gpotvin

We will be in Cappadocia from October 28 through November 1, landing in Nevsehir around 11:00 am. We are reviewing a lot of options for lodging and would like some help. Would like to stay around $80-100/ night. Our questions:
Where is the best place to stay, Urgup, Goreme or some place else?
Would it be best to rent a car or hire a driver/guide?
Are there other nearby sights to visit as day trips?
One of the hotels is offering transport from the airport for 80 Lira, which seems high. Is it and are there other options/

Thanks

nancy

I can't recommend a hotel but friends of mine stayed in a "cave" hotel and thought it was fabulous. I've been to Cappadocia two times but on a tour so didn't have the opportunity to stay in a "cave" hotel.

There are posters on here who could recommend one. I think this would be a terrific experience.

I know there are guides who can drive you around to all the great sites. Enter Cappadocia in the "search" area on Fodors and you will come up with a lot of suggestions.

I am still amazed at the landscape of Cappadocia. It is other-worldly. Defintely one of my favorite place on the globe.

By the way, if you get a chance, try to see the Whirling Dervishes. Amazing!

propertravel

Turkish airlines huttle with prior arrangement is 15 YTl to Urgup and 17 to Goreme per person.
Murat

Ruff

We stayed with our very small tour group in Nevsehir, which is not someplace particularly exciting to stay. We decided, though, that if we were to return, we would stay in Goreme rather than Urgup because the former is a little larger and more active.

Mathieu

Goreme is a great place to stay.
While there I stayed at the Hotel Kelebek (the pension part) and enjoyed it immensely. The views are wonderful and you can have a 'cave room' too if you want one.

http://www.kelebekhotel.com/

tower

gpotvin

Esbelli Evi in Urgup for a true cave experience. The rate has gone up substantially, but I hate to say it, we paid $40 ten years ago, and $76 seven years ago. Have recommended to several friends and family...all enjoyed. Urgup is a comfortable little town, and it will give you the small-town Turkey experience, and it's easy driving eveywhere within the region.

The affable host, Suha (call me Bill!) is a fine gentleman who runs a unique establishment.

(Many poster herein and Murat will certainly agree, eh, Murat!)

Here also are some of my pre-digital scanned photos of the country...just hit on the magnifiying glass icon to enlarge.

http://www.esbelli.com/

http://tiny.cc/pt5jV

stu t.

Michael

From my trip report:

From there we drove to Mustafapasa (5 km. from Ürgüp) and found the recommended B&B (Hotel Pacha - Ancienne maison grecque (http://www.pachahotel.com/index.htm), not to be confused with The Old Greek House), which was the best place we stayed at during our stay in Turkey--my wife found the laundry service (20 TRY) a little steep. The room cost us 60 TRY per night and the one dinner we had there--good family style Turkish food--cost 20 TRY per person without wine. It was the only time that the breakfast egg was other than hard-boiled. We stayed there 4 nights. The host was an interesting character. He started is life as a stone mason, eventually purchased the ruin of a Greek house, found an old photograph of the house in the town's archives and rebuilt the house as it was. It also owned one of the shops on the main street between the upper and the lower square which is now run by his son. He loved his job as hotelier: schmoozing with the guests (particularly young women), providing van tours for them (for a price), buying and selling rugs as an occasional activity. His French was fairly fluent, his English very limited. His wife was a very overweight traditionally dressed woman who did the cooking and cleaning with the help of one other woman and spoke no foreign language. For the most part she stayed in the kitchen. Mustafapasa is an interesting town. It was predominantly Greek before the population exchange and has quite a few mansions remaining from that time. Some of them are in ruins and some of them are being converted into hotels. It may be unrecognizable in ten years.


Photographs of the hotel can be found among these pictures:

http://tinyurl.com/3rz6bg

propertravel

Hi Stu,
Yes I aggree with the comment.

Where you stay is also important with whom you are dealing with at the place......Cant make further comments Often people fall in offered cheap prices too and might be resulting worthless services...

Murat

PegS

I can't give any firsthand experience, but I've been doing research for my trip next year. Kelebek is often cited as a favorite, but right now I'm eyeing a newish cave hotel that I suspect is one of the Turkish Heritage Travel (same company that owns Kelebek) hotels or somehow associated with them. It's called Aydinli Cave House Hotel, and I'm so hoping to hear more reviews of it!

Mathieu

In what town is the Aydinli Cave House Hotel ?

Gpotvin, I didn't address your other queries.

1. Driving in Turkey is quite easy and recommended in Capadoccia if you'll be there for 4 days, but hiring a guide with car might be better and perhaps more efficient. (Or do both, renting a car for 2 days to further explore places you saw with your guide earlier.) They'll take you where you need to go, quickly. The local bus system in the area is also very good and reliable and I used it a lot to get about (such as to get to Kaymakli), as well as hiring a driver and car for the day through Murat to go further distances. I drove for 4 days in the Izmir/Ephesus area but not in Cappadocia.

2. I thought Goreme was a great base and found it within easy distance to get to other towns like Urgup, Avanos, Uchisar and others. The outdoor museum is an easy walk from Goreme (its just outside the town).

3. Theres lots to see and do in these little towns, and the scenery is breathtaking. Make sure you have good walking shoes. You'll be walking up and down a lot of hills and inclines.

4. I paid 80 of some currency in Oct. 2006 to get from the airport in Kayseri to Goreme, but cannot remember if it was YTL or USD.

PegS

Mathieu, Aydinli Cave House Hotel is in Goreme. From the Turkish Heritage Travel site it says it's in the same area as the Kelebek properties.

Eze

Go to Urgup. It is a real turkish small town with local life.
Goreme is a touristic village. If you dine in Goreme to Dibek Traditional Home Cook restaurant (www.dibektraditionalcook.com.com)

In Urgup, one "street" lower than celebrated and expensive Esbelli Evi, sleep in Selcuk Evi. Roughly same architecture as Esbelli Evi but cheaper. Very nice greek rooms (not cave). Was in Kemerli Evi, very nice 5 nights stay. 75 euros per night bkfst included, negociated on internet. As Esbelli evi, this hotel is not in the very centre of the town, but on the top of a hill, +/- 10 minutes walk (steep rise)
Free transfer offered by hotel to Kayseri airport. Actually was Turkish airlines minibus (Argeus travel bus).

propertravel

Esbelli is not expensive for 25 Euro per night different than what Eze paid and trust me it's fame is not for nothing....I am sure many who stayed there in this board would agree what I say. Besides all rooms are cave ( and dry ones ! ) at Esbelli.
Expensive is relative and comparing what would be my question. Extra complimentary services and atmosphere sometimes makes a big difference. I do not say where you stay is no good but a pioneer cave hotel of Cappadocia deserves this compliment....... I usually do not give names here on this board if not very significant but in this case wanted to say few words of personal opinion.

Happy travelling to all,

Murat