Hershey and Boston hotel help

[buzznwoodysmom]

As many of you know we will be traveling in the East this summer. You guys have helped me so much already. I am hoping to get a bit of help with hotel choices.

Hershey. I have found a Comfort Suites in Hummelstown. Is this a good location? How far of a drive to Hershey park? Any suggestions on hotels right near the park? Since we are already paying for 14 nights in Fort Dix, NJ, plus 2 nights in DC, and an additional 3-4 nights during our drive there and back I don't want to spend too much on a hotel in Hershey. I would have loved to stay at the Hershey Lodge, but it's way to pricey. Looking to spend less than $200.

Boston. I am completely clueless. So many options. I don't know if there are areas I should avoid for safety reasons. We tend to stay in Hamptons, Comfort Suites, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn. Chains we know and trust, but I am open to anything that's clean and close to what Boston has to offer. Free breakfast would be great and a safe location is a must. Looking to spend less than $200.

[NJGIRL]

We stayed at the Omni in Boston. It was a wonderful hotel...formerly the Parker House....where Boston Cream Pie was first made. It was a great location, over looking the Boston Commons. It was right by the Freedom Trail and close to most things that we visited.

If we go back to Boston that is the hotel we would stay at again. I wouldn't even look anywhere else, it was that nice. As far as the cost, I don't remember, but I always use AAA so that helps out a lot.


The couple of times we have gone to Hershey we stayed at the park's hotels so I can't help you out with any others.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Looks like I have decided on a hotel in Hershey. The Hershey Lodge is running a great special. Kids stay, play, eat free!

After figuring in tickets and an outside hotel it's just $30 more to stay at Hershey Lodge with this great promotion. This makes me happy, happy, happy!

[buzznwoodysmom]

We stayed at the Omni in Boston. It was a wonderful hotel...formerly the Parker House....where Boston Cream Pie was first made. It was a great location, over looking the Boston Commons. It was right by the Freedom Trail and close to most things that we visited.

If we go back to Boston that is the hotel we would stay at again. I wouldn't even look anywhere else, it was that nice. As far as the cost, I don't remember, but I always use AAA so that helps out a lot.


The couple of times we have gone to Hershey we stayed at the park's hotels so I can't help you out with any others.

I saw an article in a Family Circle magazine years ago about the Omni in Boston. I must say, it did look like the kind of place that would be my first choice. I may have to bite the bullet and look into it. Trying to keep costs down stinks. LOL.

[GAN]

One thing I always suggest, and it sounds like you might not be using it, is tripadvisor ...don't leave home without it(as they say). This will give you the most unbiased reviews of properties and can give you ideas of things to do while there. It looks like the Omni Parker House gets very good reviews -so that would be a good option. I usually use Priceline to search prices in areas I'm interested in(if you have an ipad/tablet they have a pretty slick app). A basic search in mid-July for the area you would want to be in looks like you might want to up the budget to around $250 if you can -of course, depending on when you're going it could be less. Regarding safe areas, Boston is a pretty compact, busy city so there aren't too many wrong turns you can take that could put you in a "bad" area -at least in the city center where you need to be. The Freedom Trail, which includes the Old North Church, should be a must do on your list with the kids. Also, grab dinner(Italian) in the North End and stop at Mike's Pastry for dessert. Welcome to New England, it's true what they say about the driving!

[buzznwoodysmom]

Thanks for the input. I have used tripadvisor, but I don't always agree with the reviews on places I have been. Of course it's all personal opinions, but I just haven't found it all that helpful to me.

I went ahead and booked the Omni Parker House. It just seems like the kind of place I would normally pick. This may be only time we ever visit Boston, might as well do it right!

Same with Hershey. The offsite hotel I was looking at plus park tickets for 4 came out around $395. Staying at Hershey Lodge with the free kids tickets is $428. That was a no brainer!

[NJGIRL]

I don't think you will be disappointed in the Omni.....staying there turned me on to that chain, now I always book Omni's or Loew's wherever we stay when possible.

I think that hotel had the most comfortable beds we have ever slept in, and like I mentioned before, it was the perfect location, for us at least.

My third choice when an Omni or Loew's isn't around is an Embassy Suite. They have always been very nice and clean. Maybe not the luxury of the other two, but I love the space you get and the free breakfast (full selection and very fresh) and evening snacks are a great perk.

[luvdiznee]

Looks like I have decided on a hotel in Hershey. The Hershey Lodge is running a great special. Kids stay, play, eat free!

After figuring in tickets and an outside hotel it's just $30 more to stay at Hershey Lodge with this great promotion. This makes me happy, happy, happy!

We just returned from Hershey and while we did not stay at the Hershey Lodge, we did enjoy breakfast and dinner there. The food was good there, in case you are getting their meal plan. And we ate a other places in Hershey that also had good food.

[avaross09]

In Boston, you may want to also consider some of the smaller b&bs and non-chain hotels. Boston has a lot of character and you don't want to miss out on that. Regardless, the Mass Vacation website always helps me research my trips. I would start there.

[HollyB]

I don't know how old your traveling companions are, but with teens, we stayed outside Boston at the Hampton Inn in Braintree the last time we were there. The hotel runs a shuttle to the T stop a few blocks away or there is reasonable park and ride parking ($7 for the day, I think, when we were there) if you will be coming back really late.

There's stuff to do in Braintree (John and John Quincy Adams' homes) as well. The T takes about 15-20 minutes into Boston and is a cheap/easy/safe ride. Best of all, the hotel was 1/3 the price of the downtown hotels, had free parking, and free breakfast. The hotel (award winning on TripAdvisor apparently) was clean and safe, if not exactly in a picturesque setting (industrial/office park).

I'd do it again in a minute as long as any kids are old enough to handle the T as the pluses on cost far outweighed the minor inconvenience of having to take the T in. Plenty or restaurants in that area an easy drive from the hotel as well, for when your day is done.

One note, the back right side of the hotel faced a business that made some noise overnight, which I found annoying (but apparently it did not bother anyone else in my family!). We were moved to the front right after the first night and it was fine. Ask for the quiet rooms there or on the left if you have some light sleepers.

[NJGIRL]

Just letting everyone know that this post was from last summer and the OP has already taken her trip.