Before Republican lawmakers get to work this year, there’s just one thing left to do: take a retreat. The annual retreat, which is actually a three-day conference for the purpose of establishing policy agenda and planning for achieving goals in the coming year, will take place in Hershey, PA.
Republicans in both the House and the Senate are attending the retreat this year, which hasn’t happened in 10 years. The topics on this year’s retreat agenda are expected to be the Affordable Care Act, immigration, budget issues, and transportation.
The group is staying at the Hershey Lodge, which is one of Hersheypark’s official resorts. The resort also boasts three swimming pools and a few full-service restaurants. The resort, which is a couple of hours outside of Washington, D.C., gives lawmakers a chance to relax together outside of Capitol Hill — some even choose to bring their families along.
Rooms at Hershey Lodge run between $179 and $199 per night in January, and the event also features entertainment and talks from the likes of Jay Leno and Peggy Noonan.
The benefits of retreats like these have been lauded in corporate culture as a way to stimulate new thought in a casual atmosphere and to encourage team building.
Another option for housing during retreats like these is corporate apartments, which are more less like a hotel room and more like a home, since they feature separate dining, living, and sleeping areas. These also have a larger square footage than hotel rooms, and are usually less expensive for extended stays.