For those of you looking for a luxury stateside destination with a hint of rustic charm, we have the perfect California hideaway for you today! The Ojai Valley Inn and Spa is a mere hour and a half north of Los Angeles, east of Santa Barbara and offers a remote getaway that is still highly accessible for your guests.
Tucked along the mountainside just outside of the town of Ojai, the resort boasts a world-class spa that travel writers the world over gush about. Personally, I’ve had one of the best facials ever in their spa. While the space isn’t overly done up or formal, the service offerings are among the best of the best. Whether you’re planning a wedding at the property or a girl’s getaway for your bachelorette party, I highly recommend a break for a treatment or two!
A bachelorette party themed to the spa and some outdoor activities (think beach cruisers through the woods) with ample pool time of course, might pair nicely with a bachelor party on the golf course, and when night falls the two groups can gather at the on-property pub. The Inn is large enough to host separate parties and never mingle, but if and when you choose to, there’s enough to do onsite as a coed party for the more ‘grown up’ guys and gals.
This resort’s lush grounds also include an array of ceremony and reception options and styles, should you say “I do” to getting married in Ojai. You can host your ceremony in the Hacienda Courtyard with mountain views, or the herb garden with scents of rosemary and lavender. For your receptions, they offer everything from grand ballrooms to their rustic Big Red Barn. We suggest taking advantage of the outdoor spaces, they don’t get much better than this.
All Photographs by Isabel Lawrence Photographers.
No matter the event you host, your guests will be in foodie heaven at the Maravilla Restaurant that prides itself on serving dishes with fresh, local ingredients, and is frequented by A-list celebrities (Reese Witherspoon’s wedding guests stayed and dined here).
In between meals and an itinerary of hiking along the resort’s trails, don’t forget a day-trip to nearby Santa Barbara – a must do! This not-so-far-away gem of a destination offers it all (and a travel time for Californians that can’t be beat).
When to Go: Avoid late summer if you can, the weather can get very hot, so aim for early summer or even December or January when you have the chance to catch a glimpse of the pink moment – a sunset phenomenon lighting the sky up with the color pink as the sun reflects on the rocks.
Travel Tip: Pack for a variety of weather. Ojai can get very hot by day and chilly by night (but the in room fireplaces will keep you cozy when you retire at the end of the day).
