Regent Santa Monica Beach opens this summer on a prized stretch of Santa Monica sand, bringing with it a restaurant from heralded chef Michael Mina, a café and boutique from celebrity/entrepreneur Ayesha Curry, a 10,000-square-foot Guerlain Wellness Spa, an oceanfront pool deck and beach butler service.
Regent Hotels & Resorts first opened in Hawaii in 1970. IHG Hotels & Resorts acquired the company in 2018 and set out to relaunch it as a modern upper-tier luxury brand. It debuted new properties like Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam and revamped others like Regent Hong Kong and Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel. The Santa Monica hotel will mark the brand’s return to the Americas and its flagship in the region.
Taking over the former Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, the more than $150 million project channels Beverly Hills glamour and beachfront serenity with designs from AvroKO (whose work includes The Jay Hotel in San Francisco and 1 Hotel Central Park in New York) and Wimberly Interiors (which did Rosewood Baha Mar in the Bahamas and Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha). Expect an airy, bathed-in-white lobby and rooms infused with subdued colors like cream and blue.
The accommodations — 24 suites and 143 guest rooms — will start at 720 square feet. Indulgent bathrooms will feature soaking tubs, rainfall showers, bidets and double vanities. Gaze out over the ocean from the 2,180-square-foot, two-story Atrium Suites on the second and third floors, or sprawl out in the largest room, the eighth-floor Santa Monica Presidential Suite, which will have a game room, a living room and four Juliet balconies.
Foodies will flock to the Santa Monica hotel to dine at Mediterranean-focused Orla, a restaurant that chef Mina recently debuted in Las Vegas. “Orla is an incredibly personal concept for me, taking inspiration from my childhood,” said Mina, known for spots like Forbes Travel Guide Four-Stars Michael Mina in Las Vegas and Bourbon Steak in Orange County. “The earthiness of za’atar, the tang of citrus and the intricate layers of a perfectly cooked piece of fish or charcoal-grilled meat all take me back to the captivating flavors I grew up with and enjoyed around the table with my family. With oceanfront views and the vibrant energy of the restaurant, guests will instantly be transported to the Mediterranean.”
Curry, who collaborated with Mina on his upscale barbecue chain International Smoke, will open an outpost of her Oakland lifestyle boutique, Sweet July, in the L.A. hotel. The sage-hued Santa Monica shop/café will highlight bespoke products from Black- and women-owned brands and a menu inspired by Curry’s Jamaica roots alongside staples like Sweet July signature coffee, tea, pastries and desserts.
“I am so excited to expand our Sweet July experience to the beaches of Santa Monica with Regent,” Curry said. “We’ve curated a very special menu celebrating my Jamaican roots, and I look forward to bringing it to Santa Monica and the iconic Regent brand.”
Younes Atallah, the resort’s general manager, said Regent Santa Monica Beach will bring a very different experience to the area. “With a commitment to distinguished, bespoke service alongside an alluring oceanfront location, we are eager to share this incredibly special property with the world and welcome guests to indulge in a modern evolution of traditional luxury,” Atalla said.
In its earlier iteration, the Regent brand introduced hospitality innovations like island reception desks, private pool villas and sunken bathtubs. IHG’s newly relaunched version is distinguishing itself with “personal havens” —customized, sleekly designed spaces throughout the properties that encourage relaxing moments. For example, at Regent’s Hong Kong hotel, you can peer out from its tranquil rooms at Victoria Harbour from the deep soaking tub or the long windowfront banquette, and at the Phu Quoc resort, you have the serene poolside cabanas with daybeds nestled amid the palms.
Other Regent hallmarks include “with compliments,” a service that showers you with generous amenities (like a free minibar) and helpful perks (free laundry and pressing); the Taste Studio, an interactive, multi-sensory dining experience featuring collaborations between hotel chefs and creatives from the worlds of art, music, design and fashion; and experience agents, who curate your stay based on your preferences.
In the next five years, Regent plans to open hotels in Bali; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Kuala Lumpur; Kyoto; Sanya, China; Shenzhen, China; and Jakarta, Indonesia.
