Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita

Beautiful cave hotel. We stayed overnight to check out Matera, and the hotel is unusual and very, very beautiful. We enjoyed it very much.The modernization of the caves are very subtle yet effective. The rooms are dark because it's a cave, and they light the rooms with a few lights and lots and lots of candles, which gives it beautiful ambiance. WiFi connectivity was better than some of the more modern hotels we've stayed at in the area, and we had a shower with good hot water and water pressure. The bed was also comfortable. Breakfast was an amazing spread of lots and lots of cakes, cheeses, 4-5 different foccacias and plenty of fruit. Older people or people who have trouble with mobility might struggle a bit here because the floors are uneven, the rooms do not have good lighting and there are small steps everywhere. Our friend's suite had a bath to bathe in but no shower (which we've sometimes seen in Eurpean hotels). The mirror was one small, antique mirror hanging over the sink. However, if you are open to letting go of some of the modern comforts you might be accustomed to, it is definitely worth it for at least one night as a base to check out Matera. One note about getting to the hotel. While you may have read about having to walk up your belongings into Matera's maze of streets to find your hotel, Sextantio couldn't make it any easier. They have a designated parking garage, from which they provide transportation to the foot of Matera. From there, you have a set of stairs to walk up, but they put all your luggage in a little trolley, so you don't have to handle any of it yourself.

Wow - what a gorgeous experience. The cave hotel is nothing one experiences usually for a couple of nights stay in anywhere. We stayed in an authentic Matera cave, with all our facilities in the cave. Huge shout out the whole staff, especially Francesca, who was extremely helpful, patient, socialble and accommodating. This place is a once in a lifetime type experience - highly recommended if you want an authentic Matera experience.