World's Most Unusual Hotels: A Luxury Cave Hotel in Turkey
Cappadocia, a region in central Turkey, is known for its cave hotels, and the Aydinli Cave Hotel may be one of the most luxurious ones out there.
The boutique guesthouse is located in Göreme, Turkey, and has been restored to offer all the modern comforts of home while still retaining its historical charm — some parts of the hotel are thought to be up to 500 years old. The building itself was carved out of the natural stone of Cappadocia, which is ideal for creating rooms, but also holds up under pressure and withstands extreme weather conditions.
The Aydinli Cave Hotel offers 14 rooms, each unique and furnished with local handmade goods and Turkish antiques.
Rooms offer amenities such as wardrobes, towels, slippers, Wi-Fi, hair dryers, telephones, heat, fridges, coffee makers, a safe and air conditioning. A few rooms even have fireplaces.
Some of the rooms offer natural light. There are spaces for solo travelers, couples and families, so you have options when it comes to choosing the one that's right for you. If you're in the mood to splurge, the King Suite is the perfect place to relax and recharge. One of the largest cave rooms in Cappadocia, it was once used as a barn for more than 20 animals, but there's nothing barn-like about it now. The massive luxury space comes with a dream bathroom: an antique claw-foot bathtub, a huge Jacuzzi and Turkish hammam (steam room), plus a makeup table with a huge mirror.
The hotel is family-owned and has friendly, personal service. Though sleeping in the cave is amazing, the terrace, which juts out of the stone, may be the best part of this hotel, as its stunning panoramic views over the city of Göreme and the Rose Valley are incredible. Just a five-minute walk from the town center, this hotel gives you easy access to cafes, restaurants and shopping, though you may never want to leave.
The hotel even has a cool wine cave (a literal cave, in this case) that you can check out.
Room rates start at about $50 for a standard room and $95 for a suite, and include a Turkish breakfast with cheese, bread, jam, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, an egg or two and tea. The hotel can also organize guides, tours and other activities like hot air balloon rides over Cappadocia's stunning scenery.
Getting There
From the US, fly into Istanbul (IST), then take a short hop on Onur Air or low-cost carrier Pegasus to one of the closest airports, Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV), located about 40 minutes away by car, or Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR), which is about an hour from the cave hotel. Buses also run to Göreme from Istanbul, but the ride takes about eight hours.
Would you stay in this wacky hotel? Have you stayed there before? Sound off below!
All images courtesy of the Aydlini Cave Hotel unless otherwise noted.
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