Hershey Lodge — Hotel in Derry Township

We recently stayed at the Hershey Lodge for two nights while attending a concert in the area. We chose this hotel primarily because of the advertised shuttle service and its proximity to the event. Unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing from start to finish, and I would not choose to stay here again.| |We were traveling from New York, and what should have been a four-hour drive turned into seven due to traffic and roadwork. We arrived around 10 PM, completely exhausted and hungry, only to find that the hotel was severely lacking in basic amenities. We called an hour before arrival to see if we could pre-order room service, only to be told it’s only available on Fridays and Saturdays. For a resort of this size and reputation, offering room service only two nights a week is both surprising and unacceptable.||The only dining option available at that hour was a sports bar open until 11 PM. Even more frustrating was the complete lack of a 24/7 convenience store or any snack options available after hours-not even bottled water in the room for purchase. There were no working vending machines or anything a tired traveler could rely on. It felt like the hotel was completely unprepared to accommodate late-arriving guests.||At check-in, the front desk staff was indifferent and uninformative. The gentleman who checked us in did not provide any details about the hotel, amenities, housekeeping schedules, or shuttle service. It was a rushed, impersonal interaction that set the tone for the rest of our stay.||When we finally got to our room, we were horrified by how dirty and poorly maintained it was. The room was far from what you'd expect at a hotel charging these prices. The mirrors were smudged and streaked, clearly not cleaned in some time. There were greasy white thumbprints on the bathroom sink handles, which I ended up wiping off myself. Mold was visible around the bathroom sink and in the corners of the shower stall. The grout looked like it hadn’t been scrubbed in months.||The bedding had visible tears and gave off a stale, unclean vibe. The entire room felt dingy and neglected- dusty surfaces, stained carpet, and an overwhelming sense that cleanliness is not a priority here. I’m sure roadside motels are cleaner than this.||To make matters worse, the room was poorly stocked. Only a small bar of hand soap and a lotion bottle were provided- no shower cap, no Q-tips, no mouthwash, and certainly not enough towels. These are basic amenities that most hotels, especially at a moderate price point, provide without question.||The noise levels were also unacceptable. The walls were paper-thin… we could hear every footstep and conversation in the hallway. Starting at 8 AM, housekeeping began banging on other guests’ doors loudly, shouting “housekeeping” over and over again, making it impossible to rest after a long travel day. There was zero consideration for sleeping guests.||And as for the shuttle-the main reason we chose this property- it was a disaster. With two major events happening in the area, you’d think the hotel would have been prepared with efficient transportation. Instead, we waited nearly an hour just to board a shuttle. There was no system in place, no communication from staff, and no urgency in trying to accommodate the volume of guests. We ended up arriving very late to our concert despite having left with what we thought was plenty of time.||The food left much to be desired, with little to no healthy options available. Nearly everything was overly greasy, and basic staples for health-conscious guests, such as avocado, turkey sausage, or chicken sausage- were nowhere to be found. If you follow a healthier lifestyle or have dietary preferences, your options here are extremely limited.||Additionally, on the day of checkout, housekeeping began banging on our door at 9:30 AM, well before the 11:00 AM checkout time- disrupting our attempt to rest before a long drive home. This level of disorganization is simply unacceptable and reflects poorly on how the hotel is managed.||Overall, the Hershey Lodge was unaccommodating, poorly maintained, and shockingly unprepared for even the most basic guest needs. We expected a much higher standard, especially from a property that promotes itself as a premier destination. Sadly, this was one of the most disappointing hotel experiences...

2 kids/2 adults/2 night stay Over spent 1500 for rooms, food, dinning in and souvenirs, gas and scooter rentals for park and lodge. I got a military package the first night (Wednesday) and for Thursday we did the family play package for 470 a night. *4 tickets to the park (reg around $85) *4 tickets to the museum (reg around $20) *4 tickets to the flower garden (which we didn't do/not enough time) When we got there on Wednesday around 3/3:30 pm we got checked in right away...yes had to wait in line for about 15 mins but everything was ready for us. (Not complaining but I know some people like to know. That is where you get all your tickets. I did this so last minute that I asked for my park tickets instead of the usual email they send. ( Side note they were in my email anyway -- I was told to do this since I didn't plan this trip 24 hrs in advanced.) You walk in CLEAN front area with a beautiful fireplace. My mother's scooter was ready and they brought it out to her. We got 4 full size Hershey bars and any questions I needed answered. While I was checking in my mom talked to Drew part of the concierge service and gave her a lot of pointers. Woody, part of the concierge service brought our bags to our room and I unpacked immediately. By the time I was done, we were off to the park. Staying at the lodge you get to go to the park for FREE from 5pm - close. That was a HUGE HELP. The kids were able to get about 3 rollercoasters out of the way that night. (20 min wait compared to Saturdays over 90 mins) The park I will say is not easily configured. Download the app! You can find where you want to go and just hit 'take me there' it gives you walking distance and you just follow the blue line. The park is cash only so make sure you know your #'s (you can type them in, use apple/android pay or they have a cash to card that you can load. Be careful b/c you want to look for the grey kiosk not the red. Red is for games and they grey kiosk is inside the gift shop at the front gate. Rent a scooter for elderly parents ($65 full day/half day -$40 with a canopy) and get a handicap card. The very very very few rides that my mom could go on we were able to skip the line b/c of that. Some people may abuse it b/c you don't have to pay for the fast pass, but we did not. Fast pass is super crazy expensive. Shuttle service back and forth from the lodge to the park was an amazing amenity . Again had a scooter for my mom (I think $35 for the day) That night, we are at the steakhouse. I got the filot oscar (6oz) and lobster. Crab cake for my mom and honestly can't remember what the kids got. I think steaks and chicken fingers. Food was beyond amazing. Honestly better then my hometown steak and lobster. For appetizers we got the charcuterie board and shrimp cocktail....amazing! Next day (Thursday) this is where the kids eat free with a purchase of 2 adult breakfast. (Part of our package) I so wish we did that but getting the kids up and then going straight to the park didn't allow for time. (Looking back I should have done it). They have a cafe that the coffee was amazing so I was happy. Then everything I just typed, repeated for park, with the exception of saving room for the chocolate world. WE did the free tour .Again it was so informative and very well done for all ages. I would say it is about 10 mins long. Again shuttle service, repeat and go home. We ate the the 'sports club' whatever it was called, honestly I would have skipped that. It was so so but I think the waitress (for me) was what I didn't enjoy. I felt extremely rushed she didn't give anytime to think about anything and it was go go go. Hamburger, chicken tenders , turkey club and Philly cheese steak (pretzel for appetizer)-- nothing to write home about. Bill was $95 before tip.

This is the only negative: if you have older kids there is nothing to do after park closes. All pools are closed at 9pm because of 'covid' very frustrating for a kid oriented place. Next day I let everyone sleep in checked out, and we were able to still use the whole hotel/pool. We...

Obscenely overpriced motel with filthy rooms and an indoor pool that closes when it rains. My family (two adults and three kids) purchased a three night package with park tickets for just over $2,000. We stayed one night before checking in to the Hilton down the street.

Rooms: A combination of the cooling system and the humidity made everything on our room damp. This led to patches of greenish-black mold on the ceilings and walls throughout the sleeping area. The bathroom had mold and mildew covering nearly every grout surface and the paint was peeling in sheets from the bathroom ceiling due to the moisture. I kept my sandals next to the bed because there was no way I would put bare feet on the vile carpet. I can’t express how disgusting the rooms were. Notably, we were in a “recently remodeled” room (2015). I can’t imagine what the other rooms must be like. We are grateful that we had the funds to move hotels, it saved our family vacation.

Property: Some rooms are motel-style with exterior doors. The property is sprawling making for a long walk to communal areas. If you walk outside for any period you will encounter guests smoking throughout the property as they see fit. The lobby was relatively well-appointed and smelled of cocoa. The shuttle to/from the park was often full but we never had to wait too long. The drivers were pleasant.

Pool Complex: Despite the terrible rooms, I waited to write this review until we used the indoor pool complex (this is not a water park, despite the branding). We specifically chose to use the pool the afternoon that the weather predicted rain because we didn’t want to be at the park during rainstorms. However, as soon as the rain started the indoor pool complex closed for inclement weather. Apparently they follow the Hershey Park closure schedule. It was baffling and painfully disappointing for the kids. The pool complex itself features a couple slides, a small child splash area, and a tiny ropes course. It is small, loud, and poorly ventilated. We went back to the Hilton where the indoor pool was not closed for outdoor rain.

Food and Drinks: After we arrived we went to the Bears Den restaurant at the hotel. The kids liked it fine and the theme was kid-friendly, but the food was pretty abysmal. I ordered a panini but was served mozzarella and tomato on white bread, grilled cheese-style. My husband’s turkey sandwich was dry and unpleasant to eat. The chocolate martini left much to be desired. Later, my husband and I ordered drinks from the bar in the lobby. The top shelf margarita uses a discount mixer and was too sour to drink. I was told my husband’s old fashion was also pretty watery. I will say, the little coffee shop was fine in the morning. Overall, the food prices were reasonable but consistent with the poor quality.

Staff: one of the best perks of staying on property is that you get into the park an hour early to ride rides without long lines. No one told us this. We figured it out by the last day but would’ve loved to know before then. I will say the bell staff were nice and knowledgeable. The front desk seemed to understand our complaints about the room, I think they get them with some frequency. There were no rooms to move us to that were any better. They pointed out that there was a $50/night early checkout fee (which should be a warning) and that they couldn’t issue refunds because we were on a park ticket package. So we stayed checked-in despite leaving the property that second day.

Overall: I’ve never left a hotel with my family because the accommodations were not adequate, but these rooms were so incredibly horrendous that we had no choice. This is a discount motel that may be fine for a one night stay but absolutely should be avoided if you can. The redeeming qualities paled in comparison to the reality of this place. Locals I spoke with about it were familiar with the property’s diminishing reputation. It’s sad that this motel, affiliated with such a nice theme park, and with a deep history in the community, has deteriorated to...