Argos in Cappadocia

Style

Monastery on the moon

Setting

Pigeon Valley plateau

Take a trip to the moon and back with a stay at Argos in Cappadocia, Turkey’s borderline-bizarre lunar landscape, which spans fairy chimneys, volcanic tuff, meringue-like boulders and hexagonal-holed hillsides. Guests at this restored monastery in the Pigeon Valley can turn full troglodyte in their own Jacuzzi-enhanced cave, take flight in a hot-air balloon to see the surreal setting from above and moonwalk at midnight. If the name Pigeon Valley is conjuring a Turkish Trafalgar Square, don’t worry – there are no urban avians around here, only an abundance of dovecotes carved into the cliffs and pinnacles.

Facilities

Rooms

71, including 39 suites.

Checkout

Noon. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates usually include breakfast.

Also

There are accessible Standard Rooms, Deluxe Rooms and Suites on the ground floor.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Free WiFi throughout, gym, sunrise yoga, wine cellar. In rooms: air-conditioning, free bottled water, minibar, Nespresso coffee machine and sound system.

Our Favourite Rooms

All rooms enjoy some of the best views of the Pigeon Valley around. And the novelty of having a pool in a cave will never wear off – budding troglodyte bathers should select one of the suites with a private Jacuzzi.

Poolside

The heated Pigeon Valley-facing pool is open for dips with a view that includes Mount Erciyes (and its snowy surrounds in winter) between 11am and 6pm.

Spa

The spa comprises of a pool, hammam, sauna, steam room, private studio, pilates area and seven treatment room for facials and massages.

Packing Tips

Hiking-friendly footwear (moon boots won’t be necessary) and hot-air-balloon-approved clothing ready to take flight in.

Also

Anyone hoping to explore this lunar landscape by the light of the actual moon should sign up for one of the full moon walks.

Children

All ages are welcome. One child under six can stay for free, then an extra-bed rate will be charged. It’s not possible to have extra beds added to Standard Rooms, nor some of the Deluxe Rooms.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Picnics in peaceful corners cordoned off just for you can be arranged by the staff, or have some marshmallows handy for the fire-pit on the terrace.

Dress Code

Man on the moon.

Hotel Restaurant

Located in one of the world's oldest monastry settlements, Seki is named after the Turkish word for terrace, where you will indeed be able to enjoy alfresco cuisine as you overlook the region's famed fairy chimneys. The interiors are just as good, with high windows, beamed ceilings and vaults. Herbs and vegetables are grown in the garden (you’ll be able to pick your own, if you’re keen). Don’t miss a trip down through the old stone tunnels and cramped corridors to the wine cellar, which stocks a hefty 22,000 bottles. Local produce and sustainability are also at the centre of Nahita’s menu, serving up traditional Anatolian fare in a cosy honey-hued stone room where a wood-burning fireplace gently crackles in the background.

Hotel Bar

The Nahita Lounge has views from Pigeon Valley to Mount Erciyes and serves as a sumptuous spot for sundowners. The Seki Lounge is yet another prime perch for viewing the Pigeon Valley and this time with an Argos wine or raki in hand. The Hennessy terrace means it’s always Cognac o’clock beside a fire-pit unless it’s especially windy.

Last Orders

Lunch is available from 1pm until 4.30pm; and dinner is from 6pm to 11pm – with brunch and afternoon tea on offer to fill in the gaps. The bar stops serving at 11pm.

Room Service

Meals and snacks can be ordered to your room around the clock.

Planes

There are two airports that serve the region – Kayseri and Nevsehir – but most international arrivals will have to connect to a domestic service in Istanbul. The drive from Nevsehir should take around 40 minutes; from Kayseri, the journey will be closer to an hour and a half. Hotel transfers can be arranged on request.

Automobiles

Hot-air balloon is the preferred mode of transport around these parts, but if you have come by plain old car, valet parking at the hotel is free.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

The hot-air balloons drifting above Cappadocia’s conical rocks, desert plains and volcanic dovecotes are impossible to miss (especially in souvenir form) – join the floating parade with a trip in a Royal Balloon, or see them with feet (or hooves) firmly planted on the ground on a horseback adventure with Cappadocia’s resident cowboys, the Dalton brothers. The landscape is certainly magical, so you may as well go full fairy tale with a treasure hunt, and Middle Earth’s ones helpfully take in some of the region’s most spectacular spots as part of the quest. The hotel can arrange guided tours of the area, vineyard visits, classic-car rides through the various valleys, midnight moon walks, cookery classes and culinary trips to a local village, and hikes to see the famous fairy chimneys up close.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .