In the Arava, where light shifts by the hour and shadows move slowly across the ground, a resort was built to slow you down with it. Moa Living, a wellness resort in the heart of the Arava at Moshav Tzofar, does not begin at reception or on a menu. It begins in the room itself: walls that are, in a very literal sense, earth dried on site, stone that stays cool against the skin on a hot morning, a balcony with nowhere to escape to except further in. If you are looking for another standard hotel room, this is not quite it. If you are looking for a space built from the same material it asks you to settle into, keep reading.
The rooms of Moa Living: from earth to walls
Moa was designed by architect Sefi Kariti, who chose to build it from what the Arava itself offers: local earth bricks made on site, and tents that quote the desert rather than imitate it. The result is a room that does not try to be anything other than what it is. A thick wall that holds the cold at night and the shade by day, a balcony that opens onto open land with no fence marking where outside ends and inside begins. Sleeping in a room like this is not just choosing a place to stay, it is stepping into the rhythm of the stone and earth around you.
Stone, pools and tents: the room and unit types
- Desert Room: a double local-stone room with an intimate balcony, 18-26 sqm, including a shower, toilet, indoor sitting area, mini fridge, kettle, closet and outdoor balcony. Some rooms can sleep a third guest on a folding bed.
- Desert Room with Pool: the same double stone room, with a private stone pool, 18-26 sqm, heated in winter to 30-36 degrees Celsius.
- Little Moa: a family room of 30-36 sqm, one of eight rooms arranged around a central courtyard, sleeping up to five guests across four beds.
- Rajasthani Tents: royal-style tents of 48 sqm, with five beds, a shower and toilet, and both indoor and outdoor seating areas.
- MoaBus for Couples: a converted bus turned into a unit of roughly 20 sqm, with a double bed and a private balcony facing the desert, reserved for couples only.
Around the room: a lake, an orchard, shade
Outside the room, the resort keeps telling the same story at a larger scale. An ecological lake surrounded by shaded resting corners invites you to sit and do nothing in particular. A desert orchard with a flowing stream opens a slow path between trees, with seating areas and hammocks waiting for anyone who wants to stop mid-day. Shaded, accessible splash pools are scattered through the grounds, small stations of water between the open spaces. This is not scenery built for photographs. It is scenery built to be entered.
The wellness area: hot tub, ice baths, temazcal
Moa Living’s wellness complex includes a hot tub, ice baths, a temazcal and a sound tent set aside for meditation. Entry to this area carries no additional charge, folded into the stay itself, like a standing invitation to return whenever the body asks for it. Anyone looking for individual care will find a treatment room offering a range of massages and body treatments. Anyone looking for movement rather than stillness alone will find the Small Hall, an equipped tent for yoga practice, meditation, movement and workshops, alongside the Great Hall, suited to events and gatherings.
Who is a stay at Moa Living for?
Moa suits couples looking for more than a getaway, an inward kind of disconnection where quiet is not just the absence of noise but a presence of its own. It suits anyone arriving with the wish to fall asleep at the desert’s edge, to open a day with a massage or a soak in a private stone pool, and to close it in a hot tub under a clear sky. The resort is vegetarian throughout, a rule that serves the overall atmosphere rather than limiting it. Families looking for room enough for everyone will find their answer in Little Moa, and anyone who prefers a grander but still open space will find it in the Rajasthani tents.
Practical details before you book
- Check-in: from 15:00, and from 16:00 on Saturdays.
- Check-out: until 11:00, and until 13:00 on Saturdays.
- The resort is vegetarian and does not allow barbecues on site. Open fire is permitted in designated areas only.
- Full cellular reception is available on the Pelephone network only, with partial reception for other carriers.
- Entry to the wellness area carries no extra charge.
As with every property in the Unique Hotels collection, booking is made directly with the hotel, at its own listed rate, with no added fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Moa Living located, and how do you book it?
Moa Living is a wellness resort located at Moshav Tzofar, in the heart of the Arava desert. Booking is made directly with the hotel, at its own rate, with no commission, as with every property in the Unique Hotels collection.
What room and unit types does Moa Living offer?
The resort has five types of accommodation: the Desert Room, the Desert Room with a private stone pool, the family unit Little Moa, Rajasthani tents sleeping five, and the MoaBus unit reserved for couples.
Is Moa Living suitable for families?
Yes. The Little Moa unit is a 30-36 sqm family room with four beds, sleeping up to five guests, and is one of eight rooms set around a shared central courtyard.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Moa Living?
Check-in is from 15:00, or from 16:00 on Saturdays. Check-out is until 11:00, or until 13:00 on Saturdays.
Is the food at Moa Living vegetarian?
Yes, the resort is vegetarian throughout and does not permit barbecues on site, though open fire is allowed in designated areas.
