Ayesha Curry, Aaron Paul, and Bryan Cranston Celebrate Opening Night at Regent Santa Monica Beach

The Regent Santa Monica Beach made its debut with an elegant, imaginative party last night. The new hotel is an entirely different creature than the one that once occupied this prime real estate, though the historic Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Ocean still serve as its daily theater.

In a commitment to spaciousness, the new owners have reduced the room count from 350 to 167, with each chamber now a minimum of 720 square feet—a rarity in space-starved Santa Monica. The property has a Mediterranean influence, most notably in the use of grand arches that frame each space. “There’s a sense of grandeur when you walk through an arch,” says Chantell Walsh of Strategic Hotels and Resorts, who spearheaded the design direction. Her vision was clear: “We didn’t want to just do another oceanfront hotel that was blue. It needed to be something unique and bespoke.” The result is a space that feels like stepping onto a yacht in the Mediterranean, where clean lines meet plush comfort.

At the restaurant Orla, James Beard Award–winning chef Michael Mina presides over a kitchen that promises to become a destination in its own right. During the opening celebration, which was cohosted by Vanity Fair, guests enjoyed perfectly executed lobster rolls, caviar, and a hamachi bar. On the pool deck, William Close and the Earth Harp collective created an immersive experience for guests as they dined on fresh crab, rack of lamb, and roasted fall vegetables. Later in the evening, dancers performed on the lawn overlooking the ocean. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul met Chef Mina as they roamed the party.

The return of Regent Hotels to American soil after a three-decade hiatus (their last US property being the iconic Regent Beverly Wilshire of Pretty Woman fame) is a significant moment. “People want that connection with California, they want that connection with Los Angeles, but we want that connection with the coast,” says Tom Rowntree, vice president of luxury and lifestyle brands at IHG. “We know that there’s this opportunity for luxury consumers to have that connection with this real California, and we’re bringing this new type of luxury here to Santa Monica with the opening of this hotel.”

The property also offers the Guerlain Wellness Spa, a sanctuary of tranquility, and Sweet July, a lifestyle café by Ayesha Curry that focuses on selling products from businesses owned by women of color in this luxe setting. In his opening remarks, Andre Zotoff, CEO of Strategic Hotels and Resorts described Ayesha as “one of the most kind, considerate people you will find in your life.”

The Regent Santa Monica Beach is committed to personalized service through their Regent Experience Manager program. As general manager Younes Atallah explains, “Once a guest makes a reservation, their booking is taken over by a Regent Experience Manager, and they basically own it from that point until the guest gets home.” This level of attention extends from airport transfers to curating a perfect beachside picnic.

As opening night drew to a close, guests lingered in the Instagram-worthy spaces that dot the property, the thoughtful gift of custom Regent slippers in hand and the edge of the Pacific bringing them peace.