The Hotel Hershey is gorgeous. It feels like stepping back to a slower time. With it’s rich history, it has remained timeless and this Hotel Hershey review of our family overnight getaway will have you planning your Hershey vacation.
Staying at the Hotel Hershey has been on my family bucket list ever since I first visited the grounds during a media visit in the spring. It was absolutely stunning. I couldn’t wait to bring back the family for a stay.
From the minute you arrive in the lobby of the Hotel Hershey you are surrounded by classic charm. The stained glass ceiling in the main lobby welcomes you along with the staff at the hotel. As you check in and are given your first piece of chocolate, you know this will be a special stay.
A Brief History of The Hotel Hershey
The Hotel Hershey opened in the early 1930’s through a vision of Milton Hershey. With 170 rooms, Spanish themed patio, a garden, and grand fountains, the Hotel Hershey has remained a must visit when visiting Hershey, PA. It is like stepping back in time to a different era of American history.
Not only has it been beautifully restored, it has won numerous awards year after year for being an incredible hotel. We enjoyed an overnight and loved every minute of our stay. It was the perfect getaway for some quality family time at an amazing place.
Hotel Hershey Review: Family Overnight at the Hersheypark Hotel
Our overnight started with picking the kids up from school around lunch time and making the 4.5 hour drive from our home in Rochester to Hershey, PA. We have made the drive so many times but this time we stopped to stretch our legs at the Pennsylvania border welcome station.
After a quick stretch and bathroom break we enjoyed the views from the welcome center and then were on our way. We have done many road trips and have visited many welcome centers but Pennsylvania has some of the best.
We arrived at the Hotel Hershey around 4:00pm and were checked in to our Premium King room. At check in you receive a Hershey chocolate bar for each of your guests! We had the choice of Milk chocolate or Special Dark. It was a delicious way to start our night.
Hotel Hershey Room
I was a bit nervous to see the room and if it would fit our family. As the kids are getting older it is becoming more difficult to fit in a standard room. The Premium King room at the Hershey hotel has one king bed and a pull-out sofa. Typically I like to shy away from pull-out sofa’s but for one night we decided to give it a try.
We should have known that the pull-out sofa would be a cut above the rest. My husband and son slept in it and gave it a thumbs up. It was very comfortable and we would definitely book this room for our family.
After we settled in for a bit it was time to head over to the Hersheypark in the Dark event at Hersheypark. The Hotel Hershey offers complimentary shuttle service to and from Hersheypark and Hershey Chocolate World. We decided to drive but it is a great option.
Hersheypark in the Dark is an annual Halloween event and it is a fun way to trick-or-treat through the park with the kids. We have visited a few times and always enjoy it.
After the event we made our way back to the hotel Hershey and crashed for the night. We planned on exploring the resort in the morning and enjoying breakfast at the Circular.
Hotel Hershey Dining: The Circular at Hotel Hershey
The Circular is a restaurant located at the Hotel Hershey and it offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options as well as a brunch. I was so excited to take the family to the breakfast buffet. I had visited earlier in the year and I couldn’t stop raving about it.
The Circular is located inside the Hotel Hershey in the Spanish courtyard. The area is so pretty with it’s tiles mosaics and fountain. We added our name to the wait list and explored the area taking it all in. After a short wait we were seated and ready to eat.
The breakfast buffet has something for everyone. There is an omelet station, traditional scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. There is a fruit bar and a pastry area. They even have cereal for your kids.
Even though the Circular is a very nice restaurant, it is also family friendly making it perfect for families who want a nice meal that is welcoming to them. The breakfast was my favorite!
After breakfast we headed to explore the grounds a bit. It was unseasonably warm for October and we went outside to explore the gardens, playground, and check out the rest of the resort.
As I walked the gardens with my coffee and the kids ran around the garden I seriously wanted to live there! It is so peaceful and perfect for some family time away from it all. We walked around for about an hour and stopped to play ping-pong along the way.
The Hershey resort really makes things accessible and fun for families. From the welcoming staff to all the comforts of the hotel it was a great place to stay for an overnight stay.
7 Reasons to Stay at the Hotel Hershey with Kids
- Character meet and greets in the lobby.
- Dining at the Circular
- Shuttle to Hersheypark
- Space to Play like the Gardens and the Playground.
- Complimentary tickets to the Hershey Story Museum and The Hershey Gardens.
- Chocolate Treat at Check-In
- Indoor and Outdoor Pool
- Outdoor games.
I want to mention a few things we didn’t get to do but are offered at the hotel. The Cocoa Kid’s Club is open seasonally in the summer and is a drop-off Kid’s club for children 5+. There are full day, half-day, and night time options that have different fees.
Hotel Hershey has outdoor activities like Segway tours, Falconry, golf, and hiking tours. Learn more here.
There is also an indoor and outdoor pool. The outdoor pool was closed for the season and we didn’t have time to make it to the indoor pool. Both looked great for families and I wish we had more time.
Our stay was amazing and I would highly recommend it to families looking for some quality family time. I hope our Hotel Hershey review helped you plan your Hershey vacation.
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