Rolling Thunder is a magical place and we feel exceptionally lucky that we were able to spend our 36th anniversary/New Year's week there with our family. We were also celebrating our first grandchild as well as our younger son's engagement, and we couldn't have found a better spot for quality time and making memories. The outdoor spaces are extraordinary, gorgeous nature, minutes from town and shopping with resort amenities - had an all-day bocce tournament, epic morning workouts in the giant yoga room, ping pong + frisbee games, long soaks in the hot tub, and hikes to the nearby picturesque river trail. Also outdoor lunches with vistas of the mountains and lush tropical foliage. The beds in the charming ranch home are super comfy and we had some excellent game nights and dinners at home, plus great meals out (Roblars, Rory's Place, The Hip Vegan, The Dutchess). Our granddaughter slept well with her parents in the guest house, and our granddog was happy to run around in a safe fenced area. Communication with Lisa was perfect. Can't wait to return...A+++ read more

The Rolling Thunder Ranch was the perfect place to celebrate my sister's upcoming wedding with family and friends. Walking the grounds is such an experience as you always find something new and exciting around the corner; for example the vegetable garden we found towards the back of the property and all the inviting sitting areas scattered throughout. You can have a fun gathering at the pool or take a stroll and find a place to be alone; maybe read or meditate. This place has it all! One evening we had dinner on the patio and the setting could not have been any better: the string lights, the cool stone table that could seat our large party and the amazing tall trees. It felt like we were at a tropical island. Many of us traveled from out of state and the hours it took to get to Rolling Thunder Ranch was well worth it! The only negative is....wish we stayed longer. read more

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This is one of the best, well organized, amazingly managed vacation experiences my family and I have ever experienced!  We stayed at The Rolling Thunder Ranch!  The pool was heated with hammocks all around it.  The fireplace in the living room had fish ponds on each side.  The property was well maintained.. beds felt like clouds!  The rock finishing in the bathrooms made me feel like I was at a fancy room at the Madonna Inn.  On top of all that the host Lisa told us we could have a private chef come over. We could simply enjoy our stay without the need to cook or find a place to eat.  Who would leave here anyway Right? it's heaven! The chef was amazing! She brought so many fresh local produce AMAZING! I believe they have other properties we will definitely check them out too. Highly recommended and get the chef it's worth it! One last thing Lisa even set up massages for us right at the house it was super luxurious. read more

This home is owned by Jerry and Lisa Kenton and managed by Dave Navarro (the 7th property manager the Kentons have employed in under 2 years). The business is called Enchanted Vacation Rentals. The Kentons own many other vacation properties in the Ojai area and list them under the EVR name. They also own the Deer Lodge, which has tasty food with awful service (kind of like the vacation homes...beautiful settings with dreadful owners). Frankly, I don't know how anyone ever books with them because they don't keep their appointments and they don't return phone calls. My fiance and I attempted to book the Rolling Thunder Ranch for a week leading up to our Ojai wedding as a place for us to stay with our immediate families. When I first contacted Dave Navarro about the property, he told me it was booked over the weekend of my wedding, but since we wanted a week long rental, the owner would force an "upgrade" on the listed guests to another property so EVR could get 2 rentals. Seemed very unfair to the renters, but I went along with it...until Dave started flaking on every single phone call I made. I scheduled a visit up to Ojai just so my fiance and I could meet the owner and sign a contract for Rolling Thunder. EVR was even going to put us up at the property for free. When we got to Ojai we learned we could not stay at the property because the current guests decided to stay an extra day. We had to pay for a hotel unexpectedly. The next morning Jerry Kenton did not come to our scheduled appointment. When we finally tracked Dave Navarro down at another EVR property, he didn't even remember we wanted Rolling Thunder for a week and gave us a quote for 2 days only. We also learned no one had been staying at the Ranch the night before, it was just a case of the owners not wanting to be inconvenienced with a cleaning fee. It was sad to let go of my dream of staying at the lovely ranch, but who can risk the possibility that the house you rent for a week is going to become strangely "unavailable" at the 11th hour? Especially during the week of a wedding! Basically the Kentons are very wealthy, extremely flaky, terrible business owners, and have a bit of a monopoly on the vacay rental industry in Ojai. Too bad for the people who have to deal with them on a regular basis. They certainly make Ojai seem like an unpleasant place to visit. read more

I cannot say enough good things about my experience at Rolling Thunder Ranch and working with Lisa. The property was spectacular - the grounds are truly magical, and it was hard for my friends and I to leave them :(. This was the most special place I've ever rented. read more

We stayed a weekend with friends that came down from the Northwest for a early Feb break of rain/snow... It was good to have a large group stay here as opposed to a hotel. The grounds were very spacious and because of inclement weather we found ourselves huddled around the fire place which was cool. Only draw back was that it was kind of dirty and I couldn't pay with a VISA.. not that we are clean freaks or broke but the place was a bit tired and the cob webs in the shower was sketch and I could have used the VISA rewards points since I dolled out over $3500 +/- for the event stay... All in all I think everyone enjoyed themselves as a large group in a private setting so it worked out well. As for all the negative remarks in the prior posts I did address these as a concern of mine with Lisa and she was pretty cool explaining what happened and that was that... read more

This place is amazing! It's like no other property I've ever seen. Every inch of the huge outdoors is packed with different little spots to enjoy. There's a garden, a large grassy area to play lawn games on, 2 hot tubs, a really beautiful pool, two giant grills, tons of fireplaces, and so much more. We came here for a writers' retreat and everyone had an amazing time. Every stop along the way, the management team was very informative and helpful. Great spot for a relaxing vacation. Would definitely stay here again! read more

Stayed here for a wonderful weekend with 10 other friends and had a lovely time. Not only is there interesting decor and art everywhere you look, the outdoor areas become secondary entertaining and lounging areas, with great night lighting and comfortable seating. The bedrooms were spacious and comfortable and we felt spoiled by the two jacuzzis and having two kitchens. Can't wait to stay here again. read more

Highly recommended for a weekend getaway that will make you think you travelled a lot further from home than you really did! Just finished an amazing Labor Day Weekend stay at the Rolling Thunder Ranch. We had a fantastic time at the ranch and were shocked at how much the property felt like a tropical resort. The perfect weather made it very easy to enjoy the 2 fire pits, the ample outdoor cooking, dining, and general hang out spots. Sleeping was a little tight for the 15 people we had, but with the great weather we were able to put inflatable mattresses pool side and make use of the hammocks. We will be back! read more

Rolling Thunder Ranch WAS the BEST!!!!! We recently celebrated my husband's 40th birthday at Rolling Thunder Ranch and had the MOST amazing experience! Not only was the property stunning and the perfect setting for our event, but the Kenton's were INCREDIBLE to work with in planning his special day! We highly recommend spending time at Rolling Thunder Ranch, it's truly a magical place!!!!! read more

I am writing to give Rolling Thunder Ranch the great review it deserves. We just had our wedding there a couple of weeks ago, and it blew everyone away, even ourselves. I had only seen the property via internet photos since my husband was the one who went to check it out so when I got to the property the day before the wedding it was like getting the best gift ever. You can tell the property is amazing via the photos but they don't convey the magical energy that you feel when you enter the place. From the buffalo cottage to the outdoor fireplaces, to the main house and pool area, every detail was a treat. We even made our floral arrangements for the wedding tables from flowers we found in the garden. To this day, we are still getting comments from our friends and family about how our wedding was the most magical and beautiful ceremony they had ever been to. Lisa, the owner, is super nice and very accommodating. She granted all our requests and even went out of her way to find last minute accommodations for some of our guests who couldn't find a hotel in town. When I first contacted her to inquire about the property I asked her about the couple of negative reviews here on Yelp, and she was very up front and honest about them. She said that unfortunately, at the time of the reviews she had hired a property manager that turned out to be not great, and when she found out about it she made changes to ensure that whatever misgivings had happened never occured again. Her honesty and candidness put me at ease right away and I decided to give the place a chance. Also, the reviews in other rental sites are great so that said something. And boy am I glad that I gave it a chance! Her current assistant Shepard is very nice. He checked us in, and not only gave us the house in perfectly clean condition but stayed with us for about an hour giving us a tour and answering all our questions. Both the house and the cottage have great ammenities. We got our full deposit back in less than two weeks. I could go on and on but you should go experience this place for yourself. No need to throw a wedding or big party, just rent it with your friends or family. read more

We rented RTR for 3 nights for our wedding, and could not have asked for anything more magical! We had 13 of our closest friends and family stay for the weekend (all of whom slept comfortably) and ~40 others join us for the day for our wedding ceremony and reception ALL at the ranch. It was truly the best decision we could have made for our wedding! We were going for a retreat-feeling wedding with homemade food and hand-made decor. The ranch was perfect for this as we utilized both kitchens on the property, and had plenty of room for all of our guests to sit, eat, mingle and relax without having to worry about a time limit, coordinating transportation to multiple venues, or basically any of the other fluffy nonsense of weddings! We rented tables and chairs that fit great both in the courtyard and by the poolside (there is more room that you think!), had a live music and dancing in both places, picked fresh veggies from the garden for breakfast in the morning, and we even went on a full-moon midnight hike right out the front gate of the house the night of the wedding! Lisa seems to know anyone and everyone in Ojai who you could need or want, so she gave us plenty of options for valet parking, photographers, DJ's, etc... but didn't at all push when we told her we didn't need any of them. She helped us coordinate free parking for our guests at an Elementary School down the street, and pretty much left us to our own accord. Her helper, Camilla, was also great - very flexible and responsive. Overall, fantastic experience. We will be back! read more

As an assistant for Enchanted Vacation Rentals who manages some of the best Vacation Houses in the Ojai Valley I booked this property for multiple guests, including vacationers, wedding parties and other celebrations since May 2013, all of our guests stated they had a wonderful stay and found the owners and staff to be helpful and attentive and many have already booked return stays! This is a tropical paradise that wont disappoint! read more

The Rolling Thunder Ranch clearly misrepresented themselves, making our much awaited family vacation a horror. My family booked Rolling Thunder Ranch after my Mom's death so we could have a big family holiday, and get real quality time together after losing her. We were assured that yes, our entire family of 18 could be there comfortably and we could cook a Thanksgiving dinner for 18 people with no problems. Imagine our shock when we arrived, and discovered that there was absolutely no way 18 people could stay, even with a second separate room. The dining table alone would only seat eight people maximum, and the 'big' house was tiny. There wasn't room for everyone to sit down, let alone stay overnight. I think they thought it would be fine of two people or more slept on the floor of a very small bedroom while another couple took the bed. Still not sure how they thought this was supposed to work for that many people, but it was very small. Good for a group of about six. The kitchen where we 'could easily' cook a family Thanksgiving dinner for 18 turned out to be about the size of a studio apartment kitchen. We had all traveled great distances to make this holiday happen, but my brother and his wife, their three sons and families all had to return to his home in Los Angeles. The rest of the family had to do even more driving to have Thanksgiving with them in L.A. Basically it was a great idea that was pretty much ruined with the misrepresented accommodations and the added stress it put on the whole family. The place was dingy, the dishes and furniture had seen a lot of wear, and much of it needed cleaning. Be warned that they take two months to return your deposit, so if anything happens after you leave, they can just take it from your deposit as you have no checkout procedure with anyone. They can claim anything, take the two months, and then say you did it. They really do give Ojai a bad name. Do NOT stay there !!! read more

For our friend's bachelorette party my friends booked the house at the Rolling Thunder Ranch. After much planning, food shopping and packing several friends headed out to Ojai from Los Angeles on a Friday afternoon. When they arrived they were told that the house was already booked for the weekend! The manager was not able to cut a check and never apologized for their mistake. We had to find another place to stay and had to throw away the majority of the food they had packed for the weekend. They have since been reimbursed for the full amount of the house but not for the food or additional expenses we incurred during our last minute trip to Santa Barbara. Book at your own risk! read more

We stayed at Rolling Thunder Ranch this past weekend and our only regret was not having stayed there for a few more days! We were 15 people, getting together for a bachelor/ette combined weekend. Before getting there, I was a bit skeptical about the "enchanted" nomenclature, but once on the premises you can really feel the magic in this place. A lot of work has gone into the ranch. Plenty of walls encrusted with abalone shells, two huge wood fired BBQs, so much space it that it's easy to get lost, a cool pool with 7 foot deep end, 2 large hammocks that can fit three people each, 2 jacuzzis, a couple of indoor small fish ponds. Everything makes you feel like you are on a secluded island (the palm trees add to that effect). I was surprised to see the rest of the negative reviews on here, but all are from older times and things have changed since then. We met Lisa upon arriving to the ranch and she was very welcoming and kind. All was made such that we didn't have to leave the ranch, I mean ample firewood for the bbq, tikki lights filled and ready to go, abundance of clean linen and towels, vegetables in the garden to pick from, etc... At night, it's dark enough to stargaze (we managed to see the remnant of the Perseid meteor shower). There are hiking trails close by, within walking distance a farm where you can spot a brown Lama if you're lucky! All in all, everyone had an amazing time. If you're a big group of people looking to escape LA's grind, that's the perfect spot for you. Lisa, We'll surely be back! read more

Rolling Thunder Ranch was a mess and the accomadations were not at all what they had advertised. We had planned to have Thanksgiving 2011 with our families from Washington State, Santa Cruz, California and San Diego.Everything about it was disgusting, dirty dishes, old food, broken refridgerator, awful as well as filthy stove. The oven wasn't even big enough to cook a turkey. It turned out to be a disaster and my family ended up staying home. We prepared the dinner at our house instead. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Unfortunately you have to give a star rating to post but it does not deserve one! read more

This is an interesting place. The home is clean, that's the good news and that means lots. However... some issues here. The main one is the "stone" walkways, paths, seating, bar etc. They are dangerous! There is not a smooth walking surface in sight. If you have toddlers or seniors or even women in heels, it's scary. In general, just about anyone can easily trip and hurt themselves on the uneven walkways. At night, stay indoors. Lighting is poor and literally, it's scary to walk. The other issue is the pool. It's freezing and again there is not any easy entry or exit. Will not be back and cannot recommend. read more

After doing a ton of research, I decided on Rolling Thunder Ranch to have my bachelorette party weekend. I read the previous reviews on yelp and wsa a bit disturbed by what a couple of people said. Especially since my experience up to me reading them was really great. Lisa, the owner, had been totally accomodating. She quickly responded to all of my emails, she always pickede up her phone when I need to call her for questions. I even asked her about the negative reviews and told her that I was a bit concerned. She was completely taken off guard and said it mustve been the competition in Ojai who wrote them. I believe her! She and her husband Jerry could not have been more helpful! TPrior to us coming, Lisa helped me plan massges for all of my guests. As soon as we arrived and asked about getting a ride to dinner (11 girls), Jerry was on the phone making sure that we had transportation to pick us up and drop us off at the times we needed. We also needed someone to help us get the grill started for the following night when we wanted to stay in and make dinner. Jerry was on the phone in minutes with a plan for his handyman Dan to come to our rescue. And, he was awesome!! This property is amazingly beautiful. We could not have had more fun than we did and I think it had a lot to do with our beautiful surroundings. There were two hot tubs, two grills, two fireplaces, two hammocks, and an amazing pool to keep ourselves occupied. My only complain would be that the pool isnt heated and it was a bit cold. But, it sure was beautiful! I will definitely be back and I highly recommend this place! read more

We just had the absolute best time at Rolling Thunder, it was absolutely better than we could have hope for. Going to a vacation rental you just never know. That's why I'm writing to tell everyone this is a jewel. We had an excellent rapport with the owner Lisa & her little dog "Scooby". What a doll she obviously took great pride in her very artistic & luxurious property. The place does not miss a beat. Its bed were top notch linens, rustic artsy lighting, endless fireplaces, 2 spas I mean this place is really got it all & more. My family and I just loved it! We know Lisa has several other locations in Ojai that we are tempted towards , but I think we will go back to the Thunder as soon as we can. In our experience the place you stay is not the vocal point in this case it was. Happy Trails;) read more

We had our wedding at this property and it was everything I hoped for. Inside the entry gate is a stylish circular drive with statues. The lawn is immediately to the left. There are a lot of beautiful flowers and trees surrounding the lawn, and a small covered pavilion nearby. This makes a very nice location for a wedding ceremony. Near the pavilion is the Buffalo Cottage, which is private and has space for additional beds. The bunkhouse is just a little bigger than the bed in it, but very cute. It's near the main house but good for someone who wants a little extra privacy. The main house has three bedrooms, all on the same floor, and a kitchen as well as a room that is a living/dining combo. The décor is really interesting; it has the feel of a rustic hunting lodge or mountain cabin (lots of wood and stone, dim lighting, twisted wood bedframes and antler chandeliers) but with seashells integrated into the rock walls along with a seashell bathroom sink and two carp pools in the living room. Outside is a black-bottom swimming pool surrounded by a stone patio, boulders, and palm trees. There is another pavilion here with a large rock table, fireplace, and tons of firewood so you can make a gigantic fire. The property is decorated with tiki torches, wagon wheels, wooden sculptures, and some wine barrels. There is a hot tub near the pool and another one near the lawn. We were invited to pick from the organic garden. The owner Lisa Kenton is extremely nice and was essential to our wedding planning success. From the time we booked the property, she was my full-time consultant on caterers, photographers, the minister (Tamra is wonderful and performed the best ceremony we could have hoped for), and a local rental company for additional tables and chairs, glassware etc (Ventura Rentals had great customer service and excellent prices). She also threw in freebies whenever she could (like extra time at the property and extra tables and chairs which saved us some money). Our security deposit was refunded promptly. Near the property are hiking trails and roadside stands with local fruit and vegetables. If you are looking for a getaway for up to 15 people or a really unique and private wedding venue, this is it! read more

This was the best service & best place I have ever been to in my life. Having our on private chef was made it so much more enjoyable and the food was delicious. The whole experience was amazing. read more

A peaceful,serene,rejuvenating,refreshing,fun,magical,loving,heart-warming,adventurous space, and we were overjoyed to have enjoyed it so much!! Peace on Earth, Peace at the Rolling Thunder! Blessings !! read more

If I could give ZERO stars then that is what would actually be appropriate. Thirteen friends and I booked a home through Enchanted Vacation Rentals for a bachelorette party weekend and found out two weeks prior to our trip that the home we booked had been double-booked and that they had no record of our contract (eventhough they had happily cashed our check). Upon reading other reviews on this site which I wish I had done earlier, it appears that The Kentons make a practice of bumping people when a better deal comes along eventhough their renters sign a contract. To add to Kate U's prior review, Dave Navarro is no longer with Enchanted Vacation Rentals, so up the count to 8 property managers in under 2 years. Getting back to the story, they ended up trying to book us in several other locations which Lisa 'pitched' as upgrades. One of them had an above ground pool with a tin roof which looked like it had survived a hurricane. Conversely, we had booked a house with stone detailed showers, a beautiful pool, updated furniture, etc. She ultimately convinced us to stay at The Ojai Country Inn which upon arrival we realized is one of the most appalling places on Earth. It hadn't been dusted in months, there was rotting food in the refrigerator, it was cluttered, the owner's personal items were scattered throughout the house (including used disposable razors and hairbrushes with hair hanging off the brush). The pool was not clean, the glasses and kitchen items had not been washed and the place was overall filthy and appalling. Lisa & her husband argued with us that they had seen the home several times and that it indeed was clean and beautiful - they must be blind, as they were arguing with 13 women, none of which had ever seen anything this offensive. After several hours of arguing, they agreed to give us our money back and we booked other accommodations and had to mover our entire group. Prior to giving us the money back and after we had booked a different hotel, they informed us that they would no longer give us all the money back because we had turned on the air conditioning and that was going to 'cost them money'. Hello? What about all the food that we now need to throw out and the day we wasted arguing with them. Overall, I bet if the city of Ojai knew how they were operating their business, they would do something to shut them down as they are deterring guests from Ojai... read more

I am rating my interaction with the owners of this property. The moment I inquired about Rolling Thunder Ranch, I received a call back the same day by the owner. That did not happen with any other owner who I contacted. Lisa was amazing. She was able to work around other rentals to find a date that was perfect for my husband's 65th birthday party. I was overwhelmed with the positive interaction I had with her regarding all the details of our stay. Unfortunately, my husband had emergency surgery and we had to cancel our reservation. When I emailed Lisa to let her know, she contacted me within an hour and told me she would do everything she could to find a renter for our cancellation. I am so impressed with the positive interactions I had with her. It is obvious to me that the owners are very willing to work with those interested in renting their property in order to help them have a special experience. We look forward to working with Lisa again. read more