Caves have been part of human history going back thousands of years. From being used as canvases for paintings to serving as places of sanctuary from predators and the elements, caves have long been one of humanity’s go-to places to seek shelter. In the past, it was about survival.
Today, the tradition continues but with a more comfortable, leisure-oriented twist. Some hotels have positioned themselves within actual caves for a unique form of lodging that’s hard to replicate (and looks fantastic on your Instagram grid).
From the natural to the manmade, cave hotels exist around the world, running the gamut from rustic rooms for those who don’t mind roughing it a bit to polished, refined grottos geared toward the luxury travel set.
In this article
Kagga Kamma Eco Lodge in South Africa
Set nearly four hours north of Cape Town, the Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve introduces travelers to a different side of South Africa with its mountainous landscapes, sandstone formations, and wealth of ancient rock art.
At the reserve’s own eco-hotel, you can spend the night in cave suites, which blend manmade rock rooms into the real stone formations. Glass windows and a terrace face the landscape, while the interior features a double bed, a bathroom with a shower, and AC.
Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita in Italy
Built into a rocky hillside, the UNESCO-recognized city of Matera in southern Italy is famous for its Sassi cave dwellings, which are subterranean rooms carved into the hills, some of which date back to Paleolithic times.
This 18-room hotel occupies a series of caves in the oldest part of the complex, respectfully updated with contemporary comforts without compromising the age-old heritage. Bedrooms blend rough-hewn rock with stone walls and floors, candles illuminate grotto-like bathrooms, and doors and windows gaze out at the city and valley.
Sultan Cave Suites in Turkey
Cave hotels are a staple of Turkey’s Cappadocia region, where the soft tuff stone is ideal carving material for homes, churches, and other structures.
The Sultan Cave Suites pays tribute to the area’s rock-cutting heritage by incorporating original walls from historic caves into its 35-room property, with plush additions like rugs, comfy beds, sitting areas, and soaking tubs.
Snag the Sultan Suite for its landscape-facing hot tub and outdoor terrace, allowing you to admire the hot air balloons offering flights over the region’s fairy chimneys.
White Cliffs Underground Motel in Australia
Fancy a down-under stay, Down Under? In Australia’s sun-scorched interior, blazing temperatures have necessitated that some towns be built underground, in hollowed-out dugouts.
In the opal mining town of White Cliffs in New South Wales, the 44-room White Cliffs Underground Motel provides respite from the inescapable heat aboveground. Rooms are rustic but nicely furnished, with decor from Aboriginal artists, and a restaurant serves a continental breakfast.
Desert Rock Resort in Saudi Arabia
This hotel in Saudi Arabia looks like something out of the movie “Dune,” with sleek villas and turquoise pools cut into the cliffsides and valley floor of the Hejaz Mountains.
The Mountain Cave Suites are the most naturalistic, hewn into the rock with domed openings peeking out over the landscape. Guests enter through a tunnel into a rectangular room with a bathroom, bedroom, sitting area, and outdoor lounge deck and pool overlooking the wadi below.
Mystique, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Santorini
With its cliffside communities and carveable volcanic stone, Santorini is another go-to for cave hotels.
Options abound but Mystique in Oia is a choice you can’t go wrong with.
The cave-like stone rooms follow classic Cycladic design with gleaming white walls and Aegean-admiring windows and doors. The property also has its own 150-year-old cave, now used as a wine cellar. Featuring bright and airy rooms, this is a stay for those who don’t like darkness or feeling claustrophobic.
Beckham Creek Cave Lodge in Arkansas
Tucked inside Beckham Creek cave, a natural cavern within one of North America’s oldest mountain ranges, this lodge in the Ozarks is worth a stay for the history, as well. Local legends say that outlaw Jesse James may have hid out here.
Lore aside, these cave-like rooms have draperies, flowstone formations, and stalactites covering the walls and ceilings of rooms and common areas, so the space feels like a proper cave. There are four bedrooms and space for eight guests, with amenities including a full kitchen and Wi-Fi.
The Shortcut
Comfort levels vary. Luxe options like Kagga Kamma, Mystique, and Sultan Cave Suites come with amenities like soaking tubs and a wine cellar.
But even the "rough" ones aren't roughing it that much. Beckham Creek Cave Lodge sleeps 8 with a full kitchen and Wi-Fi; White Cliffs Underground Motel's rooms are nicely furnished and there's a restaurant on-site.
A few double as adventure bases. Book the Sultan Suite in Cappadocia for hot air balloon views, or Desert Rock Resort in Saudi Arabia for a pool overlooking the wadi below.
