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Located at the foot of the jagged peaks of the Kaiser Mountains, about 30-minutes from the glamorous ski town of Kitzbühel, Stanglwirt is a one-stop-shop resort if you’re looking to get as much out of an Alpine vacation as possible, especially if that includes tennis. Stanglwirt built its renown around immersive tennis camps decades ago, and you can still where you can commit to these week-long all-tennis-all-the-time packages. But if you’re looking to include tennis more casually into your stay, there are plenty of opportunities to join round-robin sessions with fellow guests, take tennis lessons from the PBI pros, or just rent a court (there are six indoor hard courts and eight outdoor red clay courts with gorgeous views of the Alps) to hit on your own for an hour. And then head to the massive spa (with its Barbara Sturm facials, indoor and outdoor pools, plus three steam baths) to relax your weary bones after.
Running along Lake Lucerne, Bürgenstock spreads out like tiny-but-affluent hilltop village. Even the moment of arrival is grand: Take the boat across the lake and the funicular up to the property, which is made up of four different hotel concepts, three separate spas, plus multiple dining venues, including Taverne 1879, the traditional Swiss kitchen. And of course there are the gorgeous indoor tennis courts aptly named Diamond Domes. If you’re lucky—or if you want to build your stay around them, you might be on-property during one of the LUX Tennis Star Events when some of the sport’s most recognizable names are on-hand to give some high-wattage star power to an already sparkling tennis program.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of the island, sprawling, 230-hectare Verdura Resort is well equipped to deliver a full-on Mediterranean holiday. There’s plenty to do (or not do) by the water, including snorkeling excursions and jet skiing. If you like golf, there are two 18-hole courses. You can take a cooking class with celebrate Italian chef Fulvio Pierangelini. Or do nothing but relax in the spacious Irene Forte spa. And during the summer, Verdura brings top-rated athletes to host sports academies almost every week. Over the years the likes of former Italian soccer player Gianluca Zambrotta and rugby star Giambattista Venditti have led events. For tennis enthusiasts, there are usually a few of these weeks scattered throughout the season. Most recently former top 25 player Olivier Rochus of Belgium was on-site for a week of tennis. If you can’t make it there, there are still six outdoor clay courts on which you could live out your French Open fantasies.
One of Spain’s most famous resorts for its see-and-be-seen celebrity clientele, Puente Romano is Costa del Sol at its most glamorous. There are two hotels, Puente Romano and Nobu, plus an endless list of activities and amenities (three outdoor pools, a botanical garden, a massive spa). There also are more than 20 restaurants and bars, including a Nobu and a Cipriani.
