Yunak Evleri, Cappadocia’s 5-Star Cave Hotel


You’re in the center of Turkey, in search of lodging.  You want five-star luxury, but hunger for an experience as far away from the same old offerings of the hotel service industry.   The Yunak Evleri might prove to be the destination you’re looking for.

A literal “cave hotel,” the facility is built right into the volcanic-formed mountainous region of Cappadocia.  We’re not talking about a fancy building erected right on the rocks — instead, they took the existing landscape and turned it into the actual hotel, complete with rooms built right into the caves.

The Yunak Evleri sets guests up inside one of six cave houses dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries, hosting a total of 30 individual cave rooms offering privacy and comfort.  Each room is decorated with antiques from the Ottoman Empire, along with full hardwood flooring, spacious marble bathrooms (with either a Swedish jet stream shower or a Jacuzzi), handcrafted Mediterranean furniture and private patios with an outdoor fireplace overlooking the Turkish Mesa.  The path to each room is lined by curved stone stairways and narrow labyrinths, making for a unique experience throughout your entire stay.

Reception is set within a restored Greek mansion from the 19th century, decked in white marble and finished in wood.  The space also hosts a rooftop restaurant, a music room, a DVD room with a home theatre system and a function room for business meetings.

Yunak Evleri is billed as an ideal base for exploring Cappadocia’s local wonders, which include elaborate underground cities, hidden cavernous caves and the rest of the fascinating rock terrain.  We can’t find room rates, but expect it to be pricey.

[Yunak Evleri]