket across the street sell dozens of single malt whiskys and beer from all over the world (they also have ice cream and other stuff) - and the dads recommend the roof terrace for that after the kids are asleep. (picture) If you know how to ride a scooter/ebike they rent them across the road too, and it's the best way to explore the island. The small roads (almost devoid of cars) were awesome to drive on, just remember to stay safe. I don't usually care much about breakfast, but the included breakfast was great! (picture) The kitchen staff was also super laid-back about the whole thing - this whole hotel radiated a very laid back tropical island feel that made you forget you were in China. However the reason I write this review is because of the owner. (last picture) (I'm not sure if he speaks English though, but I'm sure you'll manage) Super chill guy! Immediately after booking he contacted us to arrange the transport from the boat. He helped us buy tickets for the trip back. He was willing to come and pick us up at any time if we got lost on the island. He had great recommendations about basically everything, and whenever we made plans we were sure to ask for his advice. He was basically always reachable over wechat too. These are just some of the things that he didn't have to provide, but did (or offered): unlimited cold drinking water, ice, proper glasses, a coffee grinder, buckets, shovels, hats, umbrellas, sunscreen, aloe vera plants, flashlights, mosquito repellent etc etc and it feels like we only scratched the surface. It feels like whenever I asked him for something he always had a solution that exceeded my expectations. Great host! I've traveled to almost 100 countries and while this wasn't the fanciest hotel I've stayed in by any means, this was one of the most memorable hotel experiences I've ever had. If anyone I know plans to visit this island I will for sure recommend this place.

Nice and clean room, we enjoyed our stay there! It was very easy to store our bicycles in the lobby, the staff was very friendly and helpful. They don't speak English but will do their best to help you anyway.