What it’s actually like staying at Regent Santa Monica Seashore

It might be a California comeback, however the Regent model of right now is nothing prefer it was in 1990, when it took a star flip because the lodge backdrop in “Fairly Girl.”

Regent Santa Monica Seashore formally opened its doorways final month — a return to U.S. shores for the model that was beforehand best-known stateside for the Regent Beverly Wilshire, an ultraluxe Beverly Hills property that’s now affiliated with 4 Seasons Motels & Resorts. The Regent model has gone via a number of adjustments through the years; it’s now below IHG Motels & Resorts affiliation, and the stress is on to make this smaller imprint an ultraluxury star for the IHG community.

We have checked out Regent’s new vibes in Hong Kong and Vietnam previously two years and have been blown away. So, how does the Southern California revival stack up? Discover out for your self under.

What’s Regent Santa Monica Seashore?

Whereas the Regent Santa Monica Seashore — one in every of TPG’s most-anticipated lodge openings of the 12 months — is new, the constructing it occupies is not. The property was previously a Loews-affiliated lodge that closed in early 2023 for an intensive $150 million renovation, ensuing within the now-open Regent. A part of that renovation entailed decreasing the greater than 340-room depend on the Loews to create the Regent’s spacious 167 visitor rooms and suites.

Which means even entry-level visitor rooms have ample elbow room and really feel extra like suites than “simply” visitor rooms. Many of the property’s rooms and suites characteristic Pacific Ocean views, however be aware if you go to e book that there are city-view rooms, too. The lodge additionally fronts Santa Monica’s Ocean Entrance Stroll path and is simply steps from the famed Santa Monica Pier.

On the drinks and eating entrance, the brand new Regent options Orla, a Mediterranean bar and restaurant idea from movie star chef Michael Mina, and Candy July Cafe, an all-day cafe and retail idea from way of life maven Ayesha Curry. Out by the Regent’s Azure Pool deck, friends will be capable to get pleasure from poolside cocktails and nibbles at Azure Bar, however that wasn’t open throughout my go to.

Learn how to e book Regent Santa Monica Seashore

My two-night hosted keep was complimentary (charges began at $1,100 per evening throughout my time in Santa Monica), however friends can e book a keep at Regent Santa Monica Seashore instantly via the IHG reservations channels and the IHG One Rewards cellular app.

Remember: The lodge additionally fees a hefty $90 nightly resort charge, which features a day by day $50 resort credit score that may go towards eating (however not in-room eating) or a therapy on the Guerlain Wellness Spa (extra on that later). The resort charge additionally covers welcome refreshments, entry to electrical bikes, seashore butler service for 2 and waived pet charges (which Regent Santa Monica Seashore tabs at $250, per the lodge web site).

IHG One Rewards members will particularly wish to e book instantly via IHG channels to earn elite-qualifying nights and luxuriate in all of the perks related to their loyalty tier.

When reserving the Regent Santa Monica Seashore, you may wish to use one of many bank cards that earn probably the most factors for IHG stays, in addition to one which presumably gives automated IHG One Rewards elite standing for value-added advantages. These embody:

The placement

Regent Santa Monica Seashore is a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX). Whereas ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft are prevalent within the space, it could be helpful to hire a automobile like I did to discover close by areas like Malibu and Venice, or farther away, tourist-heavy districts like Hollywood. In a single day valet parking on the lodge is $90 per evening.

Regent Santa Monica Seashore overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Pier. The lodge sits between Ocean Avenue and Santa Monica’s Ocean Entrance Stroll, affording friends a waterfront path to walk, run or bike mere steps from the lodge. Those that desire to buy ’til they drop as their go-to cardio will discover luck on the Third Road Promenade, a retail thoroughfare only a 10-minute stroll from the lodge.

Checking in

A few of Regent’s model requirements revolve round mantras like “With Compliments,” “Private Haven” and “Extraordinary Experiences,” however I used to be curious how effectively this may translate from Asia to the U.S., the place I discover accommodations typically lag when it comes to shock-and-awe hospitality in comparison with these on the opposite aspect of the Pacific.

Regent Santa Monica Seashore isn’t any such laggard.

A Regent Expertise Supervisor will attain out forward of your arrival to debate any additional wants or private touches, and so they’ll additionally discuss curating your room’s complimentary Refreshment Gallery (Regent’s luxe time period for the minibar). When you arrive, you may be whisked into the Regent’s atrium foyer decked out with curved, plush couches and rounded upholstered chairs — all in varied shades of sandstone.

My Regent Expertise Supervisor greeted my husband and me within the foyer with chilled towels and lavender-infused lemonade to sip whereas taking good care of incidentals and confirming particulars of our keep. Make sure you try the expansive monitor within the check-in space, because it’s presupposed to livestream dawn and sundown over the Santa Monica Pier (which it’s also possible to expertise for your self in particular person just some steps from the again entrance of the lodge). Whereas my room was instantly prepared, friends arriving early may make the most of the Regent’s arrivals lounge, which options showers to clean up and loads of work house and seating areas to kill time till check-in.

After just some minutes, we had been heading as much as our 720 Oceanfront King — named for this entry-level room’s 720 sq. toes — on the highest flooring of Regent Santa Monica Seashore. A separate Regent staffer had already taken care of our baggage.

I used to be curious how a lot of this welcome pomp and circumstance and understanding us by title was as a result of the crew was tipped off {that a} lodge reporter was trying out the property for a number of days. However a good friend swung by throughout our second day on the town along with her toddler son, and earlier than we even met her within the foyer, she had texted, “This property! Eight individuals helped me at valet!”

The crew even remembered her son’s title after the primary introductions; in fact, that’s doubtless as a result of her son is much extra lovely than my husband and yours actually.

The rooms

Regent Santa Monica Seashore has a wide range of visitor room and suite classes, nevertheless it’s most likely an insult to the place to discuss with entry-level rooms as, effectively, entry-level. This room class resulted within the mixture of two former visitor rooms from the property’s Loews period, and friends — current firm included — will salivate over simply how a lot house is available in a starter room. In fact, bear in mind: Even starter rooms right here usually start at $1,100 per evening.

The Oceanfront King visitor room featured a lounge that included separate seating and eating areas in addition to a workstation, flat-screen tv (seen from the bed room) and minibar, er, Refreshment Gallery. There was additionally a Juliet balcony off the seating space that was excellent for dawn and sundown photoshoots. The complimentary refreshments within the Refreshment Gallery included issues like tahini-spiced nuts, yogurt-covered raisins, Nespresso pods, tea and water.

Past an archway was the bed room that featured a king-sized mattress with a shock of monogrammed pillowcases for every of us. There was a small seating space right here, in addition to massive nightstands on both aspect of the mattress with ample locations to plug in smartphones and tablets to cost in a single day. One other Juliet balcony was simply off the bed room overlooking the ocean, and there have been each sheer and blackout curtains to offer you as a lot privateness as you needed.

Housekeeping comes by twice day by day, and night turndown service included leaving us a contemporary flower and a small tube of Perricone MD moisturizer on the pillow — as a result of pre-bedtime skincare is much extra essential than a small chocolate sq. you’d discover on the pillow at different luxurious manufacturers, in case you ask me!

Simply off the bed room was a conceit space and walk-in closet with an abundance of provides and facilities to assist together with the primping course of, like a Dyson hairdryer and a garments steamer. A part of Regent Santa Monica Seashore’s “With Compliments” extras contains free laundry or urgent of three objects of clothes throughout a keep — sufficient to look your greatest and wrinkle-free for a meal at Orla downstairs. There was additionally an ornamental field within the self-importance space stocked with merchandise you might have left residence, like a shaving package, dental package, loofah and mouthwash.

The twin-vanity rest room was one other winner when it comes to having ample room to unfold out (the results of merging two loos from the previous Loews setup), and you’ve got the choice of soaking within the tub or rinsing off within the monumental walk-in bathe. Regent additionally has me hooked on Perricone MD merchandise (a lot to the detriment of my pockets), and you will find these right here in full-sized bottles meant to remain within the room and never in your checked bag after check-out. Fortunately, my husband additionally fell in love with Perricone merchandise throughout our keep, so perhaps this implies I will not must preserve hiding the deliveries anytime I organize them for again residence.

I used to be additionally in a position to get a peek at a few of Regent’s different visitor rooms and suites, together with the presidential-esque Santa Monica Suite across the nook from my room on the eighth flooring. This sprawling 3,200-square-foot suite has unimaginable views of the ocean and Santa Monica Pier, in addition to a sport room, eating room and a spacious walk-in closet. Take into account the splurge in case you’re actually trying to stretch out and entertain throughout your subsequent Santa Monica getaway.

Eating at Regent Santa Monica Seashore

Properly-known names are behind lots of the eating and ingesting institutions at Regent Santa Monica Seashore. Superstar chef Michael Mina is behind the Mediterranean-inspired Orla, an all-day restaurant that additionally contains Orla Bar in the midst of the lodge’s atrium foyer. Way of life guru Ayesha Curry backs Candy July Cafe, which gives a mixture of California-inspired fare and occasional and tea drinks simply off the foyer.

Over the span of our two-night journey, we frequented each venues, and you will not go unsuitable with both. Candy July is an off-the-cuff spot to get pleasure from an iced espresso and pastry to get the day going, and to peruse some retail objects (Curry’s Candy July model is in style for its olive oil, home mix espresso and mugs, to call a number of). The house is picture-perfect with bistro seating, wood-paneled counters and fridges match for a “Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills” kitchen.

But it surely’s not low cost to look this fabulous: A croissant and iced espresso clocked in at just below $20. The breakfast sandwich with prosciutto and pesto ($16) was a spotlight, however the actual showstopper to start out the day was the Every thing Croissant filled with scallion cream cheese ($11) that we obtained to separate. I mourned having to fork over the remaining half after I had the primary few bites.

Mina’s Orla is clearly already successful with locals, as evidenced by the variety of individuals I noticed streaming out and in of the lodge every evening only for the restaurant. We had been fortunate to get pleasure from Orla a number of instances, for lunch and dinner and for a nightcap at Orla Bar.

The indoor eating space seems like an upscale brasserie (effectively, as a lot as it could actually really feel like a cute brasserie inside a five-story atrium foyer), with nods to the nautical vibes of Southern California: Brass accents and yacht-style plank flooring give the house an at-sea really feel with out the drama of movement illness. However the hottest tables on the town are discovered on Orla’s veranda, the place you possibly can soak in Pacific Ocean views whereas nibbling on mezze and sipping a Scorching to Deal with zero-proof tequila mocktail ($18).

Veranda seating exterior was coveted, even throughout crisp evenings over the span of my late October keep. Don’t be concerned: There are warmth lamps and blankets to maintain you heat all through your meal, so you do not miss out on some unimaginable sunsets over the Pacific.

Orla’s menu is impressed by Mina’s Egyptian heritage. For lunch, I might suggest going the $39 prix-fixe route as I did, as you’ll pattern a mezze starter spherical of whipped chickpea hummus, grilled halloumi, beets, marinated olives and lamb meatballs together with salad. It is a hearty sufficient starter course that I utterly forgot it was to be adopted by a marinated shrimp skewer served with arugula freekeh (not that I might ever complain about these deliciously grilled crustaceans).

Company even have the choice of including on a $14 center course of both macaroni bechamel or spicy duck orzo. An $8 dessert complement can be on the menu. At evening, Orla gives a souped-up, curated model referred to as the My Egypt Expertise, which runs $105 per particular person (with the requirement that your complete desk participates) and contains a wide range of entrees like a char-grilled branzino and a kebab platter.

These searching for a bit of theatrics added to their cocktails must also think about the $35 Tableside Mediterranean Gintonico, which is crafted in a tableside cart from gin infused with spices and botanicals procured from the Santa Monica farmer’s market.

Much like Candy July, Orla is not the most affordable place to eat on the town, however views like this come at a value.

Wellness facilities

I used to be excited to take a look at the Regent’s Guerlain Wellness Spa, because the French luxurious skincare and cosmetics model additionally not too long ago opened a spa close to my residence at Raffles Boston. Let’s simply say my hometown Guerlain Wellness Spa may match within the altering space of the one at Regent Santa Monica Seashore.

The palatial 10,000-square-foot spa options 12 therapy rooms (together with a VIP double suite) and a post-treatment Champagne room (that primarily provided baked items and water in a decadent house throughout my go to). Building was simply wrapping up throughout my go to, however I did get a peek at the place saunas, steam rooms and plunge swimming pools are about to open. I opted for a 90-minute honey restore facial that left me glowing, each from the pores and skin therapy in addition to from a soothing scalp and arms therapeutic massage I obtained whereas a few of the merchandise had been setting on my face.

Whereas the spa was a soothing strategy to spend a day, I additionally made time for an invigorating begin to every day of my keep within the Regent’s two-story health heart, the place I used a variety of power coaching and cardio tools. The power is Equinox-level beautiful and has sufficient tools for every type of exercises.

Group health lessons are additionally slated to be provided and are included within the nightly resort charge.

Causes Regent Santa Monica Seashore may not be for you

Whereas there’s lots to like about Regent Santa Monica Seashore, it may not be for everybody. Listed below are a few issues to remember:

• Even with Regent’s “With Compliments” ethos, it is a very costly lodge when it comes to nightly charges and even the worth of a cup of espresso.
• For those who assume you are going to need to spend so much of time in stylish neighborhoods like Silver Lake or West Hollywood whereas visiting Los Angeles, it is best to search for a lodge nearer to that a part of city than in Santa Monica. Rush-hour site visitors right here might be brutal.

Accessibility

There are accessible paths to public areas at Regent Santa Monica Seashore, together with eating places like Orla, assembly rooms, the health heart, the swimming pool and the Guerlain Wellness Spa. The valet parking service is supplied to accommodate autos outfitted for accessible transport, and repair animals are welcome. There’s a chair raise into the swimming pool.

Regent Santa Monica Seashore gives accessible visitor rooms and suites, which embody listening to and mobility accessibility, and a few characteristic roll-in showers.

Trying out

It was onerous saying goodbye to Regent Santa Monica Seashore and our unimaginable room with a view. Positive, I have been reporting on this lodge because it was first introduced early final 12 months, however even my husband and good good friend from exterior the trade had been each wowed by the attentive service and luxe choices. Plus, your complete crew was pleasant to these of all ages.

My good friend texted me after she left our hangout: “Hats off to the Regent! That is the proper spot to benefit from the finer issues with child. They handled us like royalty!”

I am blissful to report the royalty therapy prolonged to these of us trying to benefit from the finer issues sans child, too. IHG might be happy with its Regent revival within the U.S.

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