Valley resorts offering spring training packages
Feb 28, 2013, 5:00 AM | Updated: 5:00 am
PHOENIX — Several Valley resorts are celebrating spring training season by offering baseball packages.
Spring training time is the peak season for Valley resorts, but local residents should be prepared to spend a pretty penny if they want to participate.
“The cheapest one I saw is called the Seventh Inning Stay at the Saguaro Resort,” said Kristin Jarnigan of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association. “The rates start at $175 per night. The package includes a baseball game survival kit, which is Gatorade, peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and chapstick. They also give you 20 percent off of their best available rate.”
Jarnigan said the Phoenician has a baseball package starting at $519 per night.
“What you get is a Triple-A five-diamond accommodation, complimentary shuttle service to and from Scottsdale stadium on game days, two Phoenician stadium cushions that you get to take home with you and daily lunch for two at the Relish Burger Bistro.”
The Montelucia Resort, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, the W hotel in Scottsdale and the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa are among other resorts offering baseball packages, some with free shuttles to a Valley spring training stadium.
Jarnigan said if Phoenicians do their homework, other deals may be found.
“If you go to some of your limited service properties in the West Valley, your Hampton Inns, your Comfort Suites, there are some great deals out in the West Valley. You can probably get a room for $100 dollars a night.”
If residents don’t want to spend the bucks to stay at a hotel, Jarnigan said they can still enjoy the resorts’ fine dining before and after the game.
Jarnigan said that Valley residents looking to do a less expensive staycation, they might want to wait for the summer heat.
“That room at the Phoenician that goes for over $500 per night now might be around $150 a night in the summer. Right now, this is not the time of year where we talk about great deals, $99 rates that we’re used to talking about during staycation for locals. The rates right now are definitely going to be more around $200 a night for those out of town visitors. This is the time of year when the rooms are hard to come by.”
