Dive Brief:
- Regent Santa Monica Beach in Santa Monica, California, is now open, marking the brand’s return to the U.S. after more than 30 years, parent company IHG Hotels & Resorts announced Wednesday.
- The 167-key luxury beachfront resort, which features spacious rooms and suites starting at 720 square feet, will serve as the brand’s flagship property in the Americas region.
- The Regent brand has not had a presence in the U.S. since Four Seasons bought the Regent Beverly Wilshire — where much of the film “Pretty Woman” was shot — in Beverly Hills in 1992. The brand’s return is part of IHG’s ongoing luxury and lifestyle expansion in the U.S.
Dive Insight:
Regent Santa Monica Beach offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Pier. Chicago-headquartered Strategic Hotels & Resorts directed the design, with input from San Francisco-based design firm AvroKO and global interior design studio Wimberly Interiors.
Rooms available include a 3,200-square-foot presidential suite and a 2,180-square-foot two-story, two-bedroom suite. All rooms feature spa-like bathrooms and designated dining and workstations.
The resort includes the 10,000-square-foot Guerlain Wellness spa, the first on the West Coast from the France-based beauty brand. In addition, guests can access a cabana-lined pool and fitness center.
Gatherings can be held at the Jacaranda Ballroom, a 6,100-square-foot hall with an additional 3,000-square-foot foyer.
Guests staying on-property will be assisted by one of the brand’s signature Regent Experience Managers — a designated point of contact from pre-arrival to departure who can curate “all aspects of a guest’s stay based on individual preferences and requests,” according to IHG.
“Half a century ago, Regent Hotels & Resorts pioneered modern luxury hospitality by introducing amenities that are hospitality hallmarks today,” said Tom Rowntree, IHG’s vice president of global luxury and lifestyle brands, in a statement. “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.”
Regent Santa Monica Beach took over the space formerly occupied by the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel after a $4 million renovation, according to the Santa Monica Mirror.
The property is part of IHG’s strategic luxury and lifestyle push in the Americas region, which has also seen the company expand its Six Senses and Kimpton brands in the U.S.
IHG acquired the Regent brand in 2018. Other Regent properties are in Hong Kong, France, China, Vietnam, Germany, Montenegro and Taiwan, and the brand will open properties in Saudi Arabia and Japan in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
