Lovely, peaceful, relaxing... A great place to rest and rejuvenate. My husband and I made a last-minute decision to get out of town, and we're so glad we chose to stay at The Ojai Retreat. There are no televisions, phones, pets or young children, just nature and quiet.

We stayed in their largest room which is separate from the other rooms, the Ojai Suite, which is actually two rooms - a bedroom and a livingroom with a mini-kitchen with fridge and microwave. There is also a full bathroom with tub & shower. It has an incredible view from the bedroom and from its own large patio. It's private and so peaceful.

There is also a nearby main house with a great room with comfy seating and lots of spiritual (not religious) reading material and beautiful views of the property. This is where they serve a morning buffet of fresh fruit, pastries, eggs and coffee.

There is a lovely fountain and several great walking trails on the property with perfectly placed benches to rest and meditate. This place is all about rejuvenating, and the staff is friendly and supportive of your goals to find peace.

Although the rooms are a bit pricey, there is no 10% tax because this is a non-profit, and that saves you money over a traditional hotel. We booked our room the day we were arriving so we also got a 20% discount. That saved us money to use for food at several restaurants, such as The Ranch House just down the road. It’s expensive but lovely with lush gardens and flowing fountains. And the food is fabulous! Also there is Suzanne's Cuisine in downtown Ojai. Expensive but the food was yummy! Both restaurants were worth the cost. For breakfast the Ojai Cafe Emporium on Montgomery Street is absolutely the best. It's worth the wait to get a table.

We'll be better prepared the next time we're in Ojai so we can find the hiking and biking trails in the area. And we definitely look forward to staying at the Ojai Retreat again! Peace and quiet - just what we all need!

My husband and I visit So. Ca. annually while visiting my folks as a side trip for ourselves. Last year was LV, NV. This year, we decided on Ojai, CA. due to TV program of Brothers and Sisters. Anyway, we drove the dreary So. Ca. freeways of 210, 134, 101 to reach our destination. We were treated to a wonderful surprise when we arrived to Ojai Retreat. It was peaceful, tranquil, and NO children on sight on the grounds as promised on the website. No TV was something we can't deal but we survived two nights without electrical entertainment. In the day, we went to downtown Ojai after breakfast. In the evening, we would read quietly and talk until sleeping time. Although we chose to spend quiet time in Ojai after the New Year's, we still find things to do in Ojai driving around the countryside, shops, and eateries. The welcome staff is friendly, the chamber staff is on top of things and requests, the breakfast was sufficient, healthy, organically-inclined. Keep up the good work. If the owners' motto/mission was quiet and tranquility. They met their goals. Yes, I totally agree that the grounds should be kept sacred from pets and young children. There should be places JUST FOR ADULTS. We have too many pet-friendly and children-friendly premises, why not for quiet adult-friendly places to stay?
To end with a pleasant note, we returned to So. Ca. via the PC Hwy 1 and stopped by Santa Monica Pier before heading east on 10.

The Patio Room currently has an infestation of ants. When I turned on the faucet for the bath tub, hundreds of ants were flushed out with the water. Had I been in the tub at the moment that this happened, I would have been covered in ants! I spoke with the woman in the office about it. She indicated that there have been ant problems in the Patio Room in the past. She explained that the ants are attracted to the water. She also seemed a bit defensive about the problem. After I mentioned that I could have been covered in ants had I been in the tub when I turned the water on, she stated, "You shouldn't be in the tub when you turn on the water. That's how you get scalded." I guess she thinks it's good customer service to blame the victim. Also, after I explained that my fiance and I had spent a lot of time trying to kill and get rid of the ants, she said, "There's ant killer in the cupboard." Well, that solves everything! In the end, she gave me a 10% discount.

Aside from the ant infestation, my stay at the Ojai Retreat was satisfying. The location is serene and peaceful and has beautiful views. The breakfast was delicious. I gave only 3 stars because the cost of the room ($215/night) was excessive considering the room was infested with ants and the customer service was not very good when I reported the problem.

As a Christmas gift, I gave my daughter an overnight in Ojai. Of course my choice of lodging was the Ojai Retreat as I had stayed there several time before and loved it. It is quiet, inviting, simply appointed and exudes a soulful grace.

The whole experience was delightful. We will return again as soon as we have another break.