Review: Regent Santa Monica Beach: First In

Why book?

This brand-new oceanfront resort is now one of the most luxe options among the hotels in Santa Monica, with oversized, stylishly elegant rooms, elevated service, and a standout Michael Mina restaurant.

Set the scene

Situated on Ocean Avenue and perched over the bustling beach, a seashell’s throw from the Santa Monica Pier, the location is as coveted as you can get in Santa Monica. The just-opened property will surely become a go-to for locals looking for a new spot for business lunches, sunset cocktails, and meetings in the airy living-room-esque lobby, as well as for out-of-towners looking for an upscale property with easy access to both Westside’s urban offerings and the beach.

The backstory

The property previously housed the business traveler-focused Loews Hotel but was more or less demolished (save for the iconic atrium that serves as the main lobby and restaurant now) nearly two years ago to begin a $150-million overhaul. While the Loews had 300 rooms, the Regent is going for quality over quality, with just 167 rooms and suites, with the smallest clocking in at 720 square feet. The Regent is part of IHG’s top-tier international luxury brand Regent Hotels and Resorts. While there was a Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills for years, that hotel dropped the affiliation nearly two decades ago, making this a true return to the United States for the brand.

The rooms

Their ample size are a serious draw here, especially in Santa Monica, where many hotel rooms can feel cramped. All of the Regent’s 167 rooms and suites come standard with entry foyers and separate living areas. They ooze elegance, with a dash of beach–think wainscoting and a classic color palette of whites and neutrals punctuated with pops of pale colors and bold artwork. Plan on leaving some of your go-to travel accessories at home. Rooms have oversized closets stocked with yoga mats, Dyson hair dryers, tasseled wooden shoe horns, and handheld steamers for last-minute de-wrinkling while the expansive tiled bathrooms provide high-end Perricone MD products, and tons of toiletries. Most bathrooms include double sink vanities, oversize rainfall showers and separate soaking tubs, and come with either Toto toilets or a toilet alongside a bidet. The Malibu oceanfront corner one-bedroom suites are standouts for their floor-to-ceiling windows and posh dining areas with stellar views of the beach and the nearby pier that lights up the night sky with its kaleidoscopic Ferris wheel. But they come only with Juliet balconies, so if you’re looking for more outdoor space, many of the rooms offer larger balconies with seating, and the private patio king rooms feature large outdoor spaces with firepits.

Food and drink

Prolific celeb chef Michael Mina has opened his second outpost of Orla here (the first is at the Mandalay Bay in his current hometown of Las Vegas). The restaurant is an ode to his Egyptian roots as well as the smorgasbord of flavors and cuisines that make up the Middle East and Mediterranean. Start off with a sampling of cold and hot mezze plates like a chilled lobster salad spiked with blistered peppers, zucchini fritters paired with tzatziki, and Mina’s play on spicy tuna crispy rice: marinated big-eye tuna over a crunchy falafel. Don’t miss his signature phyllo-crusted Petrale sole, and, for an over-the-top caloric splurge, end with a baklava sundae customized tableside and topped with 24-karat honey. Cocktails are made with care and our table’s Old Fashioned came with a branded square cube so clear it was nearly invisible. The wine list is long and varied, so ask for guidance from Ryan the sommelier, who will happily help you pick out an obscure Greek white or an aged Italian red. While you can go for a table inside the lobby dining room that’s anchored by a glam circular bar, an outside table is the way to go, especially at sunset. An army of overhead built-in heaters kick in on chilly evenings to keep things comfortable. During the day, the multi-tiered outdoor pool area is perfect for a rosé on your lounge chair or in a private cabana, along with or a snack from pool bar Azure’s (mainly) healthy menu of market veggie crudité, yellowtail crudo and salmon poke.

The spa

The 10,000-square spa, set to open later in October, will be the first Guerlain Spa on the West Coast (the only other two in the country are located at Raffles Boston and The Breakers in Palm Beach). The spa will offer exclusive treatments with specially trained providers utilizing the products by the luxury French beauty brand, including hydrafacials, radio frequency facials, a vast array of anti-aging treatments (including one centered around a proprietary product derived from a rare Himalayan orchid), body sculpting, and massage. When completed, the spa will feature a sauna, steam room, and plunge pools in each locker room as well as a co-ed Champagne room for relaxing pre- or post-treatment.

The neighborhood/area

Ocean Avenue is popular with tourists thanks to its high concentration of hotels and proximity to the beach, Santa Monica Pier, and pedestrians-only retail haven Third Street Promenade. From here you’re just a few minutes from Venice and many other Westside points of interest stretching from Marina del Rey to Malibu. The nearby Palisades Park is made for morning walks and you can borrow one of the Regent’s bikes to pedal the beachfront paths. Pro tip: The city’s most celebrated farmers market, which takes place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, is just a few blocks away.

The service

Despite its chill beach town location, service here definitely leans formal and it’s clear the hotel did not skimp on its staff training. Even though my stay took place just days after opening, staffers—from front desk employees to valet—never missed a beat and were full of helpful information both about the hotel, its offerings, and the surrounding area. Though the Regent is a few hundred yards from the beach, beach butler service is complimentary with your stay, which includes chair and umbrella setups and food and beverage service … other than alcoholic drinks, which aren’t allowed on Santa Monica’s public beaches. For an adult beverage, stick with a chaise by the pool.

Eco effort

The property limits its plastic use, featuring branded water bottles made of aluminum and stocking each room with glass carafes of filtered water that are refilled daily.