Five reasons to love Koza Cave Hotel
In general, I try to spend as little time as possible in hotel rooms. I’m usually not too fussed about luxury hotels or a ton of hotel amenities, unless I’m on an island and want nothing more than an infinity pool. I can sleep just about anywhere and I try to spend as much of my day out and about in a new city–not stuck in a hotel room.
But staying at Koza Cave Hotel was the exact opposite: it felt like so much of the place, so much of the essence of Cappadocia that I never wanted to leave. Not only was it built IN a cave, but the windows and terrace provided 360-degree views over the crazy landscape of Cappadocia. If you go to Cappadocia, where you stay will be as much of an experience as the hot air balloon ride at sunrise or hiking through Rose and Red Valleys–so it’s important to choose carefully. Here’s what I loved most about Koza Cave Hotel, and why I would wholeheartedly recommend it:
It’s a family affair
Koza Cave Hotel is run by a family, and it’s such a refreshing change from a corporate hotel. The twenty-something sons manage the email and social media: they’re super responsive, helpful and just generally good at customer service. The father custom made much of the furniture and fixtures in the rooms, and it is just gorgeous. Not only does it perfectly match the rustic aesthetic, it’s so sturdy and beautiful: a far cry from hostels furnished with Ikea! There’s just a very nice personal touch to the entire place–fresh flowers, well-worn copies of books–and you can tell that it’s someone’s livelihood, not something that has been prescribed by a team of visual merchandisers .
The most important meal of the day
I am a complimentary breakfast connaisseur: if a hotel offers me free breakfast, I TAKE IT. I also just love breakfast: I’m always hungry the minute I wake up! So when a hotel has a good (free) breakfast, I’m instantly won over–and Koza Cave totally did. If there’s one thing Turkey does incredibly well, it’s yogurt. Koza Cave had the ultimate yogurt bar: a big bowl of homemade yogurt, and then a variety of granola, nuts and every single dried fruit you can think of. Add in some hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, deliciously flaky bread and hot strong coffee–and you’ve got the perfect complimentary Turkish breakfast bar!
The most incredible views
The room I stayed in boasted 360-degree views of Cappadocia: indoor windows curved around the top of of the cave and overlooked the city of Goreme, while a private terrace had views of crazy rock formations. Honestly, some of my favorite memories of Cappadocia are from sitting on the terrace with a cup of tea and reading my book and looking out over the views and just swooning. It was stunning, and with a view like that–I never wanted to leave my little abode!
Away from the main tourist track
The upside (or downside to some people, I suppose) to those views is that Koza Cave Hotel sits on top of a hill overlooking the city of Goreme. In the photo above, the third “cave” to the right has two windows–those were in my room! It’s about a seven-minute walk from the center of town, and it can be a bit uphill on your way back–but I loved it. Goreme is a tiny city that runs primarily on tourism, so the main street isn’t large but it’s home to restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops. I was glad that Koza Cave Hotel wasn’t right on top of everything: I loved wandering through the back streets and finding new routes, stumbling over different shops or stopping in for a cup of tea.
Beautiful and thoughtful interiors
Without a doubt, there’s something special about staying in a cave. Not only is the temperature I have a serious weakness for window seats: there’s something so romantic to me about the image of a girl sitting in a window with a book! My room at Koza Cave Hotel had the most luscious red seat along three windows overlooking Goreme, and it was so wonderful to spend a few minutes each afternoon sitting and reading. There was also a jacuzzi tub that I took full advantage of and the bed was incredibly comfortable. Wins all around!
Note: Koza Cave Hotel kindly offered me a complimentary stay, but all opinions are my own.
Have you ever stayed in a cave hotel? Would you want to?
