Inside the Glamorous New Regent Santa Monica Beach

“Santa Monica has always been an iconic destination,” says Regent Santa Monica Beach general manager Younes Atallah, noting the beach town’s importance to road trippers keen on conquering Route 66. “It’s always been a magnet for people, regardless of the level of accommodations it had.” 

But Santa Monica’s long-standing renown has turned it into a new magnet for upscale hospitality developers. The last couple of years have been a boon for blue-chip openings, which may have just reached a fever pitch with the ribbon-cutting of Atallah’s 167-room beachfront property. IHG Hotels & Resorts acquired the hotel formerly managed by Loews Hotels, where Atallah was also general manager, and transformed it into a beacon of classic luxury under the Regent brand. In a destination famous for its easy-breezy vibe, Regent Santa Monica Beach is now the most high-profile and most glamorous in the game. 

The original Regent in Beverly Hills was the setting for the iconic 1990 film Pretty Woman, and looked a lot like a hotel you may find in that part of Los Angeles. But now that Regent has found a new home in Santa Monica, the aesthetic is entirely different. Lots of light, lots of references to nature and water, and lots of space. The building’s blueprint originally catered to 347 rooms and suites; today, there are 167 keys, meaning the entry-level rooms are double the size, starting at 720 square feet. In a post-covid-world, where space is a premium, this should please the most discerning travelers. Marquee suites include the 3,200-square-foot Santa Monica Presidential Suite, which has its own game room. A previously unused two-floor enclave is now the Atrium Suite, a two-bedroom,1,800-square-foot pied a terre flooded with light and comes with the best views of the Pacific Ocean. 

Some of the public spaces are pretty rare, too, including the Atelier, which can be used by guests to prepare for events—whether a wedding or perhaps an awards show. Another highlight is the Lounge, a casual parlor where guests can relax (with refreshments and showers) if they’re not able to check into their room in the morning or if they have late-night flights. It’s a thoughtful touch that Atallah says they introduced knowing they’ll likely have plenty of guests coming from abroad who may have less than ideal departure and arrival times. 

And given its beachfront location just in front of Muscle Beach, Regent does have a dedicated concession with a beach butler (the only hotel in town with such an offering) that can set up guests for a day of sunbathing; otherwise, there’s also the pool deck—the largest in Santa Monica—that sits on the roof of the building’s fourth floor.  

This is obviously a hotel of superlatives. But another way that Regent Santa Monica Beach is aiming to differentiate itself in the market is through its big-name partnerships. The on-property restaurant Orla, a stylish indoor-outdoor all-day eatery, is helmed by celebrity Michael Mina, who delves into the world of eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines for his menu, especially dishes inspired by his Egyptian upbringing. Think: saganaki made more indulgent with black truffle, Mina’s take on Egyptian macaroni béchamel (he subs out the minced meat in favor of mushrooms), plus countless wines from Greece and Lebanon.  Ayesha Curry’s lifestyle and gourmet shop Sweet July also has a presence at the hotel. Here, guests can grab coffee and a portion of Curry’s devotion-inspiring bread pudding on top of an entire pantry of treats. And, of course, Regent’s opening introduces Guerlain to the American west coast with the French beauty brand’s first-ever spa in this part of the world. Its line of coveted potions and fragrances are available as is a full service menu of relaxing massages and facials. The glitzy 10,000-square-foot, 12-room pampering destination also comes with a wet area and a champagne lounge where guests can linger with a glass of bubbly (or tea or water) after their treatments.

For Atallah, these types of attention-grabbing partnerships can generate buzz, especially for visitors accustomed to the best of the best, but he says that launching these collaborations can help the hotel foster a more exciting connection to locals, too. “Santa Monica is eight square miles, everyone knows everyone, so we want to be an anchor for the local community,” he says, noting that he wants his neighbors to see the on-property venues as standalone destinations, not just extensions of the hotel. 

“When it comes to luxury, Santa Monica has always been understated. It’s not super flashy, and we’re OK with that,” Atallah says, adding that while the destination has Michelin stars in Santa Monica and designer shopping, all of that is balanced out with a casual beachy energy. However, he does admit that the opening of Regent will no doubt reposition Santa Monica’s cache to travelers. And he’s not thinking small.

“Yes, in the more immediate area, we’re hoping to start competing with hotels in Beverly Hills,” Atallah says of Regent’s ambitions. “But, also, Laguna Beach and Santa Barbara.”