After staying at the Seneca Hotel I have determined that the seemingly inconsistent reviews on this site are accurate. It appears to me that the traveler's perception of this hotel entirely depends upon whether they receive a "recently renovated" room versus an "un-renovated" room.
Despite requesting a "renovated room" my wife and I as well as another couple stayed in a room that has been "renovated a couple of years ago" according the front desk. The room as it turned out must have been renovated a decade ago due to the fact that it had many flaws including: an ill-fitting front door (which like one of the pictures uploaded on this site had a gap at the top), plaster missing on the walls, a very musty smell, beds that must have been filled with cinder blocks, bed sheets that must have been filled with dust mites or some other infectious substance that made my wife's eye infected and a bathroom a bit larger than that found on an airliner.
On the positive side, the location of the hotel is outstanding, in that, it is in the shadow of the Hancock Building, across the street from Water Tower Place and a block away from the Museum of Contemporary Art. Also positive: the room was a suite with a full kitchen and dining area which was roomy for the four of us; the room had two walk-in closets which was more than enough space for four people's luggage; once I reminded housekeeping that we had four guests in our room they made sure that we had additional towels in our bathroom; the valet service (while very expensive at $48 per night) always had the vehicle sitting out front in a very timely manner; and the Wi-Fi was free and worked beautifully the entire time.
Some tips: make sure that you request (or insist on) a "recently renovated" room, check out the rooftop deck on the 18th floor and go to Ditka's restaurant which is two blocks west on Chestnut St.
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