If you're looking for some polished & fancy spa, I'd look elsewhere...but if you are looking for a wonderfully comfortable & accepting environment where you can really get focused on getting back on track to making healthy choices - this is the place! Not to mention it's in the center of the charming town of Ojai which offers diverse shops and art galleries.
The Oaks is a bit rustic which adds to it's charm...there is nothing pretentious here. The staff is very welcoming and after staying for 16 nights - it's as if they are old friends. I met a diverse group of women (men are welcome - but it was 99% women during my stay) and we have exchanged contact information & plan to keep in touch and hopefully visit the Oaks in the future at the same time!
The Oaks serves an 11-1200 calorie per day menu...it is unbelievably good! Stuffed portobello mushrooms, enchilada verde, eggplant cannelloni to name just a few favorites. I have brought home several of the cook books and am making my "healthy shopping list" from my favorite items.
There are 12-15 classes offered throughout the day at all different levels of fitness -- there is truly something for everyone. Plus you can enjoy a spa service - I had 4 massages - 2 of which were the amazing hot rock massage...BLISS.
The Oaks is an older property & its not fancy - and of course it's not without issues - pool chairs need replacing, the beautiful foliage is overgrown & the WIFI service is insufficient & in desperate need of upgrade but nothing earth shattering & certainly nothing that would keep me from returning - hopefully multiple times in the future.
After my stay at The Oaks, I feel better - mind - body & spirit ...not to mention that I lost weight. I'm now an Oaks Believer!

I have visited the Oak 3 times over the past 10 years. I have always been impressed with the front desk staff and general management always listen and try to help as best as possible. The fitness teachers are all good and some are great. It's a small spa so not all trainers are full time. You won't always get individual attention in your workout classes like you do at high end spas and private clubs. Some of the instructors used the class time for their own workout instead of walking around the room making sure we were doing our moves correctly. It's a laid back spa and some clients like that. What is not mentioned in these reviews which I think everyone should know is that the small private rooms in the main building are not renovated to the level of the Casitas. The room accommodations are so different between the main building and the casitas it's like having two different spa experiences.. The last time I visited 4 years ago I was told the main building rooms would be renovated. My small room still had a stained chair, old carpet, cheap pillow, a motel six type bedspread and "free" promotional samples for the soap and hair care from large companies. While visiting a friend in a Casita, I was surprised to see quality bedding, carpet, high end soap etc. It's unfortunate that the entire Spa can not offer the same quality in all size rooms. While using the indoor hot tub a large piece of tile on the seat was chipped out and I scraped my skin on it. It was a huge area missing-yet no warning sign or attempt of repair was there. There were other spa areas that needed attention but this was a safety issue that no one paid attention to. The food is average. A few meals were very good but only a few. I tried to not mind it too much, but the last night was the last meal for me at this spa-an enchilada that was filled with some sort of goo that did not resemble any food group. That was the end for me. I love the location, appreciate the hard working help, but I don't get enough value out of staying in the main building and if I am going to $400.00 a night for a Casita I can go to a first class spa where all the food and training is first class. I think this Spa is still a diamond in the rough and needs some attention from the owners.

I found the Oaks in the mid '90s and have been coming back almost every year since then. I always find what I am looking for at the Oaks -- be it a quiet time, or one filled with activity from morning to night.

I travel a lot -- and never feel more secure and safe as I do at the Oaks. Every need is looked after -- and I feel totally rejuvenated when I leave. I have been known to call this my "anger management/stress therapy"

I am heading to the Oaks again soon for another week -- and can hardly wait. It is like returning home (people feel like that from their first visit on -- and most that are there have returned again and again.....)

Celebrated a gal/pal reunion at The Oaks with a good friend during "Water Week", which included addtional water aerobic classes. This is my third visit in a while to The Oaks and I found that there were many worthwhile improvements--the food was better, the lobby architecturally appropriate and updated, and new rooms had been added.

FOOD: The Oaks is unique in that the price includes all of your meals as well as unlimited classes. I found the food very tasty and plentiful. While I understand the reason for using very little salt, I don't have any salt issues so next time I will bring a little salt--especially in hot weather when I really need a salt. So be prepared--if your body requires salt, just bring a little of your own. If you use alot of salt, this is a good opportunity to cut back and learn to eat flavorful foods with less salt.

CLASSES: I found all of the instructors very, very good, especially yoga, stretch, and cardio. However, my only complaint is that the water aerobic classes could be more strenuous, with alternative moves for those who require less of a workout.

ROOMS: We had a lovely and comfortable two room cassita, with a large patio and porch. The cassita included a living room with a couch, desk, large closet and fireplace. The bedroom had two queen beds and two closests, along with a small desk area. The bathroom was huge and included two sinks, a very large shower, a huge spa tub and a separate area for the toilet. We had lots and lots of thick towels and plenty of soap and samples.

STAFF: Most staff were pleasant and helpful, although a few needed to be better trained. Customer service needs to be improved and some staff need to be better trained in hospitality services. A few concerns I had were shared with the manager, who was extremely helpful and supportive.

SPA SERVICES: The only service in used was having a pedicure. The young woman who gave me the pedicure was lovely and very good. It was a very pleasant experience.

AREA: Another unique aspect of The Oaks, is that it is within walking distance to charming downtown Ojai. There are many unique boutiques, restaurants, and wine tasting rooms. We took a little time off from the spa, to shop together, have a glass of wine, and a latte. (Speaking of coffee, DO NOT go to the gourmet food shop across the street from The Oaks. We ordered a small coffee with 2 shots of expresso and it cost over $6--what a ripoff! Java Joe's down the street charged half that amount--the normal price!)

BOTTOM LINE: Overall, I'd definitely return to the Oaks. I hope in the meantime, staff is better trained in customer service. That's why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars--they're really close to 5 stars!