Room Service: Argos in Cappadocia, Turkey

Live like a modern caveman in style

The Argos has been through several incarnations over the past two millennia: by turns a monastery, a Silk Road caravanserai, a linseed-oil factory, and now a boutique hotel where you can live like a Troglodyte in style. Argos is Latin for "shimmering", and refers to Mount Erciyes's snow-capped cone. It is set on the eastern slope of Uchisar, the highest – and one of the oldest – villages in Cappadocia. The lunar-like landscape in this part of central Turkey is the result of volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.

Numerous civilisations have left their mark. The region is home to valleys of extraordinary rock formations, ancient cave dwellings, stone-carved churches, fortresses perched atop rocky outcrops and labyrinthine underground cities built in the third and fourth centuries to shelter Christians from persecution.

This hotel – a multi-level complex of 42 rooms in five separate buildings – has been 15 years in the making. Caves that once sheltered holy men are now suites. The interconnected, bloom-filled gardens and sun-soaked terraces are perfect for drinking in the views over terraced vineyards, Mount Erciyes, and the fairy chimneys (conical rock formations) of Pigeon Valley.

The buildings sit above a network of even older underground tunnels uncovered during the restoration, along with the Bezirhane (linseed press). You can still see where traders used to park camels for the night and the two huge underground rooms with incredible acoustics now host classical, jazz and Sufi music concerts.

Breakfast is served under the stone arches of the hotel's light and airy restaurant, Seki. From here I watched hot-air balloons drift over the valley while I tucked into a selection of Turkish cheese, plump olives, fresh-baked bread, sweet pastries and eggs-to-order.

In the evening, I dined on the terrace under the stars on chicken with molasses and baked pumpkin, accompanied by Kalecik Karasi, a fruity red wine from the hotel's own vineyard. Grapes have been grown in this fertile volcanic soil since Ottoman times and several small wineries carry on the tradition, producing increasingly commendable wines.

Location

The hotel is in the pretty village of Uchisar, which is a 30-minute drive from Nevsehir airport. Uchisar makes a good base to discover the extraordinary region of Cappadocia. After haggling for jewellery, pottery or kilim rugs in the small market, climb to the top of its fairytale fortress. This was not built by man but hewn out of the soft rock by the wind and the rain – it's the tallest point in the region and can be seen from miles around. Or marvel at the jaw-dropping landscape from a sunrise hot-air balloon flight (00 90 384 271 33 00; royalballoon.com; €175pp for a one-hour flight). Back on terra firma, you could explore Pigeon Valley in an hour-long hike, marvel at the Byzantine frescos in the cave-churches at Goreme Open Air Museum, a World Heritage Site, or traverse the tunnels of the subterranean city of Kaymakli, just 30 minutes away.

Comfort

The rooms are spread over five buildings: Monastery, Tunnel, Vasil, Gemil and the White House. No two are the same but each has been decorated in soothing muted tones to complement the stone walls and wooden floors. My spacious "Deluxe" room was a subtle mix of ancient and modern: antique kilims, an iPod dock, wardrobes with intricately carved doors, a contemporary sofa in front of a traditional open fire, and an all-stone bathroom with a walk-in shower.

Every room has access to communal terrace or corner from which to soak up the sun and the views. The suites have a separate living area and open on to a private terrace, balcony or courtyard. The stunning one and two-bed "Splendid" suites – some split on two levels – have their own pools so you can wake up and jump right in.

Travel essentials

Argos in Cappadocia, Uchisar, Nevsehir, Turkey (00 90 384 219 31 30; argosincappadocia.com).

Room ****
Value ***
Service ****

Double rooms start at €160, including breakfast.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Independent Travel Videos
Independent Travel Videos
Simon Calder in Amsterdam
Independent Travel Videos
Simon Calder in Giverny
Independent Travel Videos
Simon Calder in St John's
Independent Travel Videos
News in pictures
World news in pictures
       
Independent
Travel Shop
Lake Como and the Bernina Express
Seven nights half-board from £749pp Find out more
Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian coast
Seven nights half-board from only £859pp Find out more
Prague city break
Three nights from only £199pp Find out more
 

ES Rentals

    Independent Dating
    and  

    By clicking 'Search' you
    are agreeing to our
    Terms of Use.

    iJobs Job Widget
    iJobs Travel

    Graduate Trainee Opportunity – Executive Recruitment

    £20,000 - £45,000 OTE: Co-Venture: Working on international markets without ge...

    Graduate Trainee – Recruitment Consultant

    £20,000 - £45,000 OTE: Co-Venture: Working for this company will give you a ch...

    Associate/Director of Transport

    £40000 - £60000 Per Annum: The Green Recruitment Company: The Green Recruitmen...

    Travel Sales Consultant

    £18000 - £35000 per annum + Award-Winning Benefits & Uncapped Comm: Flight Cen...

    Day In a Page

    'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong': The true effect of the badger cull

    The true effect of the badger cull

    'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong'
    Theatre review: Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmaan

    First night: The Cripple of Inishmaan

    Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's comedy
    Girls Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

    Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

    After 103 years, organisation changes oath to welcome 'all girls, of all faiths, and none'
    Steve Tongue: Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago

    Steve Tongue

    Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago
    Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Bradley Wiggins' exit

    Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Wiggins' exit

    Sky's lead rider says he is in fantastic form for the Tour and happy pecking order debate is over
    Hannah England: I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess

    Hannah England: Keeping Track

    I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess
    Beards, brawn and body art

    Beards, brawn and body art

    Meet London’s new batch of male models
    Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

    Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

    British love of shows such as The Bridge, Borgen and The Killing shows no sign of fading
    Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?

    The Great Green Wall of Africa,

    Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?
    Laughter Inc: the cheering growth of the chuckle industry

    Laughter Inc

    The cheering growth of the chuckle industry
    The bad science scandal: how fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research

    The bad science scandal

    How fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research
    To the manor born: The female aristocrats battling to inherit the title

    Female aristocrats battle to inherit the title

    A passionate protest is gathering pace among the women of Britain's aristocracy, who believe that men should no longer automatically inherit the family pile and title.
    Love struck: Photographs of JFK's visit to Berlin 50 years ago reveal a nation instantly smitten

    In pictures: JFK's visit to Berlin in 1963

    Photographer Ulrich Mack accompanied Kennedy on the entire trip. The results are an astonishing record of a watershed moment.
    Eat shoots and leaves: Mark Hix gets creative with fresh peas, mangetouts and sugar snaps

    Mark Hix gets creative with English peas

    English peas and their offsprings, such as mangetouts and sugar snaps, are great tossed into a salad, says our chef.
    Ceviche with a smile: Chef Martin Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends

    Chef Martin Morales: Ceviche with a smile

    Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends