Mesa Riverview

Sheraton Mesa Hotel at Wrigleyville West

★★★★★

The Sheraton Mesa Hotel at Wrigleyville West is the obvious choice for Cubs fans in March and a comfortable, good-value base in the East Valley the rest of the year. The hotel stands at 860 North Riverview in Mesa, between Sloan Park, the Chicago Cubs Spring Training ballpark, and Riverview Park with its lake and paths, and next to the Mesa Riverview shopping and dining center. Wrigleyville West, the development around the ballpark, is designed to bring a slice of Chicago's ballpark neighborhood to the desert, and on game days the area hums with fans walking to the stadium. The hotel itself has a resort-style feel for a city hotel, with heated outdoor pools and a whirlpool, Stats Sports Bar and Grill overlooking the pool for game-watching, and the Curve pool bar for drinks in the sun. A coffee shop, convenience store and room service cover everyday needs, and a large spa and salon offers treatments. The hotel has generous meeting space and a club lounge for elite Marriott Bonvoy members. Unusually for the Valley, on-site parking is free, which makes a real difference over a multi-night stay, and the hotel is pet-friendly for a one-time fee. Phoenix Sky Harbor is about eight miles away, roughly fifteen minutes by freeway outside rush hour. Rooms are modern Sheraton style, and suites suit families and groups traveling for baseball or tournaments. Expect peak prices and quick sell-outs during Spring Training, when games begin from February 19, 2027, and much softer rates in summer.

Mesa makes a practical, less expensive base than Scottsdale for exploring the East Valley. From the hotel it is about 20 minutes to Tempe Town Lake and ASU, 30 to 40 minutes to Goldfield Ghost Town, Lost Dutchman State Park and the Superstition Mountains, and a short drive to the Salt River recreation area (tubing is a summer-only activity, closed outside the season). Downtown Mesa's restaurants and the Mesa Arts Center are close, and the Loop 202 freeway puts Scottsdale and Phoenix within easy reach.

Spring Training tips: book as early as possible for March, ask for a room facing the ballpark if you want the view of the stadium lights, and use the walkable route to Sloan Park rather than paying for game-day parking. Combine games with Cubs-free days exploring the desert, and remember that Mesa is also home to Hohokam Stadium, Spring Training home of the Athletics, a short drive away. Outside baseball season, the pools and free parking make the hotel a sensible choice for families and road-trippers.

Who should stay: baseball fans, families on a budget, travelers heading to the Superstitions and the Apache Trail, and anyone who wants resort-style pools without resort fees. Who might not: travelers wanting walkable nightlife and galleries, who will prefer Old Town Scottsdale or downtown Phoenix.