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Matera’s deluxe cave dwellingMatera, Italy
Imagine, if you can, people living in caves dug into the side of a ravine 7,000 years ago. That was how hotel Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita began its existence. The sassi are ancient cave dwellings that, until the late 1980s, were inhabited by the poor of Matera, a village in Italy’s south. With the rise in tourism, some have been transformed, including Le Grotte Della Civita, which is now a unique 18-room boutique hotel.
The whole town is UNESCO World Heritage listed, so each of the caves housing a suite has been carefully conserved and retains its original shape and materials. The interior design is minimal and true to the formation’s origins, the candlelit restaurant is set in a former church and even the spa is housed within rough-hewn walls.
- King-size bed
- Shower
- Bathtub
- Living area
- Floor heating and cooling system
- Writing desk
- Hair dryer
- Shampoo and body wash
- Free wi-fi
Double rooms from US$280 a night.
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