I spent several nights in a cave…
…in early January…
…in the middle of nowhere…
…in Turkey…
And it was fantastic. My boyfriend and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Cappadocia in central Turkey (from Istanbul where we were based in January). By impromptu trip I mean we bought the plane tickets about 48 hours before the trip and arrived in the middle of the desert with no hotel and only the vaguest idea how to get from the airport to a town that offered hotels. We managed to catch a few shuttles that got us to the center of Göreme where we consulted my Lonely Planet guidebook. We checked out the hostels it listed in the center of town only to find them dingy, deserted, and overpriced. I was about to say we should just grab one of those hostels because it was cold and we were stranded, but my boyfriend suggested we at least check out the Lonely Planet #1 choice for Cappadocia.
So we did. We had to drag our bags up some gnarly cobblestone street hills in search of the #1 choice, but a few pit stops to catch our breath later, we were at the Kelebek Cave Hotel, and, oh my goodness, was it worth the hike! If anyone out there is considering a trip to Cappadocia (and I have some acquaintances who are or will soon be in Turkey), I highly recommend Kelebek; even if you will never in your life so much as consider a trip to Turkey, you can still browse the pictures of the hotel.
As per its name, Kelebek Cave Hotel is a collection of caves carved into the natural stone in Cappadocia. It is really quite beautiful.
The top of the line room at Kelebek is the Presidential Suite, which reportedly has an amazing view of Cappadocia. Here is the room.
We did not stay in the Presidential Suite, but we were more than happy with our room. We could not have been happier with our experience at Kelebek. The service was extraordinary, the free breakfast gave a tip of the hat to Western tourists with French toast, and the tours through the hotel were perfect. We would love to stay there again.
Kelebek: http://www.kelebekhotel.com/index.php
I feel comfortable saying that the Kelebek Cave Hotel is the coolest place I’ve ever stayed. Should you ever find yourself in central Turkey, I highly recommend visiting Cappadocia and staying in Kelebek.
A few pictures of Cappadocia for reference…
From the top: pigeon houses, an early Christian monastery, the remains of an early Christian fresco, and a 3,000 year-old underground city.
Joni
jeannettemarie28
sarahlew87
twyf
This is soooo cool. It sounds like you two had a fantastic little getaway! I wish I had an ounce of spontaneity; however, Brian and I may take a trip to the Cleveland Zoo sometime if this crazy nice weather holds out.
For me, it’s usually a combination of spontaneity and inability to plan. My lazy side likes a good surprise every once in awhile.