12 Coastal Hotels With Stunning Shore Views

By Kristine Hansen

A hotel's best amenity might be what you see out the window. From the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, and from Maine on down to Mexico, some properties are lucky enough to be able to capitalize on their shoreline real estate.

Whether you're on a windswept beach cove in the Pacific Northwest or on a lit-up stretch on the Jersey Shore, each region's waterfront scene differs from the next. Either way, a jaw-dropping view of the shore from your hotel is a definite perk.

Photo Caption: Upper Pacific Suite Deck at Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur. Courtesy Kodiak Greenwood/Post Ranch Inn

What: Pacific Sands Beach Resort

Where: Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

The Details: Tofino's high season is January through May when guests hole up in the hotel and watch heavy storms right outside their window. Rooms and suites contain many windows that frame Cox Bay; some feature fireplaces and hot tubs to keep you warm and cozy. Some rooms also come with a fully-equipped kitchen for brewing steaming cups of tea.


More Info: www.pacificssands.com

Photo Caption: The Luxury Villa Master Bedroom at Pacific Sands Beach Resort, Vancouver Island. Courtesy Pacific Sands Beach Resort

What: La Zebra

Where: Tulum, Mexico

The Details: Two hours south of busy Cancun is Tulum, a laid-back beach town with no high-rise buildings. Here, you'll find tiny hotels like La Zebra, where guest have a choice of just 15 rooms, suites, or cabanas. The upper terrace of the Luxury Beachfront Shack is a sweet spot for pouring a glass of wine and watching the sunset. Take a dip in the outdoor soaking tub on the terrace as waves roar below.

More Info: www.lazebratulum.com

Photo Caption: A cabana on the beach at La Zebra. Courtesy Tanya Dueri/La Zebra Tulum

What: Post Ranch Inn

Where: Big Sur, California

The Details: Jack Kerouac found inspiration along the coastline in Big Sur, just south of Monterey — and half a century later, so do many others. Just 39 rooms and two private houses at exclusive Post Ranch Inn accommodate guests. Ocean views are found in Ocean House, Coast House, Cliff House, and Pacific Suites. Cliff House's angular deck (which features a stainless-steel hot tub) appears suspended above rocky cliffs and its glass-walled bedroom takes full advantage of the Pacific Ocean view.

More Info: tel. 831/667-2200; www.postranchinn.com

Photo Caption: Inside an Upper Pacific Suite at Post Ranch Inn. Courtesy Kodiak Greenwood/Post Ranch Inn

What: Inn by the Sea

Where: Cape Elizabeth, Maine

The Details: The Atlantic Ocean is directly in front of Inn by the Sea, about five miles south of Portland on Crescent Beach. The inn's 57 rooms, suites and cottages are fresh off a renovation, which included adding local artwork and maple-wood furnishings. Most cottages (and many of the rooms) look out to the ocean; the two-story loft cottages and deluxe beach cottages offer the best views.

More Info: tel. 207/799-3134; www.innbythesea.com

Photo Caption: An ocean-view suite at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, just outside Portland. Courtesy Inn by the Sea

What: Turtle Bay Resort

Where: Kahuku, Oahu, Hawaii

The Details: Indulge in one of the 443 beach cottages at the one real full-service hotel on Oahu's North Shore. Forty-two beach cottages with 15-foot ceilings and marble tubs offer a splendid view of Turtle Bay. Spend your days at the beach, the pools, playing tennis, surfing, or simply dining and shopping. The concierges are local and inspire guests to experience Oahu with an adventurous spirit. 

More Info: www.turtlebayresort.com

What: WaterColor Inn & Resort

Where: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

The Details: At this David Rockwell-designed hotel, spacious waterfront rooms on the fourth floor provide the best view of the Gulf of Mexico's shoreline, especially from your Adirondack chair on your private balcony.

More Info: www.watercolorresort.com

Photo Caption: Looking out over the pool at WaterColor Inn & Resort, about 40 minutes from Destin, Florida. Courtesy WaterColor Inn & Resort

What: Bodega Bay Lodge

Where: Bodega Bay, California

The Details: About an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll find this lodge just off Highway 1 on a section of Doran Park Beach, which is often cold and windy but offers spectacular views. Huge boulders (so large you could climb them) peek out from the water and dot the sand. Each of the 84 rooms at this hillside lodge provides a view of the Sonoma County coastline. Spring for one of the Ocean Club Suites; each has panoramic ocean views and a private terrace.

More Info: www.bodegabaylodge.com

Photo Caption: The view from Duck Club Restaurant at the Bodega Bay Lodge. Photo: Courtesy Bodega Bay Lodge

What: The Chelsea

Where: Atlantic City, New Jersey

The Details: For the best view of the Jersey Shore, stay at this 20-story boutique hotel that debuted in 2008 as Atlantic City's only luxury non-gaming hotel since the early 1960s. For a peek at the shore from your bed, ask for a room in the Chelsea Luxe tower. Rooms in the Annex, which is only a few stories tall, don't have water views -- but you can always visit the 15,000-square-foot rooftop pool area.

More Info: www.thechelsea-ac.com

Photo Caption: The Chelsea, Atlantic City. Photo © 2011 Don Pearse Photographers, Inc.

What: Ocean House

Where: Watch Hill, Rhode Island

The Details: Built on an oceanfront bluff, Ocean House -- which not so long ago received a $141 million rebuild and restoration -- has a wrap-around porch stocked with wicker sofas and white rocking chairs. Each of the 49 rooms and suites has a partial view of the shoreline, which includes a private beach with dune grasses along the Atlantic Ocean. On clear days, you can even see Rhode Island's Block Island and New York's Montauk. Some rooms feature a private terrace.

More Info: www.oceanhouseri.com

Photo Caption: The Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Courtesy Warren Jagger/Ocean House

What: Atlantica Oak Island Resort and Conference Center

Where: Western Shore, Nova Scotia

The Details: You can see Mahone Bay and Oak Island from one of the hotel's 13 two-bedroom oceanfront chalets, about 45 minutes from Halifax. In addition to soaking in views of the Bluenose Coast of Nova Scotia's South Shore, you can grill your own dinner (thanks to a barbecue pit) or relax in front of a stone fireplace on a private deck. Some of the 105 rooms at this hotel have oceanfront views and balconies.

More Info: www.atlanticaoakisland.com

Photo Caption: An aerial image of Atlantica Hotel & Marina Oak Island in Western Shore, Nova Scotia. Courtesy Atlantica Hotel & Marina Oak Island

What: Surftides

Where: Lincoln City, Oregon

The Details: This four-story hotel, just steps from the Pacific Ocean, was renovated by the same owners as the Farmer's Daughter Hotel in Hollywood, California. The hotel now has a fresh, clean look with white walls, light woods, and striped furnishings. Many of the 141 rooms have fireplaces and Jacuzzis. A view of Oregon's moody coastline -- seen from almost every room -- reveals fir-covered sea cliffs, coastal fog, and artful piles of seaweed and driftwood.

More Info: www.surftideslincolncity.com

Photo Caption: View along the beach from Surftides Lincoln City. Courtesy Ryan Phillips/Surftides

What: Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach

Where: Sarasota, Florida

The Details: Look out at the Gulf of Mexico from your room at this three-story vintage hotel, on a quiet stretch of Lido Beach (a locals' favorite for casual strolls). Just before dusk, music from the tiki bar next door drifts onto your private patio as you view white-sand beaches, aquamarine waters, and the sunset.

More Info: http://www.sandcastlelidobeach.com/

Photo Caption: Aerial view of Sandcastle Resort. Courtesy The Sandcastle Resort.