Is Guilin a pretty city?

I’m a British guy thinking about living permanently in Guilin or Yangshuo. I have quite high standards for aesthetics. On the other hand, I’ve lived in Manila (Philippines) for a few years so I know my way around a slum. However, I’m really trying to avoid a repeat of Manila conditions. Now…to my problem…I’ve seen photos of Guilin looking beautiful (can fall in love with it!!!) but also I’ve seen photos of it looking horrid and slummy. I can’t figure it out. Can you please explain this to me? Are there just some bad parts of town? What is most prevalent, yucky parts or lovely parts?