Working out where to stay in Cappadocia can be confusing. You’ll want to have the unique experience of staying in a cave or a fairy chimney but deciphering which is the best from the hundreds available can be time consuming.
After spending two weeks there in several different properties, we have a good perspective on how they measure up against each other and which you should look at booking.
Whilst Cappadocia is a huge region most people choose to stay in either Goreme or Uchisar, you could stay outside these areas but you’ll be away from the main action.
Where to stay in Cappadocia - Goreme
Goreme is the tourism hub in Cappadocia and it’s where most people visiting the region will look to stay. Pick Goreme if you want to be in the middle of the action and have a close up view of the hot air balloons. Goreme is busier and noisier than other regions in Cappadocia but also has by far the most restaurants and things going on.
Cappadocia Cave Hotels - Goreme
Local Cave House
If you’re looking for an insta-famous place that isn’t complacent, Local Cave House is the best bet. This beautiful hotel was made famous by its picturesque pool, but is well worth staying at for the lovely rooms which are a comfortable and quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of Goreme.
The prices here haven’t gone through the roof and the friendly staff go out of their way to accommodate you. It also happens to be one of the most instagrammable places in Turkey!
It is also very central, has free (street) parking and overall we found it to be very good value. Out of all the cave hotels we stayed in, this is the one we’d recommend most highly for price versus experience and it’s a destination in its own right, a must for your Cappadocia itinerary.
We stayed for three nights and couldn’t extend because it was booked out, you’ll want to book as early as possible for this one, especially if you’re visiting in high season.
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Sultan Cave Suites
Sultan Cave Suites has become an Instagram sensation which made this place one of the most famous hotels in the world and started a trend which many hotels followed.
The photos of breakfast served on the terrace rather than in the breakfast room started a viral sensation and means it is sold out most of the time. Whilst it is a stunning view, we didn’t think it was all rosy at Sultan Cave Suites.
Firstly the rooms are incredibly overpriced and underwhelming. We spent a month in Turkey and this was by far the worst value accommodation we stayed in, to say we were disappointed is an understatement. Many other places offer the same quality and size room for a fraction of the price.
It is also really close to a busy road that has vehicles roaring past throughout the night (especially noticeable during the pick-ups for the sunrise balloons).
The breakfast was pretty underwhelming and you can tell that this would be a fraction of the price if it wasn’t for its new found fame. You are 100% paying for the chance to use the terrace at sunrise, which was hugely crowded but also very beautiful and undeniably one of Cappadocia’s best sunrise spots.
The management here were also a little unfriendly (although the Turkish staff were lovely) and had clearly lost their patience with running a place that had become a famous Instagram spot.
We can understand that, it must be a bit of a pain but it’s also why this place is full night after night with prices that are hugely inflated….
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Koza Cave Hotel
Koza is another of the Insta famous hotels but easier to get into than Sultan Cave Suites. We’ve seen loads of pictures and the terrace looks incredible, very well dressed, which makes sense as it is run by the Sultan Cave Suites crew.
The rooms look great and get good reviews, but we can’t comment on how busy the terrace gets as we never got to see it for ourselves. The cheapest rooms look really small but have nice traditional decor, our guess is again that you are paying quiet a bit for the epic terrace.
Ascension Suites
This is where we moved to after staying at Sultan Cave Suites and we paid less than 1/3 of the price for a room which was remarkably similar. Ascension is incredibly atmospheric and the rooms are quiet and comfy. We’d say the exterior is probably the prettiest we saw in Cappadocia.
We loved our cave room but thought the breakfast was very underwhelming. For the money you save on staying here though you can always buy breakfast out : )
Ascension is a great choice if you want to stay in a proper cave hotel but don’t mind that it doesn’t have a balloon viewing terrace (there are plenty of epic spots around town to view them from).
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Mithra Cave Hotel
We tried to get a room at Mithra when we noticed it from the Sultan Cave Suites terrace. It had the exact same view of the balloons but comparatively had hardly anyone there. That was us sold but alas it was already fully booked when we tried (you really do need to book ahead if you have your heart set on particular hotels in Cappadocia).
From my online research people love this hotel. The rooms look fantastic and as mentioned the terrace looks a dream. If we returned to Cappadocia and wanted to stay in Goreme this is a place I will definitely be checking out. Prices are a lot lower than the other hotels on this list that have hot air balloon terraces.
Where to stay in Uchisar
Uchisar is just down the road from Goreme but is a much quieter place to base yourself. Apart from around the castle the streets are really quiet and we rarely saw anyone around.
There are less restaurants but if you run out of options on a long stay then you can just drive down the road to Goreme. People who enjoy a quieter experience with less other tourists around will prefer Uchisar.
Duven House
This is another one which isn’t a cave hotel but it makes up for it with the most astonishing view of Uchisar Castle. It is right beside the castle and most rooms have a view. The breakfast room has huge panoramic windows which make it hard to concentrate on the food! A shame really as this was the best brekkie we had in Cappadocia : )
The hotel is lovely and quiet and the rooms are very comfortable and decorated with lots of lovely Turkish touches.
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Rox
Rox is another one we know about from having seen it pop up many times on Instagram. It’s the one with that famous egg/nest type chair, what do you actually call them?! Anyway you’ve probably seen it in photos! The chair is on a terrace with epic balloon views.
From photos the rooms look like they are some of the most beautifully styled of all. It’s based in an old Greek house so even though the rooms look like cave rooms it isn’t technically a cave house. Reviews for this place are amazing.
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El Nazar Stone Suites
If you don’t mind about whether or not you stay in a cave hotel then we can confidently say this was the best value hotel we stayed in, in Cappadocia. The room was absolutely massive and beautifully furnished in a way that felt both luxurious and traditional.
The bathroom was great too and the area was extremely quiet. If you want to stay somewhere beautiful and not pay too much for it then going for a non cave house is definitely the way forwards.
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Museum Hotel
We didn’t stay in Museum but we couldn’t write about where to stay in Cappadocia without mentioning one of its most famous hotels. Museum is definitely at the luxury end of the market and the rooms look out of this world. Some even have wine on tap!
There is a magnificent terrace and swimming pool with views to the hot air balloons at sunrise and we’ve been told it is far quieter and more relaxed than any of the cave terrace experiences in Goreme. If you’re looking for a splurge then this could be just what you’re looking for.
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