Anatolian Houses

"This 33-room hotel, built into a cluster of the towering, stalactite-white cones that are the region’s trademark, is not in itself a new idea: generations of people—from Christian mystics to underground Armenian communities to political dissidents to, yes, B&B proprietors—have found refuge over the centuries in the natural cave formations that define Cappadocia’s landscape. Anatolian Houses, however, claims to be the area’s first luxury accommodation, a goal that, while sincere, is not altogether convincing. While the (cavernous, of course) rooms are undeniably authentic and make for a genuinely unique experience, the furnishings (slippery polyester duvet covers; lacy pillows) feel more granny than grand, and the lighting is woefully dim. Indeed, the best of Anatolian Houses is found beyond its borders: guests have the option of taking a several-hours–long tour of the area (which might include trips into a subterranean city; up a mountain to peek inside some abandoned 18th-century Christian cave churches; and to a cliff overlooking a forest-filled gully) with the hotel’s indefatigable and passionate guest services director, making for a fascinating hands-on history lesson about this lunar and astonishing landscape."