Argos in Cappadocia

Like an Escher drawing where every staircase leads to an entirely new plane and perspective, the gardens and passageways of Argos in Cappadocia delight and surprise, evoking a fairy tale, with the background of lunar landscapes. It’s a stuff of Silk Road legends, transformed into a trendy, truly unique hotel.

Uchisar is a charming village in Turkey sprawling on a steep hill that towers over the iconic landscape of Cappadocia, where human architecture blends with fairy chimneys sculpted by wind and rain.

The Argos project

Some of Uchisar’s oldest and most dilapidated dwellings were acquired by Argos in Cappadocia owner, Gökşin Ilıcalı, who set out to create a small boutique hotel.

However, a chance discovery of a medieval monastery, caravanserai, and underground tunnel network had altered these plans—prompting a huge restoration project.

Thus, the decaying chapels, tunnels, and houses were transformed into a ‘rustic luxury’ hotel, with many rooms carved out of the soft volcanic rock. Ilıcalı calls it “an ancient village with a reception desk.”

Escher’s village

Built on a steep slope, the complex descends to small vegetable patches and vineyards through a maze of gardens, terraces, cliffs and staircases, secret passages, bridges, piazzas and tunnels, and other nooks and crannies.

We wandered many a time its cobbled streets and passageways, just to end up under some pergola or arcade, lined with geraniums, zinnias, and hanging chains of sun-dried tomatoes.

Pumpkins and marble

Vibrant yellow pumpkins decorating the reception entrance, drying corn cobs hung from arches, a collection of weathered collectibles, and other objects make the design of Argos personal and unique. But that’s one side of it—and the contemporary luxury is another.

Elegant patio furniture pieces, rattan recliners, and sofas with brightly colored cushions adorn a tranquil courtyard with a small fountain. Inside the guest rooms, museum-quality artifacts (discovered during the archaeological digs) are displayed in roughly cut niches coexist with iPods and docking stations.

Though restored from medieval cave dwellings, the rooms are equipped with modern, spacious bathrooms, finished with marble. There are working fireplaces (the hotel is open year-round), and contemporary fixtures provide lighting.

Pools in caves

The overall design of guest rooms inspires contemplation and relaxation. The lucky ones will check in to one of the four splendid and expensive suites with a private plunge pool inside a cave. There are 36 other rooms, though, of different sizes and plans, spread over five mansions.

Galleries, tunnels, vaults, and caves under the hotel have been adapted for different purposes. The network of tunnels has a small museum, and what was once a Silk Road caravanserai has its second life as a meeting hall. The Huge nexus of caves was transformed into a controlled-atmosphere wine cellar, with capacity for over 70 thousand bottles.

in our opinion

Created from restored medieval ruins, caves, and underground tunnels, this serenely beautiful, utterly unique hotel enchants the peacefulness of a small village with fantastic views and a design that preserves the sanctity of the place.

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What we love

• Peace and quiet of a remote village: it’s a place where the everyday worries are a lifetime away
• The hotel is perfectly located for the exploration of all of Cappadocia’s treasures. All the best valleys and gorges are a hike away (though we recommend taking a taxi)
• A fantastic job was done on the archeological excavations and restoration of the ruins. The designers made it clear what’s original and what’s new, but still managed to blend everything together seamlessly
• Cave design, decorated with attention to detail, in a highly personal blend of rustic and contemporary style
• Sounds: gentle music in the public areas is the background to bird calls
• The lazy breakfasts with our favorite Menemen (local-style omelet), Turkish coffee, and fresh delights from the hotel’s own organic vegetable and herb garden
• Great atmosphere, created by the friendly, dedicated staff
• The resident dog, who takes the duty of accompanying her master on the daily tour of the wine cellar and underground tunnels, very seriously
• Amazing views over the lunar landscape of Cappadocia

What you should know

• In the Cave bathrooms, dust and grains of the soft Cappadocian rock continuously fall from the walls, accumulating into a thin layer on everything
• Also, we found these rooms quite dark—this is by design, but after a while, it starts to feel quite heavy. In fact, some guests may find these a bit claustrophobic
• Depending on the room, passing cars can be heard
• The hotel’s public areas benefit from fantastic views, but most rooms don’t
• Argos is like a maze and a bit confusing at first—but this is, in fact, part of its charm
• There are lots and lots of steps, so perhaps the hotel is not the best pick for the less-able
• The muezzin's call from the neighboring mosque is incredibly loud and will probably wake you up at around 3.30 am. For us, this was actually quite attractive: the call is also very, very beautiful