We had a funeral in Ojai and found the rates there exorbitant. Santa Paula was very nearby, so we checked the hotels there out. The Glen Tavern Inn was very reasonable, and, as a bonus, an historic property. Built in early 1900s, it was near the train station and became a mecca for Hollywood celebrities including John Wayne, Carole Lombard, Houdini and Rin-Tin-Tin, among others. The new owners, btw, are not sure which rooms they stayed in, except that Rin-Tin-Tin stayed in a suite. According to what I've read, the third floor of the inn started out as a gambling hall and ******* and was parted out into rooms later. We also heard that it is supposedly haunted. Our room was 219. Interesting features: no house phone; the bathroom is tiny, but works. You cannot be really fat to use it, though, the shower is about 2.5' x 2.5'. We think the bathroom was added in a remodel, there is a 4” step up into it and it is a big trip hazard. I would recommend reflective tape or lights or something, both my husband and I woke in the night and nearly killed ourselves tripping on it. (They have warnings all over the place about it but at 2:30 am who remembers that on the way to the toilet?). The closet has a deadbolt which you have to be INSIDE the closet to use. The bed has a pillow top on the mattress, but it is still rock hard. Hotel might look into memory foam for the beds, most of us are spoiled on those now. Downstairs is an Italian restaurant (new) but the lobby/front desk look right for the Craftsman era. There are framed movie posters, newspapers (Titanic Sinks) and photos on the walls in every hall. The third floor has a salon on the stair landing with sofas. The place is really quite charming with few drawbacks. Parking is in the back. The hotel sign on the street corner is obscured by trees, hard to find. We happened to arrive on a weekend where a number of streets were blocked off for a classic car show. The show was great but it was hard to find the hotel because of the blocked off roads. The hotel apologized for the confusion. ABOUT ROOM 220: First, we retired at 9:30, having had a very long drive. Woke at 11:30, some guy was talking. We drifted off, woke at 2:30 am, guy was STILL TALKING. We think he was talking to somebody else but couldn't hear anything distinct. Room 220, we thought he was in your room. We tapped on the wall. He didn't shut up. My husband pounded on the wall. He continued to talk. I dressed and headed upstairs to knock on the door above us as my husband thought sound was traveling through old air conditioning ducts. On the way I heard my husband bellow ”SHUT THE F**K UP!' We apologize for the language. When I arrived at the room I thought was above us I heard the toilet flush. There was no more talking. So, room 220, if you thought it was a ghost, it wasn't. THIS INN HAS CHARACTER YOU WILL NOT FIND in any modern hotel or motel. And if you are more sensitive than we are, you might actually
92 Reviews