Esbelli Evi Cave Hotel Review: Fairytale Charm in Cappadocia, Turkey
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Occasionally when traveling, you stumble across a truly special hotel – one that charms you right down to your soul.
Esbelli Evi in Cappadocia, Turkey, is such a place.
Esbelli Evi Review: Cappadocia cave hotel in Turkey
On one trip to Turkey, we included a visit to Cappadocia.
We went hot air ballooning over Cappadocia and also made like troglodytes – exploring the area’s underground cave cities and rock-cut cave churches.
To enhance our experience, we stayed at a cave hotel in Cappadocia.
One of the first cave hotels in Cappadocia, Esbelli Evi opened in 1990 with five rooms.
Over the years, the owner Suha Ersoz expanded the hotel by connecting individual houses through stairs and tunnels.
Today – carved into into Cappadocia’s volcanic rock cliffs – Esbelli Evi is a boutique cave hotel with nine suites and four classic rooms.
Esbelli Evi cave hotel: Rooms and suites
Book a suite; you’ll appreciate Esbelli Evi best if you do.
Larger than most city apartments, the suites are cocoons of comfort.
Each suite is unique.
But they all have hardwood floors, air-conditioning, kilim rugs, king-size beds, rain showers, lace curtains made by the owner’s mother – and even kitchens.
The marble bathroom of our Fantasy Cave Suite came with a clawfoot tub – plus help-yourself scotch in a crystal decanter next to scented candles on a side-table.
Ever gracious, Ersoz has thought of everything to make travelers feel like they have a home away from home.
It’s a joy to return to Esbelli Evi after a day out exploring the UNESCO site of Cappadocia.
You’re treated to a welcome bottle of wine, free WiFi and in-room laptops, along with complimentary fruit and snacks in Esbelli Evi’s living room.
Niches in the bedroom walls are stuffed with great travel and art books; we browsed one on Caravaggio.
There’s even a complimentary guest laundry tucked away in a courtyard, and each suite’s private stone terrace has a clothes rack, discreetly hidden behind pots of roses.
Breakfast
Breakfast (7:30 am to 10:30 am) is taken on a rooftop terrace overlooking the rolling countryside and traditional village, or in two cozy breakfast rooms.
Order an omelet or other egg dish, and while waiting, help yourself to freshly squeezed orange juice; fresh cucumber, tomatoes and cheese; home-baked breads and cakes; and yogurt and preserves.
Suha drops by to personally chat with each guest and check that you’re set for the day with tours.
Esbelli Evi location
Esbelli Evi is conveniently located within walking distance of Urgup’s town center.
For dinner, nearby Ziggy’s Café, one of Cappadocia’s best restaurants, serves yummy mezes (shared Turkish dishes).
Reasonable rates
To top it all off, rates at this lovely cave hotel in Cappadocia (which include breakfast) are extremely affordable.
Just one more reason Esbelli Evi ranks right up there on our list of favorite boutique hotels in the world…
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→ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, offering loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
→ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. (We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find great discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.
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→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
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Photo credits: 5, 6, 7, 9 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | Remaining photos Esbelli Evi
About the authors
What a unique place to stay, I love hotels like this.
Yes, it’s very unique – lots of character!
We’re going to be in Turkey in Fall this year and staying inside a cave hotel is definitely something ont he list of things I want to do.
Staying in a cave hotel certainly adds to the whole Cappadocia experience. Enjoy your trip!
That’s a very cool experience!