Regent Santa Monica Beach Nails The Balance Of Food, Design & Service

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Orla by Michael Mina Exterior Image

Tanveer Badal Photography / TANV

Almost a year into its transformation from Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Regent Santa Monica Beach has settled into its role as the hotel that defines the city’s oceanfront hospitality. It’s not only about the design or the location, but about how food, wellness, and service come together in a way that feels both elevated and distinctly Californian. For travelers who care as much about what happens inside the hotel as the view outside, Regent is the place.

The Hotel

The hotel is a stunner. Wimberly Interiors and AvroKO leaned into the coastline without falling into cliché, designing spaces with yacht-style flooring, seashell motifs, and brass accents that shimmer in the light. Standard rooms start at 720 square feet and stretch closer to 900, which means even the entry-level option feels like a suite, with oversized windows and balconies keeping the Pacific front and center.

Drinks and Dinner at Orla

The Mediterranean voyage comes into focus the moment you step into Orla. The dining room rests on yacht-deck flooring, its king plank running like a spine down the center of the space. At the heart of it all is the grand bar, glowing with brass ornamentation and capped with a stepped crown etched in a starburst compass that draws the eye from above.

The drinks set the rhythm of the night. They are layered, bright, and designed to carry you from aperitif to last call. But if you settle into a table, start with the Mediterranean Gintonico. Prepared tableside, the gin is flash-infused with farmers market botanicals using a glass infusion tower that looks more like a science experiment than a cocktail setup. The pour releases a rush of citrus and spice, aromatic enough to turn heads around the room, and it sets the pace for the meal that follows.

The food proves that Orla is the heart of Regent. Michael Mina’s Mediterranean restaurant, rooted in his Greek and Egyptian heritage, is a destination on its own. Start with the tuna falafel, a crisp base topped with raw tuna and cucumber heat that feels both refreshing and sharp. Order the bread service too, with loaves from Céor Bakery and eggplant butter that is smoky and lush enough to make you wonder why all butter doesn’t taste this way.

You may not always think to order pasta at a Mediterranean restaurant, but make sure to do it here. The macaroni béchamel is served as a golden square with a patterned top that gives way to layers of rich, truffled creaminess underneath. It is indulgent and familiar, like mac and cheese taken to another level, but presented with a refinement that makes it one of the most memorable dishes on the menu.

For mains, two dishes stand out. The salt-baked sea bream is cracked open at the table in a puff of steam, tender and fragrant with oregano. The kebab platter is the move if you want to try a little bit of everything, with filet mignon, lamb kofta, chicken dolmas, and halloumi served alongside smoked dips and a tangerine labneh that is tangy, bright, and unlike anything else in Los Angeles. It is the dish that best captures the range of Orla in a single spread.

Poolside and Spa

By day, attention shifts outdoors, where Azure Bar overlooks the sand and gives guests a chance to stretch out under striped umbrellas with cocktails and light dishes. When it’s time to trade sun for stillness, the Guerlain Wellness Spa offers its own escape, spanning 10,000 square feet with French-inspired treatments using orchids and bee products designed exclusively for Regent. Together they round out the rhythm of a stay, balancing laid-back ease with deeper restoration.

The People and the Benchmark

What sets Regent Santa Monica apart most are the people who make the experience feel personal from beginning to end. From the doormen who greet you to the staff who take your bags, from the tableside cocktail service to the valet at departure, every interaction carries the same sense of care. In Santa Monica, where luxury hotels are plentiful, Regent has shifted the conversation away from just the view to everything happening inside. Almost a year into its new chapter, it has become the benchmark for staying on the beach.