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I remember myself as a child when my sisters and I were creating plans to build our homes underground (with all facilities, including a swimming-pool!) as we grow up. Later at our older age we abandoned this idea as a ridiculous and utopian one; but as you live and discover the world bit by bit, some of your childish fantasies turn out to have been a reality for thousands of years.
Caves and underground houses were the homes of prehistoric people, and although mankind came out of the caves long ago, underground houses still exist and are still used in different parts of the world. Recently, the idea of underground living has attracted hotel business. Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, South Australia, the Cuevas Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, Spain, and several hotels in Cappadocia, Turkey, are only some examples of the so called cave hotels.
The Desert Cave Hotel was opened in 1988 and is still the only hotel of such kind in Australia. Since 1915, the region has been known as a land rich in opal (95% of the world’s supply of commercial opal is found here). The initiator of the idea of the underground hotel was Umberto Coro, who worked in the town’s mining and hospitality industry.
The Desert Cave has 19 underground and 31 above ground rooms and offers a range of facilities from spa to coin operated internet kiosks. When hotel guests are tired of their caves, they can visit an Old Timer’s Mine and Museum that displays exhibits tracing opal mining back to 1916.
Cappadocia in Turkey is also known for its cave homes and hotels. One of the best cave hotels in the area is the Gamirasu. It is an eleven-room cave house located in an exquisitely restored one thousand year old Byzantine monastic retreat which offers modern day amenities although preserves the historic atmosphere of the area which has been inhabited for over 5,000 years. The hotel is open all year-round. There is an Early Christian Byzantine Cave Church, featuring some frescoes right within the hotel complex. By the way, Cappadocia is also famous for its underground cities which are believed to have been excavated by the ancient Hetities around 2,000 BC.
In southern Spain, cave dwelling has existed at least since the Arab invasion of Iberia in the 8th century. Granada Province is known to have the largest cave dwelling population in Europe. But unlike the Cappadocia in Turkey, caves in Granada are not natural formations: they were carved intentionally.
The Cuevas Pedro Antonio de Alarcón in Granada invites to enjoy an extraordinary experience in a lodging blending right in with the surrounding caves. Here, the caves have been transformed from primitive quarters into modern accommodation. The apart-hotel is equipped with all the facilities of a superior 3 star hotel: central heating and hot water, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom, TV, telephone, individual barbecue outdoors and parking. For special occasions, there is a double cave room complete with Jacuzzi. The complex also provides a conference hall, restaurant and swimming pool. The unspoilt countryside is perfect for the guests’ favourite sports: walking, horse-riding, mountain climbing, skiing, swimming, tennis, golf.
Living in a cave has some advantages. Cave houses and hotels are quiet and keep indoor temperature constant because of the natural earth insulation. Moreover, they are inexpensive to produce and can contain all the conveniences of an ordinary hotel room such as electricity and plumbing.
More articles about hotels around the globe:
Pre-Olimpic Bustle in London Hotel Industry
Capsule Hotels Coming to Europe
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