Lua de Caldelas — Hotel in Amares

My 2 weeks stay at Lua made Ziv and Keren become my close and beloved friends, thank to the tme I was lucky enough to spend with them in the small village in northern Portugal, Caldelas, where this boutique hotel that Keren and Ziv opened about a year ago stands

The place, which is a masterpiece, thanks to the lighting and interior design skills of Keren Nehushtan, who is the founder of Studio Luca, and of Ziv, who is a tour guide at heart, a confectioner and a host by profession, was a Portuguese guesthouse that stood in the town and served the local spa.

Keren and Ziv, with their skills in design, hospitality, aesthetics, cooking and execution, made it a place full of charm, designed down to the last detail, unique guest rooms, none of which are the same, I saw quite a few of them as I was there for two weeks, gallery rooms displaying special collections, rest areas in the garden that Ziv diligently cultivates, three wooden hot tubs - revitalizing experience that is possible in the evenings which become cooler...

Beyond all of the offered by the place itself, Ziv and Keren initiated and included us in several hiking trails in the Pandas de Geres nature reserve where the hotel is located, in the two weeks we were we saw only small but beautiful parts of the nature's beauty of the reserve - turquoise waterfalls, wild horses, hundreds of years old agricultural facilities hidden on Walking paths shaded by oaks...

Thank you Ziv and Keren

Waiting to come...

We just stayed here and were completely blown away. What we expected to be a comfortable base for exploring the region turned into one of the most memorable stays we’ve ever had.

The food, first and foremost, deserves serious praise — easily among the best meals we’ve eaten anywhere. Every dish was thoughtful, fresh, and beautifully executed. The chef is incredibly talented, and the level of quality was simply unexpected for a hotel of this size. It felt more like dining at a Michelin-starred retreat than a small hotel.

Beyond the food, the design of the hotel itself was stunning. The architecture blends modern elegance with regional character, and the lighting in the hotel is amazing. You can tell Keren is an interior designer.

What really set this place apart, though, were the hosts. They were incredibly gracious and generous with their time, offering genuine hospitality and sharing the story of how they built the hotel. As we’re considering a move to Portugal ourselves, their insight into the process — the challenges, the rewards, and the local culture — was incredibly helpful and deeply appreciated. Ziv was always ready with great suggestions and recommendations for the area.

This is more than just a place to stay. It’s an experience. We left feeling inspired, well-fed, and extremely grateful. We can’t...

This is a unique and charming small boutique hotel located in the heart of a  very nice village in northern Portugal.  The hotel is in an authentic building that has been renovated with a lot of attention to all the little details and with a lot of thinking about all the guests' needs. The hosts Ziv and Keren are extremely nice and very attentive. They have a lot of knowledge about the entire area. They sent us to beautiful hidden places, whether it's in the village or in the nearby Peneda geres nature reserve.  The hotel restaurant under their management is a real experience, starting with the selection of the wine, through the delicacies made by them and ending with the design of the items, the atmosphere, the music and of course Keren's works of art.  Finally, at the end of the town's creek is a Therma Spa that offers excellent treatments and massages and is highly recommended. We came for two nights, which became the highlight of our trip in northern Portugal. Thank you so much, dear...