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I am speechless.
This hotel is magnificent.
I don't know when I can add words to this but it will be well worth the read.
We are staying in a room that was carved into the mountain 4000 years ago.
I have taken a photo of the tiles that tell the story of the room. Read that.
This hotel has 36 entirely different rooms.
They were caves until a man in the village said he was going to create a hotel from the caves.
The villagers said he was crazy.
He designed each room himself, not being allowed by Turkish Heritage to alter the shape in anyway.
I will write LOTS more.
But will say our door is the one up the staircase on the left side of the pool in the pool photo.
And we have a balcony overlooking the pool. But not just any balcony. One carved out of rock.
I'll take a photo tomorrow.
Tomorrow now, we have spent the day looking at amazing rock formations, cave homes, cathedrals carved in caves. Magnificent.
But back to the hotel.
WHAT A PLACE!
Each room is entirely different.
Will be shooting off shortly to check out a few of the others.
The pool is magnificent.
( I just had a swim.)
There are 7 terraces that we have found so far.
We have climbed rock staircases in every direction.
And they are very steep, stone steps with metal balustrades
It was a real fitness workout.
But so worth it for the views once you got there.
Emily kept racing ahead of me.
Views are completely different in every direction.
Some terraces look out on the cave homes that have not been touched.
Across the small creek directly opposite the hotel.
They are lit at night and look fantastic from our balcony!
This hotel is in narrow, long valley with towering cliffs on both sides.
Looking into the hotel, the hotel is on the left.
The original cave homes carved into the rock on the right hand side.
To get to the hotel, you drive through, and into a tiny Turkish Village.
Very, very, very old.
The owner of the hotel Ibram Bastutan grew up in this village.
His father died when he was very young so he had to take care of his mother and sisters.
He worked in the fields, had a souvenir shop in Istanbul but didn't like the fact he had to lock his doors in Istanbul.
Then, he came up with the idea for the hotel.
People did think he was crazy.
And the narrow dirt road was so steep that he could not hire a man to drive the tractor and trailer down to take in supplies and take out rubble.
Even when he offered to pay double.
He finally drove the tractor himself for a week until one man watched (for the week) and decided that it was risky but possibly OK.
Speaking to the manager here, they buy all produce they can from the village.
A lady might come up to the hotel with a basket of tomatoes.
The manager will ask how much she would like for the tomatoes.
One week the lady may say 20 Lira.
The next, she may say 50 Lira.
The manager explained that the hotel just pays whatever is asked because it means that is how much the lady needs for that week.
The whole village is connected to the hotel.
I bought a beautiful small table cloth off a little boy and girl who were waiting very shyly as we walked down the steep cobblestoned road to the hotel.
( The bus can only drop us in the village square.)
They burst out laughing though when I said "Thank you" in Turkish.
At least they did once they figured out what I was trying to say!
Closing off for tonight... 9.05pm
Xxxx .... Adding more photos
- comments
Simone Wow what an amazing place!!!You both look like you are having an absolute ball & are so happy!Enjoy :)
Simone WOW!
Simone Looks beautiful Carolyn! A little like the Flintstones!
Leanne OMG!! I'm totally speechless as wellHow stunning!! You're certainly having a fabulous tripKeep enjoyingXxx
Mum Want to talk to you for hours about all of this !!!! No wonder you're speechless, enjoy the nights sleep!
Martine I adore this shot.
Mum Yes, a very big WOW
Martine Some of us work for a living. This is highly upsetting and breaking
Greg I'm with Martine !!!!! .......(now)
Andrew Browning Room looks HUGE!
Andrew Browning Looks inviting!What a setting.
Mum Two girls enjoying the luxury, and what Luxury!!!
Andrew Browning Great photo Emily.
Andrew Browning So unique, I love it.
Andrew Browning What a way to exit a room!!!
Andrew Browning A BIG WOW!Great room indeed.
Andrew Browning wow, what history!
Andrew Browning Magical!
Andrew Browning Merhaba Carolyn! Its Friday afternoon and I’m ready for my “fix” This hotel is …………well…….I have to agree…...I am also “speechless”I totally understand that speechless is the only word you could use to describe it - and you are there taking it all in. I had to examine the photos several times, call George so I could discuss them, and then enlarge the photos and look at them again…………and still came up with “speechless” How amazing, what a staggering evolution from caves to what it is today.It’s totally bewildering, yet grand and opulent at the same time. The rooms look well appointment and comfortable, look at that bathroom – it’s all so unique. ~~~** ANOTHER SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE **~~~ …….and a pool?…….what a BALCONY?? …..overlooking the pool???……a balcony carved out of rock????……does this get any better????? The location of the hotel is equally beautiful, natural cliffs & vegetation, lots of terraces to explore and each with its own perspective, and YOU can enjoy the wondrous views from your BALCONY…….Yay. What a magical surprise, I am really impressed with this “discovery” Interesting history of how the hotel was developed and now is important to the village, and the entire village is connected to the hotel. You always discover the enthusiastic secrets of “WOW” Look where you are and everything you have seen and done. WOW!! iyi gecelerxx
Amanda Amazing!