For those who travel with a racket, the summer season offers more than just sun and scenery. Across Europe, a quiet class of hotels is elevating the tennis experience—pairing world-class courts with architectural beauty, fine service, and a sense of place. Whether it’s an early-morning match before the sun gains strength, or a private lesson followed by an aperitif in the garden, these properties combine performance with elegance.
Set on a terraced cliffside overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Il Pellicano is an icon of Italian coastal glamour. The red clay court, shaded by umbrella pines and cooled by sea breezes, feels suspended between sky and water. It is tennis as ritual—unhurried, tactile, and deeply aesthetic. After a morning rally, guests return to striped loungers and chilled Bellinis by the pool, or retire to their suite to dress for a seaside lunch beneath the pergola.
Perhaps the most storied of all Riviera hotels, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc is home to five immaculate clay courts set within a pine grove. The setting is cinematic: ivy-covered facades, crisp whites, and a clientele that understands understatement. Private coaching can be arranged, though many guests prefer a quiet rally before descending to the iconic seawater pool or dining on lobster salad under the parasols of the Eden-Roc Grill.
Just outside Saint-Tropez, La Réserve Ramatuelle offers a rare balance of privacy and proximity. The tennis court is carved discreetly into the Mediterranean landscape, where guests can play undisturbed before retreating to the spa, whose treatments are tailored to movement and recovery. The hotel’s architecture—a minimalist interplay of stone and shadow—feels more retreat than resort.
In southern Italy, Borgo Egnazia brings an entirely different mood to the court: sun-drenched, architectural, and rooted in heritage. With multiple courts surrounded by limestone walls and olive trees, the atmosphere is both disciplined and soulful. Professional coaching, clinics, and tournaments are available for players looking to refine their game while immersed in the slower rhythms of Puglia.
For those who prefer grass and cooler air, Brenners Park-Hotel in Baden-Baden offers a refined alternative. The private court at Villa Stéphanie, the hotel’s health-focused annex, is set within a landscaped park. Pair your match with medical-grade wellness, hydrotherapy, or digital detox—an approach to tennis that is both classic and curative.
These courts are not just amenities—they are extensions of a lifestyle that values rhythm, clarity, and the pursuit of form. Whether played at sunrise with the sea below, or in quiet competition before dinner, tennis becomes something more than sport. It becomes part of the landscape.
Never miss out.
