A process for preparing cyclohexanol from benzene by: a) preparing cyclohexene by hydrogenating benzene in the presence of a catalyst, and b) preparing cyclohexanol by hydrating the cyclohexene in the presence of a catalyst, comprises: carrying out steps a) and b) in a reaction facility which has a bottom region at the lower end, a top region at the upper end, and a reaction zone between the top region and the bottom region which contains the catalyst according to steps a) and b), evaporating a portion of the benzene using the heat of reaction in the reaction zone, condensing it in the top region and returning it to the reaction zone, and withdrawing a reaction mixture containing cyclohexanol in the bottom region.