A sense of place announces itself immediately. In the Old West–style lobby, worn leather sofas sit by a rough stone fireplace, setting the tone for a hotel grounded in Ojai’s past. The Spanish Revival property comprises 31 rooms and 11 bungalows and is conceived as an homage to the town itself, long known for its pink-hued sunsets and surrounding avocado and citrus groves. Archival photographs line the hallway near reception; custom Pendleton blankets, woven with “Hotel El Roblar. Ojai, California 1919”, rest at the foot of every bed.
Opened 105 years ago, El Roblar is Ojai’s oldest hotel and once served as the town’s natural meeting point. That role faded during its later life as The Oaks at Ojai, a private, long-stay spa largely closed to the public. Today, the hotel has been carefully restored and returned to its original name by a group that includes producer Jeremy McBride, designer Ramin Shamshiri, filmmaker and impresario Eric Goode and restaurateur Warner Ebbink. Drawing on extensive archival research, the team reinstated original architectural details with the aim of continuity rather than reinvention.
References to the natural world are woven throughout, most notably the California condor, once widespread across North America and later reduced to just 22 birds surviving in the nearby Sespe Wilderness. “As the species’ last refuge, it felt important to honour the condor here,” says Goode.
Ojai’s artistic DNA is equally present. Guest rooms feature vintage Ojai Music Festival posters, works by local artists and pieces sourced from estate sales. A wraparound lobby mural nods to the town’s cultural past, depicting figures including developer Edward Libbey, ceramicist Beatrice Wood and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Hotel El Roblar is a dog-friendly property. A non-refundable pet fee of $250 per stay will be applied to your bill.