I used to service the cardio imaging system at Venice Hospital back in my field days, and I always loved having to work there in summer, because they have decent hotels right on the beach reasonably priced with (usually) plenty of availability.
In the winter everything is completely different there, snowbird city and all the availability goes down and the prices go up.
I think I usually stayed at the Best Western Sandbar Beach Resort for that price range. I did stay at the Hampton a few times as well, it's right on the bay.
