Happy Halloween!
In the spirit of the day, we’ve found some of the world’s most shadowy hotels. These hotels are actually quite nice destinations – it’s their locales that are intrinsically creepy: they’re nestled deep inside the crevices of the earth. Cave hotels are uncommon but the slightly sinister concept makes them awesome bucket-list additions! For the travel enthusiast – and lover of interesting hotels – a stay in a cave hotel is a must.
Check out these cozy cave hotels and start booking your next vacation!
Sala Silvermine
Located in Sweden, seemingly the country for offbeat hotels, the Sala Silvermine (Sala Silvergruva in native Swedish) boasts the world’s deepest hotel room. The former silver mine has been transformed into a tourist attraction and now features a museum, guided tours, a restaurant, and the aforementioned underground suite.
At 155 m (approximately 508 feet) underground, the World’s Deepest Suite includes accommodations and refreshments for two. Though the mine is cold, the suite is kept at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit and equipped with extra blankets for warmth. This hotel room is fairly spartan, but there’s no noise from any neighbors!
Too claustrophobic to spend the night deep in the earth? There’s also an onsite, aboveground B&B-slash-hostel originally built as a boarding house (read: communal bathroom).
Aydinli Cave Hotel
The Cappadocia region of Turkey is characterized by clusters of tall, conical rock formations known whimsically as fairy chimneys. In the village of Goreme, locals have seized the opportunity to turn these fairy chimneys into lodgings; the town is now home to several cave hotels. The Aydinli Cave Hotel is a family-run boutique guest house carved into the stone, featuring a charming combination of authenticity and modern convenience. A seat on the terrace offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.
Cueva el Guindas
In Baza, a relatively small town in Granada, Spain, the Cueva el Guindas hotel is steeped in history. Ancient peasants under Islamic rule turned holes dug into gypsum quarries into naturally climate-controlled homes in the clay soil. Set in serene surroundings, the caves have been updated with modern fittings while retaining their original heritage.
Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita
The historic Italian village of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a well-preserved village consisting of homes, churches, and palaces – dating back to the Stone Age – all built in caves.
The Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita offers lodging in 18 well-appointed rooms in various authentic styles for a comfortable stay in a beautiful landmark village.
Desert Cave Hotel
The locals in Australia’s vast Outback have learned to cope with the region’s hot climate by living in dugouts, or underground homes. Upon seeing the interest of visitors in their mole-like existence, some decided to allow tourists the chance to live underground as well! The Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy offers guests cool, dark, quiet accommodations (aboveground rooms are also available) as well as tours of the surrounding terrain and interesting sites. The underground shopping center also features a restaurant, an historic display on mining and locally mined opals, and a huge array of opals and opal jewelry.
Madonna Inn
Not up for a night in the ground? Try the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California, where one of its 110 (!) themed rooms is the Caveman Room. The room is made of solid rock – including a stone waterfall shower and stone sink – with Stone Age inspiration throughout.
How low will you go?
