We had the most unforgettable stay in Matera. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel genuinely welcome and completely at home—warm, friendly, and always ready to help. The accommodation, set in a beautifully restored cave, far exceeded our expectations. It perfectly blended the charm of Matera’s ancient history with modern comforts—everything we needed was thoughtfully provided. We especially loved the recliner seats (ideal for taking in the view or watching TV). And the daily breakfast, served in our own little courtyard, was an absolute highlight—fresh, generous, and beautifully presented. A truly special experience in a magical city. Highly recommended!

Honestly—nothing! And I don’t say that very often. Everything exceeded expectations and we wouldn’t change a thing.

Amazing and special experience to stay in a old place like the caves in Matera. Everything was there and we really missed nothing (minibar, wine, nuts, enough towels,..). The breakfast was excellent and Bora, the lady at the reception explained us where to go and helped us with recommendations in regards of some good restaurants nearby. Thanks to the team at Thymus…very kind and helpful.

The humidity in the cave is really high and you have to accept the special smell in the air. But the dehumidifier worked very well. Also you have to transport your luggage somehow because the car has to stay outside of the Sassi and the walk can get pretty long with some additional steps. So keep your luggage small… ;-)

The room was large and completely unique, truly part cave (SASSI) with a simply, tasteful rebuild/renovation . We had a separate entrance and everything was on one level. Large bathroom and a separate steam room, which we tried. Breakfast was included, buffet style but had a good range available. Of course with fresh espresso coffee. They also handled gluten free/dairy free better than normal. The people were excellent, especially the reception and management. The lift back up out of the Sassi area to our car was really an treat well beyond expectations. Thank you .

The fact that we had to park our car outside the accommodation (SASSI) zone and we had a 15min walk in, on cobble streets would have been a hassle at night or with large bags. But the WhatsApp messaging and phone calls were great. Also the lift back up out of the Sassi area to our car was really an treat well beyond expectations. Thank you .

I had no idea that staying in a cave could be so luxurious. The cave has been converted into a suite with a beautiful, comfortable bed at one end, a small sitting area around the view of the old (dry) cistern below the cave, a very nice seating area around the wall mounted flat screen tv, and a warm, comfortable, clean bathroom. There is wine waiting in the room and other wine in the reception area if there is something else more to your liking. Breakfast was typical southern Italian cuisine with an extensive selection and areas to eat indoors or out. The staff were more than helpful; making dinner reservations, reservations for a walking tour, and even arranging to have some of our laundry done for us. Staying right in an area as unique and historical as the Sassi of Matera is an experience not to be missed. The history of the area may put a few travelers off, but the story and its effect on southern Italy should not be missed.

Met my expectations for an unusual cave dwelling night in the midst of an historical old town. Easy to walk to many interesting locations, as long as you can cope with climbing the numerous steps. Great views within metres of this property. Plenty of restaurant options to choose from.

The instruction to catch the Sassi Bus from the overnight car parking in town to near the property was a bit vague. Yes the bus does stop right near the entrance to the Car Park, but it isn’t very obvious to a stranger, and we didn’t know that the Sassi bus is a small red bus for getting down the narrow streets. We set off in the wrong direction looking for a bus stop, not fun on a hot day with all your luggage. Possibly a picture of what to look for would help.

The location in Matera was great, the pool was fantastic to have after the heat of the day, and the size of the room was fantastic.

There was no one to assist us with our bags, and it’s up a set of reasonably steep stairs. Luckily the driver that dropped us off assisted us. The staff member that was there when we arrived said we ‘should have brought small bags’ … which we might have done if it weren’t for the fact we were on a 5 week holiday from Australia and we weren’t advised there wouldn’t be assistance.

Absolutely amazing place to stay! The staff were so helpful from check in to making dinner reservations each night for us! The cave room was fantastic - an absolute highlight of our trip in Italy. Breakfast in the courtyard was fantastic and such a peaceful spot. The location for staying is very central and perfect for a couple of nights staying here. Parking in the garage off site for €25 per night was well worth it with a free private shuttle to transfer us to the accomodation and back. We loved this accomodation and city so much that we both think it’s the highlight of our trip (surpassing Positano and Sorrento, Naples and Rome). Absolutely recommend you stay here in a cave room for a truly memorable stay!

Nothing 😃

The residence is really well located, especially because we chose to park several km away and take a free shuttle to the residence. We had to climb one flight of steps from the street to the residence, where a host was waiting to greet us. We stayed in room 27, which was an actual cave. This contributed to the novelty of the experience. Functionally, it was much like a night anywhere, but the silence and the darkness might have made us a bit late for breakfast.

This is not really a criticism. GPS in my iPhone was unreliable, and two-dimensional street maps were very difficult to use because the landscape was so vertical. We had a very similar experience recently in San Marino.

Bora checked us in and it was a perfect stay from the get go. She gave us a map and pointed out all her recommendations. We were on our honeymoon and we are LGBT+, she was very friendly and we felt so welcome, which means so much. The room was incredible. The best room we’ve ever stayed in. Gorgeous and so cool inside despite outside being so so hot. Our welcome gift wine was white but she had no issue at all swapping that out for some red after we requested it. The breakfast was one of the best included breakfasts we have had too. Great selection of food. Something for everyone. We would stay here 100 times if we could and will be recommending to everyone

Beautiful place, with very friendly staff. Staying in Matera is a wonderful experience, and even more so in a place like this, located inside one of the Sassi. The room was large, beautiful, and spacious. The breakfast was amazing! generous and delicious. We would stay here again without a doubt! We loved everything! They even surprised us with a lovely gesture: gifting us a nicely packaged artisanal bread on the day of our check-out.