I was most intrigued by an outdoor pool surrounded by trees and grassy patch at Ojai Rancho Inn.When I first saw pictures of the Inn I read little more about Shelter Social Club, which is the owners' ventures. I was instantly drawn by the idea of transforming old accommodation into a place that is modern, accessible and easy going.
To make staying easier with a little baby that still woke up few times a night... we booked a one bedroom Ojai Rancho Suite via airbnb (also owned by the same owners) that is adjacent to the Inn so we could use their pool, outdoor facilities and have nice cups of coffee in the morning outside of their front lobby. Suite was no frill... just enough accommodation. We loved being able to make some of the meals without dining out and stay up little late in the living room after little ones fell in sleep in our bedroom... For dinners we used BBQ grill outside of Inn's pool topped with a treat of s'mores over their campfire. It was so nice for Roo to be able to just run around and play with friends she made while staying while we enjoyed summer evenings with perfect temperature.
We were staying there during the peak of heat wave in Souther California so most of the outdoor activities I hoped for... had to be postponed to the next trip. But their pool was exactly what I imagined and Roo and I got to spend so much time practicing how to swim! I also enjoyed browsing their front office/lobby.
With a family, a travel criteria and dynamic changes so much. It's definitely not so much about seeing a lot of tourist spots, exploring the night scene... nor having endless free time to flip magazine on the poolside... It's more about spending time together doing simple things, playing and exploring the world with little ones!
