Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa

We had an amazing experience at this hotel. It's beautifully designed and decorated with simplicity and elegance, and the spa is one of the nicest I've seen. The service was superb, in the restaurants, spa, front desk and housekeeping. We especially appreciated Pierluca who seemed to work all shifts and was always available for whatever we needed from ice and limes for our room drinks to breakfast service and dinner. The location is perfect for exploring the historic area of Matera which is a unique and amazing historic site. We would happily return to this hotel and highly recommend it to all.

Great location in the city. Rooms are unique but bathroom situation is not for faint of heart. I would not consider this a 5 star hotel by any means. At check-in we were greeted by girls sitting behind a desk who made little eye contact. Didn’t stand up to greet us but kept their heads down most of the time. Felt like we were paying for a manicure at an Asian nail salon. Spa was ok, the staff was not friendly or helpful at all. Actually acted kind of snooty. We had an afternoon drink at the bar and was handed our bill before we were even finished—I guess one drink was enough. Had to ask for towels the second night as we were left with none. Every day we had to ask for the coffee packets to be refilled in our room. Breakfast was just ok and the wait staff was the most friendly of everyone we came in contact with. We wanted to love the hotel but it just fell short of our expectations. Matera is beautiful and hope to be back but will seek other places to stay that may want our business.

Amazing hotel using natural caves and outer construction in combination to create a unique and luxurious place to stay in the heart of Matera. Our room was part cave part built and totally luxurious. Open plan with dividing walls for the bathroom and a private access directly outside. Restaurants and bars are a few steps away but we were not disturbed at night. All of the staff were lovely and really helpful. Breakfast was the best we had during our holiday in the Puglian region and the little bar perfect for a start to the evening. The spa must be experienced- you need to book a slot but make sure you do as the underground cave pool is amazing and the steam room being even deeper under the hotel gives it atmosphere. Matera is a two night place I think and a stay the this hotel makes the whole Matera experience super special!

Would recommend for couples, perfect place to stay!|Location was perfect. The staff was really kind and welcoming, always helpful and a pleasure to deal with. Rooms were clean, cozy and beautiful. The spa was a nice experience to have included and something you have to see for yourself. Restaurant at the hotel served great local cusine and wines, also the service was amazing! |Breakfast was the best one in Italy so far, with many options from a cute buffet but also a menu with some ”made from order” -delicaties.||We parked at the communal parking 600 meters from the hotel. It cost 20€ for 24h. Walk to the hotel was a nice with backpacks. Some stairs on the way so I really recommend a pickup if you are travelling with heavy or pullable luggage. ||Thank you for the exceptionally pleasureful experience!

Location was perfect for the old town and the staff were brilliant. The spa was incredible, could have easily spent a whole day there, I can understand why they cap it to one hour per guest per stay. The breakfast was really fresh with amazing pastries and really good hot food options that they would cook to order.

The pictures do not do this hotel justice. We spent our honeymoon there. From arrival to departure the staff were very profesional and engaging. The reception staff were quick to provide information regarding Matera atractions, and even arranged a taxi for us when we missed the last bus before the afternoon shut down and were stranded outside the city. The waiting staff were friendly and engaging from the start. No request was too much. The spa was very good (they are not normaly my idea of fun) with the pool in a cave fun and relaxing - althoughI did find the polished stone floor a little slippy.|The room was comfortable and cool. The shower was strong, the bed comfortable. There could have been more space for clothes, but I suspect the hotel is not geared for long stays. If I was to nit pick, the lack of a coffee machine in a bedroom in 5 star hotel was a surprise. |Suffice to say we are planning another visit!

Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa is one of those rare places where architecture alone already tells a story. Set in the very heart of Matera’s old town, the location is simply breathtaking. The architectural concept is remarkable, sleeping within the ancient caves is a truly disorienting experience in the best possible way, transporting you far from everyday life. It is unique, soulful and undeniably beautiful. The welcome is warm and sincere. The team is smiling, attentive and clearly eager to deliver a luxury-level attitude, making genuine efforts to remain available and helpful throughout the stay. Breakfast is particularly well thought out, with a refined selection of local, gourmet products that perfectly reflects the region and adds real pleasure to the morning ritual. That said, there are a few areas where the experience could be elevated to fully match five-star expectations. For a five-star hotel that does not allow direct vehicle access, whether by private car or taxi, logistics should be seamlessly anticipated. A complimentary shuttle service, or at least a more proactive approach in assisting guests with luggage, would make a significant difference. Especially at check-out, it would be appreciated to see staff taking more interest in guests’ onward transportation and offering assistance, rather than watching them depart with their own suitcases. The absence of a valet, porter or bell service is noticeable and remains a key marker of true five-star hospitality. The spa itself is beautiful, intimate, well designed, and understandably managed through mandatory reservations to preserve a cosy atmosphere. The massage is of good quality, technically speaking, yet here again the human connection feels somewhat lacking. From reception to the treatment room, communication is minimal. While discretion is often associated with luxury, in this case it may have been taken a step too far. A brief exchange about room temperature, music level, or massage pressure would greatly enhance the sense of a personalised experience, which today remains one of the strongest signatures of luxury hospitality. Italy is renowned for its warmth and natural sense of hospitality; in the spa, unfortunately, the atmosphere feels rather cold, and not because of the temperature. A more engaged, attentive dialogue would transform an already good treatment into a memorable one. Despite these remarks, Aquatio remains a remarkable hotel, and I would happily return. With a few adjustments focused on guest care and personalisation, the experience could truly reach its full potential.

Everything about this Hotel & Spa is fantastic! Kind and helpful staff, rooms are beyond magical, the spa is so awesome, and the village of Matera is amazing. The breakfasts are excellent too! I highly recommend a stay in this Hotel, take in everything in the Spa, and explore Matera during the day and night. It is really a special place!||BW from Kansas, USA

Amazing cave hotel in the Sassi. The rooms are very spacious. Views are amazing no matter where you turn on your patio. Refrigerators are in room and items are for purchase. Restaurants are nearby plus the town center is a bit of a walk. Bed is very comfortable. Spacious "closet" type cave area. Breakfast is included and pretty decent selection of items for breakfast from yogurt to eggs to toast and fresh fruit.

We had the most amazing stay at the Aquatio cave hotel! No stone is left unturned here. See what I did there? Cave hotel. No stone. Get it? Ok, moving on... Although the hotel is located in a ZTL, you are allowed to drive into the center twice -- once to drop off luggage at the beginning of your stay and again at the end to pick up your bags and depart. The hotel reports your license plate to the city so that you don't get a ticket in the mail for your two journeys into the ZTL. We opted for the valet parking. At just €20 per day to not have to deal with finding parking, it was well worth it to us! Our room was in a cave, as promised. Surprisingly, Aquatio makes cave dwelling super comfortable and modern. Our bed provided an excellent night sleep, and the room was super dark and quiet because, well, it's in a cave. The shower had great water pressure. There was even climate control in the room that kept the temperature comfortable and the humidity down. All of the property's amenities and "extras" were just as wonderful as the room. Front desk staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating! Schlepping our luggage to our room, bringing a bottle opener to our door within minutes of calling the front desk, providing tons of helpful info about what to see and do in the area, etc. Breakfast was included in the room rate and was ample/delicious. An hour in their spa was also included and was by far the highlight of the stay! They have an incredible heated pool (in a cave, obviously) that I could have seriously floated in all day if only we weren't butting up against our noon checkout deadline. There is also a relaxation area with wonderful hot tea, a sauna and a hammam (steam room) below the pool. Everything you need to enjoy your time at the spa -- shower cap (for the pool), flip flops, towel, robes -- is provided. Seriously, heaven on earth. Or, heaven in a cave. Whatever. You catch my drift. As if all that wasn't glorious enough, when we lingered a little too long at the spa on our last day and weren't quite ready to check out at noon, they didn't even bat an eye when we asked for 30 extra minutes. We can't wait to visit beautiful Matera again and will most certainly stay at Aquatio when we do!m