Indian Wells Tickets

Hi there. I'm sorry this has taken to long to wrap up, but we finally have some news for you on Pacific Life Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden tickets. This is something Steggy and I have been working on for quite a while, and while the tournament did a great job putting together a package deal for us some time ago, neither of us was comfortable with the price-point and terms. Not that it wasn't a good deal. It's just that we knew from many emails what  you all were looking for and it seemed that the savings in the tickets were wiped out by the relatively high prices of the hotel rooms - not that they were bad choices, just expensive hotels. But that's part of the game in resort communities like Indian Wells and the other ones that have grown up around Palm Springs.

So here's the simple deal. If you call the Indian Wells Tennis Garden ticket office - 800.999.1585 - you'll receive a 30 per cent discount on loge and grandstand seats (from March 7 through the 17th) if you tell him you're a reader of TennisWorld. And you must book your discount tickets over the phone, not the web, at the number above. The folks at IW also tell me that the loge and box seat "mini-packages" (details at the PLO website) are a good deal that amount to a 10 to 12 per cent discount over straight ticket purchase of the same seats.  The ticket office should be ready to fill orders tomorrow morning, and please post a comment below if you have any trouble or learn anything that may be useful to others in the Tribe. Also, I will take any general questions you may have about the area, the weather, the tournament, etc. I've been there plenty.

There are some limitations on seat location (courtside, with waiters dressed in penguin suits serving unlimited champagne and truffles, is not an option), but the stadium at IW is grand. I enjoy seating in the mid-to-upper level seats in the afternoon sun, with a friend, away from the other spectators when possible. If you go during the early or middle stages of the event, you may never even want to sit in the Big House. The outside courts are intimate, and the practice courts (as well as the lawn where many players gather every afternoon for pick-up soccer games) are all right beside the stadium and easily visible. It really is a fine, old-fashioned "day at the tennis" experience in the desert.

I am looking into securing one of our Tennis magazine hospitality suites so we can all get together some evening; if you are attending IW and would like to hook up for something like that, shoot me or Steggy (she'll be there too) an email.

But remember, we'll only be on site during the "main draw" week (10th to the 18th, Sat. afternoon through the final), so that's the only time it can happen  - if it happens at all. In any event, I'll keep you posted.

So remember: Only the telephone orders will be honored, and make sure you'd like the discount offered to readers of TennisWorld.

Hotel Information:

Steggy here, reporting on somewhat cost-conscious places to stay in the immediate vicinity of the IWTG. Here's a link list:

• Lake Laquinta Inn - A very tasteful Bed and Breakfast located about a mile due south of the IWTG. Rooms are fairly sumptuous (some have jacuzzis) and the included breakfast looks divine.

• Bed and Breakfasts in the Palm Springs Area - Prices range from the affordable to the outrageous, but one is assured of a relaxing place to stay. Be sure to check how far each place is from the IWTG.

• Palm Springs Rental Agency - Why pay for a hotel room when you can rent a house with a pool for half as much? There are some good deals here and you'll want to search by location. Look in La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, and other IWTG-travel friendly locales. If all else fails, call them and ask what they can't get rid of.

• Expedia - Do a search for Indio, California. A hike from there to the IWTG, but the prices are around 75-100/night.