Sassafrass

This hotel gets such great reviews by Fodorites, we would like to stay there. I believe it was Aduchamp1, however, who commented that it had a lot of steps and could be difficult walking. I inquired about a room that would be easier for us "older" folks to navigate. The response is that they have a newly built (not a cave room, but made of native stone) Jr. suite available for $150 USD per night, that has only a few steps.
1. Would you stay there even if you could not stay in one of the cave rooms?
2. Would you spend that much money and not get a cave room, or choose a different hotel for less money and stay in a cave room?
3. Is that a reasonable price for this hotel? It is high compared with other nearby hotels.
4. Should we ask for a less expensive room and risk a lot of steps?

Situation: We are older, and in good health, but hope to save energy for a bit of hiking. That is why I didn't want to get exhausted just walkiing about the hotel if it was as difficult as indicated. We will be staying three nights. We will be arriving after about 30 hours of travel door to door.

Thank you for all opinions

aprillilacs

I'm staying at the Esbelli Evi right now. It's a lovely hotel, very accommodating. I'm stayi$ng in the Volcano Cave Suite for $215 per night, and I think it's well worth the price (biggest "room" I've ever stayed in, with a large entry room with refrigerator and sink, huge bathroom, large bedroom/sitting room, and a pretty patio garden, very private. Bottled water, fruit, and snacks are provided at no charge, along with a laptop with wifi in the room. I haven't seen inside any of the other rooms, but they all have very nice settings. The breakfast is excellent, and the staff are extremely helpful. Yes, there are a few small staircases to some of the areas, but nothing that requires any exertion beyond what I would describe as normal walking and going up some stairs. Believe me, going to your room, to the lovely public rooms, and to the breakfast rooms will not be exhausting! I think perhaps Aduchamp was being excessively cautious in making that comment.

aprillilacs

Forgot to mention, the staff takes your luggage to your room for you while you are being given a tour of the hotel.

Sassafrass

April, Thanks so much. I booked it.

Aduchamp1

Suha is the perfect host and I would expect nothing less than the description by aprillilacs. The hotel is something like 27 different properties put together as a hotel. Our room was substantially smaller and had few of the amentities described above. Additionally there were up and down unconnected steps and through a tunnel that was especially carved to get to the area with our room and a few minute walk to either the office or the breakfast area. In fact after the second day, I still made wrong turns to get where I wanted.

That said, it is still one of my favorite hotels and its idiosyncratic features were part of its charm.

Sassafrass

Aduchamp1, Thank you. I appreciated the cautions. Better to know something before hand, so you can make a good decision. It was your lovely descriptions that made me want to stay, even if not in a cave room. We are looking forward to it so much.

Aduchamp1

Say hello to Suha. Tell him it is from the couple whose wife painted the post card of his place.

aprillilacs

I think you'll be pleased with your choice. Be sure to eat at Ziggy, about a 10-minute walk down the hill from the hotel. (Reserve through the hotel--they're often fully booked). Especially loved the broad beans meze, but almost everything was excellent.

Sassafrass

Once again, thank you both. Isn't it wonderful to be able to help/get help from people with first hand experience whom you've never even met? Love Fodors, love the internet.

Aduchamp1

We ate at Ziggy's as well and it was a fine meal.

And if you are driving the hotel has the smallest sign in the world and from the outside looks like a residence rather than a hotel.