Visiting Pennsylvania's Hotel Hershey

Feb 01, 2015

Candy fiends and thrill seekers love Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark, but The Hotel Hershey, an on-site resort that dates back to the Great Depression, is as eye-catching and sweet as the theme park. It’s also a AAA Four-Diamond Hotel and a member of Historic Hotels of America.

Driving up to the property’s main building enhances all the senses. The air smells delicious, thanks to many different kinds of on-site chocolate-making, and birds chirp as they fly from one beautifully landscaped garden to another. The hotel calls to mind an elegant mansion not unlike Downton Abbey, though The Hotel Hershey just might be prettier.

Guestrooms, suites and cottages offer luxurious stays, with Egyptian-cotton linens, fluffy bathrobes and fine finishes. There’s also a full-service spa with a full list of chocolate treatments, plus three gourmet restaurants. The family amenities are numerous, too. All rooms are outfitted with refrigerators — perfect for snacks, juice and more — and other on-site perks include two pools, a splash pad, a kids’ club and a falconry experience.

And of course, there are the rides and strolling chocolate characters at Hersheypark (hotel guests enjoy early park admission and complimentary shuttle service), plus the adjacent Chocolate World, where families can make their own candy bars. Given such a delicious environment, it’s best to arrive hungry.