The Oaks At Ojai

We’ve been visiting the Oaks since 2009, and every year it’s consistently been the same great experience — friendly, helpful staff, a beautiful spa environment with comfortable suites and an amazing pool/​outdoor area, fun activities, and an overall healthy, inviting vibe. The food also stands out as a wonderful aspect of the Oaks. It’s healthy and tasty, full of inspiring ideas for keeping meals and snacks fun and nutritional, and a big part of the overall rejuvenation you get from your visit. Ojai is an absolute jewel, and the Oaks is our favorite way to experience it — we’ll definitely be back soon!

When you enter the building the lobby is nice with wood beamed ceilings and a massive fireplace, but it smells a combination of gymnasium and hospital food. There is a long counter to check in at, but I had to wait for the woman behind it to finish discussing her hair color with a coworker before she helped me, and even then it was because I asked her where I could check in. I explained that my friend and I had 75 minute massages scheduled at 11:00 (it was 10:00). This was when things got bad. She told me I could walk down a corridor and wait in a small room until my appointment time. Apparently if you book a massage at this spa they will only allow you to have a massage. You will not be able to actually use any of the amenities listed on the website – locker, sauna, eucalyptus steam, jacuzzi, pool, etc. – unless you book a spa package. OK, no problem, different than any other spas I’ve visited, but how do I upgrade to a spa package? Go to another room to get details. Lady in there explained again how booking a massage does not get anything but a massage. Furthermore, she says they were «too booked» to allow us to upgrade. She said there was no way they could allow us beyond the front desk. So I returned to the lobby to call my friend to explain the situation and possibly stop her from coming since our spa day was obviously not going to work. Lady from small office taps me on the shoulder to say I can’t use my cell phone on premises. I was so frustrated and disappointed, and I was beginning to feel like I was on candid camera! She then told me that the spa manager agreed that we could use the locker room and sauna while I waited, but could not possibly have lunch. From the smell I considered that a blessing. When my friend arrived they gave us robes and escorted us to the lockers. Empty. Despite the fact that they were «too booked» to upgrade us to a spa package, we only saw one person in the entire hour we were in the spa area and she was a member of the custodial staff. We changed and went to the sauna-​it was cold. So we went to the eucalyptus steam room-​it was also cold, but the instructions said it would heat up in a few minutes, so we sat in the jacuzzi for about 10 minutes and then went back to the steam. It was still only 74 degrees and no eucalyptus despite the fact that I did flip the proper switch as outlined in the instructions. Sigh. So we sat on the cold damp bench and tried to enjoy our conversation. We finally showered off and went for our massages. The masseuses were prompt and friendly. I treated with Caroll who was very nice. The treatment went well except for a ridiculous amount of noise which was coming from above us. It sounded like someone was using a commercial disc sander on the floor above the treatment room. Caroll apologized several times and surprisingly, it was not the worst part of the day. My friend had her treatment with Claudia, whom she said was absolutely «lovely»! At the end of the massage Caroll left my receipt (services were charged upon BOOKING) and asked me to sign it, and then she said the new policy was for her to escort me back to the front desk. I included a gratuity on the receipt, signed it and then followed her up front. Despite three woman on duty, no one appeared to know what to do with the receipt. But finally one said it was ok and I returned to the lockers to shower. While I was shampooing, a woman came in calling for whomever just had a massage with Caroll. I poked my head out the curtain and said, «Yes?» She proceeded to go on a lengthy explanation about how my credit card was not on file and they couldn’t charge the gratuity and they needed me to come resolve the issue. Seeing how I was naked and covered in shampoo I suggested I could stop by the desk when I was finished dressing. We decided to leave cash gratuities to spare any further complications; however no one at the front desk knew what I was talking about and the woman (Annon?) who had accosted me in the shower was too busy to be bothered with us and waved her staff off when they tried to ask her for help. They finally figured out what we were explaining, gave us the envelopes we requested for our cash tips (which we really hope our nice masseuses actually got) and we gratefully left to have lunch down the street. Needless to say we will not be back.

Love this place however do not expect a 5 star resort. This is a perfect get away for women of all ages. It is very laid back in an old motel that has been updated. Great exercise program and food is great if you want to loose weight. You will meet great people there. The staff at the front desk is not up to par and many other things that you just need to ignore if you want a kick back, non fancy spa to regroup yourself. I have been back several times.

I love love LOVE The Oaks. The staff is very personable, reservations is accommodating, the food is delish, exercise classes are great and the massages are the BEST! Ask for Carroll and tell her Jacqui sent you. You will be so glad you did.
The Oaks is a little diamond — God Bless.
See you guys in December.
JK

I love this place. It’s like a summer camp for adults. I especially like that the meals are planned. There is plenty of food and snacks and I never once felt hungry. There was a nice variety of exercise classes, yoga, dance, Pilates, stretching, and the instructors were so friendly and helpful. You can do as much or as little as you like. The accommodations were great. My friend and I rented a cottage near the pool. I can’t wait to return.

My husband and I just came back from a wonderful, relaxing weekend at The Oaks. This was our first experience at a health spa and we really enjoyed it.
We stayed in one of the mini-​suites, tucked back behind the pool area. The room was beautiful, looked brand-​new and was huge! My first apartment was smaller than this! It also included a shaded, private courtyard with two lounge chairs and a little fountain. We ended up sitting out there several times reading and chatting — not because we wanted to be anti-​social but just because it was so darn cute and comfy. The beds were also comfortable, which is important to me when I travel. If I can’t get a good night sleep, it’s hard for me to recharge.
I thought the food was very good! I work for a fitness company and am used to eating clean, healthy foods that are not heavily processed, so this was right up my alley. I loved the creativity they showed in the preparation. I know from experience that it is takes a lot of time and experimentation to put together a healthy meal that is well balanced nutritionally, seasonal, correctly proportioned, and very flavorful. You also need to select your ingredients well, because you won’t be able to mask under-​ripe vegetables with heavy sauce. When I first read that the meals were only 1200 calories per day, I was a bit concerned about my 6’4″ husband having enough to eat, but he ended every meal saying he had eaten just the right amount. The only time he got a bit hungry was when we missed the afternoon snack (we were busy getting a massage, so it was a good tradeoff).
We went to several fitness classes, mostly Aqua Toning, as my husband likes to spend time in the pool. We especially liked Jane’s class. She got everybody interacting, such as throwing rubber balls across the pool to each other and all running around in a circle to create a big whirlpool. I also went to a yoga class which was just ok (the instructor moved too fast for anyone that didn’t already know the poses) and a different relaxing yoga/​stretch class that helped me get a kink out of my back, even before we hit the massage table.
Most of the other guests were women, but we did see 2 other men besides my husband. The atmosphere was very comfortable and it was easy to mingle and chat. I got the sense that about half the guests had come by themselves.
The spa is located right in downtown Ojai, making it easy to walk around the little shops and the local park. I thought it might be a bit noisy, but other than an occasional siren, you really couldn’t hear any traffic.
We are looking forward to visiting again!

Really enjoyed this lovely place to relax and get focussed on weight loss.
Enjoyed the warm and helpful staff. Lots of good people all around. Ojai so beautiful too.

I just love Water Week. It is perfect for my bad knees. I can be the cardio queen in the water. The food is awesome and they still serve many of my favorites. 5 pounds down and counting and it was still fun. The price is very reasonable. The women you meet are fun and positive. I love this place and need to book my next trip.

I can only say good things about this place. We have been coming here for years and they get better every time! They are ALWAYS making improvements. Some of the other negative comments that others have posted… I find most of those to be the very things that make The Oaks such a unique, interesting, quaint, and perfect place to get away, recharge my mind, body and spirit. The value is unbelievable. First, the location! It’s in Ojai, magical in and of itself and The Oaks is located right in town, within walking distance of everything. Yet, Ojai is a quiet town so it’s never noisy or crazy. The facility: it’s not a hip LA scene but it’s certainly not old, outdated etc. It’s very nice! The rooms are VERY comfortable, great beds, beautiful tile work, wood, stone counters etc. Everything always spotlessly clean. OK Let’s talk about the STAFF AND SERVICES: Absolutely outstanding experience. From the time we checked in with Tina, who was one of the most efficient front desk staff I have ever encountered, to our services, which are always on the mark. I had an extended massage with Emily. I am pretty particular about massage and honestly, her treatment was among the best I have had in my life. She listened to me when I told her what parts of me needed work. She checked in with pressure, room temperature, didn’t talk too much yet was friendly and warm. Barbara gave my Fiancé a Spa Pedicure and he said «She made me feel like a King». He always gets a pedicure from Barbara because he thinks she’s a wonderful person. The outdoor pool is perfect, with a partial shade over it so it isn’t too glaringly hot. The food is so clean, healthy and delicious. We never feel bogged down or over full, yet never hungry. Always fresh fruit available whenever one wants it. Sherry, who has been here for years, never changes in her kindness, cheerfulness and fun loving attitude. She is such a joy and we just love her. We keep coming back because we love The Oaks and feel a loyalty to the place because it has so much heart and soul.

I LUV this place! The entire vibe is uplifting and healthy. The staff is warm, friendly and very accommodating.
I’m not sure my favorite part of the spa, but the food and the hikes are at the top of my list. Each day I felt alive and refreshed.

My husband and I were invited to the Ojai Playwrites Festival Gala two weekends ago and decided to stay at the Oaks at Ojai. Turns out this destination spa will let you stay as short as two nights — and how smart that turned out to be! Not only was it a romantic getaway for my husband and I enhanced by a really fun special event, but it turned out to be a healthy getaway too.
We got in Friday night and were so happy to see the updates to the property I hadn’t visited for maybe 10 years. We stayed in a suite with a beautiful fireplace; we didn’t have to worry about making wrong food choices since all meals were healthy & spa oriented. AND, it was so great to be able to take a morning walk and an aqua aerobics class before the event and then the next morning to do a hike, a dance class and a stretch class followed by a massage — all before check out! The instructors — Joanne comes to mind — are so down-​to-​earth and welcoming. Our hiking guides were so interesting, the kind of well-​traveled, well-​read women you’d like to be friends with — Shiela lead my group — and it seems once they start working there, they never stop. One of them said she waited 7 years for her job to open up.
And we had 3 sisters who came from different places for a spa getaway together staying right next to us who were a reminder of the kind of neat people who take the time to go to spas.
My husband is a juicing fan and he was able to walk right across the street to a juicery and I got to visit a winery on the way home, which is my idea of good juicing.
All-​in-​all a very fun option — so much more than just staying in a hotel for the weekend!

Great value for the money. Stayed overnight and did day passes. Staff is fantastic. I left my heart rate monitor watch in the ladies lounge once and called them in a panic 2 days later. I spoke to the manager, Chris, who made sure the housekeeping manager, Gracie, mailed the watch back to me. It showed up a few days later. I love this place!

I have been to much nicer spas so the Oaks doesn’t cut it for me. It’s small, the rooms are shabby and the food isn’t that great. The products in the bathroom consist of the hand soap dispensers you see in public bathrooms.
I Tried to schedule a mani/​pedi but the technician was booked for the next two days. «I’m the only one here», she snorted.
Front desk staff & instructors are nice. The waitstaff is clueless.
I arrived on a Sunday and there wasn’t much to do. Not much available for classes and nothing scheduled after dinner except for a brief meditation. I’m solo so even a movie would have sufficed.
A more updated, cleaner, brighter option is my Cup of Tea.

I thought a lot before posting a negative review. This place might be the cup of tea a gal over the age of 50 is looking for… but for the price, really unfair what you are given. Namely, the menu is from 1981. Not any type of greens or healthy stuff for breakfast, or lunch. Just cheap cereal, in cheap plastic bowls… the food is portioned, but really something my grandma might eat.
The décor is so outdated and tired, it was sort of depressing and dark inside. Not uplifting and energizing. I felt cheated. They need to revamp the menu, the pool, the gym, and the décor before I’d consider walking back into this place.

Very disappointed. Very bad customer service, poor management and customer care. The spa facilities are really small. While getting the massage there was a fitness class going on and it was loud. My mother and I booked a Day of pampering but the last service was not scheduled accordingly and we didn’t get the services but refund either. Food was cold when served.
The estheticians and massage therapists are awesome, but unfortunately the place and management made it an unpleasant experience. Will never go back there.

Just returned from my first visit to The Oaks. I will be back. Cost was the only thing that prohibited me from going earlier but I’ll find a way to get back there when I can. You get what you pay for and this place is The Bomb. I lost 4 pounds during my 4 day stay and came home feeling like new person. Here a re a few of my experiences:
Food/​Dining — perfect to help sustain satiety, fuel activity and leave you just full enough to lose weight. Learned a few things through eating what they provided and by watching other women and sharing tips. For example, eat salsa on hard boiled eggs instead of adding salt. I enjoyed all meals and the snacks between meals were healthy, satisfying and sustaining. Honorable mention for the coffee/​tea fruit bar. Available ²⁴⁄₇ so you can always tank up. It’s in a room right beside the beautiful outdoor pool/​garden, so a nice stop on your way out to soak up some sun or fresh air.
Spa — Courtney is THE BOMB for deep tissue (they call it «Sports») massage. She trained in Vegas, so has probably seen it all. Girls knows how to work you hard and leave you wanting more. If you only have one treatment at the Oaks, this is The One. Had a pedicure, which was a nice service to have, since I was on my feet for many exercise classes, but don’t expect the best. It’s good enough though.
Classes– I’m a forty something, decent shape, but a year out of an ACL replacement so trying to regain a prior fitness level. I had so much fun in the exercise classes that it didn’t always feel like exercise. The hoola hoop class took me back to childhood and the instructor (Carol) worked so well with all levels of expertise (most of class hadn’t touched one of these since child hood), that we were all doing turns to the music by the end of class. Highly recommend this class. And then there is Elizabeth… and her cardio/​dance class… wow… so much fun, so much exercise, so many happy thoughts… her music and moves are awesome and transported me though time. She too reads the class well and makes it a class that anyone could really enjoy. A nice gentleman from town joined our class and brought a stack of hats. When a chorus line number came on, he politely offered every class participant a hat. Then the instructor took us through the number utilizing those hats. It was AWESOME. Satisfied schoolgirl fantasy of being on Broadway. An hour and a half passed before I knew it. It’s the only class that goes longer than 45 minutes but you don’t notice. Too much fun. Then there are the morning stretch and yoga classes. All kinds of teachers but here, it’s the movement that makes it a necessity. That class, held daily after breakfast, got me moving again every day and assured my sore body that it could do it. A gentle class that made a lot of sense in the lineup every day.
Activities– The Art Walk is awesome. Gives you a little perspective on the town and the galleries and artists surrounding the Oaks. Bingo! Don’t miss that one, if you are lucky enough to be there on a day when they have it. I won a dozen of the Oaks awesome bfast muffins to take home and enjoyed the host’s fun-​filled spirit. She incorporated some fun flashback trivia that made it all very interesting. Saw a movie one night and went to a session on living in the moment another night. Learned a few tools to take home. All good stuff. Although I“d planned to read and watch TV in my room in the evenings, I never did either. Was having too much fun exploring what the Oaks had to offer.
The Surprise– So I didn’t go to the Oaks to meet people. I went to try to forget the intensity of my overwhelming job and feel a moment of peace. People didn’t figure into what I went to the Oaks for and, frankly, was feeling anti-​social. Well I tell you, I met the coolest women and many from which, I learned a few things. I learned how one might approach issues related to aging, fitness, diet, survival, travel, etc. I learned that as crazy and out of control as my life felt, I was not alone. Learned about issues on women’s minds from other parts of the country and world (I love that!). And I made some new friends, much to my surprise. Pretty darned cool ones at that.
So that’s my take on The Oaks. If you want to dress up and wear expensive jewelry and be treated like a queen, might not be your cup of tea. If you like to let your hair down, throw on your t-​shirt and sweats, let your guard down and strive for healthy living, you might put this place on your list. And for those of you about ready to lose your minds because life is just not what you think you can handle anymore, pick up the phone and call them.

Great all-​inclusive spa. light meals, yoga, hikes, and exercise classes. It’s not an upscale place like you’d find in LA, but a great getaway and wonderful people. It seems to cater to an older crowd, but there were a few of us 30-​somethings and we loved it. The hikes were strenuous and gave us a great workout and there are plenty of fruit and veggie snacks so that you don’t feel deprived. Highly recommended. Approx $ 900 for 3 days but look for deals. The food is very good, so figure in what you’d pay for meals, tours, yoga, etc and it’s not too expensive.

The perfect getaway! I just spent a weekend at The Oaks at Ojai and it was heavenly. Although I was only there for two nights, it was enough to relax and decompress. Drove down from SF on Friday and left Sunday– a very doable weekend trip! I took advantage of a group hike on the Pratt Trail Saturday morning that was killer– a great way to start the day, and not for the faint of heart either! Then off to the spa for a 9:00 AM massage. A little breakfast, a little shopping, then a little pool time to soak up the sun– I could literally feel the stress leave my body.,. Most of the clients I met are return guests– and now I know why. A great place for a solo weekend or a fun girls’ weekend!

Okay — so just finished my 2^nd trip to The Oaks this year. Run do not walk and get a massage from Courtney. She has a great smile, checks in with you during the massage to see if the pressure is correct and asks you before the massage what special needs or aches and pains you might have. Best massage I have had in ages. Wished I lived closer so I could book more with her!
Chelsea at the desk is the best– very mindful of your needs and great with suggestions, answers all questions with great care.
It is a quaint kind of place– not posh– but I love it! Great meals, service and a great place to decompress.

I never think to review places I went a long time ago but now I’m on an Ojai kick, having been reminded of these GLORIOUS three days in 1997 during spring break from UCSB during my Masters years. Those years were so unremittingly miserable that this stands out as the high point of the year (the first year was not nearly as bleak as the subsequent ones but that’s only relative: they were bleak enough).
The Oaks was famous in LA for decades as a place high-​powered women (both professionals like lawyers and doctors and celebrities) came when they wanted
«me» time. This is the original «NO FRILLS» spa. t’s not fancy like the Ojai Valley Spa and as a graduate student (with supplemental income from parents over and above what was then the top graduate package from the university but still cost-​conscious), it was affordable even at age 25.
I chose to room with someone (cheaper of course) and she was a great lady about twice my age. It was a blast.
They have a pool and all the usual amenities but it’s modest and people from LA came there precisely because it was NOT a scene. Back in the day, it was known as a combination spa and «fat farm,» before PC demanded that such places be called «weight loss spas.»
As such, the food is very clean and I remember buying a cookbook. I even made two dishes regularly, one a Mexican papaya stuffed with bay shrimp and a light dressing. The other was some lentil pasta as I recall.
The FLAN was fabulous. I always ate two or three because they were so tiny. My best friend at the time 18 years older and extremely overweight (80 or more pounds) told me the only reason they obliged and gave me two was because I was a size 2 and rock hard from years of dance and yoga and before that body sculpting teacher in the late 1980s for a year or so.
There is no booze but I’m sure ifyou wanna smuggle some into your room, no one is going to search your things!
I used to drink PRODIGIOUS amounts of diet Coke, by which I mean no less than a six-​pack a day from 7^th grade to my stay at the Oaks. After 3 days of water and tea, I stopped buying diet Coke forever. I still have four cans a month (or diet 7 up which my parents keep stocked in the house always), but I never drank it in those quantities again.
There used to be a movie theater across the street and I remember seeing Jim Carrey’s Liar, Liar, a silly but amusing comedy with Maura Tierney.
It’s WAS – not sure now – a chill, affordable spa experience. I wasn’t impressed by the classes, being from WLA and having taught at a big studio which is now Yogaworks, but the yoga was just fine and I think I liked the low impact aerobics class.
I returned to USCB for my third quarter of first year of grad school extremely happy. That of course wore off very quickly and when I shared my joy with others, it only made life worse: ‘the trust fund baby at a spa.” HA. Just yesterday on the drive to Visalia, we spotted a Nissan Maxima 1984. I drove the 1986 hand-​me-​down from my mother and my boyfriend said, «THAT’s what you drove at UCSB?» He’s a guy so he always made cars a priority, but I never have.
It is a happy memory from a dark time – 1997 – which by comparison with years to follow was veritable oasis of happiness in my life.