With Valentine's Day falling on a Friday and the President's Day holiday coming the following Monday, that weekend invites a quick escape just for the two of you. Here are half a dozen suggestions of intimate resorts where you can reconnect on and off the court.
•Rosemary Beach, in the Florida
Panhandle, is not so much a resort as a small, architecturally inspired town set behind high white-sand dunes along the Gulf of Mexico. Pathways and narrow streets connect neighborhoods of cottages, large and small, with a few shops and restaurants, a day spa, two village greens, a bed-and-breakfast, and a racquet club with 8 clay courts. Valentine's specials start at $189/night with lots of complimentary amenities, including free tennis lesson and personal fitness training for two, discounted spa treatments, a champagne toast, DVD rentals, late checkout, and more.
•Green Valley Spa, St. George, Utah. Promise an elegant junior suite with down bedding, a jetted tub, fireplace, and private courtyard, just steps from the courts and a full-service spa and a short drive from the red-rock spectacle that is Zion National Park. But do it in a card on Valentine's Day and wait at least a week before going, because there's a junior tournament scheduled for weekend of Feb. 13-14, taking up courts ordinarily used for the science-based Vic Braden Tennis College programs, a great way for the two of you to improve your on-court play. In spring, room only packages start at $189/night.
•Rancho Valencia Resort, Rancho Santa Fe, California. Bed down in an ultra-spacious Mediterranean suite with an oversize bath, cathedral ceiling, a hand-painted tile fireplace, and private garden patio. On Sunday, Feb. 14, join locals from all over San Diego County and other guests in a big mixed doubles round robin, followed by appetizers and drinks and lots of camaraderie or have the staff set up matches or clinics for you any day.
•Meadowood Napa Valley, St. Helena, California. Hurry: With only 85 rooms, suites, and cottages, many Valentine's weekend room types are already booked. But what could be better on Valentine's Day than a gorgeous setting, fine wine, great food, and visits to vineyards combined with with a solid tennis instruction, spa services, even world-class croquet courts?
•Wild Dunes, Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Couple a carriage ride through historic Charleston with the best of a resort vacation, including a diverse and well-honed tennis program, a choice of hotel and villa lodging, 2½ miles of beach, 36 holes of golf, and miles of bike trails. Check out their "Wild Winter Promotion" rates, with deluxe rooms at the Boardwalk Inn and some villas reduced 30%.
•Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. It's still shoulder season here in northeast Florida, so you probably won't be getting in the Atlantic, but that only adds to the allure of the 15 Har-Tru courts under former touring pro Mike Leach, and to the spa, oceanview fitness center, and handsome junior suites just steps from the ocean. On Sunday, Feb. 14, they're running their annual Sweetheart Mixer, a couples round robin. During this off-season, an oceanfront room with daily breakfast and unlimited tennis starts at $237/night.
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Here's a sample of recent critiques of the top resorts and camps by other vacationers.
Dave Marshall Tennis, Delaware
Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Tirol Austria
I highly recommend this place and the associated tennis clinic with PBI."—F.T., Adv., January 2010
Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, A Wyndham Grand Resort, Puerto Rico
Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Tirol Austria
Longboat Key Club & Resort, Florida
Dispatches from my latest travels
Club Med-Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Little Dix Bay, British Virgin Islands
Boulevard Village & Tennis Club, Vero Beach, Florida
The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, South Carolina
Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas, Texas
Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Vic Braden Tennis College at Green Valley Resort & Spa, Utah
NE Tennis Holidays
#1 U.S. tennis camp; VT, FL Cape Cod;Fine dining/lodging
netennisholidays.com
Vermont Tennis Vacations
2/3/5-day pgms or a la carte Pro-student 4:1. Onsite Spa
VermontTennisVacations.com
indicates a tournament
Singles Weekend, Total Tennis, New York
Singles weekend
Dennis Ralston Premier Camp, Ralston Tennis, California, Phone: 760-636-4055
Valentine's mixed doubles for all levels
ITA National Men's Team Indoor Championships, Boar's Head, Virginia
Men's teams from Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Fresno State, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA and USC will join host and two-time defending champion Virginia for a weekend of competition on the Boar's Head's 12 indoor hard courts. Competition begins Friday, Feb. 12, at 9 a.m. Admission is free.
Dennis Ralston Premier Camp, Ralston Tennis, California, Phone: 760-636-4055
For all levels
PBI Tennis Show & Carnival, Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa, California
Performance of the Peter Burwash International Tennis Show, which has been billed as the Harlem Globetrotters of Tennis and performed in 99 countries. The skits, choreographed to music, mix exhibitions of ball control with spoofs of wacky strokes. The exhibition will be followed by a 25-game carnival on the resort's grass tennis courts. Earn "funny money" for each carnival game successfully completed and then bid on prizes from Marriott, PBI, Prince, and local venues. Ffun for any ability level and any age. Free.
Ace for the Cause Women's Tournament, Dave Marshall Tennis, Delaware, Phone: 302-448-6795
Women's Doubles Round Robin to benefit the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition held at The Plantations. Entry fee includes tennis as well as lunch, door prizes, Silent Auction, 50/50 raffle, and a shopping extravaganza provided by local vendors.
ATP Champions Tour, Delray Beach Tennis Center, Florida, Phone: 561-330-6000
Eight former ATP players—John McEnroe, Matt Wilander, Pat Cash, Patrick Rafter, Guillermo Vilas, Andres Gomez Johan Kriek, and Aaron Krickstein—compete in the only U.S. stop on their world tour.
Grand Slam Weekend: Fred Stolle, Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, Florida, Phone: 305-933-6925
Fred Stolle, winner of 17 Grand Slam titles and a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, presides over a weekend of tennis festivities. It begins with a pro-am round robin tournament, a pro exhibition, and wine reception with Fred Stolle and other celebrities on Friday evening. That's followed on Saturday by a Grand Slam doubles clinic, lunch, and the awards ceremony.
Azalea Junior Tennis Championships, Callaway Gardens, Georgia
A USTA-sanctioned event: Boys and girls singles for ages 12 to 16.
Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. Phone: 561-330-6000. www.YellowTennisBall.com
Men's 32 draw held outdoors on hard courts. Mardy Fish defeated Evgeny Korolev in the 2009 final. Both are slated to play in 2010, as are James Blake, Taylor Dent, and the Bryan Brothers.The qualifying rounds begin Feb. 20,, the main draw Feb. 22.
Coed Fantasy Weekend, John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, Texas, Phone: 800-874-7788
John Newcombe, Roy Emerson, Owen Davidson, and Ross Case conduct clinics, coach team matches, play against the amateurs, dine with campers, and then hang out for entertainment at evening cocktail parties and into the evening.
27th Annual "Luck of the Irish" Doubles Tournament, Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, South Carolina, Phone: 843-785-1152
A men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles tournament. The divisions: 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 and Open. Sponsored by Giuseppi's Pizza and Pasta.
Dennis Ralston Premier Camp, Ralston Tennis, California, Phone: 760-636-4055
For all levels
College Tennis Tournament, Rancho Valencia, an Auberge Resort, California
University of Michigan vs. University of California at Berkeley. Singles and doubles. Spectators welcome. Free. Starts at noon.
Singles Weekend, Total Tennis, New York
Sports Psychologist
Mental Coaching by Phone or in Palm Beach, Florida Office
www.JohnFMurray.com
Family Travel Forum
Top 10 (Cheap) Getaways For Family Travelers
www.familytravelforum.com
Everett Potter's Travel
Getting Into Guinness Records Consumer Travel Advice
www.everettpotter.com
Mariani's Virtual Gourmet
Weekly food, wine and travel reports from around the world
www.johnmariani.com
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See Also: Map of Europe and North Africa
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Discounts, room upgrades, and special packages only available on Tennis Resorts Online.
Julian Krinsky School of Tennis, Pennsylvania (Juniors)
JKCP Special: Save on Jr. Packages
Tennis Resorts Online has secured a discount of $250 off residential and $100 off day bookings on any tennis camp you book at the Julian Krinsky School of Tennis. To get it, phone toll-free 866-879-5527 and mention this promotional code: 158109.
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*Note: May not be combined with other discounts.
Saddlebrook Tennis (Hopman), Florida
Free Upgrade to One-bedroom Suite + Amenity Basket
Book the Saddlebrook Tennis School (which offers five hours a day of instruction) and a regular deluxe guest room at Saddlebrook Resort and they'll upgrade you to a one-bedroom suite* at no extra cost (two-night minimum) and include a complimentary Saddlebrook Amenity basket.
To get it, phone toll-free 800-729-8383 and ask for the Tennis Resorts Online Upgrade.
*Subject to availability at the time of booking
John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, Texas (Juniors)
TRO Special: 10% Off Junior Camps
Tennis Resorts Online has secured a 10% discount on any weeklong (Sun.-Fri./Sat.) junior camp you book at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch. The discount may not be combined with other offers. To get it, phone toll-free 800-444-6204 and mention this discount code: JR-TRO10. Request a brochure.