Inside: Things we love about the Hershey Lodge and reasons you just might want to add a stay at this Hershey Hotel to your travel plans.
We have had season passes to Hersheypark for a couple of years and have loved all the time we have spent at the Hersheypark and visiting Hershey’s Chocolate World.
Recently we were able to stay at the Hershey Lodge for the first time and we had so much fun.
If you’re planning a trip to Hershey, PA and trying to decide where to stay here are a few reasons you might want to pick Hershey Lodge
Hershey Lodge
Hershey Lodge is a hotel near Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The hotel has 665 guest rooms and deluxe suites.
The Lodge is located close to all the main attractions in Hershey including Hershey’s Chocolate World and Hersheypark.
10 Reasons to Stay at Hershey Lodge
There are a lot of reasons you might be considering staying at Hershey Lodge here are a few of the things we loved about our stay at this Hershey hotel. Plus don’t miss the tips at the end!
Kids Check in
If you arrive at Hershey Lodge when the Kids Check in table is open be sure to let the kids check in.
Kids will get to sign the guest book, participate in a Hershey’s candy guessing game and get a chocolate surprise.
Free Chocolate
Don’t worry even if the kids check in isn’t open when you check in each member of your party will get a free chocolate bar at check in.
Hershey’s Water Works at Hershey Lodge
The biggest highlight of our stay at the Hershey Lodge was definitely the Hershey Lodge pool, officially called Hershey’s Water Works.
Hershey’s Water Works is a 30,000 square foot pool area available only for overnight guests.
The pool area has a zero entry pool, Twizzlers Twists water slides, Reese’s water walk, a sand castle spray zone and more.
Fun Resort Activities for Families
When you check in at the Hershey Lodge make sure you get a copy of the activities page. (We also found it displayed in the lodge lobby.)
This page shares fun family activities available at the resort. Including things like character appearances, chocolate bingo, contests, s’mores and more. Activities vary depending on the season and day of the week.
Free Admission to Hershey Gardens
The Hershey Gardens started out as a garden of roses in 1937 and now has 23 acres to explore.
We enjoyed exploring the beautiful gardens on a day we didn’t spend in the park.
Our favorite areas were the Children’s Garden and the Butterfly Atrium. You can read about our time at the Hershey Gardens here.
Free Admission to The Hershey Story Museum Experience
Your stay at Hershey lodge includes free tickets to the Hershey Story Museum.
The Hershey Story Museum is a great way to learn more about Milton Hershey. With interactive exhibits and a scavenger hunt kids and adults will enjoy time spent at this museum.
We loved seeing all the old advertising and historical items on display throughout the museum. You can read our full review of the museum here.
Free Shuttle to Hersheypark
If you’re staying at Hershey Lodge then chances are you will be visiting Hersheypark. Included with your stay at the Lodge is a free shuttle to the park, helping you avoid finding a parking spot and paying for parking.
Fun Hershey Chocolate Touches in Rooms
At the Hershey Lodge there are four different room types:
- King Guest Room (sleeps 2)
- Parlor (sleeps 2)
- Two Queen Guest Room (Sleeps 4)
- Premium Two Queen Guest Room (Sleeps 6)
When first entering a hotel room it looks very similar to a typical hotel, but each room has fun and subtle Hershey Chocolate touches.
Our favorites were the cocoa infused bath products and kiss in the bar of soap.
Close Location to Attractions
Hershey Lodge is located about 3 miles pr a 7 minute drive from both Hersheypark and Hershey Chocolate World.
The lodge is only 5 minutes from The Hershey Story Museum.
Packages and Offers
Hershey Lodge frequently has packages and offers making a stay at the lodge affordable. Especially during the slower season at Hershey you can find great deals.
Amazing Hotel Service
The mix of a full day of rides and fun foods didn’t sit well with one of our kids during our stay at the Hershey Lodge so we got to experience the amazing hotel service even more than we would have liked.
After our child got sick during the night we called the front desk and with in only a few minutes housekeeping was at our room. They arrived with new bedding and cart with plastic bags to take away the messy bedding and towels.
We were so impressed with the care and promptness of the service we received.
The Lodge is Big
With 665 rooms, a large lobby, restaurants, the pool, gym and more the lodge is BIG. The hotel rooms are in multiple buildings and depending on which one you are in it can be a longish walk to lobby.
We stayed in the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup building and while it was on the opposite side as the lobby it was close to the Water Works which is what we wanted.
If you want to be close to the water works I would recommend requesting rooms in either Reese’s or Hershey’s. Hershey’s Cocoa is the farthest from the pool area.
Is Staying at Hershey Lodge Worth It?
Yes, a stay at Hershey Lodge is worth it at least once or twice! Especially when the price is about the same as staying at chain hotels.
The rooms at the Hershey Lodge are similar to those you would find at other hotels, but they do have some fun chocolate touches to add to the “sweetness” of your vacation.
Plus the close location to the Hershey attractions and water works pool (which was definitely one of the best parts of our stay at the Hershey Lodge) make it a great place to stay on a family trip to Hershey, PA.