My family of three stayed at the Seneca Oct 16 - 18 and we were very pleased that it lives up to its great reputation. It is a beautiful old hotel, nicely updated and in a fabulous location. We had a King Suite that was clean, huge and well appointed. There was even a dishwasher! I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone. It is perfect for business or leisure travelers.

We booked 4 rooms at the Seneca to relax for a couple of days after a family wedding. The service from the moment we arrived was fantastic and 3 of us were incredibly lucky to be upgraded. The 4th room did have a problem after the first night, in which the heating didn't work! (it was colder than normal for chicago) We complained at reception and by 3pm that afternoon we had a new upgraded room. Everyone in the hotel couldn't do enough to help us and everyone in chicago is the same. The hotel in close to Macy's, John handcock tower and one block away from Michigan Ave (Golden Mile) We would recommend a 3 or 7 day pass on the CTA (buses, subway and elevated lines) The visitor information centre can be found the otherside of the water tower and you can pick up all the info you need and buy the passes. All 7 of us enjoyed our time at the hotel and Chicago and would go back again.

My initial impressons of the hotel weren't that great. When I pulled up in the cab, no bellmen came to help me with my bags, or even to open the door for me. Once at the front desk I was met by a disinterested and dour-faced front desk attendant. Luckily the hotel turned out to be better than those encounters would have led me to believe.
It's right near the Magnificent Mile so it's in a great location for shopping and doing tourist stuff. The room itself was clean, but the furniture was older and a bit mismatched (which was fine with me). The point I'm trying to make is that while it's not slick and modern, it is perfectly comfortable. One guidebook I read described it as feeling like staying with your grandma (in a good way), and that's pretty spot-on. The one thing that I really didn't like is that there was no chain lock or deadbolt on the door. This made me feel less than secure.
The thing that really bowled me over was the price - I couldn't believe what a bargain it was! I paid just over $100 with tax (booked through expedia) and this even included a decent breakfast at the downstairs restaurant. For the location and price, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal.

I stayed here with 7 college friends - 3 in a suite, and 2 each in 2 double rooms. It was perfect! The doubles were comfortable, with kitchenettes, and the suite was spacious and well-appointed with a small but complete kitchen, dining table, desk, comfortable chairs and plenty of room to relax. Location was just off Michigan Ave. by Hancock Tower and Water Tower Place. Breakfast in the cafe downstairs was included. Couldn't have asked for a better place. Not luxe, but lovely.