Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia

Cappadocia is the historical name of the region in Central Turkey, 750km south west of Istanbul and 300 km South of Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The actual region which we call Cappadocia covers the cities of Nevsehir, Kayseri, Nigde and Aksaray. The area is about 100 square miles, and in the center of it we find Urgup and Goreme.

The Cappadocia of Hittite times (2000-1200 BC) was a large area of central, east and southern Turkey. Modern Cappadocia refers to a geographical area covering the valleys of Goreme, the town of Urgup with its fairy chimneys, Derinkuyu and Kaymakli underground cities, the center of ceramic art in Avanos, the panoramic castle of Uchisar, the Canyon of Ihlara near Guzelyurt, and Kayseri.

Kayseri has the highest mountain of the region, Mount Erciyes (Argeus), which is also a ski center between November and March.

Gamirasu Hotel is located in the heart of Cappadocia, at Ayvali village near Urgup.

About Hotel

Gamirasu is the name of an exquisitely restored 30 rooms cave house opened in 1999, in Ayvali Village near Urgup in the heart of Cappadocia, Turkey.

The Hotel is featured in Frommer's as one of the eight unique hotels in Turkey, one of the best of the Cappadocia hotels and as a romantic escape in honeymoon and wedding magazines

Gamirasu Hotel is located in a restored one thousand year old Byzantine monastic retreat which offers modern conveniences without distracting from the spiritual feeling of the area which is known to have been inhabited for more than five thousand years.

Hotel History 

Gamirasu is in the ancient valley of Ayvali Village (Aravan- name of the village in the Hittite times, 1600 B.C.)

Ayvali is 10 km to the south of Urgup. Take the road to Mustafapasa. On the halfway after leaving Urgup, after the first bridge, turn right following the yellow sign pointing to Mazikoy Roman Tombs and Ayvali village (misspelled as Ayvalik).

It is a peaceful small road with spectacular geographical formations.

PRE - HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

The Archaeologist Kemal Talih Turkmen (1949 - 1995) mentioned this road as being used in pre-historical periods (Urgup, Bilinmeyen Kapadokya'dan bir kesit, Ankara 1999). He discovered an "Obsidian Workshop" from the Stone Age and broken ceramics dated to the Assyrian Colony period (2000-1600 BC) just 200m to the north of the same bridge. This small hillside could have been used for several purposes for thousands of years.

EARLY CHRISTIAN BYZANTINE HERITAGE

The second bridge, just before you get to Ayvali, is called Haci Ismail Deresi Koprusu. Stop here and discover the Early Christian Byzantine cave churches with frescoes a 100m to the south of the bridge. It is a place reserved only for you. The fact that very few people know about this place, and that the road is away from the main tourist destinations, has kept this place very unspoiled.

ICERIDERE VALLEY, UNDERGROUND CITY

The cave houses, an unexcavated underground city, and potato and apple cave storage areas are all waiting to be discovered. Some villagers still live in the cave houses. There are many springs with sparkling water.

A seven-kilometer long walking path brings you up to Golgoli ruins and Damsa Dam Lake.

Activities at Gamirasu

We have organized activities at Gamirasu. Some of them are within the hotel complex itself and some in the surrounding area. Please find the details below.

BODY CARE MASSAGE 

We have massage service in Gamirasu Hotel at request .

Massage Types :

full body relax oil massage

full body sport oil massage

full body medical oil massage

full body aroma therapy oil massage 

full body anti stres oil massage

back oil massage

face and hair oil massage

foot oil massage

*Available between 16.00pm 22.00pm by professional masseuse (Ladies Only). * Please reserve at check-in with reseption.

TURKISH CUISINE COURSE

Turkish kitchen is one of the best well-known in the world next to French and Chinese. Each region in Turkey is so rich in the variety. Cappadocia, keeping its old traditions of a rural life with its agricultural background and its climate, still gives you a chance to discover the taste of traditional cookery. In the hotel kitchen, our chief welcoming you to teach traditional Cappadocian and Turkish cuisine.

Please check our cuisine page to find samples of home cooking from Gamirasu.

AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

You can be part of the local life and experience the process of drying apricots, harvesting apples, tomatoes, mulberries and grapes from the organic farm land.

You will have a chance to learn home style wine making, cooking grape jam and baking bread in the stone oven.

For detailed program and seasons for activities, please contact us.

WEDDING ORGANIZATION - "Traditional or religious" 

Gamirasu is the only hotel with a historical cave church in the area.

If you wish you can use it for your wedding ceremony or we can arrange Cappadocian style cultural wedding for you that includes even"Henna Night".

We will take care of administrative formalities in front of Turkish law for you.

WHIRLING DERVISHES

Founded by Mevlana in 13th century in Konya, Sufism is practiced widely in Turkey. A branch of Dervishes practice their religion in an ancient Selcukide Caravansary.

You may participate as a spectator to this mystical Sema " the meditational dance of Dervishes".

YOGA & MASSAGE THERAPY

The German partners are Doctors of Alternative Medicine, qualified and experienced practitioners

Rooms

Gamirasu hotel is a combination of seven old houses with 30 rooms, exquisitely restored and combined. Part of the hotel was used by Christian monks until recently. Some of the rooms were actually monk cells. The quality of the cave rooms makes you feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Volcanic rock called "tufa" is perfect insulation material which keeps the temperature between 17 - 20 degrees Celsius throughout the year. All rooms are different from each other in their size, shape and qualities.

Beijing, China

Beijing (北京 Běijīng) is the capital of the most populous country in the world, the People's Republic of China, and also its second largest city afterShanghai. It was also the seat of the Ming and Qing dynasty emperors until the formation of a republic in 1911. Beijing is the political, educational and cultural centre of the country and as such it is rich in historical sites and important government and cultural institutions.

The city is well known for its flatness and regular construction. There are only three hills to be found in the city limits (in Jingshan Park to the north of the famous Forbidden City). Like the configuration of the Forbidden City, Beijing has concentric "ring roads", which are actually rectangular, that go around the metropolis.

                                          Beijing was host to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

History

Beijing literally means Northern Capital, a role it has played many times in China's long history. Beijing's history dates back several thousand years but it first became notable in Chinese history after it was made the capital of the State of Yan under the name Yanjing. Yan was one of the major kingdoms of the Warring States Period, some 2,000 years ago. After the fall of Yan, during the later Han and Tang dynasties, the Beijing-area was a major prefecture of northern China.

In 938, Beijing was conquered by the Khitans and declared the capital of the Liao Dynasty. The Mongols seized the city in 1215. From 1264 Beijing served as the capital of a united China under Kublai Khan. His victorious Mongol forces renamed the city, Great Capital (大都). From there, Kublai and his decedents ruled their empire from a northern location closer to the Mongol homelands. During this period, the walled city was enlarged and many palaces and temples were built.

After the fall of the Mongol-founded Yuan dynasty in 1368, the capital was initially moved to Nanjing. However, in 1403 the 3rd Ming emperor, Zhu Di, also known as Emperor Yongle, moved it back to Beijing and gave the city its present name. The Ming period was Beijing's golden era. The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and many other Beijing landmarks were built in this period. The capital developed into a huge city becoming the religious and cultural center of Asia.

In 1644, the Manchus overthrew the declining Ming dynasty and established China's last imperial line -
the Qing. Despite the changing political climate, Beijing remained the capital. The Manchu imperial family moved into the Forbidden City and remained there until 1911. The Qing built both the Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace. These served as summer retreats for the emperors and their entourages. During the 19th century, Western countries established foreign legations in the Qianmen area south of the Forbidden City. These came under siege during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.

The Qing dynasty fell in 1911. In the chaotic first years of Republican China, Beijing was beset by fighting warlords. Following the Northern Expedition, the Kuomintang moved the capital to Nanjing in 1928, and renamed Beijing as Beiping ("Northern Peace") to emphasize that it was no longer a capital. Beijing remained a center for education and culture throughout the Republican Era. When the Kuomintang was defeated by the Communists in 1949, the new government proclaimed a People's Republic with its capital at Beijing.

Recommended reading includes Peking - A Historical and Intimate Description of Its Chief Places of Interest, by Juliet Bredon

About Hotel

N.E.Hotel Beijing

per night

The N.E.Hotel Beijing provides its guests with a central Beijing hotel, situated within walking distance of some of China’s most renowned attractions, including Tiananmen Square and the National Museum of China. All of its guestrooms feature warm Chinese decor and include cable TV and air conditioning. The onsite N.E. Coffee bar serves a range of hot and cold beverages, while guests in search of recreation can make full use of the health spa and its therapeutic massage options. Business travellers can use the modern meeting rooms, or enjoy the in-room wi-fi Internet access.

All rooms

Air conditioning

Broadband Internet access

Cable/satellite television

Coffee/tea maker

Hair dryer

Hot and cold shower

In-room safe

Iron and ironing board

Magnifying make-up mirror

Telephone

Location : Dongcheng    Rooms : 28

 N.E.Hotel BeijingNo.10 YueyaHutong, Dongsiliutiao, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China

  Hotel rates are exclusive of hotel tax and services 

Hotel Rates are per room, per night 

Triple/Quad occupancy may include an extra bed for some room types.