It might be a California comeback, however the Regent model of in the present day is nothing prefer it was in 1990, when it took a star flip because the lodge backdrop in “Fairly Lady.”
Regent Santa Monica Seaside 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 by means of a number of modifications 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 prior to now 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 Seaside?
Whereas the Regent Santa Monica Seaside — 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 in depth $150 million renovation, ensuing within the now-open Regent. A part of that renovation entailed lowering the greater than 340-room rely 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 function Pacific Ocean views, however be conscious whenever 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 celeb 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, visitors will be capable to get pleasure from poolside cocktails and nibbles at Azure Bar, however that wasn’t open throughout my go to.
Tips on how to e book Regent Santa Monica Seaside
My two-night hosted keep was complimentary (charges began at $1,100 per evening throughout my time in Santa Monica), however visitors can e book a keep at Regent Santa Monica Seaside instantly by means of the IHG reservations channels and the IHG One Rewards cellular app.
Be mindful: The lodge additionally expenses a hefty $90 nightly resort price, which features a every day $50 resort credit score that may go towards eating (however not in-room eating) or a remedy on the Guerlain Wellness Spa (extra on that later). The resort price additionally covers welcome refreshments, entry to electrical bikes, seashore butler service for 2 and waived pet charges (which Regent Santa Monica Seaside tabs at $250, per the lodge web site).
IHG One Rewards members will particularly need to e book instantly by means of IHG channels to earn elite-qualifying nights and luxuriate in all of the perks related to their loyalty tier.
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When reserving the Regent Santa Monica Seaside, you will need to use one of many bank cards that earn essentially the most factors for IHG stays, in addition to one which presumably presents computerized IHG One Rewards elite standing for value-added advantages. These embrace:
The placement
Regent Santa Monica Seaside is a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX). Whereas ride-share providers like Uber and Lyft are prevalent within the space, it could be helpful to hire a automotive 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 Seaside overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Pier. The lodge sits between Ocean Avenue and Santa Monica’s Ocean Entrance Stroll, affording visitors a waterfront path to walk, run or bike mere steps from the lodge. Those that want to buy ’til they drop as their go-to cardio will discover luck on the Third Avenue 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 nicely this would possibly translate from Asia to the U.S., the place I discover resorts typically lag when it comes to shock-and-awe hospitality in comparison with these on the opposite facet of the Pacific.
Regent Santa Monica Seaside isn’t any such laggard.
A Regent Expertise Supervisor will attain out forward of your arrival to debate any further wants or private touches, they usually’ll additionally speak about curating your room’s complimentary Refreshment Gallery (Regent’s luxe time period for the minibar). When you arrive, you will 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 caring for incidentals and confirming particulars of our keep. Make sure you try the expansive monitor within the check-in space, because it’s speculated 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, visitors arriving early may also benefit from the Regent’s arrivals lounge, which options showers to clean up and loads of work area 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 ground of Regent Santa Monica Seaside. 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 realizing us by title was as a result of the group was tipped off {that a} lodge reporter was testing the property for just a few days. However a pal 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 folks helped me at valet!”
The group even remembered her son’s title after the primary introductions; in fact, that’s possible as a result of her son is way extra lovable than my husband and yours really.
The rooms
Regent Santa Monica Seaside has a wide range of visitor room and suite classes, but it surely’s in all probability an insult to the place to confer with entry-level rooms as, nicely, entry-level. This room class resulted within the mixture of two former visitor rooms from the property’s Loews period, and visitors — current firm included — will salivate over simply how a lot area is available in a starter room. In fact, keep in mind: Even starter rooms right here sometimes start at $1,100 per evening.
The Oceanfront King visitor room featured a front room 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 good 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 facet 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 wished.
Housekeeping comes by twice every day, and night turndown service included leaving us a recent flower and a small tube of Perricone MD moisturizer on the pillow — as a result of pre-bedtime skincare is way extra essential than a small chocolate sq. you’d discover on the pillow at different luxurious manufacturers, should 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 Seaside’s “With Compliments” extras contains free laundry or urgent of three gadgets of clothes throughout a keep — sufficient to look your finest and wrinkle-free for a meal at Orla downstairs. There was additionally an ornamental field within the self-importance space stocked with merchandise you could have left residence, like a shaving equipment, dental equipment, 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 outdated Loews setup), and you’ve got the choice of soaking within the tub or rinsing off within the huge 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 maintain hiding the deliveries anytime I organize them for again residence.
I used to be additionally capable of 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 ground. This sprawling 3,200-square-foot suite has unbelievable views of the ocean and Santa Monica Pier, in addition to a recreation room, eating room and a spacious walk-in closet. Think about the splurge should you’re actually seeking to stretch out and entertain throughout your subsequent Santa Monica getaway.
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Eating at Regent Santa Monica Seaside
Effectively-known names are behind most of the eating and ingesting institutions at Regent Santa Monica Seaside. Movie star 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 presents 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 flawed 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 gadgets (Curry’s Candy July model is widespread for its olive oil, home mix espresso and mugs, to call just a few). The area 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 begin the day was the Every little thing Croissant filled with scallion cream cheese ($11) that we acquired to separate. I mourned having to fork over the remaining half after I had the primary few bites.
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Mina’s Orla is clearly already successful with locals, as evidenced by the variety of folks I noticed streaming out and in of the lodge every evening only for the restaurant. We had been fortunate to get pleasure from Orla just a few instances, for lunch and dinner and for a nightcap at Orla Bar.
The indoor eating space appears like an upscale brasserie (nicely, as a lot as it may possibly 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 area 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 may soak in Pacific Ocean views whereas nibbling on mezze and sipping a Sizzling to Deal with zero-proof tequila mocktail ($18).
Veranda seating outdoors 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 unbelievable sunsets over the Pacific.
Orla’s menu is impressed by Mina’s Egyptian heritage. For lunch, I would advocate 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 would ever complain about these deliciously grilled crustaceans).
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Friends even have the choice of including on a $14 center course of both macaroni bechamel or spicy duck orzo. An $8 dessert complement can also be on the menu. At evening, Orla presents a souped-up, curated model referred to as the My Egypt Expertise, which runs $105 per particular person (with the requirement that the 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 take into account 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 cost effective place to eat on the town, however views like this come at a price.
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 Seaside.
The palatial 10,000-square-foot spa options 12 remedy rooms (together with a VIP double suite) and a post-treatment Champagne room (that primarily provided baked items and water in a decadent area 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 remedy in addition to from a calming scalp and arms therapeutic massage I acquired whereas among the merchandise had been setting on my face.
Whereas the spa was a calming approach 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 attractive and has sufficient tools for all sorts of exercises.
Group health courses are additionally slated to be provided and are included within the nightly resort price.
Causes Regent Santa Monica Seaside won’t be for you
Whereas there’s loads to like about Regent Santa Monica Seaside, it won’t be for everybody. Listed below are a few issues to bear in mind:
- Even with Regent’s “With Compliments” ethos, it is a very costly lodge when it comes to nightly charges and even the value of a cup of espresso.
- If you happen to suppose you are going to need to spend so much of time in fashionable 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 visitors right here will be brutal.
Accessibility
There are accessible paths to public areas at Regent Santa Monica Seaside, together with eating places like Orla, assembly rooms, the health heart, the swimming pool and the Guerlain Wellness Spa. The valet parking service is provided to accommodate automobiles outfitted for accessible transport, and repair animals are welcome. There’s a chair carry into the swimming pool.
Regent Santa Monica Seaside presents accessible visitor rooms and suites, which embrace listening to and mobility accessibility, and a few function roll-in showers.
Testing
It was arduous saying goodbye to Regent Santa Monica Seaside and our unbelievable room with a view. Certain, I have been reporting on this lodge because it was first introduced early final 12 months, however even my husband and good pal from outdoors the trade had been each wowed by the attentive service and luxe choices. Plus, the complete group was pleasant to these of all ages.
My pal texted me after she left our hangout: “Hats off to the Regent! That is the right spot to benefit from the finer issues with child. They handled us like royalty!”
I am joyful to report the royalty remedy prolonged to these of us seeking to benefit from the finer issues sans child, too. IHG will be pleased with its Regent revival within the U.S.
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