Located just 80 miles northwest of Los Angeles, the small town of Ojai has long possessed a certain lore. Nestled in a valley with rare east-west alignment, it is the home of “pink moment” sunsets, hikes to secret waterfalls, and farmstands tucked along citrus groves. There is an abundance of wellness centers, art galleries, and mystical-leaning spas; as well as endless whispers of the celebrities (Jason Segal, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Rashida Jones, Reese Witherspoon) who may or may not reside there in order to keep a low profile. Most intriguingly, the entire place is said to emanate a special electromagnetic pull.
With all that in mind, it’s fitting that the town’s newest addition, Hotel El Roblar, has recently become something of an energy vortex all its own. Though it opened just a few months ago, it’s already tough to snag one of its 42 rooms—let alone a seat in the hotel’s lobby bar. “People keep extending their stays,” co-owner Jeremy McBride explains.
It’s not hard to see why. After a six-year renovation that took the 105-year-old building down to the studs, every square inch of the two-acre property has been revived, rebuilt, and reimagined to exude a timeless, Old World charm. “It was originally built as part of the town’s master plan, which includes the arcade, the post office, and park,” McBride explains, pointing out the hotel’s grand, Spanish Mission Revival-style architecture and prime perch on Ojai Avenue. “We wanted to restore its long-standing history and capture the mission culture of California.”
To that end, McBride and his partners—who include the interior designer Ramin Shamshiri; the restaurateur Warner Ebbink; and the filmmaker, conservationist, and entrepreneur behind New York’s Waverly Inn and The Bowery Hotel, Eric Goode—have left no detail overlooked. In the lobby, a stacked-stone fireplace was handbuilt as an exact replica of the hotel’s long-gone original. On the surrounding walls, the artist Stefano Castronovo was commissioned to paint a mural that depicts the valley’s natural history. In the hallways, framed archival photos showcase the town’s legendary residents, while elsewhere, much of the Monterrey-style furniture and vintage art was gathered from nearby estate sales and local auctioneers. At the pool, there are Mexican-style chaise lounges; in the gardens, local stones and flowering plants. There are even two resident Aldabra tortoises from the nearby Turtle Conservancy, another project of Goode’s. “So many people have touched this hotel; everything has a handmade consideration,” says McBride.
The handmade consideration extends to the guest rooms, which feature hand-painted terracotta tiles sourced from Mexico, fluffy bespoke bathrobes, and custom embroidered Pendleton blankets modeled after a style from Goode’s personal collection. Most of the 31 rooms in the main building boast private patios, while each of the 11 bungalows features secluded garden terraces and indoor sitting areas with kiva fireplaces. In a nod to Ojai’s many citrus groves, the bungalows’ mini bars are stocked with fresh local oranges and old-school metal juice presses. “We wanted it to feel personal, to curate a local sensibility,” says McBride.
Judging by what’s happening in the hotel’s lobby and at its main restaurant, the conservation-themed Condor Bar, the personal sensibility seems to be striking a chord—and not just with visiting Angelenos. “It’s been cool to see locals coming in and coming back,” notes executive chef Brandon Boudet, whose menu makes use of the region’s fresh ingredients in Mexican-inspired dishes like local tomato and melon salad with Chicatano ants and Santa Barbara sea urchin tamales. “We wanted it to be a great place to have a cocktail and dinner; a place for people to connect.”
To that end, the hotel seems to be serving as both a beacon and an anchor for what’s also happening beyond its doors. On a recent Saturday night, a small crowd gathered on the sidewalk outside Ojai Playhouse, the town’s newly renovated historic theater, which is just across the street from Hotel El Roblar and has just reopened after being purchased by music exec David Berger. Next door, at the restaurant Rory’s Place, an overflow of diners lingered over oysters and orange wine-infused martinis. And, a few blocks away at the new mezcal bar Radio Roma, people danced as downtempo house beats radiated into the courtyard.
“There’s a built-in community and a kaleidoscope of things happening here,” says Berger, who has been partnering with the El Roblar on a series of screenings and events. “It’s easy to get sucked in. Ojai is a vortex, after all.”
