Press Release: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
August 14, 2001
DANA POINT, CA -- The $240 million Tuscan-inspired St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa celebrated its grand
opening in high style on the evening of August 11th with a gala cocktail party that attracted Hollywood celebrities
and more than 1,500 invited guests.
The party, a Jeffrey Best creation, began with sunset cocktails on the coastal resort's Sunset Terrace followed
by a musical performance by tribute band Super Diamond at the Ocean Terrace pool, a sumptuous dinner under the
stars on the Grand Lawn, dessert and coffee at the Pacific Lawn and culminating with a headline performance by
platinum artist Chris Isaak and an exclusive after-party at Aqua, the resort's signature seafood restaurant.
Among the celebrities arriving via HUMMER, the official vehicle for the resort's grand opening, at the hotel's
fountain filled front entrance were: Dylan McDermott and Shiva Rose, Angela Bassett, Sela Ward, Julianna Marguiles,
Kerri Russell, Paul Sorvino, Selma Blair, Carol Alt, Lorenzo Lamas, Teri Polo, Albert Brooks, Elke Sommers, Chi
McBride, Ming Na and David Hasselhoff.
Guests were welcomed with a glass of Tattinger champagne upon arrival and feasted on the likes of caviar, foie
gras, salmon sushi cones, poached Maine lobster, tenderloin of beef, white truffle risotto, spit roasted lamb,
selection of gourmet cheeses, souffles and exquisite desserts prepared by St. Regis chefs. More than 30,000 Black
Magic, Black Beauty and Sahara red roses were imported from France and incorporated in bouquets, arbors and floral
displays throughout the various party venues.
Situated on 172 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa has redefined
the luxury resort experience with its pursuit of service and elegance and a seamless blend of comfort and technology.
The resort offers 400 elegantly appointed and oversized guest rooms, including 74 suites, most with views of the
coastline and Pacific Ocean. All guest rooms feature the latest in technology including data ports, Web TV, wireless
keyboards, high-speed Internet access and a DVD/CD player with access to a library with more than 300 titles.
Chef Michael Mina's acclaimed four-star restaurant, Aqua, highlights the dining venues at the St. Regis Monarch
Beach Resort & Spa. The contemporary seafood restaurant also serves lunch on the terrace and offers an innovative
appetizer menu along with three different types of afternoon tea on a rotating basis in the adjoining Lobby Lounge
and Bar.
Other dining outlets include Chianti -- an all-day bistro featuring California fresh cuisine with organic ingredients
and Italian accents, the Pool Bar & Grill, Club 19 at the golf clubhouse, Monarch Bay Club at the beach and
Crust, a gourmet deli/espresso bar. Guests can enjoy dining indoors or out, with terrace seats providing spectacular
golf course and ocean views. A Wine Cellar and large tasting room are also available for private wine tasting events.
Guests of the St Regis Monarch Beach have full access to the extraordinary spa Gaucin offering 25 luxurious treatment
rooms, lap pool and state-of-the-art fitness facility. Additionally, the hotel offers these incomparable resort
amenities: lagoon family pool, ocean terrace pool, two Jacuzzis, 10 poolside cabanas, tennis courts, an 18-hole
championship oceanfront golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., landscaped walking trails that lead to
a 6.1-acre beach and exclusive access to a private beach club. Other amenities include a beauty salon, specialty
retail shops and a business center.
Highlighted by a Mediterranean ambiance, the resort overflows with charm and character - from its gracious entries
and soaring palm trees to its elegant fountains and flower filled courtyards. Magnificent groves of olive, pine
and cypress trees and a botanical garden accent the stunning vistas from private balconies and ocean terraces.
Interiors feature marble floors and public rooms that are painted in a pastel color palette and are offset by vibrant
contemporary artwork and dramatic, custom designed furniture. Major art pieces include four radiantly colored glassworks
displayed in the lobby rotunda by Dale Chihuly, one of the foremost contemporary glass artists, and a magnificent
reproduction of Maxfield Parrish's ``Garden of Allah'' that was created especially for the Lobby Lounge by painter
Russell Carter. The Parrish-inspired painting was selected to tie in with the St. Regis New York, which features
a mural by Parrish in its King Cole Bar.
The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa is located in the coastal city of Dana Point, which is just minutes
from the artist colony of Laguna Beach and the historic mission town of San Juan Capistrano. Dana Point's resort-style
atmosphere, with its picturesque harbor and variety of recreational pursuits such as sailing, whale watching, shopping
and dining, make the area one of Southern California's most desirable destinations.
The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa is one of nine St. Regis hotels owned or managed by Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide. There are currently St. Regis properties in Aspen, Houston, Washington D.C., Rome and
Beijing, in addition to the flagship St. Regis New York, built by Colonel John Jacob Astor IV in 1904. Each St.
Regis property is ideally situated in key destinations that serve an international clientele, each reflecting the
distinct characteristics of its location. The St. Regis Los Angeles opened in November 2000 in the heart of Century
City while The St. Regis Shanghai recently made its debut July 28, 2001. In 2002, St. Regis properties will open
in San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in
the world with more than 725 properties in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and
resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points and W brands, as well as Starwood
Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership
resorts.
For more information on the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, call (949) 234-3200 or visit its website
at www.stregismonarchbeach.com.
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Contact:
Media:
B W R Public Relations
Kelly Striewski/Amy Rawi, 310/550-7776
kstriewski@bwr-la.com/arawi@bwr-la.com
or
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Katie Meyer, 914/640-8247
Katie.Meyer@starwoodhotels.com