Came here for a weekend getaway to check out the Krishnamurti Library and go hiking. We had a…read morerelaxing and wonderful time overall. When driving in, we made the mistake of going to the Krishnamurti Library driveway but it was the driveway after that. We stayed in the Lennon room which included a kitchen/dining area and ensuite bathroom, as well as a private entrance through the balcony. The room was very spacious with lots of seating and storage area which is a huge plus. The queen size bed was comfortable and the entire place super clean. Because this place is in connection with the Krishnamurti Library, everyone is conscientious about being quiet and reflective as to not disturb others so you will definitely get a quiet night's sleep. We did cook our second night and the basic amenities were there. Buffet breakfast was delicious. Highlights include various fruits, jams, butters, cereals, coffee/teas, cheeses, hardboiled eggs, and bread/bagels, especially the sprouted bagel which was my favorite. There is a lot of reading material about the Krishnamurti Foundation and about Krishnamurti himself in the lounge area. The grounds are nice to take a stroll around. Next time I visit Ojai, I will visit this place again and stay here.

Absolutely WONDERFUL experience from the moment I called to make a reservation. Professional,…read moreefficient, warm, sweet, and amazing service from Michelle (and former manager Elizabeth, too). Personable and caring, it just added to, and made the entire experience very special, from A-Z, when I arrived to check-in. This, along with everything else, gives off a super positive energy that's inviting and comfortable. The house, and the grounds, are absolutely beautiful as it's surrounded by orange trees and flowers. The place is a spiritual retreat, so not your usual B&B. It's perfect for time alone to write, paint, think, meditate -- or -- romantic time with your special someone, walks around the property, etc. Additionally, you should know that no smoking, or meat, is allowed on the property -- veggie only. Just part of what makes this a different, yet special, experience. I stayed for 2 nights, and perhaps experienced the best sleep I've had in a very long time. Extremely quiet location! This is also encouraged, and made possible, by prohibiting TV, radio/computers (with headphones it's okay), and alcohol -- no getting drunk and loud here! The rooms are clean, a bit antiquey, and well-maintained. A couple of miles from downtown Ojai, it was just perfect (you can get your drinks and eat your meats there, if you must). Extremely restful. Wifi was a bit shotty...which for me...added to my rest by keeping computer use to a minimum. I left the weekend with my soul filled, and spirit replenished (or something like that!). I can't wait to go back.

Rolling Thunder is a magical place and we feel exceptionally lucky that we were able to spend our…read more36th 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+++

This is one of the best, well organized, amazingly managed vacation experiences my family and I…read morehave 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.

We stayed here and enjoyed the venue for my DIL's Bridal Shower in June. It's quaint and the rooms…read moreare cute with balconies. The grounds are pretty. The thing we didn't like was we couldn't use the kitchen. Unless we hired professional caterers, the kitchen was off limits and they policies it the whole time

Small rooms for singles or couples as no double rooms for friends except one without a bathroom!…read moreAlso only one pet room. So sometimes I stay here ....

Booked a romantic weekend away with my GF for Valentine's, sold on the idea of a small, private…read moreoasis where we could indulge ourselves. I was asked to pre-pay $710 for two nights - expensive, but Ojai isn't cheap and I thought a "private spa & retreat" would be worth it. Basically, the 'private cottage' described to us was in fact an additional room partially attached to the owner's house. I can only liken it to staying with some distant cousin, from the dated, worn sheets to the direct view into their private living area, separated only by a couple of steps to their outdoor patio. Upon arrival, Stacy the owner (who I mustn't fail to mention was sweet and attentive, calling several times before our arrival to ask about dietary requirements, etc), informed us that she was going out of town and leaving 3 male friends in charge of the property. For some people this may not have been an issue - and you welcome the weird in Ojai - but when you don't feel any sense of privacy, your room has doors leading to other guest rooms, there's an angry dog, and the private spa is a tiny, overly landscaped back yard with plastic green chairs, then all sense of indulgence and romance goes out the window. I probably wouldn't have minded if i wasn't being charged a luxury resort rate of $355 a night for the experience and could see myself actually finding the place charming in a david lynch movie kind of way if at least half the price. We cancelled our second nights stay with Stacy, promising to refund our unused night. We will see - I'm giving her two stars for the benefit of the doubt, but if not then I couldn't recommend this place less. I'm not in the habit of going on negative rants, but because this place has apparently been operating for 14 years without any reviews to go on and a website that it 'under contruction', I wanted to at least give like-minded guests the much needed heads-up.

Stayed there some years ago. It is tucked away and kind of interesting with the landscaping. It…read morefeels a bit like a little jungle. As for privacy, we didn't have much. It is true that the room is connected to other rooms and there are several doors leading into the room. The owner does live on the premises so it was a little uncomfortable when being in the jacuzzi to have someone walk around the grounds.

Why I docked a star:…read more As other reviewers have mentioned, the rooms are DARK. Too dark to be cozy. It's so dark, I fear for guests who have any sort of visual impairment. The bedside lamps provided no significant light, and the overhead fan light was small, cold, & sterile, and not very bright, either. I beg of you, Ojai Rancho Inn--PLEASE get more significant overhead lights in your rooms--a singular bright japanese lantern hanging from the ceiling would do the trick. The ceiling fan is unnecessary when the rooms have AC. The pros: Dog friendly, I found the bed & pillows super comfortable, and the jacuzzi was rad. They have free bikes on the property that you can ride to downtown--my fiancé and I loved that. The grounds were beautiful and a short walk to downtown. We are looking forward to coming back!

Seriously cute. Hubby and I booked 2 nights for a little Ojai getaway and were totally charmed by…read morethis little cutie of a place! Check in was a breeze, friendly fast, cute little reception area. The vibe of the hotel is so fun and so Ojai. We had a jacuzzi tub room and that was a treat. Bed was super cozy. Always love a ceiling fan in the room too! Cute little patio to sit out and read. Chief's Peak Bar is right there, and full of friendly folks. The whole place was great and we are already planning to come back. If you're looking for fancy? This isn't the place. If you're looking for cute, retro, good vibes, Ojai feeling, roadside motel of days gone by with a hippy crystal loving, palo santo scented groove this is the place for you!

Great experience at Casa Ojai Inn! I've actually been staying here for about 20 years, and I really…read moreappreciate the new manager, Larry. I will say that some rooms tend to be a bit darker since one side of the building has very small windows, and I'm not a fan of the corner rooms that face a wall. The plumbing is older and can be a little finicky, and the AC/heater units are definitely on the louder, older side. That said, the overall value for the price is still great compared to other places in Ojai. The pool and spa are super nice and relaxing, and I love that they offer bikes for rent--Ojai is such a perfect place to bike around. I'd recommend it and will definitely come again.

The problems started immediately. Our door keys failed and had to be fixed or replaced when we were…read morelocked out. The room was initially filled with a harsh bleach smell that made us feel sick while trying to sleep. Although staff said the bed was "new" it was stiff and uncomfortable. The rooms sit along a parking lot and bright lights shone through the plantation shutters at night. A loud refrigerator was right next to the bed, which would have kept us awake even without the light and strong chemical odor. In the middle of the night, I got up and stepped barefoot in a cold puddle. The refrigerator had leaked water onto the floor. We had to turn on the lights and mop it up with towels. Apart from offering an equally bad room the next day (after the smell had started to wane), removing the refrigerator and replacing our towels, there was essentially no effort to make this right. Staff explained door keys often fail if they're placed near a cell phone -- as though that is normal! I know things can go wrong (Murphy's law), but it's the attitude of indifference that really sets this property apart. We didn't get the restful stay we paid for and expected. Worse, this trip was for my wife's birthday. (My fault for not reading the reviews.) Nonetheless, there appeared to be little concern for our experience or even the business' poor reputation. We ended up leaving a day early -- despite the no refund policy -- just to get away. A few photos of the "clean and well-appointed room" are attached.

Dear Hubby and I have attended the annual Ojai Holiday Homes Tour for many years. It's a…read morefundraiser for the Ojai Music Festival and its BRAVO Music Education programs, and presented by the Ojai Festival Women's Committee. Each year they typically curate and present four or five homes for the participants to tour. At the same time, a holiday marketplace is held over the entire weekend. you can visit the homes on either Saturday or Sunday, but only once to each home, as they mark off your attendance on your paper ticket. The Marketplace is open both days. This year, they held the market in Libbey Park, and had a plethora of vendors! I ordered our tickets online, and we picked them up at Will Call in the park. Our neighbor also went with us for the drive on a beautiful autumn day, and to check out the homes and their gardens, as well. DH and I took a break for a couple of years after Covid shut down the event. We were out of town last year, as an example. The HHT is normally the third weekend in November. Decor in the homes is provided by local florists, and often feature natural elements, including cut greenery, roses, fruits like pomegranates, oranges, and apples, branches & twigs, and more of that kind of styling. The decorations can range from harvest/Thanksgiving themes, to hints of Christmas, to even New Year's Eve. For my taste, I could go with More! Bigger! However, the homes are often large, and how much decorating can one expect a florist to do for a fundraising event? They are usually done in extremely tasteful style, and as an extension of the character of the home. Many of the homes have their own amazing and unique architectural features, and most also have art collections which the owners are gracious enough to share with the event's paying guests. It's like being able to tour a private gallery. This year was no exception. We had a wonderful afternoon of first shopping at the Marketplace (hello, stocking stuff scores!), and then first visiting a west end view home with a stunning Pink Moment vista, and a highly unique layout. The husband is a musician and producer and his studio was a sight to behold, along with the other aspects of the home. Next it was up Signal Street to one of the most stunning views of the valley from west to east that you might ever imagine. Framed by an infinity pool and an ultra-modern design, it's a signature house in many ways, including stunning art pieces. Next door on the same parcel is alternately one of the most charming cottages you might ever encounter. It was built in the style of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves from the movie, and with a Disneyland feel, as well. Inside dwells the most magical collection of childhood memorabilia, worthy of a museum. Finally, an east end orchard French-chateau inspired home, guest house, and gardens were the final destination on this year's tour. Amazing! Yes, we could live there. Beautiful detailing and craftsmanship showed throughout, and yet it felt cozy and comfortable. The peacefulness of their garden was enhanced by the flautist quartet playing in the garden. Each year, the homes on the tour change. You never know which neighborhoods you'll be visiting, or what style of home will be playing host to the tour. With the ties to the music festival, rotating performers present their musical stylings in the homes, too. It's an experience on many levels to attend this worthy fundraiser. I'm already looking forward to next year. I believe if you go to their website you can sign up to be notified by email about each year's event. Photos aren't allowed inside the homes, but a few exterior shots weren't discouraged, so these are just a taste.

I had the most wonderful three-day stay at the Retreat on a rainy weekend. The small Oak Room is in…read morethe third cottage down from the main house and was comfortable and cozy, perfect for one person or two who are traveling very light. Parking is nearly right outside the door. I had been afraid that, as a 73-year-old woman not in the best of shape, I would be too far away from the living/dining room and that the steps would be difficult, but it was really only about 60 steps (the length of a hotel hallway) from the room to the main house and there are only about 30 wide short steps. Handrails also provide security in the dark and rain. It was so quiet and peaceful. I felt completely safe and secure. No traffic or airplane noise. No TV! My background was the rain in the oak trees. The breakfasts were perfect and the living room is actually open 24/7 so you can get water and coffee or tea any time. Staff is very friendly, kind, and helpful.

A wonderful setting for a birthday trip! Gorgeous setting and very comfy room! Breakfast included…read moregreat coffee as well as cereal, toast and hard boiled eggs.