Treehouse
Welcome and thank you for visiting the Blue and Emerald Iguana Inn’s blog. We hope you will take the time to look around and read over our reviews and maybe even leave one of your own. We always love hearing from our guests and the wonderful experiences they have had at our properties. Make sure to check back with us frequently to be updated on our latest happenings and specials.
Thank you again and we hope to hear from you!
The Iguanas
My husband and I recently enjoyed our 2nd stay at the Emerald Iguana. We went to Ojai for our 31st anniversary and now think that we need to make it our tradition. It’s so peaceful and serene. We love the private courtyards. After a nice dinner we brought back a bottle of wine and just relaxed. Everyone there is so nice too. We will be back.
Thank you so much,
Ricc @ Jeff
Myself and my Ya-Ya’s (gals I went to high school with 46 years ago) thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We go away for the weekend every year. After staying at The Emerald Iguana last January for my husband’s 70th birthday, I knew this was the place for the Ya-Ya’s next weekend. The Raven was just perfect for the five of us. Thanks so much for a wonderful weekend. Hope to see you again.
Your followup is really appreciated. We had a wonderful time at the Emerald Iguana. The Frog bungalow was delightful. The site was nice and quiet. Kathy really enjoyed her birthday surprise especially since this was our first time in Ojai and we really didn’t know what to expect. We saw a fine performance at the Ojai Arts Center of The Glass Menagerie and the next day drove the 180 mile loop through Pine Mountain Village (what great vistas in several places) and had lunch with the biker dudes at the Screaming Squirrel. The day before we had lunch at Suzanne’s in Ojai. What a delightful restaurant! Excellrnt food and ambience. So, it was a great weekend!
I had a great time. One of the most relaxing places I’ve been. Rooms are great and the grounds are fantastic.
Ryan J, Toad
My family & I have been making the trip to Ojai’s Blue Iguana’s Inn for well over 5 years. It never ceases to amaze us how relaxed, soothing & restorative the atmosphere can be. We have a chance to really enjoy the grounds, area, local events as well as each other’s company. The Bue Iguana Inn has become our getaway place of choice. We look forward to many more years of returning and enjoying the tranquility.
Thank you Iggy
Really, really relaxing. Just hung out and enjoyed doing nothing. We will be back. A great anniversary.
Tom and Stephanie, Toad
There is absolutely NO other place to stay in Ojai! I love the Emerald Iguana!!! This was the site of my parents 50th wedding anniversary (The Lilly Pad & The Peacock) and they loved it. I have brought my kids here (The Gecko) to show them where I grew up and I have recently stayed here myself (The Tadpole). I love the Marc Whitman designed buildings (I went to school with his brother Charlie). The rooms are fantastic and I enjoy the secluded grounds and surroundings. I loved the Pool and appreciated the breakfast. I stay in hotels 5 out of 7 nights year round and I could not be more pleased with your facility. I will be back!!!
We really enjoyed our stay at the Blue Iguana, would have loved to stay a couple more days. It is a great place to relax and unwind, very peaceful and serene. The room was beautiful, very roomy and the bed so comfy. We will definately be back!
Thanks for the hospitality.
Dave and Teresa Clark
We stayed at the Emerald Iguana for a second time, in the same room – Acorn, and loved it. We went to the natural foods market and brought back avocados, salsa, a bottle of wine, and sat in the courtyard with music playing and the stars twinkling. It was nice to be back and we look forward to doing it again.
My Friend Christie and I stayed last weekend and completey dug the vibe and the rooms were so nicely done and spacious…everything we needed! Super comfy beds too! And the amenities were perfect…breakfast was a treat with the great fresh fruit. The pool and jacuzzi have beautiful surrounds and the grounds are so lovely with the foilage and flowers…very tropical! Just loved the place and will definately be back in the future! THANKS
What a blissful haven! So deliciously quiet and private.
JRF, Toad
Thank you Iguana folks for keeping your prices low. Suite # 4 felt to us as if we were living in a beautifully appointed and very very comfortable house! The bedroom was palatial. And during the week, at least, we could, amazingly enough, afford it.
Tracy
We recently returned to the Blue Iguana to attend a wedding in Ojai and were delighted to get what we call “our room”. It feels like our home away from home and even though friends in the area often offer us a place to stay, we look for any excuse to return to the Blue Iguana. Love the pool, the hot tub and the decor. We were also taken with the garden which is flourishing and well established since our earlier visit. Always things in bloom and we take photos so we can re-create little bits of the Bue Iguana’s garden in our garden back home. We’ll be back!
Helie & Joe
Room number 4 should be called cottage # 4. For us it was like staying in a beautifully appointed house. And for whatever reason, the price was great — thank you Iguana for keeping the room rates affordable.
We just spent one night at the Blue Iguana, but we have already made a reservation to return. We loved the grounds and the spacious and clean, new room. The breakfast offered a nice selection, and the pool looks inviting. I have already recommended your inn to my brother.
Once again, you have outdone yourselves in making our stay so special!
Thanks Again!
Dearest Julia and Staff Extraordinaire!
We absolutely love the environment that you have created and continue to maintain at the Emerald Iguana! The beauty and elegance and tranquility is only surpassed by your consistently friendly and generous hospitality.
You all are the epitome of the old axiom “under promise and over deliver”.
Thank you for providing such a wonderful getaway from our daily routine.
Hope to see you all again soon,
Patrick and Renee
We just returned from another Blue Iguana visit and want to thank Julie and the entire staff for the terrific stay. Our accomodations were a welcome relief after a long drive.
We watched the hawk mother feed her babies up in the palm tree, and we took a fun walk along the hiking/biking path across the street from the Inn. Hope to return again real soon.
Julia & staff,
Thanks for your most gracious email.
I don’t know about blog sites and all — I’m not one who is very enthused about telling the whole world what’s on my mind. But I would be pleased to tell you that we had a delightful stay in the Treehouse –and a better name you could not have chosen. We have stayed at the Blue several times and certainly greatly enjoyed ourselves and delighted in the spacious, comfortable suites there. But we decided to try a chance of pace and so opted for the Emerald this year. It was an excellent choice I must say. I grow bonsai as a hobble [I have some 55] – and so like and know plants. The grounds were just lush, tranquil, blooming and something fun with every turn of the head. And we like everything about the Treehouse – how it was off the path a bit, truly in the tree – fun watching the squirrel run up and down the trunk and just very comfortable for lounging and reading. Additionally – we preferred the location of the Emerald with its close-in to town aspect –so much so that we found walking around town, looking into shops, returning to one’s we like – most convenient. The staff was amusing, friendly, helpful and exactly what we have grown to expect…but of course!
Well done, Julia – and we will be back.
~Robert & Kathy B
Back to the Emerald for my 12th anniversary! Had a wonderful time as usual. Once I’m there I never want to leave. So peaceful and beautiful. Thanks Julia for such a wonderful home away from home. Giving my realtor a gift cert. so she can come and experience the Emerald. Thank you to the staff who are always so accommodating. Be back soon! And thank you for the bottle of vino ! ! ! !
A wonderful surprise for the last night of our trip. The room was very pretty and comfortable. We will be visting again in the summer for a weekend. I have already recommended your inn to some freinds.
We stayed in room 10 and, except for the Air conditioning (which was noisy), was extremely comfortable and well appointed. The grounds were peaceful which allowed us to have a leisurely picnic at one of the shady tables provided.
We will definitely consider returning next time we visit Ojai.
We did a 3 girlfriends weekend in Suite 2 of the Blue Iguana and it suited our needs perfectly. Nice little living room for hanging out — everyone got a bed (we used the futon + the 2 queens) and the kitchen made enjoying coffee and tea at all hours simple. Loved the place. A real treat!
I just spent 4 days at the Blue Iguana with my three sons. My room was fantastic, the place is beautiful, but what impressed me most was the people who work there. Everyone was friendly, helpful and efficient. My group required some special attention and everything we needed was provided with alacrity. I was very impressed and plan to stay again. My son attends school in Ojai and there are plenty of opportunities to get to stay at the Blue Iguana….yea!
My husband and I have stayed at the Blue Iguana three times and looking forward to returning. We love the Ojai and Santa Barbara area. The rooms, beds, personal are great. We recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
I grew up in Ojai and my wife and I were in town for a wedding. It was great to be “home”. I only wish we could have relaxed at the Iguana more and weren’t running around so much for the wedding. We will definitely return when we can just relax and enjoy. The room was great, the grounds beautiful, and had it been a bit warmer, the pool would have been inviting.
I’ve stayed at the Emerald and Blue Iguanas five or so times now, and each time has been perfect. I always want to stay longer. This February I came again with my daughter and we had an idyllic time. The staff is welcoming and helpful. Every detail has been considered for the guest’s comfort. One of the things I especially appreciate is the fully-equipped eat-in kitchen. I love going to the farmers’ markets in Santa Barbara on Saturday, and in Ojai on Sunday. Being able to buy that lovely fish and produce and come back to the inn and cook it and then eat in the kitchen or outdoors is a dream for this New Yorker.
Thanks so much. I hope to be back again before too long.
Susan
A nicely designed and well executed grouping of buildings around a cozy pool, all amoungst the trees at the end of a street. Nice folks, soothing place, in the interesting town of Ojai. We stayed the weekend for a Sunday wedding and all was great. Thank you, Iguana!
I thought that the Emerald Iguana was absolutely enchanting. It was like being in a magical world. I did not want to leave and look forward to staying there again.
To the Iguanas:
What a lovely and peaceful venue. We stayed at the Emerald this year and the Blue last year. Both are incredible in their own way.
This year you “arranged” gorgeous weather on SuperBowl weekend and it was fantastic. Your setting is phenomenal and the friendliness and help of your staff (especially Sherry) is something to be proud of. Keep it up. See you next year. I can hardly wait.
We had a lovely stay at the Blue Iguana. The staff was pleasant and helpful, the rooms were sparkling clean and the atmoshpere relaxed and inviting.
We stay with you for every Ojai Music Festival……
and….
you are PERFECT!
thanks!
My husband and I wanted to get away for our second anniversary and chose Ojai as our destination. We had never been there but heard great things about it. After searching the web for places to stay, the Blue Iguana looked nice. We had no idea how wonderful it really was until we arrived. We had a suite upstairs in the back and it was the most relaxing/romantic weekend for us. At the time, I was pregnant, so we really wanted a comfortable and enjoyable place to stay. We also loved the pool and hot tub. We were so happy with the Blue Iguana that we returned for our third anniversary as well, with our 7 month old daughter. We will definitely be back again!!
My extended family stayed in two of your suites and one motel room for a week in July 2008. It was a family wedding/reunion/vacation in Ojai. We were thrilled with the accommodations. The service was excellent. The pool, lawn, picnic tables, and patio dining afforded in the large suite were all simply delightful. We were also very pleased at how quiet and private it was. Thank you for a great vacation! Kathy C, San Francisco, CA
I live in Ojai and had an out-of-town guest visiting last spring. Without a spare room in my home, I investigated several local hotels and inns. I wanted something special for my friend without spending a fortune, and the Blue Iguana fit the bill. Elena in the front office patiently helped me select the perfect room, describing in detail each room’s features. The room we selected was surprisingly spacious and quiet, and beautifully decorated. The inn’s staff is professional and friendly. I would highly recommend the Blue Iguana for visitors to Ojai.
I love the Blue Iguana! Besides the lovely rooms and the wonderful hot tub, the staff was been wonderful about giving us directions to the best hiking! We brought my brother here in early December, and we had a great time exploring Ojai, hiking the John Portrero trail, and soaking in the hot tub.
We had an unfortunate situation on our stay. Must say the kind & professional manner in which it was handled was amazing and appreciated. Would recommend them to anyone.
My favorite place in California. It’s a quick trip from L.A. where I live, but I always feel like I’m far away. I’ve been going to the Emerald since it opened. I think I’ve stayed in every cottage/room except two! I’ve been many times alone and It was a very special place for myself and my mom. We would go two or three times a year. Our last trip together was in June. She passed away in July. I am overdue for a trip to the magical, peaceful Emerald Iguana. You guys are great! Thanks! Hi to Julia.
I am pining away for that jewel of an Emerald! I haven’t been since last July and I think about Ojai and the Iguana every time it snows in NYC and work gets too intense….I stayed a whole week last time and truly felt like I was in Shangra-la!
Thank you to all our Guests and Friends who are taking the time to write in our Guest Book blog. We certainly appreciate your patronage and would love to hear if you have any suggestions or unique ideas that might inspire us in making your stays more memorable.
Peter and I have not been able to get back there this year and it’s our first year going “Iguana-less” in about 5 years….We are missing the inn and glad to see this new blog about our favority place on the planet.
Being from the big city, I really enjoyed spending a week in this quaint little town. What I will never forget is what I experienced with the very first step I took into the room; the smell of the natural wood furnishings and wood floor that only a very clean environment would allow you to smell. Service was great, privacy was great, decor was great, and probably the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on! You do things a little differently down there- don’t change a thing. Thanks.
I just wanted to share my experience with the Emerald Iguana. My wife and I spent our honeymoon there in June’08. We really didn’t have a whole lot of money to spend so one room at the Iguana for two night was quite a splurge for us. When we got there it was even prettier and amazing then the pictures lead you to believe. I was excited because I had spent a long time trying to pick out the room I liked best. The lady at the desk told us that the room I had picked out had a broken air conditioner and that we had been moved to another room. I was only briefly disappointed though because we had been upgraded to a whole cabin instead of just another room. I could go on about how great our stay was but I thought this really shows how well they take care of their guests by going beyond expectations.
To all that are considering a stay in Ojai, Every comment you read before this one, written on 2/10/09 is really true. Everything I wanted to say is already said by the other guest. We had the pleasure of staying at the Emerald. What a wonderful experience. The staff/management was really great and soooooo friendly. Our room was AWSOM!!! We have stayed in many well known 5 star hotels and though they were fabulous, the Emerald was a completely different experience. The best way to describe it is AWSOM! Once you stay their you will have so much to share with your friends and family.
Loved it,
Chocolate
My wife and I have spent the many anniversaries at the Emerald Iguana. The peaceful atmosphere, beautiful artwork and exceptional service will keep us coming back year after year. This Bed and Breakfast is the best in the west and have recommended it numerous times, with shared experiences.
I spent an amazing weekend in Ojai and could not have chosen a more luxurious, magical place. The surroundings cannot be captured in film the way that it feels and looks for real. Coming “home” after a superb day of Californian bliss to the Emerald Iguana was just incredible. The beds! wow…the amenities, the personal touches were the best i’ve ever encountered. A must for those looking for a simply divine experience. Quite sensational.
This is our 4th visit and it only gets better. Rooms were large and clean and beautifully decorated and the breakfast was a real plus. These Iguanas are the best and lovliest deal in all of Ojai. Betty & Jeanne
This was our 4th visit and it only gets better each time. The staff was very, very accomodating, the rooms were spacious and very clean and the added plus was the breakfast!! Compared to other places in Ojai I think the Iguanas have all others beat for convenience, price and lovliness. Betty & Jeanne
Great place. The rooms are beautiful, spacious and very comfortable.
What a great idea it is to have a blog. we had such a great time at the Blue Iguana. We were able to get away for a few days and the Ojai weather along with the wonderful surroundings of the Blue Iguana was just splendid.
Thanks so much
The Lawsons