Tthe John Newcombe Tennis Ranch hosts adult weekend and weeklong camps all year round. No matter your level, anyone attending a Newks camp will leave having played as much tennis as possible, with plenty to work on when you return home.
There’s something about a fall tennis trip that makes it easy to get a group together. The heat of summer begins to ease, the days are still long, and a few days away can feel like a real break without requiring a complicated itinerary. Along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Alys Beach makes a particularly appealing setting for that kind of getaway.
Padel resorts in the USA are quickly becoming the new must-have amenity for luxury travelers, and this padel travel trend shows no sign of slowing down.
Padel resorts in the USA are quickly becoming the new must-have amenity for luxury travelers, and this padel travel trend shows no sign of slowing down.
Tennis travel has moved well beyond "a resort with a few courts out back." A new wave of luxury properties has built entire identities around the sport: hiring name-brand coaching talent, running structured multi-day camps, and pairing that instruction with proven five-star hospitality.
With warm weather nearly year-round, court quality that rivals global, dedicated academies, and prices that are hard to match in Western Europe, it's no surprise that tennis resorts in Turkey draw everyone from general fans to national training squads.
At first glance the Houstonian may appear to be just another urban hotel focused on business travelers and conference groups. What sets it apart, however, is a setting in an 18-acre wooded oasis in the heart of Houston and guest access to the otherwise members-only Houstonian Club, a Texas-sized 125,000-square-foot health and fitness center that shares that wooded footprint.
Late in 2009, the Club raised its tennis profile by building a four-court indoor tennis complex to complement the five lighted Deco-Turf courts outside. With 40-foot ceilings, abundant windows high in the walls, high-quality florescent lighting, and a cushioned hard surface called Classic Turf, this indoor facility makes playing year-round both feasible and enjoyable. The roster of tennis programs, under Racquet Sports Director Mike May, naturally focuses on the needs of members but, says May, “guests have full membership privileges.” That means access to men’s and ladies clinics, men’s drop-in sessions, and a junior program. “We also do our best to set guests up with games, if that’s what they need,” May continues.
Court Complex: 9 hard courts, four of those indoors, and two racquetball courts and two international padel courts.
Off Court
Golf: The hotel does not have a golf course but does offer playing privileges at The Tournament Course at Redstone Golf Club (home of Houston’s only PGA TOUR stop, the Shell Houston Open) and the BlackHorse Golf Club.
Spa & Fitness Center: Measuring 125,000 square feet, the health and fitness club affords a broad range of workout options, including a full range of cardio and strength training equipment, 180 weekly group fitness classes, 35 personal trainers, three swimming pools—one with a slide, waterfall, and baby lagoon—a climbing wall, a sports shop, cafe, and an outdoor workout plaza. In addition, there is a 17,000-square-foot spa called Trellis, offering a range of treatments and salon services in its 21 rooms.
Dining: The main restaurant, Olivette, specializes in American fare and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And there are three other options for light fare or lunch.
Accommodations
The hotel has 289 rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows with views of woods, residential-style furnishings, and such amenities as Keurig coffeemakers, environmentally conscious lighting and climate control features, and occupancy sensors to minimize intrusions by housekeeping.
Getting there
Seasons: Year-round.
Travel Instructions: By air: The hotel is roughly equidistant—about 30 minutes’ driving time—from George Bush International Airport (IAH) and from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
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