Fall asleep inside a cave, wake up to hot air balloons drifting past your window and eat breakfast on a roof terrace overlooking the fairy chimneys. In Cappadocia, your hotel is half the adventure! But which village do you pick as your base? Busy Göreme, Uçhisar with its views, wine town Ürgüp, or somewhere so quiet you’ll barely see another tourist?
Cappadocia isn’t one town but a region dotted with villages, and each has a character of its own. In one, restaurants and tour operators are right on your doorstep. In another, you sleep in a centuries-old Greek mansion and the evenings are completely silent. We spent a week exploring the area and picked out our favourite hotels in every village.
In this guide, we’ll show you where to stay in Cappadocia, which village suits which kind of traveller and which cave hotels we’d book.
Where to stay in Cappadocia at a glance
In a hurry? Here’s the short version. Scroll down for more on each village and our favourite hotels.
- Best cave hotel: Museum Hotel in Uçhisar, built into the ruins of an old village
- Best for a first visit or without a car: Göreme (our pick: Kelebek Special Cave Hotel & Spa)
- Best for views and luxury: Uçhisar (our pick: Taskonaklar)
- Best for food and wine: Ürgüp (our pick: Dere Suites Cappadocia)
- Best for a quiet but central stay: Ortahisar (our pick: Hezen Cave Hotel)
- Best for everyday Turkish life: Avanos (our pick: Sofa Hotel)
- Best for escaping the crowds: Mustafapaşa (our pick: Cappadocia Estates Hotel)
→ Discover our 12 favourite things to do in Cappadocia with kids
Do you need a car in Cappadocia?
Got a rental car? Then it hardly matters which village you choose. Distances are short: Uçhisar, Ürgüp and Ortahisar are all within about 15 minutes’ drive of Göreme. We had our own wheels and loved the freedom. It took us to plenty of places the tour buses skip.
No car? Then Göreme is your best bet. It has the most tour operators running day trips, including the well-known Red Tour and Green Tour, and you can walk straight into several valleys from the village. In the smaller villages, getting around without your own transport is a lot harder.
Where are the best views of the hot air balloons?
Dreaming of breakfast on a terrace while balloons float past? Then choose your hotel carefully. Most balloons launch from the valleys around Göreme, so hotels in Göreme and Uçhisar with a roof terrace or balcony tend to have the best seats. When you book, look for a room with a view or access to a shared roof terrace.
One warning, though: don’t count on it. Whether the balloons go up depends entirely on the weather, and on the wind in particular. We spent a week here in October and saw them fly on just one morning.
→ Discover the 17 best things to do in Cappadocia
Staying in a cave hotel in Cappadocia
Sleeping in a cave sounds rather primitive, but in Cappadocia it’s the best way to experience the region. Cave hotels are set in centuries-old homes carved out of the soft volcanic rock. Today they’re hotel rooms with stone walls, vaulted ceilings and little niches in the rock, plus proper bathrooms, heating and Wi-Fi.
Read the room description carefully, though. Not every room in a cave hotel is actually a cave, because many hotels also have rooms in the stone houses next door. Want to sleep inside the rock? Then choose a room with cave in its name. Expect it to be darker than a regular hotel room, as cave rooms usually have fewer windows.
These are our favourite cave hotels in Cappadocia, for every kind of traveller:
#1 Museum Hotel is the most luxurious cave hotel in Cappadocia. The rooms are spread across the restored cave dwellings of an old village in Uçhisar and filled with antiques. The heated pool looks out over the valley.
#2 Yunak Evleri is carved into a cliff in the centre of Ürgüp. Its cave rooms are stacked on top of and next to each other, so the whole hotel looks like a honeycomb in the rock face.
#3 Kelebek Special Cave Hotel & Spa gives you real cave rooms with the extras of a bigger hotel, such as a hammam and a seasonal pool. And you’re right in the middle of Göreme.
#4 Local Cave House Hotel is perfect for a cave stay with kids. The family suites have two bedrooms, and the children can cool off in the pool after a day of hiking.
#5 Kismet Cave House is a small, family-run hotel with genuine cave rooms. It feels a bit like staying at the family’s own home, homemade breakfast included.
The best villages to stay in Cappadocia
#1 Göreme: the lively heart of Cappadocia
Want to be where it all happens? Then Göreme is the obvious pick. Rock formations rise between the houses, and no other village has as many cave hotels, restaurants and tour operators. Walks to Love Valley, Rose Valley and Pigeon Valley start right from the village, which makes it ideal for a first visit or a trip without a car.
Yes, Göreme is touristy. Carpets hang outside the shops, and you’ll find tour operators and restaurants with English menus on every corner. We still enjoyed strolling around, and those colourful carpet shops make great photo backdrops. A tip for the evening: book a table at popular places such as Topdeck Cave Restaurant, Pumpkin Göreme or Cratus Premium Restaurant & Lounge. The best spots fill up fast, especially in high season.
#1 Kelebek Special Cave Hotel & Spa is one of the best-known cave hotels in Göreme. Unwind in the hammam after a day of walking, or take a dip in the pool from May to October. The family rooms make it a good choice with kids too.
#2 Kismet Cave House is a small, family-run hotel in an old farmhouse. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the centre but away from the crowds. Breakfast comes with homemade jam and fresh produce from the family’s garden, served on the roof terrace overlooking Göreme. There are genuine cave rooms and a family suite for four.
#3 Local Cave House Hotel has a pool and spacious two-bedroom family suites. Handy when you’re travelling with kids and everyone wants a bit of space.
#4 Aydinli Cave Hotel is a small cave hotel with family rooms and a roof terrace. On mornings when the balloons fly, you’ve got front-row seats.
#2 Uçhisar: quieter, with sweeping views
See that huge rock riddled with holes on the hill? That’s Uçhisar Castle, and the village is built around it. It’s the highest point in the area, so many hotels have wide views over Pigeon Valley and the valleys towards Göreme.
Uçhisar is calmer than Göreme and feels a little more upmarket, with several luxury boutique hotels. We parked here for our hike through Pigeon Valley, a gorgeous trail that starts in Uçhisar and runs mostly downhill to Göreme. You can climb the castle too, but we thought the entrance fee was steep for a viewpoint. There’s less going on in the evening than in Göreme. If peace and views top your list, though, this is a great base.
#1 Taskonaklar has cave rooms and spacious family suites with superb views over Pigeon Valley. What more could you want with your breakfast?
#2 Argos in Cappadocia is one of the most luxurious places to stay in the region. It’s set in a former monastery complex, complete with centuries-old wine cellars carved into the rock. This is where you go to treat yourself.
#3 Museum Hotel lives up to its name: it’s built into the restored ruins of an old village, with rooms full of antiques. The heated outdoor pool overlooks the valley and is open all year round. Travelling with kids? Check the age policy first, as the hotel is mainly aimed at adults.
#4 Hermes Cave Hotel sits a stone’s throw from Uçhisar Castle, looking out over the village and Pigeon Valley. It has family rooms and a seasonal outdoor pool. A good way to stay in Uçhisar without paying luxury prices.
#3 Ürgüp: a real town for food and wine
Rather stay in a proper town than a tourist village? Ürgüp might be your match. It’s the largest town in the region, with more shops and restaurants, and the countryside around it is known for its wine. On the hill above the centre, in the old Esbelli neighbourhood, historic houses have been turned into beautiful cave hotels.
From Ürgüp, it’s a short drive to Göreme and the valleys, although a little further than from Uçhisar or Ortahisar. Without a car, you’ll rely more on taxis or organised tours.
#1 Ürgüp Evi Cave Hotel occupies two old houses in Esbelli, converted into twelve rooms. Each one has its own local theme, with stone walls, wooden floors and traditional rugs. From the restaurant terrace, you look out over the valleys and villages around Ürgüp.
#2 Yunak Evleri is a maze of cave rooms carved into the cliff face. There’s a pool and comfortable rooms to come back to after a day out.
#3 Sacred House is set in a Greek mansion that’s around 250 years old and is known for its richly decorated rooms. There’s a spa with a hammam and an indoor pool. Note that guests must be 15 or older.
#4 Dere Suites Cappadocia has cosy cave rooms and a terrace overlooking Ürgüp, where breakfast is served. There’s even a wine cellar, and the family suites work well if you’re travelling with kids.
#4 Ortahisar: traditional and less touristy
In the middle of Ortahisar, a tall rock fortress towers over the houses: Ortahisar Castle. The village lies between Göreme and Ürgüp but feels far less touristy. Old stone houses line ordinary village streets, and daily life simply carries on around you.
It’s a good pick if you want peace and quiet in a central spot. There are fewer restaurants than in Göreme or Ürgüp, though, so for a big dinner out you might want to drive to one of the larger villages.
#1 Hezen Cave Hotel is a stylish cave hotel looking out at the castle. There are family rooms, plus a play corner and games room to keep the kids busy.
#2 Tafoni Houses Cave Hotel pairs cave rooms with a spa, sauna and hot tub. Exactly what your legs need after a day of hiking through the valleys.
#3 Megaron Cave Hotel has just seven rooms and is less than 200 metres from Ortahisar Castle. Some rooms look straight out at the rock fortress, and the cave suites come with a private hot tub or even a fireplace. Breakfast is made fresh for you every morning.
#5 Avanos and Çavuşin: by the river or among cave dwellings
Avanos lies on the Kızılırmak River and is known as Cappadocia’s pottery town. You won’t be surrounded by rock formations here, so you miss some of that classic Cappadocia scenery. What you get instead is a real Turkish town with local shops and restaurants along the river. With a car, the valleys are easy to reach.
Would you rather stay among the rocks? Then take a look at Çavuşin. This small village between Göreme and Avanos sits at the foot of a cliff full of abandoned cave dwellings, and the Rose Valley walk starts right here.
#1 Sofa Hotel is in the centre of Avanos and decorated with traditional Cappadocian rugs and antiques. Its rooms, including cave rooms, are grouped around a courtyard. You can also rent bikes and cars here.
#2 Atax Cave House is a small, family-run cave hotel among the old cave dwellings of Çavuşin. On a good morning, you can watch the balloons from the terrace, and the owner is happy to share tips for exploring the area.
#6 Mustafapaşa: a quiet village of Greek mansions
Want to escape the crowds for real? Then Mustafapaşa could be your spot. This sleepy village lies a few kilometres south of Ürgüp and was called Sinasos until 1924. Back then it was home mostly to Greek families, and their mansions with ornate façades still give the village its own character.
You’ll want a car here, as the valleys around Göreme are about 20 minutes’ drive away.
#1 Cappadocia Estates Hotel is a small hotel with spacious cave suites, including family suites for four. There’s a garden with a hot tub, and guests rave about the hospitality. It’s one of the highest-rated hotels in the region.
#2 Gul Konakları Sinasos is made up of restored Greek mansions around a green garden. With a fireplace, its own restaurant and a peaceful setting, this is a place to slow down.
