Review: Museum Hotel in Uchisar, Turkey

The words “cave" and “luxury" do not appear often in concert. Dispelling this myth, Joe Tuck unearths the unique Museum Hotel in Uchisar, Turkey.

The Cappadocia region of Turkey is a fantastical place, home to ancient cities burrowed underground, modern towns nuzzling the rocky landscape, forgotten churches hidden within nondescript caves, valleys the shape of crescent moons, and thousands of naturally formed stone pillars known as “fairy chimneys".

These chimneys, varying in visage, appear packed together like a bagful of baguettes, strewn about like misplaced shark’s teeth, or giant chocolate drops balanced atop witches hats.

Whatever you envision during your visit, magic and imagination will take over in the golden iris of Central Anatolia – and, at its core, the Museum Hotel in Uchisar.

The chilly air and stale smell of a cave room goes unheralded in brochures for hotels in the area and I was a touch wary when, at my wife’s behest, we checked in to the well-advertised and highly praised Museum Hotel.

“Unique and Responsible" was the tagline on the promotional pamphlet. No doubt this sounded better in the original Turkish.

We were greeted by Nimet, one of the boutique hotel’s charming reservation executives. When we asked about the odours and the potential for a chilly night, Nimet adamantly “tsk’d" and tilted her head up to indicate the impossibility of such things. “Our hotel sits in a valley.

All of our rooms have sun midday. We also have a heating system. This makes the entire hotel warm. If the guests want, we can give them an extra heater or blanket. Additionally, we use special water-based cures to protect the rooms from bothersome smells. We have no problem with smells or heating."

There are five different room categories throughout. A Deluxe Room is €250 ($320) per night for two people, including taxes and breakfast. The most expensive and luxurious suite is the Sultan’s Cave Imperial Suite ($1920 per night, per couple).

In Turkey you can negotiate for most everything but we were unable to get Nimet to budge. Of the 30-plus unique suites, we opted for the Oriental Cave.

Having set foot in the main common area, we could see that the hoteliers had spared no expense. With the serene sound of a distant harp as our soundtrack, we walked to our room.

Ottoman-style paintings and regional artefacts covered the stone wall, Orientalist antiques and furnishings sat freely as though they adorned someone’s home, and when we entered our suite, we knew right away that it was possible to experience Luxury in a cave.

Compact and elegant, the interior was decorated and lit dimly for comfort. The dreary cave wall was juxtaposed with soft bedding, colourful pillows and traditional Turkish kilim rugs and carpets. It was as cosy as a Hobbit’s den would be with all the modern amenities.

Museum Hotel was the site of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue photo shoot.

Eager to see the set pieces for that project, we headed out to the terrace where we were pleasantly greeted by the harpist we’d heard earlier on our ethereal walk to the room.

The view was stunning. As though in box seats at the opera, we wouldn’t have to move far to see the whole show.

The morning sun was greeted by a sky festooned with hot-air balloons and the terrace was lively, filled with travellers and lovers, merrily drinking their tea, juice and champagne and sampling from a delightful Turkish breakfast spread.

The region lay encapsulated before us. If you needed only one picture to adequately capture your trip to Cappadocia, it would be from the terrace of the Museum Hotel.

The Details

Where

Tekeli mah. No. 1 Uchisar – Nevsehir Province, Turkey.
Tel: +90 (384) 219 2220
museumhotel.com.tr

Notes

May and September are the best times of year to visit. The weather is perfect, rates are lower and the tour buses have yet to arrive en masse.
Lil’a Restaurant is your option for dinner. The menu features typical Turkish appetisers and salads, and predictable kebab and fish-style main courses. If this is your first foray into Turkish cuisine, you’ll love it.
For us, given the class and originality of the hotel, our expectations were quelled when Lil’a did not give us a new foodie experience. Dinner for two was around $110.

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What’s the gossip?

Here’s what other reviewers have said:
“Oooh la la! This exquisitely decorated boutique hotel is one of Cappadocia’s best, featuring 30 luxury rooms and truly magnificent common areas" Lonely Planet 2010

“A great boutique hotel, charming atmosphere. Most importantly, the food is magnificent!" Martha Stewart, US media personality

The IT verdict

Joe Tuck, who paid his own way for the hotel review and visited anonymously, says:
“An idyllic setting, rustic yet ritzy, with truly one-of-a-kind suites, best suited for a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Why is it so hot in Europe?

Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

How travel is impacted

A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius

A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.