The Hotel Hershey Review: The Elegant Historic Hotel Near Hersheypark

Hotel Hershey Review: Learn everything about The Hotel Hershey, an elegant and historical hotel in Hershey PA near Hersheypark that has so much to offer!

Hotel in Hershey, PA

Ever wonder where to stay when visiting Hershey, PA or Hersheypark? While there are plenty of places to stay in Hershey, they just can’t compare to the Official Resorts of Hersheypark, including The Hotel Hershey, the Hershey Lodge, and the Hersheypark Camping Resort.

This summer we stayed at The Hotel Hershey for a night to experience everything it has to offer.

My family was given a complimentary stay at The Hotel Hershey through the Sweetest Families Blogger Program. All opinions are mine.

About The Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA

The Hotel Hershey is one of the Official Resorts of Hersheypark, along with the Hershey Lodge and the Hersheypark Camping Resort.

The history behind this hotel is one of my favorite stories to tell about Milton Hershey, besides the history of the Milton Hershey School. During the Great Depression, Mr. Hershey had to do one of two things: conserve his resources and provide welfare for the people in the town, or create jobs so that they could earn money for their families to keep them healthy and safe.

He chose to help the people and at the same time fulfill a dream that he and his late wife had to build a Mediterranean-inspired hotel like the ones they had seen in their travels. Building supplies were very affordable, so he decided to build The Hotel Hershey, along with a junior-senior high school and a community building on Pat’s Hill, which overlooked the Hershey factory and now overlooks Hersheypark.

The Hotel Hershey opened in 1933. It started with 170 rooms but had expanded through the years to have more rooms, ballrooms, restaurants, an indoor and outdoor pool, a golf course, and so much more.

Fun Fact: The lobby that you enter the hotel through now used to be the parking garage! It’s why there are more support posts than usual in that space. The photo below is looking away from the front desk.

The Hotel Hershey is a recipient of the Forbes Four-Star Award and the AAA Four-Diamond Award.

Hotel Hershey Rooms and Suites

How many rooms does The Hotel Hershey have? The Hotel Hershey has 276 guest rooms, some of which are more luxurious or larger suites for larger groups.

Our suite had 2 double beds in a room and a pull out couch in another.

TIP: To keep the historic charm, many of the rooms have not been remodeled and are a little small compared to contemporary hotels built today. If you require more space, I suggest looking into one of the suites for your family.

There are also 48 cottages that can be rented that include all of The Hotel Hershey’s amenities. The cottages are a bit more modern than the hotel but still offer the charm and grace of the original hotel.

We did not see a cabin on this visit but I have toured one on a previous visit. They’re really nice inside! Just like the rooms, these come in a variety of arrangements.

Hotel Hershey Amenities

The rooms still have so much of their charm and elegance from the 1930s, yet have modern amenities. Every room has:

In-room WIFI
Smart TV (with movies via On Demand)
Refrigerator
Coffee brewer
Hypoallergenic alternative down comforters and pillows
A safe for valuables
Bathrobes
Toiletries via The Spa at The Hotel Hershey

Our suite had 2 TVs, one in each room. There were movies available On Demand and there were local channels.

We didn’t have a housekeeping visit during our stay, mostly because of Covid procedures, but if we needed anything like more towels or trash removal, we could just call and they’d help us out.

This was the view from our room. We were able to see the gardens, fountains, the Harvest restaurant, and the outdoor pool complex in the distance.

What Can You Do at The Hotel Hershey?

There’s a lot to see and do right at The Hotel Hershey!

Some of the recreational activities at The Hotel Hershey include:

Swimming in the indoor and outdoor pools
Making s’mores over an open fire
Playing a variety of sports at the sports complex
Relaxing at The Spa at The Hotel Hershey
Shopping at one of the 6 stores
Getting some exercise in the fitness center
Playing a round of golf
Experiencing glow mini-golf at night
Hiking along trails
Playing chocolate bingo
Going on a Segway tour
Playing disc golf
Enjoying seasonal activities like Christmas cookie decorating
And much more!

Some of the stores right inside the hotel include: The Jeweler, Signatures- All Things Hershey, Chic Boutique, and Shine- A Lilly Pulitzer Store.

We spent time in the outdoor pool complex in the evening. We had to check in with the staff by the entrance (to make sure we were hotel guests), and then we were shown where we could sit.

TIP: Heading to the pools? No need to bring towels! Towels are provided to guests.

As soon as you enter, you can see the big family pool in front of you, with zero-grade entry, kiddie splash zones, and water slides. The family pool is 4′ deep at the deepest.

Note: We visited the outdoor pool in the late afternoon, but I didn’t take photos until the evening when most of the other guests had left out of respect for their privacy. The pool closes at 9pm in the summer.

Behind the family pool to the left is the adult-only pool and whirlpool. It has chairs around it as well so that adults without kiddos in tow can enjoy themselves.

As you can see in the photo above and below, there are cabanas available around the pool complex to rent.

In the pool complex building, you can get fresh towels, snacks, and drinks. Changing rooms and restrooms are also inside.

My kids had a blast in the pool, mostly on the slides. We stayed right until closing!

After the pool, we were able to fit in a round of Glow Mini-Golf and S’mores by the fire right outside of Harvest. It was a nice, relaxing way to end the night.

Photos at The Hotel Hershey

Another activity that I didn’t mention above is taking lots and lots of photos! There are so many beautiful spaces and backgrounds to take photos at The Hotel Hershey, especially in the Fountain Lobby, located near The Circular restaurant.

The Fountain Lobby was the original entrance of the hotel and features elements inspired by Milton Hershey’s trips to Cuba, where he fell in love with the Spanish style there. It was designed to look like an outdoor patio where guests could relax and have a nice time.

There are many beautiful sights to see outdoors as well. I took many photos but these are a few of my favorites.

Hotel Hershey Restaurants

Hungry? There are six locations where you can enjoy food and beverages right at The Hotel Hershey, including:

Trevi 5
The Circular
Harvest
The Iberian Lounge
Chef’s Market
and Poolside, at the outdoor pool complex.

Each place has its own theme. For example, Trevi 5 features authentic Italian meals while Harvest serves American cuisine made with local and regional ingredients.

We ate at the breakfast buffet in The Circular. The Circular was designed by Milton Hershey with the intent that no one should be seated alone in a corner. There are great big windows that allow you to see beautiful views of the gardens.

As with everything in Hershey, you can find A LOT of sweets, but they also excel in the savory. They have their own dedicated team of chefs who not only create the meals but also seek to create new experiences very often. The ingredients they use are fresh, high quality and often sourced locally.

Want to stay in? You can order Room Service to your room as well. We ordered some snacks and drinks for ourselves and the kids after we did some of the nighttime activities. We were not disappointed! (The Local and Regional Cheese and Fruit Platter was divine, and I definitely recommend the Hershey Kiss Caramel Martini!)

Visiting Hersheypark?

Hersheypark is right across the street from The Hotel Hershey! One of the perks of staying at The Hotel Hershey is that you can get a shuttle from the hotel to the park for free. No need to pay for parking or find a spot on a busy day!

The shuttle has a dedicated drop off and pick up loop, right behind the Guest Services building in Chocolatetown. Shuttles run every 15-20 mins throughout the day and the last time for pick-up at the park is 8:45pm, after the park closes.

Note: Per the CDC’s order, face coverings are required for all shuttle guests ages two and older, regardless of vaccination status. Shuttle drivers have disposable masks on hand if you should need one.

Get a detailed list of all the things you might want to bring to Hersheypark!

Free Resort Benefits at The Hotel Hershey

Along with all of the amazing things I have listed above, there are also free resort benefits at The Hotel Hershey, including:

Free chocolate check-in for the whole family
Free admission to The Hershey Gardens
Free admission to The Hershey’s Story Museum Experience
Free front gate shuttle service to Hersheypark, as mentioned above
1-hour early access to Hersheypark with select packages
Up to 3 extra evening hours with a Preview Plan
and more!

Learn more about the Free Resort Benefits here.

Hotel Hershey Deals

Looking for a deal for The Hotel Hershey? Some of the best deals occur during the off-season when Hersheypark is closed (you can find these deals by following The Hotel Hershey on Facebook!), but right now you can get some sweet packages including:

Kids Stay, Play and Eat Free Package
2-Day Stay and Play Package
3-Night Sweet Stay Package
Hersheypark Package

You can learn more and book your stay here!

Is The Hotel Hershey Worth It?

If the plan is just to check in to The Hotel Hershey, go straight to your room, and to check out in the morning for a brief visit, then it might not be worth it for you to stay there.

If you plan on spending time there enjoying everything The Hotel has to offer, you will find much value in everything The Hotel has to offer: the historical charm, the gorgeous gardens and grounds, the indoor and outdoor pools, the fine dining, the on-site shopping, the various activities night and day for the whole family, the shuttle to and from Hersheypark, and so much more.

Even though we had a relatively brief visit, we still enjoyed everything we possibly could in and out of The Hotel!

Hotel Hershey Reservations

If you are interested in booking a stay at The Hotel Hershey, you can visit them online or call 1-(844)330-1711.

Note: As of July 2021, they are currently experiencing higher than normal wait times to speak with an associate.

Many thanks to The Hershey Entertainment Company for providing these accommodations for my family through the Sweetest Families Blogger Program!