An interesting attempt at being creative. I would call it a strange experience…read more Picture walking into a beautiful Japanese inspired garden that's been there for many many years, bamboo and lush gardens, and sitting down for an elegant meal. Then the music is turned on and I'd call it 1960 English rock mixed in with other genres from all over, a little too loud and not really be fitting of the environment. We mentioned it to the waiter and he said it's the chef's jam so to speak. The food was certainly adventuresome. It just missed the mark too often. Either a bit too acidic or a bit off on a funny flavor profile, or in the case of the tuna really inedible as it was very tough. When all 4 ppl leave most of it, you'd think the server(s) would inquire but they just cleared the plates as if it were normal. I really hope the restaurant makes it and of course being a prefix menu we might just have been in on an off night. The plating was beautiful. The dishes were beautiful and unique. There was certainly thought put into it and the service was very nice and attentive. Wine pairing was nice and generous. If you do go here, it's worth adding it on as an option. Overall It just missed on too many flavor profiles that didn't quite go together. They do say the chef likes to combine all types of different cuisines and he certainly did that. I'm just don't know if they blended well. I probably would give it a 3 1/2 if that were possible.

Beautiful Setting, but the Experience Misses the Mark…read more We were excited to dine here and enjoy dinner in the garden. From the moment we arrived, though, the atmosphere felt off. You walk into a peaceful, charming space only to be hit with loud punk rock music. It was jarring. We thought it must be a mistake. We love music, but this didn't fit the setting--it drowned out conversation and clashed with what should have been a serene dining experience. When we politely asked if the volume could be turned down, our server explained that it was the chef's personal playlist and he'd need permission to adjust it. For a restaurant charging $200 for dinner, that's disappointing. The server later returned to tell us it had already been turned down earlier because another guest had complained. In other words, it would stay as is. It sent the message that the chef values his own preferences over his guests' comfort. To be clear, the servers were wonderful. They spoke passionately about the history of the property and described each dish in impressive detail. It was obvious they were trying to bring the chef's vision to life. They were warm and professional, even when it was clear their hands were tied. The drink menu was another miss. Plenty of bottle options, but few local wines by the glass--a surprise in the heart of wine country. My partner ordered a Manhattan, only to be told the chef doesn't allow it. That's a first for us. It added to the feeling that this place is about control, not hospitality. As for the food: some dishes were inventive and delicious, others fell flat. There's creativity, but at this price point, the experience still feels uneven. We both agreed that if we hadn't prepaid, we would have left soon after sitting down. The music made it nearly impossible to relax, and we honestly couldn't wait to get out of there. We were told the chef is aiming for a Michelin-star experience, but after dining at Caruso's the night before, this restaurant has a long way to go. Caruso's delivered exceptional service and food, but more importantly, made every guest feel valued. Here, we felt more like intruders in someone else's artistic experiment. The setting and history are beautiful, and I genuinely wish them success. But the chef's attitude--toward both guests and staff--suggests he's not ready to take real feedback. When he asked how our meal was as we were leaving (after paying), it felt more like a formality than genuine curiosity. In short: stunning venue, talented servers, flashes of culinary creativity--but an overall experience built for the chef, not the diner.

Went to Ojai Valley Inn after meeting up with some friends for breakfast and someone recommended…read morechecking out their spa! WOW, such a little slice of sanctuary. We came on a Saturday early afternoon and started at one of their restaurants. The food was amazing, but service was definitely on the slower side. The resort is huge and has so many activities tennis, golf, bike rentals and more. After that, we headed over to the spa and spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool. The vibe was so calm, mostly women just chatting, unwinding, and enjoying each other in this peaceful little paradise. We ordered smoothies poolside and omg...so fresh and refreshing. Service at the spa pool was great, everyone seemed to be working together seamlessly and checking in often without being overbearing. Definitely one of those spots I'd come back to anytime I need a reset from LA.

For many years, Ojai Valley Inn was one of my favorite destinations. I have stayed at the resort…read moreseven or eight times and always considered it a special place to celebrate important occasions. Unfortunately, after my recent experience, I do not plan to return. For Father's Day weekend, I booked what I hoped would be a memorable getaway for my husband and me. I prepaid $5,364.45 for a two-night stay in a Deluxe King with a View Room. In addition, I made dinner reservations at the resort's fine dining restaurant, scheduled a golf outing for two because my husband loves golf, and booked a couples massage. I was genuinely looking forward to a special and relaxing weekend. On June 5, I searched for Ojai Valley Inn on Google and called the phone number that appeared online. Unbeknownst to me, I was connected to a third-party reservation company called Hotel Reservations rather than the resort directly. I received a confirmation email that included Ojai Valley Inn's name, a confirmation number, an itinerary number, and proof of payment. After driving nearly three hours from Newport Beach to the resort, I was shocked to learn that Ojai Valley Inn could not locate my reservation. I presented all of my documentation and confirmation details, yet after nearly an hour of waiting, the issue remained unresolved. I contacted Hotel Reservations while standing at the front desk, and they confirmed that a reservation existed in their system. Unfortunately, the third-party company and the hotel were unable to reconcile the discrepancy. What disappointed me most was not the reservation issue itself, but the hotel's response. The front desk associate assisting us was kind, empathetic, mentioned they will have a room available for us, and appeared genuinely committed to finding a solution. However, when the front desk manager, Morgan Giuseponi, became involved, I felt that very little effort was made to accommodate us despite our circumstances. Given our longstanding history with the resort, our prepaid reservation, and the fact that we already had dining, golf, and spa reservations on property, I expected some attempt to help us remain at the resort. Instead, we were informed that the hotel was fully booked and were advised to seek accommodations elsewhere. Whether the issue originated with the third-party booking company or elsewhere, I had hoped Ojai Valley Inn would demonstrate the level of hospitality and problem-solving that luxury resorts are known for. Rather than allowing the situation to ruin Father's Day weekend, we chose to stay at Rosewood Miramar Beach instead. Fortunately, the experience there was exceptional. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm, attentive, and proactive. The contrast in customer care was impossible to ignore. Luxury hospitality is not measured by how a property performs when everything goes according to plan. It is measured by how it responds when something goes wrong. In this case, I left feeling that Ojai Valley Inn was unwilling to help a loyal, repeat guest during a difficult situation. This experience was deeply disappointing and has permanently changed my perception of a resort I once loved. While the reservation issue may not have been entirely the hotel's fault, the lack of effort to find a solution certainly was. For that reason, I will not be returning.

Beautiful outdoor setting for their wine tasting. They have multiple seating areas, some of which…read moreare like small cabanas (albeit not entirely separate from each other) though it feels intimate, with a gorgeous view of their vineyard. Friendly staff, nice wines - with a small selection of food/snack choices.

Been here many times and it's definitely one of our favorites. However, this was our first visit in…read moreover a year and this experience just wasn't quite the same. Customer service was still great, but I noticed a few changes that took away from the experience for us personally. I do like that the tastings are no longer in the plastic tubes, although the tubes did feel like they held a little more wine. What we didn't enjoy was that when multiple people ordered the same tastings, they were placed into the same shared glass/container. In our party of four, three of us had the same six tastings and had to share. I appreciated the bow on the glass showing the pours, but I preferred the previous setup where everyone had their own individual tastings. It may seem small, and thankfully our group was fine sharing, but it made the experience feel less personal and honestly made us less interested in doing tastings again on future visits. Some people also may not feel comfortable sharing containers or touching the same glass. Nothing terrible at all, just some feedback from longtime visitors who loved how it used to be. On this visit we actually ended up ordering a bottle afterward instead, and moving forward we'll probably just continue doing that rather than the tastings.

We stayed two nights. The inn exceeded my expectations. The staff were friendly and accommodating…read more We loved the many seating options on the grounds and especially the front porch swing.

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

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.

What an odd place. Positives - the front desk lady (and the few other staff we interacted with)…read morewas very nice, polite and easily accommodated our request to move from one room to the another. And at least for some rooms, the views are phenomenal! So one star for the service, one for the view - if you pick the right room - make sure to ask! Unfortunately, the grounds really, really need a landscaping overhaul. Similarly, the room interiors and window coverings seem tired. Their "European" breakfast seemed no better than a Holiday Inn Express. A lot of it is prepackaged stuff. The "assorted cheeses" are identical to the pre-sliced packaged stuff from Vons as is the bread and bagels. The only effort put into appears to be the hard-boiled eggs (unpeeled, of course). They could easily step it up several notches by sourcing pastries from locals, making oatmeal to serve, and getting a decent cheese and meat selection, but after the second disappointing day of the exact same thing we headed to town for breakfast. For us, the most off-putting thing was all the ridiculous signs everywhere! We counted 22 separate signs from driving in the entrance to opening the door to our room - four or five were helpful. And then there's all the signage IN your room (did you really need to label the ice bucket as "Ice Bucket"???). It seems like someone just went to town with a label maker and laminator. Maybe just us, but we felt it was tacky, unnecessary and detracting.

Camp said they would do a good job of building community. They did the opposite of that for our…read moredaughter. There are strong cliques, and outsiders are shunned and ostracized. Months after the camp was over a girl asked a click of girls in my daughter's bunk about my daughter (who has lots of friends at her school and is well-liked) and they replied by expressing disgust and disdain. My daughter overheard her counselors expressing that they don't like children. So, HARD PASS on this camp. My daughter ended up disliking Judaism by association bc of this camp.

We have just returned from another family weekend retreat at Ramah, and once again had a wonderful…read moretime. I have to say that I was particularly impressed at how the staff has adapted since the very long time kitchen manager and director have changed over after almost 20 years. It just reinforces that they have their programs down to a T, and are committed to providing wonderful experiences. Ramah is most commonly known for Jewish summer camps, but check out their other programs as well!

Majestic Oak Vineyard was one of the highlights of our trip to Ojai! From the moment we walked in,…read morewe were greeted with warm hospitality and a relaxing atmosphere. The Sauvignon Blanc was delicious. We also ordered the Dirty Boy Cabernet and that was good too. It was full bodied and strong. We were seated upstairs on a long table that accommodated 11. The setting is beautiful and peaceful, making it the perfect place to slow down, sip great wine, and enjoy the scenery. The staff was knowledgeable, friendly, and never made us feel rushed. Whether you're a wine enthusiast or just looking for a relaxing afternoon, Majestic Oak Vinyard is definitely worth a visit. We had such a wonderful experience and can't wait to come back the next time we're in Ojai. Highly recommend!

Majestic Oak Winery is a solid, easygoing spot for a casual tasting. Service was good overall and…read morethe staff was friendly, though they weren't especially knowledgeable when it came to the wines which made the experience feel a bit more surface level. One thing to note is there's a very cute and friendly cat on the property. It definitely adds to the charm but worth keeping in mind if you have allergies. The outdoor space fills up pretty quickly, but we were able to move once another table opened up. They won't split tastings, but they will give you an extra glass if needed which is helpful. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but there also wasn't anything to complain about. Overall a nice spot to relax and enjoy a laid-back afternoon, just don't expect a super in-depth tasting experience.

My husband, MIL, and I stopped in over the weekend while we were in Ojai for the day…read more Such a mystical little shop, with oh- so- many tea options. I love the colors, packaging, and decor of this place. We chose a few small bags, and one large one. They smelled great and we loved the combination of ingredients. Only drawback was we seemed to get the less friendly, less competent of the two people ringing up. She was slow to ring us up, and not very friendly. They had a complimentary pot of tea that was empty, and I asked if there was more maybe behind the counter. She responded in a cold tone that she didn't have the time to make any more. Ummm, we just dropped coin at this shop, and you can't be cool and refill the demo yummies for us? Messed up the vibe for us after being totally into the vibe of the shop. =/

This place is so beautiful. The atmosphere is amazing and the service was great. The food was…read moredelicious and prepared perfectly.

From the owner: We are a private 10-acre private family estate surrounded by beautiful hill, mountain, and farm…read moreviews and with updated accommodations for your vacation and event needs.

The best photo booth ever!…read more My company has hired 805 Camera Bus for a handful of our corporate events and I can easily say that the experiences have been amazing. The star of the show is "Lola," the beautiful VW Bus-turned-photo booth. She's a true work of art. What a neat concept - slide the door open and you are transported to a fun, cozy nook to pose for the automated camera. Guests are provided with a large variety of whimsical props. It's a great overall vibe. I had the pleasure of working with Janelle and Josh, the owners, and truly admired their friendliness and professionalism. The scheduling was very simple, and they were consistently early to the venue for set-up which I totally appreciated. The 805 Camera Bus was definitely the star attraction at my events. If you are in the market for a fun alternative to the typical photo booth for your event, look no further!

I met the owners of this awesome business at the Buellton Wine and Chili Fest and while they didn't…read morehave any wine or chili to offer, they were one of my favorite attractions of the festival. Their business idea itself is so charming and creative you have to love it! Then there's that bus.. You had me at the mint color and wood interior! Everything is in pristine condition and perfectly designed to where you feel you are getting the top notch beach photo booth for your events. Their props are never ending and they have every kind of theme you could imagine. The booth is inside the bus and very spacious for 1-4 people. The camera is at a very reasonable distance and takes clear, high quality pictures! And the photos pop out seconds after taking them. They also had for sale stickers, magnets, hats, and handcrafted wine glass holders. This bus is such a great idea to have at a beach wedding, parties, bar mitzvahs, beer festivals, and really any event I can think of here in Santa Barbara County! The owners are very sweet, professional, and know what they are doing. Call em up and book to have the most unique addition to your next big event!