Begam Boutique Hotel

We booked three rooms at Begam Butik Otel from August 5 to August 7. The hotel itself was good, near the town center, restaurants, and souvenir shops. It also has a sightseeing tour office on the premises. We bought eight hot air balloon tickets through the hotel for 4,000 LIRA each. Before booking, we asked whether the ride would work for our 85-year-old mother, who has mobility issues, and whether there would be a stool so she could sit instead of standing for hours. The owner and staff saw her mobility challenges, called the balloon operator, and assured us the ride was suitable and a stool would be provided. At the launch site, we were sent to Assiana Balloon. We learned you have to climb into the basket, and my mother couldn't manage it because she couldn't keep her balance. They put a ladder outside, but there was no ladder to help her get inside. There was no promised stool either, so she couldn't take the ride. The landing wasn't suitable for an older person with mobility problems, too. There were still empty spots in the balloon, so her seat couldn't have been resold if we hadn't bought it. The hotel owner and staff took the money but never refunded my mother's ticket. They've run this operation for years and knew this ride wasn't suitable for an 85-year-old with mobility issues. This was dishonest, just cheating.

The garden is a gem, and breakfast in the morning was very good. Begam butik Otel is quiet and charming, close to the center of Avanos, and the hosts are especially nice and make you feel at home. I'd definitely recommend staying here for a lovely visit to Cappadoce.

Our English-speaking guide Ahmet was very knowledgeable. Thanks to Bekir and Mustafa for making us feel welcome and being so friendly, from our arrival at the airport right through to the airport drop-off.

All the hotel staff were courteous and helpful. Kenan and Eliz deserve a special thank you for their excellent service and for arranging everything we needed and asked for.