A beachfront oasis along the iconic Santa Monica coast, the Regent Santa Monica is just steps away from the famous Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, luxury boutiques and fine dining. In July 2023, Continental Contractors began the massive undertaking of renovating the former Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel into The Regent Santa Monica, welcoming the flagship brand to the Golden State – and back to the Americas – in opulent style.

This extensive 16-month renovation involved a top-to-bottom overhaul of the hotel guestrooms, suites, and select public areas, all of which required meticulous attention to detail and a vast amount of expertise. And when we say overhaul, we’re talking about a true transformation. A truly formidable and exciting part of the design vision was the strategic reduction of guestrooms from 350 to 167 allowing for the creation of dynamic and spacious suites, each with its own unique, signature style. This is a massive undertaking for any hospitality contractor, and Continental welcomed the challenge! 

 

Photo Credit: Photography by Tanveer Badal / @TANVEERBADAL

“Every new wall had to be on point; every inch mattered. The same was true for the specialty suites where as many as four guestrooms became one large suite,” said Project Field Superintendent Cesar Amaya. “Converting two standard guestrooms into one suite was very close to having to build them from scratch — and in some ways, more difficult, since we had to create an entirely different layout but still tie into existing plumbing and electrical structures.” 

The extensive suite renovation required removal of demising walls to form two-bay suites, and construction of 34 expanded suites, offering up to 3,200 square feet of private luxury, massively elevating the guest experience. In total, ten new luxury suites were crafted, each with the precision and attention to detail needed for building a custom home.

“The creation of specialty suites for this project was an opportunity to showcase Continental’s ability to deliver highly customized, complex construction solutions,” said Continental Project Executive Steve Wilson. “The Santa Monica Suite, for example, was expanded into an atrium corridor to incorporate a new billiards and screening room, while the Atrium Suite was built entirely from scratch, capturing space from the beach-level entry to create a dramatic two-story unit. A feat such as this involves extensive collaboration and communication across multiple fields of expertise.”  

Continental created townhome-style suites at the Regent Santa Monica by capturing and combining space from six upper and six lower guestrooms, transforming them into three unique, two-story townhomes. Each of the ten newly renovated suites feature lavish finishes like 30 distinct types of stone, bespoke furnishings, high-end kitchens, and multiple spa-like guest bathrooms, all contributing to a luxurious and unique guest experience. 

Each of the reimagined guestrooms received complete upgrades, including new metal stud framing, state-of-the-art mechanical and plumbing systems, as well as California Title 24-compliant electrical and lighting installations, which included smart thermostats and occupancy controls.  

The project was completed in September 2024 and opened its doors in true California style with a cocktail attire, red-carpet grand opening event in late October. A true “welcome home” for the Regent brand, which hasn’t had a hotel on American soil in three decades! 

The project was led by Project Executive Steve Wilson, Senior Project Manager Scott DeCurtis, and Assistant Project Management Adam Blanchett. The onsite team was led by Thad Gardner and Cesar Amaya with incredible support from Scott Sinclair, Tony Jessop, and Chuck Lester.

Continental was honored to be chosen for this massive renovation project and Regent’s journey back to the United States. Our west coast team did a fantastic job on this exceptional transformation and the client was thrilled with the result.”
– Renee Bagshaw, COO Continental Contractors

View more photos of the property on ‘Our Work’ page here.