The Hotel Hershey
The Hotel Hershey, opened on May 26, 1933, is a historical landmark and five-star hotel located on a hilltop overlooking Hershey, Pennsylvania. It has 276 guest rooms and 23,500 square feet (2,180 m2) of event space.[citation needed]
The Hotel Hershey's architectural style has Spanish and Italian influences, mosaic tiles and archways, and a villa-style balcony overlooking Hershey and Hershey Gardens. Historic photographs and original artwork line the halls and decorate guest room walls, as well as the Iberian Lounge, which is designed to resemble dim, fireplace-lit cigar lounges of the past.[citation needed]
History[]
During the Great Depression, Milton S. Hershey, founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company, planned for the hotel to be a recreation of the famous Heliopolis Palace Hotel, construction plans changed and were delayed due to costs, the death of Hershey's wife, Catherine, and the outbreak of World War I.[1] When construction began, the new plans drew on Mediterranean and Spanish influences.[citation needed]
Construction began in 1931 and the hotel was completed on May 23, 1932. The effort employed as many as 800 workers. The bill for the hotel was around $2 million. The Hotel officially opened on May 26, 1933. Generating income by then was not the main goal of the project. Being the height of the Great Depression, Hershey was attempting to help the people of the city by creating jobs.[2][better source needed]
In 1934, a nine-hole golf course was added to the grounds and in 1961, an outdoor swimming pool was added.[3] In 1977, a new 100 room wing was added to the hotel along with a new indoor pool and fitness center.[4] In 2001, a full service spa called "The Spa At The Hotel Hershey" was added. The spa offered treatments featuring chocolate, including: chocolate wraps, chocolate baths, chocolate lotion and scrubs.[5] In 2009, The Hotel Hershey completed work on a $67 million expansion and renovation project which included a redesigned exterior and lobby. [6]
References[]
- ^ "Hershey Community Thrives With Building Boom and Higher Company Dividend". The Evening News. Harrisburg, PA. December 22, 1931. p. 11.
- ^ "New Hershey Hotel Will Be Formally Opened Tonight With Dinner for 400". The Evening News. Harrisburg, PA. May 26, 1933. p. 13.{
- ^ "History | the Hotel Hershey".
- ^ "Hershey Community Archives | Search Results". www.hersheyarchives.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ JAFFE, JODY (2001-03-04). "A Spa Lover's Sweet Dream". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "Hotel Hershey Reveals $67M Expansion | Hotel Business". Hotel Business. 2009-05-18. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
External links[]
- Official website (archived, 20 Apr 2021)
- Hershey Community Archives website
- Historic Hotel Hershey photographs
- Buildings and structures in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
- Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company
- Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Hotels in Pennsylvania
- 1933 establishments in Pennsylvania
- Hotels established in 1933
- Hotel buildings completed in 1933
- Historic Hotels of America