Esbelli Evi Cave Hotel

Every room is a beautifully hollowed out space on a hillside, and is decorated with a romantic and intimate touch. What makes this hotel unique is its tasteful decoration. The detail and beauty of the natural stone carvings is brought out in every corner, only adorned by a few local antiques and crafts. In the shared common room, hurricane lamps softly light up the room, benches are decorated with Turkish tapestry, and a piano sits waiting to be played. A large open garden with benches surrounds the hotel, offering fresh air and sweeping views to guests. The streets outside are quiet and semi-rural; the town is more of a tourist residence since many come to explore the caves.

Esbelli Evi is a bit removed from central Ugrup, so there isn’t much to do in the immediate area. Still, this is a good home base for anyone looking to explore the historic caves of Cappadocia and hike underground cities. Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are the closest points of interest and are a 15-minute drive away. It's a fun and exciting spot that provides a good full day’s hike. For local folk art and history, the Cappadocia Museum is also a 15-minute drive. The Mazi and Kaymakli underground cities, which were used for long periods sanctuaries and dwellings, and are 45-minutes away.

Cappadocia's most modern tourist destination, Urgup is brimming with upscale hotels, shops, and nightlife amid unique examples of Seljuk architecture and old Turkish houses. It's about a 15-minute drive to Goreme, which is a bit more touristy and offers closer proximity to Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia. (Urgup is a bit more upmarket and serene.)

To reach the hotel, visitors can travel into Nevsehir Airport (1 hour), or Kayseri Airport (1 hour, 15 minutes).

A simple approach matched with modern amenities gives this hotel a unique personality and enchanting feel. The natural stones are the highlights of the rooms; each area is carved out individually to accommodate the bathrooms, doors, windows, and even closets -- no two rooms are the same. Rooms are large with wood floors, king-size beds, writing desks, and lace curtains made by the owner’s mother. Private terraces come standard too, but they are small. Modern amenities include Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, tea and coffee stations, universal electrical adaptors, and laptop computers. Standard rooms have en-suite bathrooms with standing showers that are clean and large with two rainfall shower heads.

The larger suites have en-suite bedrooms and two additional day-beds in the separate living areas, separate kitchens, and marble bathrooms. The Fantasy Cave Suite and Stonecutter’s Suite also have a stylish claw-foot tub in addition to the walk-in showers. The separate kitchen area has a small table with seats, a microwave, stocked teas and coffees, a microwave, and cups and glasses. A mini-fridge is an added plus for traveling families.

There is a lovely terrace with great views where breakfast can be served. Pastries, hot and cold drinks, fresh fruit, and eggs to order are served every morning. The hotel also has an indoor dining area and cafe bar that is open 24/7. Coffee, teas, hot chocolate, and bottled water are available in the cafe area and are free for all guests, wine and beer are also available for a fee. Laptops are included in every room for free, and have scanning and printing capabilities for anyone who needs information and directions. Outside by the garden there is a self-service laundry for guests' use.

The laundry and drinks service works on an honor system. Guests record their use of the laundry and drinks from either the minibar or the cafe at checkout for payment.