Axel's take on Swatara: #4 of 8 in Harrisburg, 4.3/10
A practical East Shore base when your itinerary already requires a car. Swatara has the strongest hotel score, but scattered amenities, modest value and poor access to sights on foot hold it back.
Swatara's Eisenhower Boulevard and Derry Street corridors are about practical access, not a visitor main street. Restaurants, business destinations and shopping stops are spread between commercial roads and residential pockets. It works for families dividing their time among Harrisburg, Hershey and other regional outings, especially when everyone is already traveling by car.
The compromise is that nearly every outing needs planning rather than a wander from your door. Also, do not choose it expecting the old Harrisburg Mall: that site is being redeveloped as Swatara Exchange. For architecture, galleries or evenings moving between restaurants on foot, downtown is the better base.
- Best for: families, travelers on a budget
- Skip it if: You want a continuous walkable neighborhood; Your main interest is downtown culture
- Getting around: Depending on the address, use 8 on Derry Street or 20 toward TecPort and High Pointe Commons; MDT is simplest by car, otherwise take 7 and transfer downtown.
- After dark: Expect separate restaurant-and-lodging pockets rather than a continuous evening strip; arrange your ride back after dinner.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $140 a night · usually 10% under the public rate
Where to stay in Harrisburg: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Swatara
- Tecport Drive and Friendship Road. Choose this business-park pocket for work appointments and nearby meal stops; regional sightseeing remains a driving trip. Hotels here: Homewood Suites by Hilton Harrisburg East-Hershey Area, Hilton Garden Inn Harrisburg East, Towneplace Suites By Marriott Harrisburg Hershey.
- Eisenhower Boulevard. A roadside restaurant corridor for drivers who want straightforward departures rather than downtown wandering. Hotels here: Courtyard Harrisburg Hershey, Hotel Indigo Harrisburg - Hershey by IHG, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Harrisburg Airport Hershey.
- Lindle Road near High Pointe. Useful for shopping and separate dinner stops around a commercial road network; bring a car. Hotels here: Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey, Residence Inn by Marriott Harrisburg Hershey, Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel.
How to choose
- Choose Homewood Suites by Hilton Harrisburg East-Hershey Area if you need spacious kitchen suites and attentive service; confirm disruption from the scheduled room renovations.
- Choose Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey if your children will use pools, playgrounds and sports courts more than they'll notice dated rooms.
- Choose Residence Inn by Marriott Harrisburg Hershey if you want kitchen-equipped space and included breakfast for less than most here; housekeeping consistency is the catch.
What paying more buys
Homewood Suites costs more than Residence Inn for stronger cleanliness and attentive service in spacious kitchen suites, but renovation disruption needs checking. Courtyard offers refreshed rooms over cheaper Hotel Indigo, plus an indoor rather than seasonal-only pool. Neither premium is compelling for a brief stop if you won't cook, swim or spend much time in your room. Typical rates with Axel here run from $62 a night at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Harrisburg Airport Hershey to $208 at Homewood Suites by Hilton Harrisburg East-Hershey Area (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Swatara, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Harrisburg East-Hershey Area 9.0/10, suburban 3-star all-suite hotel with in-room kitchens. An excellent family base, but check the upcoming room-renovation schedule. Why it's here: spacious kitchen suites with particularly strong cleanliness and attentive service. Accept: scheduled guestroom renovations may disrupt your stay. $135 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Courtyard Harrisburg Hershey 8.7/10, practical 3-star Marriott hotel on Harrisburg’s Eisenhower Boulevard. A strong, clean Courtyard for drivers, with friendly service and breakfast extra. Why it's here: refreshed, spacious rooms with consistently praised cleanliness and an indoor pool. Accept: breakfast costs extra; the microwave is shared in the lobby. $179 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Hilton Garden Inn Harrisburg East 8.5/10, practical 3-star hotel outside downtown Harrisburg. A dependable base with strong cleanliness and service, but breakfast costs extra. Why it's here: strong cleanliness and helpful service with indoor and seasonal outdoor pools. Accept: breakfast usually costs extra; some rooms have inadequate blackout shades. $127 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey 8.0/10, older, family-focused 3-star hotel with extensive recreation facilities. A strong family pick for the pools and friendly staff, not polished rooms. Why it's here: the strongest recreation choice for children, with pools, playground and sports courts. Accept: dated rooms, occasional cleaning lapses and limited restaurant hours. $129 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Hotel Indigo Harrisburg - Hershey by IHG 7.8/10, design-minded 3-star IHG hotel near the interstate and airport. A comfortable roadside base with more style than the basics, but some operational unevenness. Why it's here: more modern styling and good showers for less than most here. Accept: uneven problem handling; breakfast extra and no indoor pool. $98 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Residence Inn by Marriott Harrisburg Hershey 7.7/10, suburban 3-star extended-stay hotel with apartment-style suites. Good space and useful extras, but housekeeping consistency is the catch. Why it's here: kitchen-equipped suites and included breakfast for less than most here. Accept: uneven housekeeping and bathroom upkeep in a separate-building layout. $107 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Towneplace Suites By Marriott Harrisburg Hershey 6.8/10, simple, mid-range Marriott extended-stay hotel with in-room kitchens. Useful kitchens and friendly staff, but uneven upkeep makes this a cautious pick. Why it's here: a cheaper self-catering option with well-equipped kitchens and friendly employees. Accept: uneven upkeep, room-readiness problems, paid parking and reported pool closure. $95 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel 6.8/10, full-service, mid-range suburban conference hotel. Comfortable renovated rooms and a family-friendly pool, but construction compromises the stay. Why it's here: comfortable renovated rooms and a connected indoor/outdoor pool for drivers. Accept: prolonged renovations and uneven room and common-area condition. $183 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Harrisburg Airport Hershey 6.7/10, no-frills 3-star roadside hotel near Harrisburg airport. Convenient for a quick stop, but housekeeping and upkeep are too inconsistent. Why it's here: the cheapest Swatara stop, with breakfast, parking and useful room appliances. Accept: inconsistent housekeeping, worn carpets, musty smells and recurring pest reports. $56 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
