Taskonaklar Hotel Named to 2014 Conde Nast Johansen Collection of Luxury Hotels

Historic Taskonaklar Hotel in Cappadocia offers a unique hotel experience with cave suites and Turkish hospitality. The hotel also continues to gain awards from travel media and travel web sites as a unique and special boutique hotel destination.

The hotel has just received several nominations from various reputable organizations / institutions as a luxury boutique hotel:

• Recommended hotel by Conde Nast Johansens in 2013 
• Nominee for Conde Nast Johansens Awards of Excellence 
• World Boutique Hotel Awards, Shortlisted for Inspired design category 
• Winner of Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence 2013 consequently after 2011 and 2012

The Conde Nast Johansens is a leading reference guide for independent travelers compiled by the publishers of Vogue, GQ, Traveller, and Glamour magazines. The guide is designed to single out local hotels designated by local experts as inspired destinations, either as a luxury hotel, spa, country house, boutique retreat, special venue, or for some other occasion. Each property recommended by Conde Nast has been carefully researched and is recommended as a destination that offers an exceptional experience.

Taskonaklar Boutique Hotel, located in Cappadocia, Turkey

“We are delighted to receive recognition from a global travel advisor with the prestige of Conde Nast,” said Tolga Akarcali, hotelier and entrepreneur, owner of Taskonaklar. “We have a naturally beautiful setting in historic Cappadocia, which has already been recognized as a historical site by UNESCO. We strive to augment the natural beauty of the area with a hotel experience that complements the local atmosphere, cuisine, and customs. Being named to the Johansens list is an honor that demonstrates that our hard work is being recognized by our guests.”

In addition to the Johansens listing, Taskonaklar has received Certificates of Excellence in 2011, 2012 and 2013 from TripAdvisor.com, and a nomination for a World Boutique Hotel Award in the inspired design category for 2013.

What makes Taskonaklar such a unique and sought-after destination is its unique location in the hills of Cappadocia and the careful restoration and renovation it has applied over the years to the historic mansions today accommodating hotel’s guests. The rooms are carved from the living rock, and the cave rooms feature fireplaces and amenities such as in-suite massage to promote a relaxing and romantic atmosphere. The eco-friendly hotel relies on local organic farming for freshly fetched ingredients.

See also where to stay in Cappadocia?

Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel

Where to stay in Cappadocia while in Cappadocia? Of course in a cave hotel. There are many choose among for different budgets. One of them is Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel. A unique cave hotel that combines houses and cave dwellings of the Hittite, Roman and Byzantine Periods with the luxurious comfort of the 21st Century. So, when you hear "cave", do not expect to stay like cavemen of the past. This very different experience in cave rooms comes with a warm and clean environment with a modern room infrastructure of Wi-Fi, jacuzzi, and a very good view of the city.

Cappadocia's fairy chimneys are a special type of volcanic rock. You can basically carve a room in them with a pocket knife and enough time. They are soft enough to be carved but hard enough to last ( there are many ancient churches in the region carved almost a thousand and a half years ago and still stands still). Many houses in Cappadocia is in caves and recently cave hotels became a trend which offer a unique hotel experience.

Cappadocia Cave Suites is located in the city of Goreme, one of the most beautiful and characteristic locales in the Cappadocia region. The famous fairy chimneys and fantastic colorful shapes of the landscape, make this region a natural wonder of the world. Come to relax and explore this historic, wondrous and romantic landscape while enjoying the finest in hotel accommodations and world famous Turkish hospitality.

The hotel offers real cave rooms and rooms designed as caves. Although, all of the rooms are spacious and decorated with a beautiful local flair, if you want the real deal, ask for a real cave room:  they are extraordinary! Also try to book upper cave rooms which offer a better views.

Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel

Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel
Gafferli Mah. Ünlü Sok. No: 19, Goreme, Goreme, Turkey

Useful tip: A taxi ride from the airport to a Goreme hotel will be very expensive compared to the transport arranged by the hotel. A taxi ride can cost around 150 TL while a hotel van can cost 20-30 TL.

Holidays to Turkey Villas Now Offered by Solmar

Luxury villa holiday specialist Solmar Villas has added villas in Turkey to its choice of European destinations – just in time for summer.

Holidaymakers can now choose from a number of holidays to Turkey, in luxury villas, in some of the best Turkey resorts.

Solmar Villas offers luxury villas in Spain, Italy, Cyprus and Tenerife, private villas in Lanzarote, Malta, Mallorca, and villas in Costa del Sol, Italy, Costa Brava, Algarve and Fuerteventura.

Now, Solmar has added holidays in Turkey to its growing list of destinations. “Turkey is an area of spectacular diversity,” explained Julie Blake, managing director of Solmar Villas. “It is a captivating region, where simplicity and sophistication rub shoulders in everyday life. Such endearing qualities are what make this stunning coastline so special, and what first prompted us to explore this dramatic destination.

Solmar Villas specialises in luxury villa holidays in a range of destinations in mainland Spain, as well as offering villas in Menorca, Mallorca, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. In summer 2013, Solmar Villas added holidays to Turkey to its growing list of destinations. Each luxury villa is hand-picked, and comes with a private pool. Solmar Villas offers a range of villa holiday deals and cheap villa holidays throughout the year.

“Holidays to Turkey can be an educational and eye-opening experience – with rich history dating back thousands of years – or simply a great way to soak up sunshine in stunning surroundings.”

Turkey resorts offer plenty for tourists – with 20 major Lycian sites, including Lycia capital Xanthos, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Tlos, a fortress-topped acropolis offering 360-degree panoramic views of the surrounding Turkish scenery.

For more adventurous holidaymakers, Turkey is also home to the Saklikent Gorge – the second largest gorge in Europe which is scattered with tea rooms and restaurants; the Pinara, an ancient, mountain-top city above the Xanthos valley; and Letoon, a UNESCO heritage site with a Hellenistic theatre, a nymphaeum dating back to Hardian, and a series of Lycian inscriptions.

From June, luxury villa holiday specialist Solmar Villas will offer holidays at up to 25 different villas in Turkey, near popular Turkey resorts like Kalkan, Gocek, Kayakoy, Bodrum and Islamar.

If architecture, artefacts and adventure don’t suit, holidays in Turkey also offer plenty of relaxing activities. From Turkey’s rugged coastline to its stunning scenery, there’s plenty to sit and look at without breaking sweat.

From June, Solmar Villas will offer holidays at up to 25 different villas in Turkey, near popular Turkey resorts like Kalkan, Gocek, Kayakoy, Bodrum and Islamar.

There will be a mix of high-end luxury villas, specially-selected villas and private villas available. The Villa Selda, in Kalkan, is a great example of the type of villa Solmar has looked for in Turkey.

Villa Selda is just 200m from the beach, and offers great views of the surrounding Turkish landscape. The villa itself has contemporary furnishing, floor-to-ceiling glass windows providing a stunning view, and en suite bathrooms.

All Solmar’s Turkey villas will include air conditioning, Wi-Fi, flat screen televisions, satellite, washing machines, dishwashers, full cooking facilities (including barbecue), and are within walking distance of local shops and amenities.

“Our luxury villas in Turkey offer a great way to explore the region, or simply relax and take in its beautiful landscapes,” Julie added.

“We’ve handpicked some of the best Turkey villas, each with a private pool, to ensure your holidays to Turkey are relaxing, stimulating and memorable.”

Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet Istanbul, Turkey

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet may be one of the best places to stay in Istanbul now but in the first half of the century it was indeed one of the worst! This beautiful sunflower yellow, 4-story building with guard towers enclosing an elegant courtyard was once constructed as a jailhouse in 1918/1919, in the last few years of Ottoman Empire. It has a contemporary concept and housed inmates who were awaiting trial or serving brief sentences. The design of the building is Turkish neoclassical style and it was built in the beginning of the "First National Architecture" period. After housing many inmates, including famous Turkish political political dissidents such as communist leaders Mihri Belli and Hikmet Kivilcimli, poets and writers like Nazım Hikmet, Rıfat Ilgaz, Orhan Kemal , Aziz Nesin and Kemal Tahir, the jail was abandoned on January 25, 1969 and has been neglegted until 1992. The building was later renovated and opened in 1996 as a deluxe hotel of the Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts chain and is now one of the best hotels in Istanbul.

The hotel, which has just 65 bright and comfortable guest rooms and suites, it feels like a luxury and warm boutique hotel although it is a part of a large luxury hotel chain. Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet is very centrally located in old city and is walking distance away from Istanbul's main tourist attractions like Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia,  Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace and offers great walks through the old city.  Hotel is famous for its rooftop bar called St. Sophia Terrace which has a stunning view of old Istanbul, its Ottoman cuisine at Seasons Restaurant.

Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet Rooftop Bar (Hagia Sophia behind) - Source : luxecityguides.com

The only problem is that this hotel, with its price in the range of 800+ USD per night, is quite an expensive place to stay although it will save some taxi money and significant time for leisure tourists. And there is no swimming pool in the hotel. which may not a problem in winter but a quite nice to have in hot Istanbul summers.

Sultanahmet is the old city center and is home to many historic sightseeing of Istanbul. There are many hotels in Sultanahmet catering tourists but you can also choose to look at hotels in Bosphorus, which has a great view especially in spring.

You can check the room prices and availability in Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet here:

Other hotels in Istanbul Sultanahmet (old city) and Istanbul

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