Sextantio: The Ultimate Cave Hotel Experience

I’ll never forget the thought that waltzed through my mind as I scrolled through photos of Sextantio, a hotel in the heart of Matera, Italy. As I sifted through picture after picture of caves fitted to be cozy, luxurious accommodations, I knew Sextantio would be the ultimate Italian getaway for me, and the only place I could ever imagine myself waking up at in Matera. Several months later, I hopped into a van that transported me from the outskirts of old town Matera to the front gates of Sextantio, and I dropped my bags in front the living, breathing version of my Italian dream.

A view of Sextantio Hotel and the gravina — The gate guiding you to your personal cave for a few nights!

As I pushed open the iron gate with the red Sextantio placard on it, I was greeted by a stone-faced reception, set into a shallow cave with a delicate grape vine encircling the doorway. From the moment you step on site, Sextantio transports you to the most romantic stay in Italy, and delivers on every level through the end of your stay.

Grape leaves and cat outside an Italian hotel — Sundrenched Sextantio

Rooms that Enchant Visitors

After check in, we were led to our cave that we had reserved, Cave 10, and given an old iron skeleton key. After unlocking and pushing the wooden door open, we were greeted with a room that immediately whisked me to another century. Quite literally since the door that led to the bathroom is over 100 years old!

!00 year old door to Cave 10 — The door leading into Cave 10, tucked away from most other rooms.

As the entire hotel is built into a series of caves, there is no visible electricity on the room other than a few strategically placed lights, and outlets to charge electronics. Otherwise, the only light in the room is what is provided by windows overlooking a small desk, and large, ivory colored pillar candles that burn and melt throughout your stay, creating gorgeously irregular puddles of wax on floors, shelves, and pathways.

Desk in Cave 10 — The only window in the entire room

Every piece of furniture in the rooms are period appropriate (large wooden bed, wonderfully rustic desk chair, ceramic water jugs and cups), and the room itself provides a level of comfort that is unrivaled. When we visited Matera, the days were long and hot. I walked the stairs and hills of the city all day, sweltering in the heat, but the caves that make up the rooms at Sextantio provide natural air conditioning. Not only are the rooms naturally dark and shaded from the sun, but the rock walls and floors provide cool surfaces that surround you, and immediately cool you off after a day of exploring.

Large, plush bed in Cave 10 — I slept so well on this giant fluffy bed!

Fruit, wine, and pottery layout at Sextantio Hotel — Welcome wine, fruit, and water from the hotel to us

Cave 10 was a gorgeous room, not just for the bed and décor, but also the bathing options. While this seems odd to point out, the shower and tub in Cave 10 were some of the best I’ve seen, and I luxuriated in them several times during my 1 night stay. The shower itself is a rain shower set back into a rock wall in the cave, and the nearby sink is a trough style, and was found when the hotel was being built (could this have been used to feed and water animals in a cave home here? See my article on things to do in Matera, and understand how homes were set up before being abandoned in the 1950’s).

Rain shower in cave 10 at Sextantio Hotel — A trough sink that was used by horses and livestock, now serves as a beautiful addition to a rainfall shower room

In Cave 10, there is also a tub room, equipped with several candles and an egg-shaped tub sunk into the cave floor. Taking a bath here was exquisite and relaxing, as were the private massages we had in the room, lit only by candles and what light could find its way into the room. Massages here are a must do if you are able to visit, and were such a perfect addition to our stay.

Lastly, to top it all off, the soaps provided by Sextantio have a full, fruity scent that I think about to this day. My only regret is not being able to bottle it and bring it home!

I had the most epic of soaks in this tub during my stay!

Bath tub room in Cave 10 of Sextantio Hotel — We received a couples massage in this room as well. It was deliciously quiet and dark, perfect for a post massage nap

Food Fit for an Emperor

Something I never quite anticipated when I booked my stay with Sextantio was how unbelievably delicious the provided breakfast would be in the morning. While a pastry and a quick cappuccino is great, and at times, downright delicious, the spread provided by Sextantio is simply exquisite.

The morning staff served us our choice of milk, juice, coffee, and tea, and directed us to several tables of food from which we could fill our plates and our bellies. Personally, I loved the locally made pastries and breads, all traditional to the area, and rustic in presentation. Traditional Pugliese bread was soft and hearty, and the Danish style pastries were sweet without being saccharine. We also loved the cheese table, decked out with as many balls of burrata and stracciatella as you could eat (5…we ate 5).

Coffee and orange juice at Sextantio Hotel — Our table for our morning nosh. I loved the rustic nods to even the plates and cups used, and the crisp white linens with beautiful texture

Meat, Cheese, and tomatoes at Sextantio Hotel — Meat and cheese spread. We took half the burrata balls!

Juices and granola at Sextantio Hotel — Juice, cereal, and granola. My favorite was the red fruits juice

Breakfast pastries at Sextantio Hotel — Pugliese pastries and breakfast tortes. They were simple, but so damn good! Not too sweet, but had amazing textures, and were filled with fruit

We noticed crosses in the wall of the dining hall while we ate our 5 balls of burrata, and found out the breakfast area was yet another room that used to be a part of a cave system that housed people and animals. It is believed that the dining room actually used to be a chapel, given the crosses embedded in rock and scattered around the room.

Cross in cave wall at Sextantio Hotel — See the tiny cross that was found in the wall during excavation? They think this room was originally a church!

Location, Location, Location

Sextantio has two amazing things going for its location, the first being its access to a parking garage. Matera itself is split up into a newer portion of the city, and old Matera, the one you see in photos set into hillside caves and where the hotel is located. No cars are allowed in old Matera, and the entire city is enshrined in cobblestone, making hauling luggage very difficult. Luckily, Sextantio has access to a parking garage in new Matera, and picks guests up in a hotel van, transporting you to the edge of the city with your luggage, and carrying it to the hotel for you. This perk in and of itself is worth the stay!

The hotel is also beautifully situated, overlooking the gravina on which the city sits, and a short walking distance to all things you are going to want to see and do in Matera. We were able to see Casa Noha, Sassi di Matera, several cathedrals, wander the entire perimeter of the city, and enjoy delicious meals recommended by the hotel staff all within two days! For a list of what to see, where to eat, and more in-depth info about your visit to Matera, please refer to this article.

Matera overlooking a gravina — The beautiful landscape that flanks Sextantio

In a short 36 hours, I fell in love with the city of Matera, and even more so with my stay at Sextantio. Sleeping where others had slept for centuries, and inhabiting areas that are a part of one of the oldest cities in the world. Sextantio was the perfect place to stay while visiting Matera, and I encourage all who visit to stay and experience the luxury of Sextantio, backdropped by an incredible history of an incredible people. My only regret? Not buying a book on the history of Matera to dive into the life and history of the city of Sassis.