High speed railway (HSR)
Guilin is a railway city with many travel options. There are at least three railway stations that can accept high speed trains. When you buy your train ticket, make sure it is bound for the station closest to your hotel.
Since Guilin did not have a subway system, we picked our hotel based on its proximity to the Guilin Station (桂林站). To get to other attractions, we took the city buses, which were just as convenient as in any other China city.
Weather
Although Chongqing was technically hotter than Guilin, the lack of shade made Guilin's heat pack more of a punch, so much so that you had to walk strategically close to shop entrances to feel their AC. The temperature reached over 36℃ but it felt like 42℃. Simply walking on the street made us sweat throughout our bodies.
Walking on the street
Guilin was the fifth city in China on our trip. We thought we were well prepared for the China traffic mess but Guilin was at a different level. The roads were filled with scooters and it was a big ordeal every time we crossed the street. In China, scooters seem to follow the same rule as a bicycle. So, they can ride on a bike lane and cross a road like a pedestrian.
Guilin is a tourist city and doesn’t seem to have other industries. A lot of people on the street were trying to sell us cruise tickets. Although it was a little annoying, the options for these people were probably limited.
The shopping malls in Guilin looked either dated or deserted. There was, however, a night market at Xichenglu Pedestrian Street (西城路步行街). If you have no plan for the night, strolling through the market can be a good way to relax. However, I would not recommend going out of the way to visit the night market.
Staying
We stayed at Travel light Guilin due to its proximity to the Guilin station and other tourist attractions. We could literally walk from the high speed train station to the hotel in about 15 minutes.
The hotel was clean and suitable for our family. The western breakfast offered by the hotel was a bit expensive in China standards, and we didn't end up trying it. If you don't mind a bit of an adventure, you could easily find local inexpensive food nearby.