Best beachfront hotels for under $200

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 baker’s dozen of hotel gems scattered along both coasts that met two criteria: value and thoughtful charm. | By Katrina Brown Hunt