Small and somewhat quirky, this nautically themed hotel dates from 1778, playing host to writer Victor Hugo in 1835 and to American GIs in 1944. Today it consists of a few brick-and-stucco structures linked together, with a window sash treatment typical of the area. It pays tribute to its ship-sailing history in black-and-white vintage photographs that align the narrow neon-colored hallways, and in a large nautically themed breakfast room with huge windows that look onto the port. Although coffee and tea are available all day, the hotel has no bar or restaurant, although there are several places to eat and drink nearby, along with a casino. Once night falls, guests enter the hotel by using a keypad code.

Located a few hundred feet from the harbor at Treport, the Hotel de Calais is surrounded by plenty of bars, fish restaurants, and small shops. Situated between Normandy and Somme Bay, it is a natural jumping off point for area excursions. Private buses as well as small regional trains stop at the train station, which is about an eight-minute walk from the hotel, across the harbor.

Individually decorated and painted in charming, cheery colors that include cassis, sherbet orange, and sunny yellow, the rooms here provide a good standard of comfort and quality for the price. Motel-quality bedspreads and drapes are in brightly colored textiles, and rooms include large wooden armoires and desks, large windows, and framed vintage photographs here and there that recall the hotel's nautical history. All rooms have a flat screen TVs with satellite channels, and free Wi-Fi. The bathrooms have bold, playful tiling, bright-colored fixtures, hairdryers, and basic toiletries, with either shower/tub combos or standalone showers. Rooms that face the street might get noise from the surrounding bars and restaurants.

The breakfast room, with views of the sea, is  particularly lovely in its decoration, with nautical accents and brightly colored drapes. This modest hotel also comes with free Wi-Fi, and has a small basement lounge with a pool table, which can smell slightly musty because of the constant moisture from sea air.