Rancho Grande has appeared in news stories, magazines, advertising campaigns and viral videos seen around the world. Albert the camel has become an international favorite, while the ranch’s animals, mountain landscape and authentic off-grid character continue to attract journalists, filmmakers, photographers and brands. Explore recent coverage, guest experiences and the stories that began here in Ojai.

Young baseball players and coaches on a baseball field during a ceremony, holding an oversized check for $100,000 made out to Beach City Baseball Academy, with a scoreboard and spectators in the background.

Rancho Grande is not a hotel or a conventional resort. It is a family home, a working ranch and an animal sanctuary—and guests feel that difference immediately. They arrive for the animals and mountain setting, then leave talking about the peace, generosity and unexpected moments they shared together.

A wooden picnic table with attached benches is situated on a grassy clearing in a foggy forest, surrounded by trees with green and leafless branches.

What Airbnb Guests Say

Magical. Peaceful. Welcoming. Real.

Across more than 670 reviews for the Cowboy Cabin, Fish Camp and Howard Creek, guests repeatedly describe Rancho Grande as a place where children explore freely, adults slow down and families reconnect. The words vary, but the message is remarkably consistent: the ranch feels unlike anywhere else.

A young girl in a pink jacket and cap holding a fishing rod talking to a man sitting on a rock near a river, with trees and greenery in the background.
A snowy outdoor scene with a wooden structure, possibly a barn or stable, surrounded by a snow-covered landscape and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

What guests mention most

• Close encounters with Albert the camel, goats, alpacas, horses, guinea pigs, chickens and other animals.

• A memorable family experience for children, parents and grandparents.

• Privacy, mountain quiet, stargazing and a genuine break from city life.

• Warm, responsive hospitality from Richard, Linda, Alex and the ranch team.

• Comfortable, thoughtfully equipped lodging with character.

• Hiking, ponds, fishing, paddling, e-bikes, campfires, games and the freedom to choose your own pace.

Why it stays with people

The magic comes from moments that cannot be scheduled: Albert appearing nearby, goats passing a window, a child gathering an egg or a family watching stars emerge over the valley. The peace is equally real—space to read, walk, talk or simply listen to the animals in the distance. Guests also recognize that Rancho Grande is not a manufactured attraction. The buildings, collections, landscape and sanctuary have been built and cared for by a family whose life is genuinely rooted here.

What People Are Saying

“We lived six weeks of summer camp in one weekend.”

"There’s an aura of calm grounded in authenticity that led to some real healing for our family."

“We feel comfort that our dog Marty was able to return to a place that brought him so much joy."

“Our kids chose this over Disneyland and Legoland.”

“This is such a unique experience because you really are on your own as much as you want to be”

“A part of my soul was healed during my three nights here."

"Rancho Grande was our family's version of City Slickers“