Guide Books
Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report
Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report
Hideaways of the Year
Each year at this time, we single out some of the world's most captivating hideaway hotels and resorts for special recognition. To be initially considered for our annual awards competition, properties must be relatively intimate in size and be located in peaceful and scenically pleasing surroundings. Moreover, previous recipients are ineligible to repeat as award winners for a three-year period. Distinctive country house hotels and resorts compatible with these basic qualifications are then judged for their all-round comfort, non-commercial character and passionate commitment to personal service. Also taken into consideration: the recent firsthand guest experiences of Hideaway Report readers.
Properties are not evaluated solely by means of a quantified checklist. During incognito inspections, of course, we note the general decor, design, cleanliness and upkeep of lodgings and public lounges; staffs are judged on esprit de corps, attentiveness, friendliness, thoroughness and efficiency; food on ingredients, inspiration and presentation; grounds on overall appearance and maintenance, and so on.
Ultimately, however, we rely on the 'Q factor' — the intangible summary impression that instinctively separates the good from the truly enchanting. Some of our award winners are grander than others, but each exudes an inviting sense of warmth and charm conducive to a relaxing stay.
On behalf of all of us at Harper Associates, we wish you and your family a very joyous Christmas season and the promise of a whole new year of wonderful hideaway discoveries.
Richard Harper Andrew Harper
Associate Publisher Editor & Publisher
• Harper Hospitality Award — Scotland's relaxing and unpretentious Isle of Eriska manor house-estate overseen by a charming staff, who instantly make you feel right at home. Tel. (44) 1631-720371.
• Best New U.S. Resort-Hotel — The distinctively designed Lodge at Torrey Pines, overlooking the sea and famed Torrey Pines Golf Course near San Diego. Tel. (858) 453-4420. www.lodgeattorreypines.com
• Best New Suburban Retreat — Luxurious San Clemente Palace, secluded on its own Venetian island 15 minutes by launch from St. Mark's Square. Fax (39) 041-244-5800. www.sanclemente.thi.it
• Best New Wine Country Inn — Napa Valley's stylish Milliken Creek, a 10-room boutique inn set along a serene wooded stretch of the Napa River. Tel. (707) 255-1197. www.millikencreekinn.com
• Hotel Room of the Year — The grandly restored Victorian "Turret Suite" at historic Castle Hill Inn (Newport, Rhode Island), which affords spectacular 360-degree views of colorful Narragansett Bay. Tel. (401) 849-3800. www.castlehillinn.com
• U.S. Comeback of the Year — Casually elegant Quail Lodge, a Monterey Peninsula icon that has bounded back to top form following a $25 million renovation. Tel. (831) 624-2888. www.quaillodge.com
• European Comeback of the Year — Enhanced by an 18-month restoration, Athens' Grande Bretagne has regained its title as one of Europe's great hotels. Fax (30) 210-322-8034. www.grandebretagne.gr
• Best U.S. Resort-Hotel Restaurant — Hoku's at Honolulu's Kahala Mandarin Oriental, specializing in creative Asian-International dishes from a kiawe wood grill, fiery hot woks and a tandoori oven.
• Most Unique Hotel No.l — Mexico's luxurious Quinta Real, which imaginatively incorporates the remains of an ancient bull-fighting arena in the remarkably preserved colonial city of Zacatecas. Fax (52) 492-922-8440. www.quintareal.com
• Most Unique Hotel No. 2 — Turkey's Yunak Elveri, whose artfully conceived lodgings are hewn from 5th-Century cave dwellings carved into the surrealistic rocky landscape of Cappadocia. Fax (90) 384-341-6924. www.yunakevleri.com
• Most Unique Hotel No. 3 — India's beguiling Lake Palace, a white marble fantasy of domes and turrets set on a rock in the middle of Udaipur's scenic Lake Pichola. In U.S., Tel. (800) 448-8355.
• Most Ornate Value-Priced Hotel— La Casa de la Marquesa in historic Queretaro, Mexico. Brilliantly colored frescoes and dazzling tilework cloak its "Moorish baroque" interior, where the Imperial Suite goes for $215! Fax (52) 442-212-0098.
• Must-Play U.S. Golf Experience — The pair of ethereal courses at Oregon's Bandon Dunes resort that truly evokes Scotland's legendary seaside links. Tel. (541) 347-4380. www.bandondunesgolf.com
• Must-Play International Golf Experience —The awesomely scenic, never crowded, Pebble Beach-like links at New Zealand's 22-suite Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, highlighted by six dramatic cliffside holes. Fax (64) 9-405-1901. www.kauricliffs.com
• Sport Fishing Lodge of the Year — Exhilarating Nimmo Bay in British Columbia, where you can fly or spin fish for plentiful Pacific salmon and trout in pristine wilderness rivers reached via the resort's helicopters. Tel. (250) 956-4000. www.nimmobay.com.
Best Designed Hotels Of Europe II
Best Designed Hotels Of Europe II
At the beginning of the '90's, in the provincial town of Ürgüp, entrepreneur Yusuf Gorurgoz bought a number of cave dwellings from their inhabitants, who were more than happy to be able to move into "normal" houses. It took Gorurgoz, together with a team of architects and restaurateurs, four years to transform the houses into a hotel complex. Today it is without doubt one of the most extraordinary guesthouses in Europe.
On the southern side of a large cliff high above the town are caverns and niches, stairs and windows dug deep in the rock. Terraces are stacked up precariously on various levels; at first glance an almost surreal sight for urban eyes so used to angled surroundings. But a deep inner order, the harmony of a developed structure, soon becomes apparent to guests and contributes largely to a special atmosphere.
The reception and dining rooms are situated outside of the caves in a Greek-style manor house dating back to the 19th Century. From here, guests reach their accommodation via small off-set courtyards and various steps. With its 15 rooms and two suites, the Yunak Evleri is a relatively small hotel but the extensiveness of the complex guarantees the utmost peace and an optimally large private sphere. According to the architect's taste, some of the rooms are vaulted, some rectangular, and all are dominated by a subdued, modern Mediterranean style. The dark wooden floors and furniture have not been confected in a fake rustic style, but are plainly elegant and practical. Cupboards built into the wall, and the light- coloured tuff and pure white linen fit the conventional ideal of a southern way of life, mirroring the character and cycles of the surrounding countryside. Lecterns and niches are typical elements of these habitable caves and make each room an original. The terrace offers a breathtaking view of the town - one could sit here for hours, with a glass of wine or sweet Turkish tea, enjoying the heavenly peace and quiet.
A curious atmosphere dominates this place. On the one hand it has a natural, unspoilt feel, and on the other hand boasts all the thoroughly modern comforts of a first-class hotel. In some corners, one seems far removed from any kind of civilisation. Candles burn in small hollows and the coarsely cut walls and rough stone appear to originate from another epoch. Folkloristic elements such as embroidery and carvings round off this picture. When one encounters the bathroom with its marbie and very modern spiendour, it's not unusual to feel somewhat confused by this odd, somehow harmonious contrast.
At Yunak Evleri one tends not to enquire about technical comforts, although they are naturally available. Telephone, internet and fax service are all classed as average, although air-conditioning is certainly not necessary in these naturally cool caves.
The hotel's name means "Well Houses" and is also the name of this whole quarter of town. Prior to the conversion, people actually lived here without running water, heating or modern comforts. The daily life of women was played out at the market place and at the well. In contrast to this, life as a modern-day cave dweller can be positively luxurious. The previous residents would certainiy no longer recognise their homes.
1000 Places To See Before You Die New York Times 1 BESTSELLER
1000 Places To See Before You Die New York Times 1 BESTSELLER
1000x European Hotels
1000x European Hotels
TripAdvisor.com Tripadvisor Announces Top 10 Quirkiest Hotels In The World
TripAdvisor.com Tripadvisor Announces Top 10 Quirkiest Hotels In The World
TRIPADVISOR ANNOUNCES TOP 10 QUIRKIEST HOTELS IN THE WORLDIce Hotel in Quebec Freezes Out Competition NEEDHAM, Mass., July 31, 2006 - TripAdvisor™, the largest travel community in the world, today announced the top 10 quirkiest hotels from around the globe, according to traveler popularity and TripAdvisor editors. 1. Have an Ice Stay: Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada, Quebec, Canada 2. Jail House Rock: Malmaison Oxford Castle, England, U.K. 3. Smooth Sailing: Imperial Boat House, Ko Samui, Thailand 4. Entertainment Extravaganza: Fantasyland Hotel & Resort, Edmonton, Canada 5. Tree-Top Tableau: Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel, Manaus, Brazil 6. Desert Rose: Al Maha Desert Resort, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 7. Chief Light-Wallet: Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona 8. Caveman's Delight: Yunak Evleri, Urgup, Turkey 9. Toro! Toro!: Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico 10. Inn Vogue: Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California |
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Michael Müller Verlag Türkei
Michael Müller Verlag Türkei
Yunak Evleri (1), ein Traum, von der Straße nach Nevsehir ausgeschildert. 2000 eröffnet. 5-Sterne-Komfort innerhalb der dicken Mauern eines Fels- und Häuserkomplexes, dessen Außenanblick vor 100 Jahren wahrscheinlich ähnlich war. Winzige Terrassen mit herrlichen Panoramen, enge Passagen und kleine Innenhöfe geben dieser Unterkunft etwas Märchenhaftes. 15 stilvolle Zimmer, DZ mit Frühstück 175 €. Tel: 3416920, Fax: 3416924.
Frommer's Turquie
Frommer's Turquie
Yunak Evleri. Yunak Mahallesi, 50400 Ùrgûp. 0 384/341-6920 Fax 384/341-6924. www.yunak.com. E-mail : [email protected]. 22 chambres. Tél. Double 90 $. CB. Cet hôtel, qui vient à peine d'ouvrir ses portes, est lui aussi aménagé dans des grottes. Il est très confortable et possède même une suite pourvue d'un jacuzzi. Le propriétaire, un restaurateur d'Istanbul, a bénéficié des conseils de son ami Siiha Ersôz, qui possède l'Esbelli Evi, pour créer un décor de rêve et une atmosphère confortable et accueillante.
Frommer's Turkey
Frommer's Turkey
Yunak Mahallesi, 50400 Orgiip. © 0384/341-6920. Fax 0384/341-6924. www.yunak.com. 115€ ($140) double; 131€ ($160) deluxe; 164€ ($200) suite. Discounts for cash payment. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; laundry; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms. In room: Minibar, coffee/tea station, hair dryer, safe.
Lonely Planet Turquie
Lonely Planet Turquie
En revenant vers le centre, prenez la ruelle sur la gauche près du Konak Otel. Le Yunak Evleri (tel34J 6920, fax 341 6924, [email protected]), un tout nouvel établissement magnifique, regroupe des maisons villageoises creusées dans une roche percée de boulins (trous servant à glisser une pièce de bois) pour les pigeons. Le restaurant et deux salons sont installés dans une maison centrale. Parmi les chambres (90 $US en double), aménagées dans les maisons excavées, une suite possède son jacuzzi. Dans ce quartier privé, étonnamment calme, les prix risquent de grimper rapidement. Vous trouverez plus de détails sur le site Web www.yunak.com.
Lonely Planet Turkey
Lonely Planet Turkey
Yunak Evleri (Tlf 0.384.3416920,www.yunak.com; Yunak Mahallesi; d €120-145, ste €180) This swish hotel is a combination of six cave hauses with 29 rooms. We were superimpressed with the main buiding, which occupies an old and very attractive Greek house and houses a state-of-the-art DVD room and music lounge, but not quite as taken with the general setting, which suffers from an exposed position and lack greenery. That said, guest rooms are extremely comfortable and well appointed.
Le Guide Du Routard Turquie
Le Guide Du Routard Turquie
• Yunak Evleri (plan A1, 22):sur la route de Nevsehir, légèrement en retrait du Konak Hôtel. 341-69-20. fax : 341 -69-24. • www.yunak.com • Cet ensemble de 27 chambres (dont certaines avec jacuzzi ou sauna) creusées dans une falaise est une alliance originaie entre ia sobriété du tuf, l'élégance des meubles anciens et les apports de là modernité. Le résultat pourrait faire la une d'un magazine de déco. Quant au petit dé jeuner, c'est dans une salle a manger ornée de boiseries et de magnifiques tissus que vous pourrez l'apprécier. À découvrir comme un coup de foudre, si votre budget vous le permet!
Open Road Publishing Turkey Guide
Open Road Publishing Turkey Guide
Yunak Evleri is in the best sense the son of Esbelli Evi. Construction was undertaken with thoughtful input from the owner of the Esbelli, and the result is impressive.
Owner Yusuf Görürgöz began his ambitious project in 1998, taking it upon himself to renovate and renew a small community of ruined stone-carved buildings that occupied a south-facing cliffside in upper Ürgüp. Work ended in 2000, and from the moment you turn onto the cobbled entry road, curving uphill between low stone walls, you are in a compound where everything is as it should be. The centerpiece is a renovated Greek mansion that now serves as the reception and dining area, and rooms are arrayed in the cliff walls behind.
And what rooms they are: like the Esbelli Evi, each room is cut into the stone, with dark, hardwood floors as flush as the eccentric angles of the cave walls allow, metal bed frames, down comforter covers, and bathrooms clad in marble with heavy white towels. The small touches -reading lights, built-in cabinets, and patios- are marvelous. In big ways and small, the Yunak Evleri is a success.
Good Turkish buffet meals are served nightly for $15, and meet the same high standard. To get there: follow the main road from Ürgüp city center uphill toward Göreme, turning right before Surban Hotel.
Turkei Die schönten Kleinen Hotel
Turkei Die schönten Kleinen Hotel
Es ist bestimmt eine verwegene Idee, ein ganzes Höhlen areal, in ein einziges Hotel der Luxusklasse zu verwan deln, ohne dabei das äußere natürliche Erscheinungsbild in seiner Gesamtheit zu verändern. Von allen neu aufge nommenen Hotels dieser Buchausgabe (es eröffnete Ende 2000) begeisterte uns das Yunak Evleri am meisten. Herr Görürgöz machte sein Glück und Geld mit dem Betrieb eines der exklusivsten Restaurants in Istanbul. Anschließend brachte er den Mut auf, sein ganzes Ver mögen für eine Reihe archaischer Höhlenunterkünfte in Ürgüp auszugeben. Sie sehen von außen genauso aus wie vor 100 oder 1000 Jahren, doch im Innern könnten sie bezüglich Stil und Komfort bedenkenlos mit dem Four Seasons in Istanbul konkurrieren. Einige liegen diskret in einem Hof, so dass man vom Nachbarn unge stört bleibt. Die Räume sind voller Nischen und Aus höhlungen, mit geheimen Durchgängen und kleinen Ter rassen jener Art, wie sie nur in Märchen vorkommen. Die Aussicht über das Tal ist grandios.
Nicht zuletzt auch wegen seines jungen und gut ausge bildeten Personals entwickelt sich das Yunak zum neuen Stern am kappadokischen Horizont der Fantasy-Hotels.
Great Small Hotels Collection
Great Small Hotels Collection
Page 165
Some architecture has a noteworthy presence, marked by the history of the place in which it is found. The community culture is so strongly compelling and exacting that these buildings become unique examples of nearly disappearing genres. These hotels, located in buildings with such a strong sense of identity, have fortunately been saved from the road to destruction by thoughtful conservation and renovation. Thus it is truly a privilege today to be able to stay, for example, in a magnificent house that was witness to a history of intrigue in the Qing Dynasty and Republican Era in China where the elegance and exclusiveness of traditional life around an interior patio has been preserved.
In another, completely different, part of the world, the Turkish culture developed an outstanding way of living in luxurious houses actually carved out of a mountain, later adorning the facade with a Greek style mansion. The impressive cave rooms are decorated with antique pieces in the Ottoman style, preserving the legacy. This refined period is also reflected in the stone hotels built in the traditional local stone and furnished with exquisite antiques, Anatolian carpets and hand-woven tapestries.
Alastair Sawday's Special Places To Stay Turkey
Alastair Sawday's Special Places To Stay Turkey
Page 161
Trotamundos Turquia
Trotamundos Turquia
Lonely Planet Turquia
Lonely Planet Turquia
Yunak Evleri (3416920 www.yunak.com; Yunak Mahallesi; d 100 - 120 €) Especie de hotel-boutique bastante elitista, que combina seis casas trogloditas con 27 habitaciones inmaculadas. No tiene mucho ambiente pero no falta de nada en lo que se refiere a comodiadad y estilio, con reproductores de Cd, TV grandes, Internet gratuito y similares.
Lonely Planet Turchia
Lonely Planet Turchia
Guia Azul Turquia
Guia Azul Turquia
YUNAK EVLERI: Yunak Mah.; 341 69 20, fax 341 69 24. Impecable hotel con unas 25 habitaciones en un barrio a tope de cuevas y monumentos. Es uno de los mejores de esta parte del país.
VALLE DE PANCARLIK: al sur de Ürgüp. En estos pagos se puede visitar la hermosa iglesia de Kepez, de finales del siglo XII. En ésta se siguen las líneas estilísticas de las demás, aunque presenta un encanto propio y único.
VALLE DE KESLIK: al de Ürgüp, junto al pueblo de Cemü. En esta cañada se pueden ver las bellas iglesias de Kilise y Meyvali, recubiertas de frescos. También se encuentra el complejo del monasterio de Kara.
MUSTAFA PASA: Se trata de una típica villa de Capadocia, también denominada Sinosos o Sinoson por los griegos, aunque bastante castigada por el turismo, por lo que su encanto original se ha perdido en parte. Conserva bastantes casas alzadas en piedra de la región y un par de iglesias interesantes, la de Tavsanli y la de Ayos Vasilios. Ésta última está excavada en la roca, a la cual se accede mediante una escalera de piedra. Sólo tiene un piso con cuatro columnas que sostienen su techo. Lo más interesante son sus frescos, contrariamente a su historia. En Mustafa Pasa tenéis un buen lugar para dormir, el S/nasos;hotelito junto a la plaza principal, es un hotel moderno, que utiliza parte de un viejo caserón turco como restaurante, los aposentos son buenos y el precio aceptable para una economía media.
1000 Places To See Before You Die New York Times 1 BESTSELLER German Edition
1000 Places To See Before You Die New York Times 1 BESTSELLER German Edition
Mediterranean Traditional Mansions
Mediterranean Traditional Mansions
Yunak Evleri. Cappadocia, Turkey
In Cappadocia's magical landscape of fairy chimneys, in the ancien village of Urgup, is a luxurious hotel carved into a mountain cliff, the Ynak Evleri. Yunak Evleri is a combination of six cave houses with a total of 27 private cave rooms dating back to the 5th. and 6th. centuries and crowned with a 19th. century Greek Mansion. These exceptional cave houses are renovated and decorated with care and in their own distinct style with strictly respecting the local character. The decor is elegant and personalized with beautiful handcrafted furnishengs and antiques. With 27 rooms, Yunak Evleri is small enough to be intimate, yet large enough to offer you privacy. A labyrinth of narrow passageways and curved stone stairways lead to unique rooms tastefully decorated in warm Ottomanstyle. All rooms have private patios overlooking the Turkish Mesa. In the stone mansion at the foot cliffs, an extensive breakfast buffet, including homemade breads, pastries and marmalades, is served. Fresh organic produce is purchased daily. The kitchen is pleased to accommodate specific dietary requests. Evenings are characterized by sunset gatherings on soft upholstered Turkish pillows warmed by an outdoor fireplace. Candlelight dining is offered on the adjacent rooflop terrace.