The 5 Best Cave Hotels in Cappadocia, Village by Village

The best cave hotels in Cappadocia let you sleep inside the rock without giving up comfort. Our five picks spread across four villages: two in Uçhisar, one in Ürgüp, one in the valley village of Ayvalı and one in Ortahisar. The houses they restored won us over first, then the view from the terrace and the stay they offer. For one night in a cave hotel, see our 2 day Cappadocia tour from Istanbul.

For dinner outside your hotel, see our picks in Ürgüp, Mustafapaşa, İbrahimpaşa and Göreme: the best restaurants in Cappadocia.

How We Chose the Best Cave Hotels in Cappadocia

Every hotel here grew out of old cave houses, a mansion quarter or a monastic site. So each one keeps real rock rooms, not only stone walls that copy them. Then we looked at the village around it, because the village decides your days. To compare the towns first, read our guide to choosing a cave hotel in Cappadocia.

The Best Cave Hotels in Cappadocia in Uçhisar

1. Museum Hotel, Uçhisar

The Museum Hotel grew out of old caves and houses in Tekelli, a quarter of Uçhisar, and has operated since 2003. Hundreds of objects from the Hittite, Roman, Seljuk and Ottoman periods stand in its rooms, halls and cave tunnels, each registered with the Nevşehir Museum. It has 34 rooms, some cut into the rock and some built of stone. The hotel holds Two MICHELIN Keys, and the views reach Mount Erciyes, Pigeon Valley and Red Valley. Also in Tekelli, Ariana Lodge has eleven cave, stone and duplex suites facing Pigeon Valley.

2. Argos in Cappadocia, Uçhisar

Argos spreads through restored stone houses and caves on the slope of Uçhisar that faces Pigeon Valley. Restoration began in 1996 and took fourteen years. Today the site holds a chapel, a caravanserai, a mill house and underground tunnels. In the Museum Hall, a glass floor shows an old horse-powered linseed oil mill. The hotel has 71 rooms.

The Best Cave Hotels in Cappadocia Around Ürgüp

3. Kayakapı Premium Caves, Ürgüp

Kayakapı fills a whole restored quarter on the rocky hillside above Ürgüp. Five landowning aghas built its mansions in the 18th and 19th centuries. After the residents left in 1969, the houses stood empty until restoration began in 2002. The center of Ürgüp is a 5 to 10 minute walk away, and the outdoor pool sits in the Davut Agha Mansion.

4. Gamirasu Cave Hotel, Ayvalı

Gamirasu lies in Ayvalı, a small village in the İçeridere Valley near Ürgüp. The hotel is set in a restored Byzantine monastic retreat, and the valley around it still holds rock-cut rooms and traces of frescoes. It has 35 cave rooms and suites, organic dining and a heated outdoor pool. Choose it if you want a walk in the valley before breakfast. For the villages compared, read where to stay in Cappadocia.

5. Hezen Cave Hotel, Ortahisar

Hezen stands in Ortahisar, between Göreme and Ürgüp, and its terraces face the village’s rock castle and the Balkandere Valley. Guests take breakfast and dinner out there. Its family suites have two bedrooms, a sitting room and a hammam-style bathroom, about 100 square meters (1,076 square feet) in all. Families get space and a village base. For the rest of the country, read our guide to luxury travel in Turkey.

Where Can You Book a Cave Suite in Cappadocia?

For a cave suite with its own pool, look first at Uçhisar. At the Museum Hotel, the three Imperial Pool Suites, of 120 to 230 m² (1,290 to 2,480 sq ft), each have a private pool. The largest, Muhteshem, covers 230 m² with a two-story cave, and The Konak (a large traditional mansion) is a detached two-story stone mansion of 160 m². Its three Imperial Suites, of 98 to 130 m², also display historic objects from the hotel’s collection. At Argos, the Grand Cave Splendid Suite fills 160 m² (1,720 sq ft) of volcanic rock with a fireplace, a living room and a private pool. Then the Cave Splendid Suites, of 60 to 135 m², have their own pools too, while the Jacuzzi Suites, of 80 to 110 m², suit a couple. So for a family, Hezen’s two-bedroom suites in Ortahisar make the better base.

Book One of the Best Cave Hotels in Cappadocia With Us

Would you like to wake up in a cave room in Cappadocia? Uçhisar or Ürgüp: write to us with your dates through our hotel booking service. Then add a balloon flight or our two days in Cappadocia. For coffee and breakfast, see the best cafés in Cappadocia.