Camelback Ranch: Hotels near Dodgers’ new spring training facility in Arizona

[Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, Phoenix]

The NFL playoffs aren’t even set, the Lakers are already giving fans angst, and USC still has a bowl game ahead, but it’s not too soon to be thinking about the Dodgers. Not at all.

As baseball fans are aware, 2009 marks the team’s move from Vero Beach, Fla., to Arizona, meaning that come March, L.A. fans can drive to the team’s new spring training ballpark in five hours or so — or take a one-hour flight to Phoenix.

Single tickets won’t be on sale till mid-January, but the Dodgers are already selling packages to spring training, and one price range has already sold out.

I’m in Glendale, Ariz., this week, home of the new Dodgers-Chicago White Sox stadium, Camelback Ranch. It’s about 20 miles from downtown Phoenix, and I can tell you from previous trips here that the drive from downtown to the western suburbs can be long, especially during rush hour — even by L.A. standards.

So if you are thinking of coming in March, I recommend staying out west. But what I am finding is that properties close to the new park are limited, and some are already filling up. Dodger fans might want to nail down rooms soon. I’ve checked around and found these hotel options not far from the park (distances are via Google maps):

Closest to the stadium: Comfort Suites, Glendale, 1.4 miles to the stadium. This is the most convenient spot for going to games. In fact, it’s so convenient, the White Sox — who are sharing the stadium with the Dodgers — have pre-booked most of the rooms for the team’s employees.

The hotel opened in January, and the rooms (an example above) I saw were fresh and roomy. The hotel is right off the 101 Freeway, but I checked and didn’t hear traffic noise in rooms facing it.

Another bonus: The hotel plans to run at least a few guests to and from the stadium in its 12-passenger van. Because of all this you should book pronto. Rates in March start at $199, but the bulk of the remaining available rooms are suites and cost more. Info: 9824 W. Camelback Road, Glendale, AZ; (623) 271-9005.

Locations for fun: Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa or Hampton Inn & Suites Glendale-Westgate, 3.2 miles to the stadium.

The selling point for these spots — in the parking lot of the new Cardinals’ football stadium and the Coyotes’ hockey arena — is their proximity to the open-air Westgate City Center, which has 15 bars and restaurants, most full of flat screens tuned in to sports.

Phoenix’s western suburbs are fairly short of “scenes,” and the Westgate is the biggest near the Dodgers’ park. The center also has a 20-screen movie theater and many shops.

The full-service Renaissance is adjacent to Westgate; the Hampton Inn is about a five-minute walk across parking lots. The Renaissance Inn’s prices range from $269 (I found this rate for two Dodgers dates at the end of March; for most dates it will cost more, and availability all month is limited). Info: 9495 W. Coyotes Blvd., Glendale, AZ; (623) 937-3700

The Hampton Inn starts at $209 and is showing good availability. Info: 6630 N. 95th Ave., Glendale, AZ; (623) 271-7771

The non-chain option: Glendale Gaslight Inn, 8.2 miles to the stadium. The west side of the greater Phoenix area is mostly chain hotels and restaurants. If you prefer charm and character, consider Glendale’s historic downtown district. In the middle is the comfortable, two-story Gaslight Inn.

Each of the B&B’s 10 rooms is themed, and the ones I saw were nicely decorated and very spacious. Owner Paul Seabrook is an affable host. He told me a new dining spot is opening this week in the front parlor of the 1926 building.

If any member of your party is into antiquing, the nearby shops will be a lure; the rest of your crowd might want to sample the beers on tap at the German restaurant next door. With plenty of repeat spring training visitors, expect limited availability. Rates start at $199 but spring training is the inn’s high season. Info: 5747 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale, AZ; (623) 934-9119

Nearest high-end resort: Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, Litchfield Park. 4.8 miles to the stadium. This is off Interstate 10, so it’s on the way from Southern California. This resort opened in 1929 for Goodyear Tire executives, which was growing cotton in nearby fields.

The site expanded over the years, and got a modernizing face lift in 1987 and further freshening five years ago. It’s low-rise, with most rooms in casitas, and the resort has three pools, three 18-hole golf courses and a new spa. Wigwam shows a few days available in March, with rates from $279 (Internet only), the price goes way up from there. Info: 300 Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park, AZ; (623) 935-3811.

Nearby is a cluster of hotels a few miles from the stadium. Four mid-priced properties are bundled across Glendale Boulevard from the Westgate center — a three-minute drive or 15-minute walk away. Most of these hotels were built just in time for last year’s Super Bowl at the Cardinals’ University of Phoenix Stadium; all show decent availability right now for March. Staybridge Suites, from $144; Holiday Inn Express, from $189; SpringHill Suites, from $229; Residence Inn by Marriot/Glendale, from $249.

Note: My prices are from hotels’ official websites. When you find a hotel to your liking, troll the the Travel aggregators for deals.

— Sherry Stern/Times staff writer

[Photos: Top: www.starwoodhotels.com; middle, www.comfortsuites.com; bottom, www.glendalegaslightinn.]

Permalink | E-mail | Print | Add to My Trips

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 5:00 pm by Catharine Hamm and is filed under Arizona, Golf, Hotels, Spring, Winter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.