A lot of "firsts" happened in Cappadocia. It was where we first discovered Kahvalti; THE breakfast of all breakfasts. It was where we had our first hot air balloon ride and our first long hike together. It was also where we slept in a cave for the first time!
Cappadocia region in Central Turkey is every inch mystical. Fairy chimneys dot the dreamy landscape, some of which have been turned into houses, churches, and hotels. Hence, when we were deciding where to stay during the first leg of Turkish holiday, we couldn't settle for anything other than a cave room in the heart of Goreme.
And, we found something special.
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| Kelebek Special Cave Hotel |
The Location
Kelebek Special Cave Hotel is one of the finest cave hotels in Cappadocia. With various awards for excellence under its belt, Ed and I were very pleased but not surprised when we were warmly welcomed in a lovely property nestled on top of a hill.
The hotel is aptly named Kelebek which means butterfly - a beautiful butterfly perched on an exotic flower that is the quaint town of Goreme. Every corner of the hotel grounds offers a captivating panoramic view of the village and the nearby valleys.
The town center is roughly a 5 to 10-minute walk from the hotel. It depends on how fit you are, honestly. It's an easy downhill stroll towards the town but little uphill walk back to the hotel. :) Ed and I would put on our comfiest shoes, take a map, and explore attractions and foodie destinations on our own before and after the guided tours. But what we love the most was simply being in the porch, quietly watching the outlandish yet charming village from up above.
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| Kelebek's vintage red car marks the entrance to the lovely property |
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| one of the many vantage points at Kelebek Special Cave Hotel |
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| awesome view of the valleys from the hotel grounds |
The Service
The staff at Kelebek Special Cave Hotel gave impeccable service from Day 0! I mean, from the very first email that I sent until the very last minute of our stay in Cappadocia.
Before our trip, Ms. Ozlem, one of the staff, promptly replied to my successive inquiries which have really helped us in creating our itinerary. She happily facilitated our airport pick-up, hot air balloon ride, and guided tour bookings. Everything was set a month before the trip.
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| the rustic nook at Kelebek Special Cave Hotel's restaurant |
At Day 1, Ed and I arrived in Cappadocia quite groggy from a long journey; specifically from the 4-hour Dubai to Istanbul flight, plus the 5-hour transit at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, then the 1 hour and a half domestic flight from Istanbul to Kayseri, and lastly the 1 hour shuttle bus ride from Kayseri to Goreme. Whew!
It was two hours before check-in time, yet we were immediately accommodated. Our room was still occupied, so a staff led us to the restaurant for a complimentary breakfast which was so sooo good. It was such a blessing for us as Cappadocia was drenched in the rain that morning and we couldn't go elsewhere.
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| rainy day in Cappadocia |
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| my foodie finds at Kelebek's breakfast buffet spread |
Then, along with the key to our cave room, we were given two maps - a map of Goreme and a map of the whole Cappadocia region. We really appreciate that the staff were honest enough to tell us that we don't need to be a part of a tour to reach certain attractions, that we can just follow the hiking trail to the reach the valleys and the museum we wanted to visit.
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| map of Goreme and Cappadocia |
The Cave Hotel
Kelebek was a home for the Yavuz family before it was turned into a cave hotel for travelers. It has evolved; now gleaming with luxurious details, yet has maintained the homey atmosphere.
The property has 47 specially-crafted accommodations ranging from fairy chimney cave rooms to lavish stone suites. It has an outdoor swimming pool which was closed during our stay as it was nearly winter season. It has a spa hamam, a rose garden, and a restaurant that offers complimentary tea and coffee to hotel guests at anytime of the day! Oh, and there's free WiFi everywhere! Yey! :)
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| the fairy chimney rooms that seem to have come straight off a fairytale book |
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| patio leading to the stone rooms |
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| a charming Anatolian stone house and the hotel pool |
The Fairy Chimney Room
What I like about Kelebek Special Cave Hotel is that guests can pick their own room upon booking. I went through the photos and description of each room in the hotel website and instantly fell in love with the cave rooms carved in the fairy chimneys!
We called Kelebek Special Cave Hotel's Room #7 our home for three days and two nights! It is equipped with a cozy king size French bed, an ensuite bathroom with all the fancy toiletries, and has a little nook where I had some quality quiet time with my journal. It's well ventilated, comfortably cool even without an AC due to the fact that the temperature inside a cave is constant throughout the year!
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| Welcome to our cave home! :) |
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| pretty French bed in an ancient cave room |
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| Yay for toiletries and hot shower! |
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| my favorite nook in our cozy cave |
Breakfast at Kelebek's Hidden Kings Valley
One of the perks of staying at Kelebek Special Cave Hotel is having two wonderful breakfast options. Guests can either have their hearty morning meal in the restaurant or go on an adventure ride followed by a breakfast feast at Kelebek's Hidden Kings Valley. (This is a seasonal offer.)
On our last day in Cappadocia, we chose the latter. We hopped on a carriage attached to a tractor, and went on a fun scenic ride from Goreme to Kings Valley along with seven other hotel guests and Mr. Ali, the owner of Kelebek Special Cave Hotel.
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| our ride to Kelebek's Hidden Kings Valley |
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| scenic hiking trail from Kral Deresi to a peaceful oasis |
It was a highlight of our Cappadocia trip, second to the hot air balloon ride! It was so lovely for Mr. Ali to share his childhood memories of his town before it became a top travel destination. He toured us in his ancestral valley, an oasis hidden in midst of dramatic rock formations.
There, we had the best breakfast we've ever had in Turkey - an organic banquet of homemade jams, fresh greens and fruits, honeycomb, different kinds of cheese and bread, and the tastiest egg dish called Menemen!
I will never look at breakfast the same way again!
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| a tour around the hidden sanctuary |
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| THE Kahvalti of all kahvaltis! |
Location:
Kelebek Special Cave Hotel
Goreme, Nevsehir, Turkey
Contact # +90 (384) 271 2531
Email: ali@kelebekhotel.com
Website: www.kelebekhotel.com
Disclosure: Our stay was not sponsored by Kelebek Special Cave Hotel. We were given a special discount, but rest assured that this blog post was sincerely written and all opinions are my own.
Disclosure: Our stay was not sponsored by Kelebek Special Cave Hotel. We were given a special discount, but rest assured that this blog post was sincerely written and all opinions are my own.
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