The Sweetest Place on Earth

The Hotel Hershey was a real experience. I have seen the episode of Great Hotels with Samantha Brown many times. I had a queen suite located on the second floor, overlooking the front of the hotel grounds. We spent about $280 a night, and that is during the off-season on a Sunday, so this was a little expensive for me. With the extra expense, you do get much more elegance and more personal attention from the staff. Everyone we spoke to was polite and eager to meet our requests.

We ate in both the Circular dining room and the Fountain Cafe and found the price and quality of food to be excellent. The grounds of the hotel are breathtaking. There are reflection pools on the back end of the hotel that are really something to look at. We went to the indoor pool and the spa, which was a bit pricey but worth it. (I had the chocolate fondue wrap!) The stores in the hotel were a bit expensive, again--this is a high-class hotel, so it was expected. I found all sorts of visitors here: young families, gay couples, and older married types. Again, I cannot comment enough on the kindness and professionalism of the Hotel Hershey staff.

We had the buffet breakfast here for $16.50 per person. It was well worth it. The waitstaff was courteous, and the food was delicious. There was an omelette station, a table with a vast variety of fruit, and of course, your normal breakfast foods (pancakes, homefries, bacon). The homefries with herbs and shallots were especially tasty, and I would recommend these to anyone. Aside from the food, you are in this amazing dining room that is designed as a full half-circle overlooking the gardens and reflection pools. Milton Hershey once said that bad tippers get stuck sitting in the corner. He wanted everyone from all budgets to have a good seat, so he created the Circular Dining Room. One disappointment: we had a 3-year-old with us who ate nothing, but we were still charged $16.50 for him. I think there should be two separate prices--one for adults and one for children.

The park is very clean. There are lots of sit-down spots to wait for the kids while they are on rides, not to mention stroller stations where you can leave your stroller while you play. There is an Aquatheater with a dolphin/sea lion show which is definitely worth your time. The roller coasters (especially the Great Bear) are killer, and there are plenty of old-school rides (bumper cars and the ferris wheel) for those young at heart. Make a plan to stop at the Kissing Tower for a great, relaxing view of the town of Hershey.