( 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 do n'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 . Travel + Leisure : America 's best little beach towns . 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 . Travel + Leisure : World 's most amazing restaurants with a view . 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 . Travel + Leisure : 25 things you did n't know about Disney parks . 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 ; dunesonthewaterfront.com . See all of the U.S. beachfront hotels under $ 200 . Planning a getaway ? Do n't miss Travel + Leisure 's guide to the World 's Best Hotels . Copyright 2012 American Express Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved .
It offers a crop of beachfront hotels under $ 500 . Pismo Beach 's first oceanfront hotel has a retro - mod interior . Affordable rooms can even be found in South Beach in tourist season .