I promised more on girls' weekend at the spa, so here you go. We wanted a place that was all inclusive, so we wouldn't have to worry about driving around town to eat or be entertained (and yes, so we could have a few drinks). My friend's husband actually stumbled on the
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and suggested it us It's a bit pricey, but if you want some serious pampering, this is place!
Ojai is a picturesque arts community between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, and the resort began in the 1920s as a private country club.
No detail is overlooked, from the architectural features (archways,
pedestal sinks, hand-painted tile baseboards in the bathrooms) to the
impeccable service. When we needed a corkscrew, it was a just a room
service call away. More coffee in the morning? Ditto. Don't want to walk
from one end of the complex to the other? An employee will undoubtedly
offer you a ride on a golf cart.
The resort has a beautiful golf course, tennis court, at least four eateries, at least three pools (including one family pool), a coffee and snack shop, and bike/walking trail. It offers fitness and yoga classes and hikes as well.
But the star (in my book, anyway) is the spa. We each got a relaxation massage, and it was heavenly. The spa offers a range of massages, facials and other treatments. After the massage, we spent a few minutes in the steam room. We didn't think to bring our swimsuits to the spa, but there's a beautiful pool. (Next year we'll know better!) We had a delicious and (relatively ;-) healthy lunch near the pool at Cafe Verde.
