Is there a 4 or 5 star hotel near the water in Seal Beach, or do you need to stay in Huntington or Newport Beaches to get a nicer hotel. We would like to be near the ocean if at all possible.

No upscale hotels in Seal Beach and they like it that way. It is a very laid back community. Your closest choices are the Hilton, Hyatt and Shorebreak in Huntington Beach or you can go north to Long Beach, where there are several high end hotels near the ocean (but not a good beach swimming beach due to the breakwater).
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