Elika Cave Suites – Cappadocia, Turkey

Southeast of Ankara and an hour drive away from Kayseri, Turkey you’ll discover one of the most beautiful places on earth. A place people dream about going. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. You have probably seen pictures of it on Instagram or heard bloggers talk about it. Imagine a rocky landscape formation. A valley with surreal looking moonscape and curvy cliffs. Cappadocia is most well known for its unique fairy chimneys and hot airballoons.

Lets go back in time. During the Roman period, Christians fled to Göreme – A town that’s now have become a National Park and a World Heritage Site. There, they learned that the mushroom-shaped rock formations could easily be excavated and built into homes and churches. Today, some of these hand-dug caves are transformed into boutique hotels, giving us travelers a unique experience of traveling back in time.

I was fortunate to travel to Turkey to discover one of the most opulent cave suites in Cappadocia; with a top class service. Located in the heart of Ortahisar lies another hidden gem, the Elika Cave Suites. A boutique hotel with 25 rooms tastefully decorated and restored by the owners Mr. Yavuz Demir, Mrs. Cevahir Demir and Mrs. Tuğba İlgu. Elika was awarded as Luxury Authentic Hotel of the year 2016 by Luxury Travel Guide, and Best Honeymoon Hotel of Europe 2016 by Haute Grandeur Global Awards.

They opened the historical caves in May 2015. Four of the rooms are still under construction. They have a lounge, a bar and a restaurant where guests can enjoy a rich Turkish breakfast with regional and international taste.

ORDER A TURKISH BREAKFAST PLATE

For starters we had a well prepared tea. A must drink when in Turkey. The Turkish breakfast plate we ordered consisted of white bread, börek, a wide variety of white cheese and old cheese. It also came with black and green olives, jam, butter, honey, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. A festive mini buffet worth trying. For lunch and dinner, No:10 Restaurant offers an à la carte menu. You can also enjoy a variety of drinks or light snacks at Teras Manzara with views over Cappadocia.

The front desk is open 24 hours. There, Andy and the heartwarming staff can easily help you put together a perfect activity plan for your stay in Cappadocia. Such as hot air balloon tour or private tours through the most important parts of the region. Or help you make a reservation for cultural shows or beauty treatments.

A DREAM COME TRUE.

At the main entrance at Kayseri airport a man with a signboard with my name written on it were waiting for our arrival. “This is a dream come true, Maricel. I can’t believe we are finally here!” I said. The airport is located 60 km away from the hotel. The short roadtrip was an experience itself. Despite my tiredness and lack of sleep, I couldn’t hide my excitement. I had mixed emotions and impressions all at once.

As we arrived a beautiful woman with short wavy hair was standing and waiting for us outside the reception area. She looked like a model. Andy, was her name. She was the one I had been in touch with and made this whole trip into a reality. She welcomed and greeted me with open arms, as if we have known each other for years. After checking in and re-confirming our plans for the next coming days, we got our key, settled in and ate our very first Turkish breakfast plate.

DELUXE CAVE ROOM

All rooms in the property are unique in their own ways and are very different from one another. Some are equipped with Turkish Hammam, a fireplace, bathtubs, jacuzzis or even a swimming pool. That’s what makes each rooms so special.

Andy kindly showed us the way to our Deluxe cave, the only room that was available during our requested dates. Standing in front of room 701 made me excited. I have seen pictures of the rooms and read other peoples reviews. But being there and seeing it with my own eyes just so I could get my own personal impression of it, is something different.

As I got inside the room, the first thing that caught my eyes were the cave itself. I was so fascinated of how they managed to renovate the whole place into a hotel room but at the same time keep its historical charm. In front of me I see an HD LED TV, a big king sized bed which could be separated into two single beds. On my right hand side I have a working desk with an espresso machine and complimentary tea and coffee bags. It also have a mirror on the wall which can easily turn into a makeup station. How genius?

The room had a separate bathroom with a bathtub and our very own Turkish Hammam. A 24-hour room service and free newspaper service are also available. Complimentary concierge service is also offered upon request. Despite living like a cave-man, Elika offers free WiFi throughout the whole property. The rooms of Elika Cave Suites include floor heating. They don’t have air condition so this is where the heat comes from during the winter.

From the wonderful stay we had, I had the impression that Elika is a perfect place for not only friends, but couples who would like to experience something unique. As well as families with kids are welcomed here as the property has its own big juniour suite or a cave room inside a private village. It has a small living room, a cozy fireplace and a jacuzzi.