(CNN) -- When Cristina Behrens travels to Santa Barbara, CA, to see clients, she likes to stay somewhere that's convenient for meetings and—almost more important—convenient to a morning jog on the beach.
After trying just about
every top-notch hotel in the city, the L.A.-based investment manager was
surprised that her favorite—the Hotel Oceana—cost as little as $139 a
night. "My assistant booked me there for the first time about five years
ago," Behrens says. "I have not stayed anywhere else since."
In most beach
destinations, hotel rates rise exponentially the closer you get to the
shore. But it's a mistake to assume that any place on the water will
carry four-star prices -- or high-end accommodations. With that in mind,
we collected a group of hotel gems scattered along both coasts that met
two criteria: value and thoughtful charm.
Read on for a list of seaside hotels across the U.S. under $200.
SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel, Pismo Beach, CA
When the SeaCrest Motel
first opened in the early 1960s, it was the only beachfront hotel in
this dune-buggy-loving town. After various additions and ownership
changes over the years, the 158-room SeaCrest reemerged in 2007 with a
bright, retro-mod décor as well as a free breakfast, pool, fire pits,
patio couches, and a staircase down to a quiet stretch of sand. Located
on the Pacific 101, it also makes an easy launching pad for exploring
the wine country or visiting Hearst Castle, 50 miles away. Even in the
high-season summer, rates start as low as $219. Doubles from $119; seacrestpismo.com.
Hotel Oceana, Santa Barbara, CA
You don't really find
hotels right on the sand in Santa Barbara, but this
bougainvillea-covered boutique property is about as close as it gets:
the beach is right across the street. Spread over six small buildings,
the Spanish-style hotel has a shabby-chic vibe with rooms decorated in
garden-like pinks, oranges, and greens and easy-open windows that let in
the steady breeze. There are also lush courtyards, two outdoor pools,
and complimentary beach-cruiser bicycles, and it's an easy walk or ride
to the heart of downtown and the train station. Even though the lobby
has a free breakfast, dinner fans may be tempted by the original (and
last remaining) Sambo's—an old coffee-shop chain from the 1960s—right
next door. Season does matter here: at the height of summer, rates start
at $289. Doubles from $139; hoteloceanasantabarbara.com.
La Casa del Camino, Laguna Beach, CA
In a neighborhood with
resorts that have starting rates of $600-plus a night, this little hotel
is unique in more ways than one. The 36-room, Mediterranean-style
property opened in 1929 as a Hollywood star magnet and today has
sumptuous, Spanish-style rooms as well as a collection of 10
eye-popping, surf-inspired suites, such as the Billabong and the Roxy.
Low-season rates for the Surf Suites inch a little over $200, and you
can still get standard rooms at right around $200 even during peak
summer months. Doubles from $139. lacasadelcamino.com.
The Palms Hotel & Spa, Miami Beach, FL
Low season in South
Beach means easier access to this sleek, 251-room hotel with a
sand-and-surf-inspired décor: a dark brown, cream, and orange palette,
along with mosaic tiles and, in the bathrooms, rain-shower heads. The
chic ambience extends to the cabanas by the pool and beach service that
includes lounge chairs, umbrellas, towels, and fabulous cocktails (from
raspberry mojitos to the popular Pain Killer, a mix of rum, pineapple
juice, OJ, cream of coconut, and nutmeg). During peak season, starting
rates run as low as $198. Doubles from $153. thepalmshotel.com.
Azul del Mar, Key Largo, FL
This six-suite, Art Deco
villa exudes enough timeless elegance for Bogie-and-Bacall types, but
it also has an earthy splendor. Lawns are covered with key lime bushes
and frangipani, rooms come with their own granite-counter-topped
kitchenettes, and you're just a few steps from the John Pennekamp Coral
Reef State Park. Look to the innkeepers to hook you up with scuba,
fishing, and kayaking trips; if you happen to catch a nice mahimahi,
they'll let you cook it up on the house grill. During high season, rates
still start at a reasonable $229. Doubles from $139. azulkeylargo.com.
B Ocean, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Ocean views are par for
the course at this spare but pretty 240-room hotel—proving that hotels
with hip one-letter names need not cost multiple dollar signs. Rooms
have crisp, white-on-white furnishings with aqua-hued accents, and the
hotel has an on-site gym, sushi bar, and free Wi-Fi. It also offers a
fun twist on wine tasting: the B'stro on the Beach has an Enomatic wine
machine, where a prepaid card (typically ranging from $5 to $20)
entitles you to up to three self-serve pours, ranging from tastes to
full glasses. Snowbirds, beware of seasonal sticker shock: winter-spring
rates start at $299 a night. Doubles from $149; bhotelsandresorts.com.
Postcard Inn, St. Pete Beach, FL
This motel from the
1950s sits on a six-mile island off the Gulf Coast about a half hour
southwest of Tampa International Airport. When the 196-room property was
renovated into a boutique hotel in 2009, it took on a distinct hipster
sensibility: rooms are decorated with vintage longboards, locally
snapped surf photos, and groovy lamps. You can book packages that
include kite-flying or stand-up paddleboarding; the hotel also has a
pool, shuffleboard, and the PCI Bar and Grill, a gourmet comfort-food
restaurant. Order the signature Sticky Ribs or the bacon flavor of the
day, such as garlic herb or cherry whiskey. In spring, rates start at
$229. Doubles from $129. postcardinn.com.
The Georgianne Inn, Tybee Island, GA
This barrier island, a
half hour from Savannah, has plenty of old-school activities, from
bicycling along the sand dunes or the causeway, with osprey or herons
overhead, to watching for dolphins from a sailboat or kayak. The
charming seven-room inn dates back to 1910 as a home—a father built the
beach house for his daughter—and started life as an inn in 1921. It's
just three houses away from the beach, and stays include beach chairs,
boogie boards, and bikes for guests' use. Five of the rooms are actually
suites with full kitchens—perfect for extended-stay folks who like
B&B charm but want breakfast-table autonomy. Even in the high
season, rates start at a reasonable $125 a night. Doubles from $75; georgianneinn.com.
The Ocean Lodge, Cannon Beach, OR
Even though this hotel
on Oregon's rocky northern coast was built in 2002, its 1940s style—a
stone-and-timber exterior and big verandas—evokes an old-school resort
feeling. Its beach location is within steps of a 235-foot basalt
monolith, Haystack Rock, and it's an easy walk into town. Rooms have
fireplaces, balconies, and two distinctive bits of Portlandia-esque
charm: you can bring your dog (designated pet rooms have direct beach
access), and rooms are stocked with locally roasted Sleepy Monk coffee.
Summer rates start at $249. Doubles from $199. theoceanlodge.com.
Dunes on the Waterfront, Ogunquit, ME
Thanks to a slew of
homey white cottages, wide green lawns, and huge blue-sky views, this
low-key escape has loads of repeat guests. Located in southern Maine on
the Ogunquit River, the 12-acre Dunes has 17 rooms, each with a pair of
Adirondack chairs, as well as 19 cottages that up the ante with their
own screened-in porches. The beach is just across the river, which,
depending on the tide, is either a short walk or rowboat ride away. The
inn also has direct access to trails, fishing from the docks, and a
trolley that will take you into town. Doubles from $175
No comments:
Post a Comment