My friend Kate and I had been talking about a girls’ weekend, which turned into a spa trip, and which turned into Hershey. I forget how it originally came up as our destination of choice. I think it had something to do with chocolate, and the fact that it was on my list of places to try anyway, so why not.
Hershey Spa is really there to support those visitors to Hershey who may want to take some time out for some pampering. And at Love to Spa, I fully support that. I think every opportunity we get for a little pampering a little indulgence is worth it. But as a spa, I am surprised that Hershey was rated as highly as it was (2013 Conde Nast Traveler Top 100 Resort Spas in the United States, #44). I think it is relying on its name and its theme park and its association with chocolate to draw you in. But it lost points on the small things.
The locker area was crowded, with little area to put down your things, and get changed. While the hotel lobby had real hand towels in the rest rooms, in the spa facilities only had paper cloth hand towels.
Hershey tries to impress with 3 different waiting areas for spa-goers to relax be called to their treatments. In reality this is to manage the sheer number of spa visitors. They have their choice of a quiet room, the main lounge and an overflow lounge. In reality, your therapist must go to all 3 rooms to find you, so if they find you in the 3rd space, you have already lost a few minutes of them going to the other locations.
The services were fine, and the therapists were skilled, and very friendly. There is of course the obvious connection to Hershey by infusing chocolate into the various treatments. But in reality, its nothing more than clever marketing. Additionally for the prices, I don’t’ see as much value and again see, a reliance on the Hershey name to drive visitors to the spa.
When I came home from trip, my guy asked me how it was, and when I told him of my opinions of the spa. He looked at me, and as a non-spa goer kind of guy said “I could have told you that. Its just a draw for those in town for sports tournaments or who need a diversion from the park” Still, for those of you that know the story, Kate was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and latter passed away. Our spa time at Hershey was the last trip we ever got to take together, and so the Hershey Spa will always hold a special memory for me.
If you are visiting Hershey, and want some special Mother Daughter, or Girl’s time, or you need some pampering, then definitely enjoy everything that Hershey Spa has to offer. But if you want to get away to a spa and are open to the destination, there are other places to go.
Rating: 
THE SPA AT THE HOTEL HERSHEY
100 HOTEL ROAD, HERSHEY, PA 17033
APPOINTMENTS (844) 330-1797
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