Villa Augeval Hôtel & Spa

The Augeval Hotel is spread across two characterful, historical buildings that look like they could have been pulled from the pages of a fairytale. Both have almond green semi-timbered facades and coned red-tile towers typical of the 19th century. Inside, the lobby has a vaulted ceiling, medieval-style brickwork, and exposed beams that are oddly mismatched with modern furnishings and an abundance of tourism pamphlets. There's a small garden at the rear of the hotel with a tidy lawn, neatly trimmed shrubbery, and plenty of tables and seating. The atmosphere at this boutique hotel is laid back, friendly, and just a little rough around the edges, but with enough charm to appeal to travelers seeking a cheaper alternative to the pricier options on the Deauville seafront.

The hotel is located in a central but quiet residential neighborhood of Deauville, a 10-minute walk from the town's sweeping, sandy beach and seafront promenade. The Deauville-La Touques Racecourse is just a block away behind the hotel, while most of the bars and restaurant can be found in the town center, around 15 minutes away on foot. The Trouville-Deauville train station also takes about 15 minutes on foot or a five-minutes by cab, and the Deauville-Saint-Gatien Airport, which has direct flights to London City Airport, is a 15-minute drive away. Paris takes just over two hours to reach by car.

The hotel has 32 rooms spread over two villas: Villa Augeval and Villa Trait d'Union. Rooms in both buildings are styled with a mix of homey modern decor and antique accents and furnishings. Each room comes with free Wi-Fi, a minibar, and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, and many open to small furnished balconies. Bathrooms are generally well finished -- some in marble with jetted tubs -- and all include wall-mounted hairdryers and Lauren Hutton brand toiletries. Some rooms overlook the stables of the nearby racecourse, and a lack of air-conditioning means windows might need to be kept open in the summer.

A buffet breakfast is served in a medieval-style room with arched brick ceilings and crisscross windowpanes; alternatively, a continental breakfast can be ordered to rooms. Around-the-clock room service is also offered, unusual for this category of hotel. There is a tiny garden with tables, chairs, and a ping-pong table as well as a small heated pool flanked by lounge chairs at the back of the main building. The hotel's small spa has a treatment room, a steam bath, and a sauna, while a games room has darts and a pool table. Wi-Fi and parking are both free of charge.