In February, the phrase “pitchers and catchers report” signals the start of Spring Training. That’s great news for baseball fans and for hotels in those areas.

According to Jill Skeen, director of sales and marketing at the Hilton Suites Phoenix, “The month of March is historically the busiest month for our hotel, in large part from Spring Training and Spring Fever. Everyone from the cold destinations is looking for an opportunity to warm up after a long winter season.”

Five years ago, I did just that. A few friends and I left the frozen tundra of Chicago and headed for the sunny environs of Mesa to see our beloved Cubs get ready for the season. Of course, five years ago, times were a bit different.

With baseball tickets becoming hot commodities and the economy changing, the demographics of the crowds changed a bit, too. Spring Training isn’t just for the “spring break” crowd.

Top-quality hotels, such as the Hilton, have addressed the situation. Skeen said, “We believe in general that the Spring Training crowd is looking for overall value in a convenient location when they are making their hotel selections. We specifically built our package with this philosophy in mind.” The Hilton package includes an upgrade to a two-room suite, the exclusive Hilton Sunrise breakfast buffet for two each morning and a special “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”-themed welcome basket and complimentary self parking.

I applaud that type of added value, especially considering the shift to a more affluent crowd. I know a couple of people who are headed for Spring Training next week as part of work conferences, and they have both chosen higher quality for their stay, as have their co-workers, because of added-value packages.

As I discussed in last week’s blog, quality is needed in these tough times. There are enough hotels everywhere that I do not have to give a second chance to a bad one. It is important for each hotel to grab the customer and keep the customer.

Considering everything, I wondered how things were this year in the Arizona Spring Training area. Skeen answered that by stating, “We are feeling a significant push in our leisure transient occupancy March 2010 versus March 2009.” Hopefully, the Cubs will also experience that feeling.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

As Kim mentioned in her blog last week, GT’s auction is in full swing. It’s time to take advantage of the best travel prizes the world has to offer. Not only will you be getting the great packages at exceptional values, but you will also be helping children through the Mentor Foundation — a definite win-win situation.

I currently find myself in southeast Asia, where many of our great auction items could  take you also. I flew through Incheon International Airport and saw many of the recent airport renovations — making an already superb transit hub even better. By adding updated shopping outlets, Korean culture workshops, stores and museums, the airport has turned into a great destination to visit while in transit.

I also transited in the new Asiana first- and business-class lounge, which offers Asiana and Star Alliance passengers a phenomenal space to rest and relax. Before heading south, I spent a few days in Seoul at the Ritz Carlton. The hotel was celebrating its 15th anniversary with a cocktail reception sponsored by Remy Martin. There was a featured cask on display that was valued at more than $20,000 per bottle. It was handled with white-glove service, and they raffled off a taste to a few lucky guests. I happened to be one of the lucky winners! I am not a cognac connoisseur, but I knew I was tasting something special. I also knew to savor it since I would have to pay $800 a glass if I ordered it at the bar. It was smooth going down. Something tells me it will be a long time before I am able to make a fair comparison with a such a rare bottle of Remy Martin.

Bottom line — take a look at the auction website, make a bid and see what global adventures await you!

– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I was recently asked if I have a favorite hotel in London. I’ve stayed at a number of luxury hotels in London over the years, but, on my recent visits, I have stayed with friends. My assessment of the best hotels in London may not be too accurate.However, I do know that one of the most expensive and luxurious hotels in London is the Lanesborough. I recently found out the Lanesborough was originally St. George’s Hospital, opened in 1733. In 1991, it opened as a Rosewood Hotel & Resort and then, in 1993, it became a St. Regis.This knowledge reminded me of an Istanbul property. The Four Seasons Istanbul was originally the first jail house, built in 1918 during the Ottoman Empire. It was abandoned in 1969, later used by the military and then finally transformed into a world-class luxury hotel in 1996.While both of these properties were gutted and completely renovated, I can’t help but think about what happened in those halls when they were a hospital and prison, respectively. If I’m asking if you believe in ghosts, I also have to ask if you believe in mind over matter. While I have not stayed in either hotel, I do know both properties are known for superior service and luxury amenities. However, if I were to stay in either property now, knowing the history, I dare say I would be a little on edge, wondering if ghosts are really wandering the corridors!– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

We are about to enter another wine survey season. GT is the only magazine that conducts a survey of business- and first-class wine in the United States. It is a major task, and I certainly understand why other financially strapped publications don’t take this on.

We are all looking forward to dealing with the airlines that never seem to be able to get the wines to us without our help. Some airlines finds a reason not to send their submissions because they are understaffed or just don’t care enough to follow through. It is really quite amazing how difficult some people can make this very simple task.

The survey itself is very interesting to watch. Not only is there a panel of about 25-30 professional judges, but every wine is poured in a back room and each glass is labeled at the bottom with an identifying number. It is truly a blind tasting. Read about last year’s survey here.

When we award the winners of the GT Tested awards (this past year we held the function at the Andaz Wall Street), we like to have the winners of the wine survey send samples to be served at the function. This year we had about 350 guests at the Andaz Wall Street. It is a big hit, but some airlines, much like the survey itself, try to have their wines at the event and fall short. This year, we had confirmation after confirmation from winners that the wines would be supplied. We listed them on the event program, never to have the wine show up. Of course, this causes problems.

All this so that you, the business luxury traveler, has the best possible wine while traveling at 35,000 feet!

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

Last week I took a four-day, five-night jaunt to Las Vegas. My best friend from college joined me for the girls’ getaway. The last time I had visited Vegas, I was about 10 or 11, and it was one of many stops along a cross-country family road trip. Needless to say, I had yet to experience true “Las Vegas.”

After an uneventful flight, we landed, grabbed our bags and a shuttle and headed over to the Wyndham Grand Desert. McCarran International Airport is literally a hop, skip and a jump from the city center — a convenient feature. We were not staying on the Strip, but we were only a few blocks away. Once we settled into our room, we walked up to the Strip to grab some lunch and wander about. That night we took in our first Vegas show, Australia’s male revue, The Thunder from Down Under. The corny Excalibur show was good for a few laughs.

Having checked the weather, we knew our only day of sun would be Thursday, so we decided to take the morning and relax by the pool. We followed up a morning of sun with lunch and a manicure, then we headed over to the Fremont Street Experience. Fremont Street, the “original” Las Vegas strip, has been reinvented as a sort of street fair experience. The world’s largest TV screen, canopied over the several city blocks of the Experience, plays shows every hour on the hour. Spray paint artists and street musicians, as well as other entertainers, line the streets; and casinos, eateries and more abound. We followed up Fremont Street with dinner on the modern-day Strip.

Friday, we began the day with a visit to the Las Vegas sign and then went in search of bingo. No casinos on the Strip offer the game because, as we were instructed, having a bingo room simply takes up too much room. We decided to play bingo at Palace Station casino. Sadly, we lost — both times. For dinner, we headed over to the Venetian, where we enjoyed Italian at Canaletto. After dinner, we took in La Reve, the Wynn’s Cirque du Soleil show. We chose this show based on the glowing recommendations we received from everyone we asked. Even concierges and staff who were not fans of the Cirque series highly recommended La Reve. It did not disappoint, and I would highly recommend it for any of you in the Vegas area. Our Las Vegas night on the town was capped off by cocktails and dancing at Blush, the Wynn’s boutique nightclub.

Saturday was our last full day in Las Vegas. We started off with a delicious brunch buffet at Paris. Despite the long entrance line, the overwhelming selection of food was well worth the wait. We enjoyed afternoon massages at Mandara Spa at the Paris and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening exploring the Strip. We wandered around all the major casinos, including Caesar’s Palace; caught the Bellagio’s fountain show; grabbed dinner at Bally’s; checked out the Mirage; admired the lion habitat at the MGM Grand; and played some slots at Planet Hollywood. We wandered a lot and got a good taste of the famed Las Vegas strip.

Thankfully, we were scheduled to fly home Sunday, so we avoided the flight cancellations caused by the big snowstorm that hit the East Coast last weekend. We arrived home on time and ready for the work week — and another snowstorm. There is so much to see and do in Las Vegas; it’s overwhelming, but I think we sampled a bit of what the city is known for — we gambled (a little bit), ate at a buffet, enjoyed shows, relaxed in a spa, explored and much more. Viva Las Vegas!

– Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive