January 4, 2025
Hotel Spotlight: Ojai Valley Inn
By Annie Chambers
Property Overview
The best part of Ojai Valley Inn is arguably its serene and picturesque setting, surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of the Ojai Valley.
It is located about 40 minutes inland from Santa Barbara (~2 hours from LA) in the town of Ojai, making it easily accessible for much of California. The small town of Ojai has some fabulous restaurants and shops, with excellent hiking nearby. It’s a favorite among our California clients since it’s on the central coast and easy for those form southern or northern California to visit for a weekend getaway. For everyone else, a flight into LAX or Burbank and a beautiful coastal drive will have you there in no time! Who’s it best for?
Families – excellent family pool setup, fabulous drop-off and art-centric kids club for ages 4-12, an artist cottage for additional activities. Megan and Annie both went with their families and it truly excels with wide open spaces for roaming, bikes you can borrow and kids putters for the golf areas. We both also saw lots of girls’ trips, multi-gen trips, and golf getaways while we were there! Since there are so many pools you can easily get the vibe you want. The spa is unreal and the even have a whole complex dedicated to visiting chefs- so foodies and wellness clients would also love it.
Best Seasons to Visit
It’s southern California, so really any time of year. Watch out for what the locals call June Gloom, when it’s surprisingly cloudy for that first month of summer. Annie’s family went for Thanksgiving one year, and it was chilly but still plenty warm for the kids to run outside during the day and they loved the festive activities.
Crafted Escapes Perks
Accomodations
Ojai Valley Inn offers a variety of accommodations designed to suit different preferences, from luxurious rooms to spacious suites and private villas. Here’s a breakdown of the options available:
1. Guestrooms
- Classic Rooms: Elegant, traditional rooms with king or queen beds, some with private balconies or patios. Many offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains or golf course.
- Deluxe Rooms: Larger than the classic rooms, these often feature fireplaces, deep soaking tubs, and upgraded amenities, with a blend of modern style and Spanish colonial design.
2. Suites
- Junior Suites: More spacious than the regular rooms, these suites offer separate living areas, luxurious bathrooms, and sometimes kitchenettes. Ideal for guests who want a bit more space to relax.
- Luxury Suites: These suites offer enhanced comfort with separate living and dining areas, private patios, and exceptional views of the valley or golf course. Some feature multiple bedrooms for families or groups.
- The Ojai Suite: A particularly lavish option with expansive living and dining areas, a private terrace, and luxurious amenities, designed for a more exclusive experience.
3. Casitas
- Garden Casitas: These secluded accommodations offer a more intimate setting, surrounded by lush gardens. They come with spacious living areas, private patios, and many have fireplaces or outdoor showers.
- Golf Casitas: Overlooking the golf course, these casitas are perfect for golf enthusiasts. They offer private patios or balconies and easy access to the course.
4. Private Villas
- Two-Bedroom and Three-Bedroom Villas: For those looking for more space and privacy, these villas feature expansive living areas, full kitchens, private pools, and large outdoor patios. They are ideal for families or groups seeking a more home-like feel with all the luxury amenities of the resort.
Dining
At least four unique dining outlets on property, one of which is fine dining.
Wellness
For the past 12 years, Londolozi has been at the forefront of wellness safari retreats. At the Londolozi Healing House, you’ll find an extraordinary range of wellness professionals, all in the heart of the African wilderness. Their team includes bodywork specialists, aromatherapy technicians, Martha Beck master life coaches, sound healers, enneagram practitioners, and reiki masters. They have Hot and cold plunging, meditation and breath-work. Massages – hot stone and cold stone, etc. A must do!
Agent Insights
1. Pixie!
Megan absolutely loved the Bluegrass Brunch (Sundays) at the Oak Room. The Pixie Margarita (made from local Pixie oranges) is really special.
2. Pick Accommodations Wisely
Chat with your advisor. There are so many room categories, and they each have different views. Some are historic. Annie and her family stayed in the Wallace Neff building and liked being next to the restaurant and big open putting green area with the little kids, but it was farther from the kids pool. Megan’s favorite room type for families is the fireplace mini suites for some extra space to spread out. Couples may want a fireplace room with a mountain view. Certain suites are closer to the spa or golf.
3. The Pink Moment
Don’t miss it! The pink moment is most visible in the fall and winter. They even have cute signs telling you when it will occur daily. The whole Ojai Valley has a gorgeous pink glow that lights up and is beautiful for photos. Scientifically here’s why: It occurs when the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean and its light passes through the atmosphere, refracting off the Topa Topa Mountains.
4. Get your Art on!
Our kids absolutely love the artist cottage. They typically offer a free kids activity each morning that’s a fun way to start the day.
5. Bring your own wheels or borrow!
We like to bring the kids’ scooters or bikes to enjoy rolling around the property or into the town of Ojai. There are free adult bikes on property to borrow. They also rent attachments to adult bikes to tow little ones.
6. The town of Ojai
You could spend the whole time on the resort property with all the dining and activities, but Annie actually loves the town dining options, funky little beer shop, and charming interior design stores. It has a very hippie vibe and some surprisingly great art galleries. Annie and her fam even popped into the Topa Mountain winery for a little visit one time (pre-kids!). There are some great hiking trails.
Share
Tags
