First look: Inside Regent Santa Monica Beach, IHG’s new ultraluxury US flagship hotel

One of TPG’s most anticipated hotel openings of the year is finally here with the arrival of Regent Santa Monica Beach, a return to the U.S. for the ultraluxury hotel brand.

It’s not Regent’s first rodeo in Greater Los Angeles, either. That distinction belongs to the former Regent Beverly Wilshire, a luxe Beverly Hills, California, hotel that was the backdrop to “Pretty Woman” and has since become a Four Seasons. Some might say “Pretty Woman” made Regent as much of a star as it did Julia Roberts, but maybe that’s just me!

Since the Beverly Hills years, the Regent brand has become more of an exclusive, bespoke luxury hotel offering now owned by IHG Hotels & Resorts, and with a smaller property count in locations like Hong Kong (arguably the brand’s best-known property), Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Shanghai and Cannes in the south of France.

“It is an honor to reintroduce this legacy brand to Southern California and ignite a new era of unforgettable memories for our guests in Santa Monica,” Younes Atallah, general manager of Regent Santa Monica Beach, said in a prepared statement. “Our resort captures the unique allure of Santa Monica in a serene setting where you can disconnect from the outside world and experience Regent’s legendary hospitality on your terms.”

The new U.S. flagship in Santa Monica, California, gives Americans a chance to experience Regent’s new brand aesthetic, which has already been wowing travelers in European and Asian locations.

For starters, Regent Santa Monica Beach guests can expect a lot of elbow room with entry-level rooms starting at 720 square feet. By comparison, guest rooms at IHG’s glitzy InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown start at 415 square feet. Most of the Regent’s 167 guest rooms and suites — as well as an elevated pool deck — feature Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Pier views.

Chantell Walsh of Strategic Hotels & Resorts oversaw the hotel’s design direction, which includes work by design firm AvroKO’s San Francisco studio. Luxury fashion and seascapes are the design vibe at Regent Santa Monica Beach, where influences of boat sails, yachts and sandy shores are on display throughout.

You can also expect to pass through framed brass archways, yacht-style flooring and a color palette of green, gold and cream throughout the property. The high seas meet a high thread count, it appears.

“As we open the doors to Regent Santa Monica Beach, we celebrate not only the homecoming of Regent to the Americas but a new chapter for the brand that will usher in an unprecedented level of luxury along Santa Monica’s prized coast,” Tom Rowntree, IHG’s vice president of global luxury and lifestyle brands, said in a statement. “Half a century ago, Regent Hotels & Resorts pioneered modern luxury hospitality by introducing amenities that are hospitality hallmarks today. As we welcome Regent back to Los Angeles, the brand sets its sights on innovating luxury travel with a resort that will redefine Southern California hospitality and set a new standard for elegance, serenity, and thoughtful service.”

Arriving guests can enjoy a beverage from Regent Santa Monica Beach’s complimentary Refreshment Gallery, which features drinks and snacks curated ahead of arrival to the guests’ personal tastes. The hotel also features the Regent brand’s Personal Havens, retreats within public spaces and guest rooms meant to be places for guests to relax.

Spacious bathrooms with soaking tubs, walk-in rain showers and Perricone MD products give each of the Wimberly Interiors-designed guest rooms and suites a spa vibe. In-room features also include dining areas and workstations, Bose speakers and Dyson hair dryers.

Splurge on the Santa Monica Presidential Suite to enjoy a whopping 3,200 square feet of living space and panoramic ocean views. If you’re looking to be ever-so-slightly less ostentatious, the Oceanfront Atrium Two-Story Two-Bedroom Suite is a “mere” 2,180 square feet across the hotel’s second and third floors and includes king-size beds in both bedrooms.

Wimberly Interiors also designed the hotel’s Guerlain Wellness Spa, which is meant to be a marriage of California coastal chic and Mediterranean elegance. The 10,000-square-foot venue is Guerlain’s first spa on the West Coast. The space features 12 treatment rooms, a pretreatment relaxation lounge and gender-specific lounges with plunge pools, saunas and steam rooms. Following your treatment at the Guerlain spa, you can unwind in the facility’s post-treatment relaxation lounge and Champagne room — because a glass of fizz is the ultimate compliment to a post-facial glow.

Regent Santa Monica Beach also features a variety of dining options, including chef Michael Mina’s Mediterranean-inspired Orla and Orla Bar. Sweet July Cafe from restaurateur Ayesha Curry is a nod to California farmers markets, as well as Curry’s Jamaican heritage. The outdoor Azure Bar is the hotel’s poolside bar and dining option.

The Azure Pool area overlooks the beach and includes cabanas and sunbeds for those looking to soak in some rays. For those looking for a little more vigor in their wellness journey, Regent Santa Monica Beach’s fitness center includes a mix of strength and cardio machines suitable for a variety of fitness regimens.

The opening of Regent Santa Monica Beach is the latest in IHG’s growth streak for the broader Regent brand, which includes upcoming openings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Kyoto, Japan. Coupled with the ongoing growth of IHG’s Six Senses brand, it appears the hotel giant’s ultraluxury runway has no limits.

Rates at Regent Santa Monica Beach start at $1,100 or 170,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.