Aque Cave - le Grotte del Caveoso

The city of Matera is unbelievable to see but more importantly this hotel is second to none. Paola and Francesco are the perfect hosts. They are friendly, helpful and most importantly love what they are doing and it shows in how wonderfully you are treated. As for the hotel, you will probably never stay in such a unique place. They have restored it with the utmost care and attention to detail. The breakfast was wonderful. If you ever get a chance to stay here don’t pass it up, you won’t be disappointed.

We fell in love with Matera - and Aque Cave - on our recent visit. What a beautiful place. From the moment we arrived - lugging our ridiculously large suitcases up the hill - we were welcomed with open arms. Literally, in this case, as Paola met us and insisted on taking over. We had taken advantage of the recommended "park and transfer" service which was excellent. It cost 25 euros per day. I had been slightly nervous of the concept of staying in a cave for 3 nights but as soon as I saw our lovely room - Talia - I adored it. It was extremely spacious with a door directly out to the terrace and had a beautiful bathroom with huge shower. Both rooms elegantly furnished. We did look at the other 3 rooms before we left but we were more than happy with Talia which we would choose again. I spent a lot of time sitting on the gorgeous terrace and The Husband spent a lot of time drinking coffee. I enjoyed chatting to Paola about travel, food and life in general and appreciated her help in booking a restaurant. We didn't spend so much time with Francesco but he was charming. The ladies who help with breakfast and housekeeping are friendly and helpful. We also enjoyed the company of Gilbert the cat. Breakfast, by the way, was lovely. The only small thing I mentioned when I was there was it maybe a good idea to get in a supply of orange juice as we Brits love it in the morning. All in all we had an absolutely wonderful time and were very sorry to leave. If you want a bit of elegance and peace and quiet but be literally a few steps away from the centre of Sassi Caveoso, then you have found it. Don't hesitate to book. You can tell how much love has gone into renovating this building and continues in the running of this lovely place.

Not only was Aque Cave the best hotel experience my wife and I had during our two weeks in Italy (and maybe ever), it absolutely made our trip to Matera. As soon as we arrived, Paola (who runs the hotel with her brother Francesco) warmly oriented us to the city by recommending sites, restaurants, and fun spots for an aperativo (all of which were fantastic). Her enthusiasm for her city was infectious and made us even more excited to explore. In fact, after talking to Paola we decided to cancel a planned day trip to Puglia so we could spend more time in stunningly beautiful Matera! Our room was extremely comfortable, especially for a cave stay. It may have been our most comfortable room in Italy! Breakfast was delicious and provided another opportunity to chat with Paola and learn more about Matera. Both Paola and Francesco repeatedly offered to help us with things like reservations, tickets, and even doing a little laundry. I really can’t recommend Aque Cave highly enough. It’s perfect in every way.

We had an amazing stay at Aque Cave. Our room was beautiful and the breakfast was huge and full of tasty treats. Paola and Francesco were so helpful and had lots of tips in terms of where to visit and where to eat or drink. I would 100% recommend a stay here!

Aque Cave really is an amazing place to stay in Matera. This small, boutique hotel, consisting of four beautifully appointed cave rooms/ suites is in an excellent location for exploring Matera, the garden/patio is a beautiful place to rest and gaze out over Matera and the breakfasts are delicious and very generous. But the most exceptional part is the hosts: Paola and Francesco were incredibly helpful, providing a great introduction to the history of Matera, some wonderful tips for exploring the town and some excellent dining recommendations/ reservations. I cannot recommend Aque Cave too highly. A stay here will help make your Matera visit unforgettable.