The best hotels in Matera

This small guesthouse sits deep in the Sasso Caveoso, carved partly into the ancient tufo rock. Rooms are basic but clean, with low ceilings and dim lighting typical of cave-adjacent spaces. The location near the Santa Lucia alle Malve church puts you within walking distance of the main sassi viewpoints. Breakfast is simple, cold cuts and bread, served in a small vaulted room. Good option if you want to be inside the sassi without paying luxury prices.

Il Belvedere is a straightforward bed and breakfast on Via Lucana, a short walk from Piazza Vittorio Veneto. The rooms are comfortable without being special, with modern furnishings that feel slightly out of place in a city this old. The real selling point is the rooftop terrace with a clear view across the Gravina gorge and the sassi below. Staff are helpful and speak enough English to point you toward good local trattorias. Solid value for anyone on a tighter budget.

Hotel Italia occupies a historic building just off Piazza Sedile in the Civita district, which is the highest and oldest part of Matera. The views from the front-facing rooms down into the Sasso Barisano are genuinely spectacular, especially at dusk. Rooms are mid-range in quality, comfortable beds and decent bathrooms but no particular design ambition. The breakfast buffet is generous and includes local cheeses and homemade pastries. This is a reliable, well-located choice that does not overpromise.

Palazzo Gattini sits directly on Piazza Duomo, one of the most dramatic squares in southern Italy, right next to the 13th-century cathedral. The building dates to the 18th century and the interiors have been restored with care, mixing original stone arches with clean contemporary decor. Rooms vary significantly in size so request one with a canyon view when booking. The ground-floor bar is a good spot for an aperitivo before dinner. Service is polished and the staff genuinely know the city well.

This is one of the most unusual hotels in Italy, a collection of ancient cave dwellings in the Sasso Caveoso converted into spare, minimalist rooms that preserve the raw stone walls and vaulted ceilings. The design philosophy is deliberately austere, no televisions, no loud colors, just rock, candlelight, and silence. It sits along the old Strada del Piano, overlooking the Gravina canyon below. The breakfast brought to your room in the morning is a genuinely memorable detail. Not for everyone, but unforgettable for those who appreciate the concept.

Corte San Pietro is a small boutique hotel built into a cluster of cave rooms in the Sasso Barisano, near the ancient church of San Pietro Caveoso. Rooms are intimate and atmospheric, with exposed tufo rock and warm lighting that suit the setting perfectly. The hotel is small enough that service feels personal rather than transactional. The common terrace overlooks the ravine and is a fine place to have a glass of Aglianico at sunset. A strong choice for couples visiting Matera for a special occasion.

La Dimora di Metello is a refined boutique property on Via del Corso, the main pedestrian street connecting the modern city to the edge of the sassi. The building is a restored 19th-century palazzo with high ceilings, original frescoes in some rooms, and locally sourced stone floors throughout. The eight suites are individually decorated with antique furniture and high-quality linens. Breakfast is made to order and includes local specialties like calzone lucano and ricotta with honey. The owners live on-site and this shows in the level of care.

This mid-sized hotel in the Rione Malve area of the Sasso Caveoso is one of the few in the sassi that comfortably accommodates families, with connecting cave rooms and a helpful front desk that arranges guided tours. The rooms are carved into the hillside and vary in size, with some large enough for a family of four. The hotel has a small restaurant serving straightforward Lucanian food that is good without being remarkable. Access involves some steep stone steps, which is worth knowing before arrival. Overall a practical and atmospheric base for a longer stay.

Palazzo Viceconte is a refined 18th-century noble residence on Via San Potito, restored into one of Matera's most accomplished luxury hotels. The interiors balance period architecture with contemporary comfort seamlessly, using local craftspeople for the furnishings and textiles. Each of the twelve rooms is distinct, with original painted ceilings, stone floors, and large bathrooms with quality fittings. The private courtyard garden is a rare luxury in a city built almost entirely from rock. Staff arrange private cave dinners and exclusive after-hours access to archaeological sites on request.

Il Torrione occupies a fully restored medieval tower and adjacent cave complex near Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi, one of the quieter corners of the sassi. The hotel has only seven rooms, each designed by a different local architect using natural materials and integrated lighting that highlights the stone structure. The in-house chef prepares tasting menus focused entirely on Basilicata regional cuisine, sourced from producers within 50 kilometers. A private terrace on the upper level of the tower offers a 360-degree panorama over the city and the gorge. This is the benchmark luxury experience in Matera.