Pepper Tree Retreat

What a beautiful, serene, magical place! Holly greeted me and answered all my questions. The staff was friendly and kind and extremely accommodating. The grounds are lovely. I went for a getaway to meditate and write and it was perfect. It’s quiet and the energy of the grounds is very healing. Highly recommend!

Had a nice time here this packed weekend. Just wanted a place that was off the main drag of Ojai. This is the place. Mid century modern design. Julian and Mike took great care of us and very pleased with the nice room my wife and daughter and I were all able to share. Looking forward to coming back here at a different time of year.

Best sleep ever. Best sleep ever. Best sleep ever.
My second time staying at the Pepper Tree Retreat. This is one of the official spots I’ve made my prime vacation destination from my intensely busy year of work.
I appreciated the energy towards keeping the place quiet in general. This is a contemplative place. Which was great for resting as well. What a safe haven from the noises of city traffic and screaming adolescents.
Getting to know the staff, interns, and even the other guests was an unexpected delight. This place attracts great conversation.
The perks to being a guest are more access to the library, meditation room and video room. All the oranges you can pick (there are more fruit trees if you care to explore). Monitors are available if you want to watch library DVDs in your room on headphones.
All Krishnamurti’s published works are available online for free. But this retreat center holds the space for learning and inquiry. The library has a wide selection of books (poetry, philosophy, and religion also) written by many authors, not just J. Krishnamurti material.
We’ll most definitely be coming back again!

Terrible management whose style I believe has nothing to do with the spirit of Krishnamurti which was a great philosopher, author, educator. Checkin experience was torturous as the Jaap Sluijter tried to bully me into accepting even additional rules than what’s already in their LONG list of rules or else he said he’ll give me a refund which I definitely interpreted as a threat as effectively he was saying if you don’t agree with even more rules than is already in the crazily long list of rules they have they’ll refuse my reservation — and that’s weeks after they confirmed my reservation and I made travel plans. And that’s when I have NEVER broken any of their rules after decades of visiting the place (that was before Jaap Sluijter’s time but already things went rough because Mark Lee also had what I perceived to be a egotistic, dictatorial style of running the place).
Yes this is weeks after I made the reservation — they were well aware of it as evidenced by the welcome email they sent — and I made plans based on this. Very very unprofessional and cruel and insensitive and unintelligent and indecent and unreasonable — FAR from Krishnamurti’s values which attracted me to his teachings.
And mind you in all my years of visit there I have never — NEVER — broken a single rule of the place. But they don’t like people who speak their mind in total civility and respect for others. I believe they have no respect for freedom of speech based on what I have heard and seen them do including their librarian who said nobody from outside the foundation can comment about the work of the foundation. This is just an example of how dogmatic and pathetic this place is. This led to other sagas — assault & battery of totally peaceful visitor on their property I suppose to provoke in order to have something against the person so they can get rid of him because they don’t like the fact that he: exercises his freedom of speech in a totally legal moral and ethical way. And other sagas which make this place so contrary to the spirit of their great founder whom I deeply respect.
These things tells me a lot about how the management of this place and the KFA (Krishnamurti Foundation America) where I can no longer smell the perfume of Krishnamurti’s great work, the freedom, love, beauty, responsibility, transparency, depth, clarity, rationality, logic, communication, understanding, goodness, intelligence, integrity, decency, and those other great values which made K so fresh and appealing to people like me.
Instead I believe the place has turned disgusting based on what I have experienced with people who are in key positions like Mark Lee and Jaap Sluijter. Based on what I have witnessed, heard, and experienced with KFA, I
believe the place has turned into a mundane, mediocre, dictatorial, stiff, brutal, dull, dogmatic, fanatic, contradictory, reckless, egotistic, hypocritical, boring organization.
Aside from this terrible experience during check-​in, the other staff were friendly and nice. Except one who was asking me about the timing of my visit to the factory outlet (which luckily was before I arrive there and not during otherwise perhaps it totally felt like a gotcha question of her trying to find something against me because the place has demonstrated a disgusting talent for image making which Krishnamurti himself warned greatly about.
So if I have to choose a retreat I will always choose a different spot because I can’t stand the spirit that Jaap Sluijter has promoted in the place. This includes, In my opinion, their reckless handling of Krishnamurti’s work by sponsoring vedic chants and bringing speakers like Ravi Ravindra, and so on. In my opinion, KFA doesn’t seem to care about not diluting Krishnamurti which was expressly against his wish.
Also visitors beware: the long list of rules also apply to the public gatherings and if you happen to step over the line the dictator might get upset and take extremely unreasonable action WITHOUT WARNING — you likely will not get a second chance — and then, good luck trying to find out specifics about the charges they may fabricate against you to justify their extreme action! I’ve been a victim of one case of this and it ain’t fun. There’s no Krishnamurti in this place as far as I am concerned. His books are there and the land they own but their attitude as far as I have seen heard experienced and of others I have heard of directly who have had bitter experiences with this place, does not lead me to believe that spirit of Krishnamurti which I felt when I met him in person and when I read over 80 books of his, is sadly not present.

A wonderful place to relax, we never want to leave when we are there.
Some tips:
Vegetarian breakfast is served 8:30−10 am (at least on Saturday and Sunday, ask if they do so on the weekdays).
All of the rooms are different, take a look at their website for details. We love the Lennon room, it has a kitchen (some of the rooms are named after famous people who came to the property to spend time with Krishnamurti, long story, Google him for more information). The rooms have a clean Scandinavian feel to them, some Ikea furniture, so if you are looking for Versace bling bling, this may not be the place for you.
You can spend the entire weekend here, there are plenty of areas to relax, from lounge chairs to the library where you can meditate or just read a book.
There is an orange grove on the property. They are okay with you picking oranges to take back home, just ask. We always take a couple of huge bags back with us to make fresh squeezed juice at home.
There is a new garden with a table and chairs and a bench at the top of the hill on the property, a PERFECT place to watch the «Pink Moment» sunset that Ojai is famous for.
I believe they recently started yoga class on the property a few times a week. Check it out.
Sadly, young kids are not allowed to stay overnight. But check with them to make sure.
If you are looking to booze up, watch TV, or lounge near a pool, this place is NOT for you.
A real gem, come here to unwind.

My husband and I stayed at the Pepper Tree for 7 nights in July while attending a retreat. It was AMAZING!
First, the location is beautiful and serene. We stayed in the Lennon room, which offers a balcony to watch the sunset and drink your coffee in the am.
The staff is positive, warm and helpful.
The breakfast offered is fresh and organic items– yum!
We can’t wait to go back! I would give more stars if I could!

This is a wonderful location & great staff, only 3 stars because:
beds were old and sunken
sheets were old and had some stains
towels were old
old torn rug
(I stayed in the upstairs room with two twin beds)
They desperately need to upgrade those, their recently raised rates should cover that.

Absolutely WONDERFUL experience from the moment I called to make a reservation. Professional, efficient, warm, sweet, and amazing service from Michelle (and former manager Elizabeth, too). Personable and caring, it just added to, and made the entire experience very special, from A-​Z, when I arrived to check-​in. This, along with everything else, gives off a super positive energy that’s inviting and comfortable.
The house, and the grounds, are absolutely beautiful as it’s surrounded by orange trees and flowers. The place is a spiritual retreat, so not your usual B&B. It’s perfect for time alone to write, paint, think, meditate — or – romantic time with your special someone, walks around the property, etc. Additionally, you should know that no smoking, or meat, is allowed on the property — veggie only. Just part of what makes this a different, yet special, experience.
I stayed for 2 nights, and perhaps experienced the best sleep I’ve had in a very long time. Extremely quiet location! This is also encouraged, and made possible, by prohibiting TV, radio/​computers (with headphones it’s okay), and alcohol — no getting drunk and loud here! The rooms are clean, a bit antiquey, and well-​maintained. A couple of miles from downtown Ojai, it was just perfect (you can get your drinks and eat your meats there, if you must).
Extremely restful. Wifi was a bit shotty… which for me… added to my rest by keeping computer use to a minimum. I left the weekend with my soul filled, and spirit replenished (or something like that!). I can’t wait to go back.

The staff that work here are friendly and genuine. Michelle and Michael are sweet and lovely individuals. The property is gorgeous and I especially loved the orange groves that were available to pick from. I stayed in the Salk Room in the annex, a separate building away from the main house but near the library and meditation room. I loved the entire experience and wish I could have stayed longer :)

Pepper Tree is a lovely B&B in Ojai, CA. Price is reasonable and staffs are very friendly and warm. We came here for a peaceful and relaxing weekend and absolutely adored the scenery. We stayed in the Salk room and were pleasantly surprised with the size of the room… it was definitely spacious for two. The only two things that I could be picky about are the thin walls in the room and limited selection of breakfast items. However, for the price that we paid and the hospitality that staffs offered, we are happy with what we got. The property and landscape are well maintained, and the surrounding views are gorgeous. I’d recommend this place to family and friends.

If you are a serious writer then this is the place for you. Very quiet orange trees all over the place the smell of orange blossom is out of this world. The house has a rich history of famous people, Beatles, Hollywood types, The town people are upscale friendly hippie type. I go there a few times a year to meditate and go on long walks.

I’m hesitant to write a review because it is such a hidden gem. Once people start finding out about it I may have to book months in advance and definitely don’t want it to become commercialized! Pepper Tree SUPER affordable, a non profit organization (no taxes!!) and was recently remodeled and re opened in March of 2009. The beautiful room we had was adjacent to the main house and very quiet. It was open, airy, spacious, and perfectly decorated with lots of special touches everywhere. We even had a large kitchen furnished with everything you needed. The kitchen door led to a pathway where you can go right into the main house’s kitchen! The house was stunning, and I want their kitchen replicated in my future dream home. Total chef style with only Vegetarian food allowed, delicious breakfast every morning, and fruits/​snacks throughout the day. The staff was amazing — very friendly, efficient and wonderful to talk to. The same goes with the guests that were staying there. They all came from interesting backgrounds, and there for a quiet, zen like retreat. No TV’s, radios or distractions. Just you and nature. The property is well maintained — the perfect place to do your yoga, read, paint, draw, do your poetry or just be. Come alone or with your special someone, and be prepared to be blown away by the natural energy that exudes from every corner of this one of a kind property. There are tons of hiking trails nearby and outdoor activities galore.
Krishnamurti’s library is also on the same property and just a short stroll through the orange groves to get to from the main house. There are workshops, and lecture held there weekly. The meditation room was out of this world. The entire experience I had was nothing like I ever had before. Even though it feels like your miles away from the real world, Ojai is maybe 2 miles away, and there is a fantastic restaurant on the main road that leads to the retreat that served the BEST pizza I’ve had in California. There are so many more things to be said, but everyone has their own unique experience so you’ll just have to come see for yourself.

Booked this place based on the online reviews and LA Times article. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our reservation 5 days prior to our trip due to my partner’s illness. When I called to cancel, I was advised that I would be charged a $ 50 cancellation fee. Even with five days notice, they would charge this cancellation fee. This is their policy apparently. The representative advised me that they have credit card costs associated with the booking. That is absolute BS. I am a merchant myself and I know that when a payment is refunded, the merchant is refunded 100% of the credit card fees.
Considering that this place bills itself as peaceful and relaxing oasis, the customer service experience was the complete opposite. They showed no compassion towards an unexpected illness and the exorbitant cancellation fee.

Everyone knows I am a fan of Ojai. I regularly take groups there from LA and I host my workshops at the Pepper Tree Retreat. I love it for several reasons. first off, it sits on 11 acres and is simply GORGEOUS! Absolutely breathtaking. The energy there is unbelievable! It’s no wonder why noted philospher Krishnamurti used to live on the property.
But most of all… the STAFF IS AMAZING!!! Elizabeth, the manager, is so professional and always meeting your needs… she’s a true jewel!
And Michelle… WOW! Honestly one of the SWEETEST people I have ever met in my life! I feel sooo great when I am there.
I HIGHLY suggest you spend the weekend here. This bed and breakfast is incredible, the best in Ojai in my opinion. The breakfast is also very yummy! And the rooms are romantic. all in all… simply perfect!