It's all about the recovery

In January of 2008 my hubby and I pried open our wallets to spend just a few nights at the spendy Ojai Valley Inn and Spa in beautiful and sunny CA. Seattle's gloom had started pushing us over the edge (again) and some natural Vitamin D was the only answer. For the unfamiliar, Ojai (pronounced oh-high) is about a 50 minute drive somewhat east of Santa Barbara and offers mountain views and a "pink moment" that I'll let one of the town's sites explain.

For a five star resort, we were really disappointed with the inn as well as the spa, and we politely, thoroughly and painfully (for us...who wants to complain on vacation?!) let their eager-to-listen and responsive management know. Disappointments happen when you travel, but when you're paying the kind of nightly rate, dining bills and spa fees we were, we just weren't going back to Seattle quietly.

In the hospitality and services industries, it's all about the recovery, and in this case, the recovery was pretty remarkable. While just the offer of a free night's stay and a round of golf (with clubs & a cart) for two was worth scheduling another trip down there, the property's actual performance during our stay this past December, was truly exceptional. I can provide details to the curious, but suffice it to say, we will definitely return.

My only suggestion for the spa specifically is that they should think hard about calling out first names only when trying to locate clients in the relaxation/waiting area before treatments. It's kind of awkward to hear the last names of fellow guests, and I even wonder if it isn't a privacy (HIPPA alert) issue for the property.