Acacia Mansion

Let me start out by saying that I’ve never posted a poor review, but i do feel the need to share my experience at Acacia Mansion. I went for a girls weekend stay with my family, who has experienced many B&B throughout northern and southern California. A few of us arrived a little later than the group and upon arrival Kristina, the owner and host, was no where to be found. In the foyer, displayed was a sign that read, if needed, call or text with a phone number. We called and there was no answer. We had to holler for our group to come down and greet us, due to not knowing where to go or what to do.
The mansion itself was beautiful and the rooms were nice. That being said, during our stay the the rooms nor the bathrooms were not maintained, along with the rest of the mansion. Our trash cans in all 3 of the rooms we booked were never emptied and over flowing and our bathrooms were never cleaned. The soap dispensers were empty and one of the bathrooms ran out of TP that was never replaced. We did not receive fresh towels each day, leaving us to use the same towel for 3 days.
Breakfast was prepared at 9am each morning with coffee and fresh squeezed oj. Although the breakfast was rather decent, our plates were not cleared from our table and dirty dishes remained there on our last day and were still there by the time we departed at 1pm in the afternoon. The only reason the dishes were removed from the dining room the first day was because we cleared them ourselves. The dining room was never reset our entire stay.
When getting ready to depart, again Kristina was no where to be found, Not until we were climbing in our cars, she conveniently popped out to collect the taxes owed on our stay. We gave her a credit card to charge and we received a email confirmation for 2 charges of $ 91 each. We went back into the mansion to inform Kristina and yet again she was no where to be found. We called her and got no answer. We then text her and she replied that it was an «accident» and that she would take care of it. She said she couldn’t take care of it right then and there. After being persistent enough through text and explained we were not going to leave until we saw proof that one of the charges was reversed she finally texted back a picture of her computer screen that showed a voided charge. All this took place via text from her driveway because she would not come out like i think a professional person should and talk to me face to face to resolve this problem.
For anyone who has experienced a great B&B, your expectations will not be met at Acacia Manson. There was poor hospitality and left to fend for yourself.

My boyfriend and I enjoyed our stay here immensely! Kristina was warm and welcoming. The grounds were green and beautiful and include a private saloon/​game room, jucuzzi, and small sauna. The house was established in 1929 so it has loads of charm and character and is each room has a unique feel. We got the living social deal so our stay included beer/​wine tasting vouchers and a horseback ride (which was amazing!) Breakfast was delicious and accented with fresh fruits from the property. Overall we had a wonderful experience, thank you Kristina! –Anna and Cory

OH MY!
sooo relaxing!
gorgeous old mansion… we felt like we were on an old plantation in georgia.
comfy beds and amazingly soft sheets.
delish breakfast in the morning, with FRESH SQUEEZED OJ, and the fragrance from the 30+ orange trees is intoxicating!
kristina was awesome; immediately available the few times we needed her, pleasantly invisible the rest of our stay.
horseback riding was enjoyable, dinner at the ranch house (walking distance) was so good!

An Ojai jewel, its hospitality the equal of its frozen-​in-​time detail. Kristina was beyond warm and gracious, catering to our stay throughout. The weather may not have cooperated, and the hiking and horseback riding will have to wait for another day, but all the more to indulge in the mansion’s retreat. Quickly, our weekend transformed from a bed and breakfast vacation to what felt like a few days at a cool friend’s private paradise — complete with a hit-​reset massage. We wandered the grounds in the light rain, feeding curious alpacas and gentle horses, shooting pool in the rusty saloon and detoxing with an all-​to-​ourselves sauna. Kristina is a terrific chef, too, and whipped up some of the most tender waffles in many a moon.
It’s gratifying to see the scores of fellow travelers who shared the same experience, and likewise will return. It says volumes when the — count ‘em — three complainers whine and nitpick, racking their brains to try to find some way to be unhappy. (Shame on you, Unilocal!,for tossing these ingrates a forum.) Obviously, this trio isn’t the kind of people you’d want as guests in your home…
But if you can appreciate the healing energies of Ojai, definitely stay at Acacia Mansion. Thank you, Kristina!

Just had my wedding here last month. The mansion is amazing. My guests had a great time and it was beautiful. We liked this place because we could be on our own time schedule, were allowed to serve our own booze and could house several of our out of town travelers. The owner includes coordinating services with the site fee so she was there when the rentals were dropped off and picked up etc. She mentioned she would be our DJ, which knowing what I know now I would have gotten an actual DJ because the music player was in a different room so she was unable to announce what was going on and she couldn’t see when to stop/​start certain songs. The mandatory cleaning fee does not include emptying the trashcans throughout the mansion, which I thought was weird. But whatever.
The reason I rated it the way I did was the down payment. When we booked it HER receipt mentioned there was a $ 1000 damage deposit that would not be charged unless there were damages. About 2 weeks BEFORE the wedding she charged our credit card with no warning! Only reason I knew was the automatic confirmation email I got. When I asked her about it she said she had to start charging because she’d gotten burned in the past. Whatever, we had the funds. It was 2 weeks before. I had other things to think about. A week or so after the wedding I contacted her to inquire when we would be credited. She advised 15 – 30 days after the wedding. Her paperwork did indicate that time frame. Ok, fine. I’ll wait. At this time I’d read the below user’s issues with the deposit so I was getting nervous. After several emails, phone calls and waiting we did get the full refund back 45 days after the event. If I were to do it again I would have walked the grounds with her confirming no damage and taken pictures, for sure. Luckily we didn’t have a problem with damage.
Would I recommend this venue? Maybe. But not without a big disclaimer. $ 1000 is a lot of money to hold hostage for 2 months!

My wife and I booked a Living Social deal for our anniversary. Having stayed at a few B&B’s over the years, we knew the possibility of having a great stay was hit or miss. However, from the very moment of our arrival, we knew this was a spectacular choice. First, we were welcomed by 2 very large, white, friendly dogs. As we made our way into the elegant foyer, we were greeted by the owner, Kristina. She was extremely cordial and had us checked in and ready to go very quickly.
She started our stay with a tour of the property. The house itself is absolutely stunning, with its grand entryway. All of the rooms are nicely appointed, though I will say that «The Red Lotus Room» is still the most spacious, if not coolest room in the house. The house itself has a really funky retro vibe and yes, you do feel transported in time as you walk through the living room, which maintains some eclectic furniture and a nice, vintage piano. The grounds are immaculately kept and it’s fun to take a walk around them as well. Kristina also has a sauna, hot tub (no time machine), and a salt water relaxation pool/​pond in which to lounge. There’s also a cool little saloon on premises, though you’ll have to bring your own hooch to party there.
Our host also made many recommendations for things to do and places to experience great food and entertainment. Everything Kristina recommended was actually pretty awesome. The Ranch House, the Deer Lodge, Ojai Brewing Company… all had great food and a fun vibe.
In the mornings, you’ll awaken at about 8:30 or so to the sound of Chili, Kristina’s resident rooster. You probably won’t need his help, however, with the smell of homemade bread being made. Yeah… you get a home cooked, amazing meal each morning of your stay and the whole «farm to table» thing is pretty legit. The eggs are from her hens, the juice is from her little mini-orchard…and she’s an amazing cook! Gluten Free waffles? Yes, please.
Overall, my wife and I LOVED this experience and will be back at some point, hopefully with some friends. We were fortunate to have the entire place to ourselves for our stay, which totally added to our romantic anniversary getaway. So yes, we definitely recommend this place and wished we could give it more stars!

Acacia is a beautiful and interesting property located in an enchanted valley. At substantial cost I booked the whole facility for five nights to host a large family reunion on a self-​catering basis. Everyone had a great time, took good care of the place and left it cleaner than we found it (in the kitchen and pool area that wasn’t very hard to do). All memories were good until Kristina, the owner, retained our large security deposit for almost two months claiming that we had damaged several things during our stay. In spite of my repeated requests she refused to tell me what those damages were so that I could assess them for myself. Eventually she returned some of my deposit, retaining a large portion for repair and replacement of items, which as it turned out were in such a broken-​down condition that they were already on their last legs. We do not even know if these claimed damages were legitimate because the owner failed to provide any credible backup for her claim. She provided no evidence that the damages, even if legitimate, were not incurred after our departure by another guest over the next several weeks. We did not abuse her property. She charged me for what amounted to deferred maintenance, which is not the responsibility of a guest. Many things throughout the property are in a similar state of disrepair and poor maintenance. BE CAREFUL!

We had a family reunion here, booked the whole mansion for 5 wonderful days of family fun. During the family fun the owner Kristina and her boyfriend must have been feuding because he threw her suitcases down their stairs, we ran over to help her of course. Not really something you would like to see on your vacation. The remaining days were great. However the day of departure we all gathered together cleaned up the house and gathered our things, the house keepers came in and said wow they had never seen it so spotless they really had nothing to do but put clean linens on the bed. My parents put a $ 1000.00 deposit on this, it took them almost 2 months to get part of it back, she said the spa needed to be cleaned… Only one person used it for about 20 minutes. And something about the plaster in the pool, well the pool is kind of like a home made pond… Could a piece of it crack with or without someone in it? Could maybe all the chickens have done it? It’s possible, but trying to keep a whole deposit? There were 25 of us there throughout the day or so, some went to town some to the beach, some of us just stayed and cooked, those of us who stayed at the mansion just relaxed. But to pay close to $ 6000.00 for 5 days for rooms, no breakfast included and try and keep your deposit when everything was spotless is just wrong. I believe in karma, it’s coming and I will not nor will my family return. And to think the owner was eating our food and drinking our wine!

Meh, I’ve definitely experienced better. I booked a stay at Acacia through a Living Social deal. My husband and I have stayed at several bed and breakfasts throughout the years. Our experience here was by far subpar. Will not be returning.

Casual, no frills type of B & B. That said, the place is gorgeous. Spring for the Red Lotus room — so worth it. Complimentary massage for me & husband was a big plus! Kristina was very friendly and we felt very comfortable there. Would go back in a heartbeat.

When my boyfriend and I arrived we were welcomed by two beautiful fluffy white dogs and Kristina who is the owner of the mansion. Her and her boyfriend Andy are absolutely amazing hosts.
My boyfriend and I stayed at Red Lotus room; which is fantastic with a king size bed, bathroom, walk-​in closet, fireplace, television and a cute little balcony.
The breakfast in the morning was so delicious with fresh coffee, orange juice (from her garden!), eggs (from her hens), waffles, toast, bacon, and sausages.
We got a free beer or wine voucher to the Ojai beverage company just by booking with living social, and either an hour massage or horse back riding (which we took advantage of).
The mansion is huge and beautiful. It has a little saloon (byob of course), pool table, little jacuzzi, sauna, and swimming hole.
We would definitely stay here again. We loved it!!!

Escaped with my hubby to this amazing B&B. The owner, Kristina is a very eccentric woman with fantastic taste. Loved her.
The grounds were beautiful with oversized trees (one which had a charming swing hanging from it), orange trees, lavender plants, well manicured hedges, a dipping pool, and horse stable. On the property was also a jacuzzi (ready for use at any time) and a sauna.
When you enter the mansion, you will be awed by the marble foyer which is wrapped with beautiful stained glass windows. The staircase is lined with a well designed iron railing and is a perfect place for fun, formal, and sexy portraits. The ceilings of most, if not all the rooms were hand painted, and some were still in the original condition from the 1920’s. There is very nice attention to detail with the design and restoration of this B&B.
Every room in the house makes you feel warm and cozy. At times, it felt sexy.
Every morning Kristina prepared a homemade breakfast complete with eggs from her 11 chickens and fresh squeezed juice from her mini orchard.
We never needed a wake up call because the aroma coming from the kitchen screamed, «Wake Up, or you’re gonna miss this amazing spread».
Highly recommended for a girls weekend away or a lovers escape.

i took my boyfriend here for his birthday and i couldnt have asked for a better first b&b experience. our rooms were beautifully decorated and had so many windows. we woke up to beautiful sunshine and the powerful scent of fresh bread baking.
kristina, the lovely host, makes you fresh breakfast every morning. the eggs are literally from her farm and the OJ is deliciously fresh squeezed. we were very fortunate that the other couples staying with us that weekend were such a pleasure to be around.
we spent a few hours talking at breakfast and then my bf and i went to the saloon to shoot pool and darts. they also have a petite jacuzzi and sauna. my favorite part was likely the swingset and two huge, friendly dogs.
i will definitely be back!!! i absolutely loved this place!!!

What an amazing inn! The Acacia Mansion is a fantastic place. Kristina is a wonderful woman. She is there where you want her to be and stays out of the way when you want some privacy. She is welcoming, knows exactly what her guests will want and need, and always has a smile on her face. The property is gorgeous. Every inch of the mansion and grounds is attended to and fulfills a purpose. There doesn’t seem to be anything wasted. Its rare to see a property that is so beautiful that also strikes such a balance with function. My wife and I enjoyed our stay here and will go back with no doubts. 100% satisfied.

My boyfriend and I stayed there on a Groupon and it was so pleasant! Kristina was so welcoming and the neighborhood was very quaint. My first time in Ojai and it was just perfect. Def going back. The breakfast at 9am was an added bonus too =)

Had my wedding here back in 2011. It was about 150 people which made it pretty cozy, but everyone just loved it! Acacia is such a charming mixture of dramatic, vintage, rustic, whimsical and peaceful. The grounds are so beautiful with orange and avocado trees, lavendar bushes and white roses in the summer. Everyone loved the saloon and cracked up when the horses would pop their heads in to say hi while you were in the bathroom.
Kristina, the owner, is so hospitable and a great addition to the whol experience.
If you decide to have your wedding here, you will so not regret it!

What an amazing place! Kristina was very nice to us and cooked some delicious breakfasts! Highly recommended!

I’m in agreement with Karen B. I didn’t exactly feel transported to another time though. It reminded me of New Orleans personally. My hubby and I took advantage of the Living Social deal they had recently and had a weekend getaway here, free of whining toddlers! I don’t usually feel like wherever we end up staying influences our actual vacation that much, since we like to get out and see things and only need somewhere to sleep at night really. But Kristina does a great job of giving tips and advice without being intrusive, making sure you get a delicious, nutritious, homemade meal before you head out the door, and also just has this great infectious passion for life and genuine friendliness that just makes you glad you spent your money here and not somewhere else. My only complaint is that it’s not the greatest place for a «romantic» getaway. No sound insulation and squeaky beds… The guests that we met were all pretty eccentric. It was pretty interesting every morning trying to have conversation over breakfast. There was a rich retired couple trying to find things in common with another couple who were former nudists describing their experience at the local hot springs and I felt privileged to be privy to that conversation I must say. Anyway, my favorite aspect of this place was Kristina herself. She’s a super cool chick. I’d love to read her memoir.

Upon arriving on this property you will feel suddenly transported to another time, even the surrounding neighborhood is charming. Kristina the owner is very warm and engaging and she has elegantly decorated the mansion. Each room is unique and lovely, I stayed in the Moroccan suite which had a to die for vintage red rug — that unfortunately would not squeeze into my bag. Sunday morning she whipped up a delicious breakfast of frittata + bacon, fresh squeezed oj and yummy coffee — oh did i mention she made fresh bread as well. She also arranged an amazing massage for me that was truly one of the best I have ever had. The grounds are sweet, with lovely spots to take in the sun, read a book or just sit… the floral scent in and around the grounds is amazing + there is a swing in the front yard draped with a garland that will conjure up all your beloved childhood memories. Bike rentals at the Mob Shop and Chai T with fresh baked muffins at The Farmer+The Cook or outdoor rustic dining at Papa Lennon’s Pizzeria just two blocks away make this the most comfortable, ez and sweet get away… Located in the west end of Ojai — the community of Meiners Oaks is the bomb.