The road signs along New Hampshire's Rt. 26 warn you to watch out for moose, a clue to just how far-flung and northerly the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel really is. That remoteness may lead you to expect some backwoods lodge; instead you arrive to find the grandest of all of New England's Gilded Age resorts. Nestled in a shallow valley framed by hulking rocky crags and dense forests, the rambling red-roofed hotel—all white clapboard except for one 7-story stucco tower—trails along a grassy slope above Lake Gloriette deep in the White Mountains. By mid June tens of thousands of flowers bloom in its extensive gardens.

Overview

Originally an inn on the stagecoach stop route between the coast of Maine and Montreal, the Balsams blossomed during the era of rail travel as hundreds of families boarded trains in steamy cities like New York, Boston, and Hartford to summer in the cool, green New Hampshire mountains. Now they come by car, dodging moose along the two-lane highways. What hasn't changed is the allure of hotel itself, which has become a National Historic Landmark at the center of a 15,000-acre resort playground. In summer that translates into a family smorgasbord of activities that encompasses watersports on the lake, miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails, fly fishing, red-clay and hard tennis courts, and a devilish Donald Ross golf course laid out along the side of a mountain with views into nearby Canada.
Activities are planned from morning until very late at night. There is a daily calendar of activities run by the recreation staff, including games and contests, family events, craft and culinary demonstrations, and wine tastings. Secluded nooks provide places to escape from all of this and just read. Then in the evening following dinner, the Balsams has three rooms of entertainment (find out whether tennis director Bob Greene will be performing in the weekly staff show, and if so, go; he's an accomplished guitarist) as well as a wide-screen movie theater. All of this is complimentary.

Tennis Features

Pro Shop: 603-255-2651

Tennis at the Balsams dates back to before the turn of the century, when the resort had a grass court. Tennis greats Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Bobby Riggs, and Helen Wills Moody all played here, and following World War II former Wimbledon and U.S. Women's Tennis Champion Pauline Betz Addie spent a summer there as the pro. Today the courts are red clay and hard, but everyone from beginners to avid players are well taken care of. There is also a tiny but full-service pro shop in a white-clapboard, red-roofed cottage with its own flower gardens.

Tennis Staff. USPTA pro Bob Greene taught under Fred Perry at the old Chase Camps and then worked in private clubs in New England before coming to the Balsams in the summer of 1991. He runs a solid program, mixing social activities, group instruction, and private lessons. "The tennis here strikes a pretty good balance between being organized and being laid back," he says. "We have to approach it that way because there is so much to do. We have a lot of variety on the menu to make sure we have something for everybody." All of his staff are USPTA certified. Greene is the recipient of teh 2003 International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award.
Tennis Programs. During the July and August "Social Season," some kind of tennis activity takes at the courts every day. In a typical week that includes free beginner clinics for adults and juniors, several additional group clinics, advanced drill sessions, at least four round-robin doubles events, and a fast serve contest. Once a week there is a special "Tennis for Parents n' Kidz," which puts parents and children on court together and teaches them how to work together to improve. Or if you simply want to play and don't manage to meet a compatible opponent in one of the round robins, the staff tries to match you up. Private instruction is also available by appointment. On the whole it is a very broad, well thought out program.
Courts & Fees. The complex consists of 3 red-clay courts laid out side by side next to the white-clapboard pro shop and 3 Plexicushion hard courts on the opposite side of a grassy knoll just to the west. Court fees: None for registered guests.
Caveat: Bring or buy a water bottle, since not all the courts have easy access to water.

Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Balsams Grand Resort Hotel.

• "great instructors--Bob Greene and his staff are great. They are helpful and great with both kids and adults. Lots of fun round robins and socials. Helpful clinics. The red clay courts are beautifully kept."—C.K., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "The clay courts and mountain setting are absolutely gorgeous. Fantastic tennis instruction. Nice golf course, too. Great food and nice views of lake from my room. They should add a full service spa and an indoor pool, but massage service was very good."—H.A., Int., April 2008

• "I attended a convention at the Balsams in the fall and I brought my racket. What a nice surprise to find perfect red clay courts. Tennis Director Bob Greene ran a great round robin tournament for our group and made the ball machine available at no charge. I plan to bring my family back for a week in the summer."—E.G., Int., April 2008

• "Excellent clay courts and good variety of tennis programs for the whole family. Beautiful setting. Hotel has great food. Other activities at the resort are fun... Kayaking and Mountain biking. No air conditioning in room, but it wasn't a probem at night."—D.B., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "Great courts. Love the red clay. Bob Greene is awesome. Fun socials, great setting."—C.S., Adv., April 2008

• "Excellent staff; fun clay courts; gorgeous resort"—S.G., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "great classic red clay courts and a wonderful staff with excellent teaching faculty and well thought out group activities. combined with the non-tennis facilities of the resort - golf, hiking, dining, biking and entertainment - makes for a top notch and most enjoyable experience"—J.G., Int., April 2008

• "Truly great resort, with an amazing tennis facility and fantastic staff. The pros' and staff go out of there way to ensure that you come away from your vacation with an improved tennis game."—S.R., Int., November 2007

• "Bob Greene is exceptional. The clay courts are top notch, & the setting is gorgeous. Bob is a wonderful teacher with terrific teaching skills, great sense of humor, & infinite patience. I can't say enough good things about our tennis experience with Bob."—P.M., Adv. Int., October 2007

• "We had a surprisingly wonderful tennis experience at the Balsams. We were expecting a mountain resort with some family tennis. Our 12 year old son had a lesson from Bob Greene that turned on the lightbulb for him and his competitive tennis abilities. He made very strategic points in layman's terms. The whole staff was so energetic and flexible. The red clay courts are a different experience."—G.S., Adv. Int., September 2007

• "Our vacation at the Balsams was on Labor Day weekend and the tennis crowd was sparse. The Balsams is better known for their golf. I participated in the group lessons, but there were so few participants that I was grouped with low intermediates. Coaching was fine, but the low numbers did not provide much extra play or competition or ability to find other players to play outside of the lesson."—D.C., Adv. Int., September 2007

• "Bob Greene has picked a great teaching pro, Leif, to join his staff this year. He was just terrific in teaching me the fundamentals of tennis and working with my son. He was clear, encouraging, positive, smart and articulate. The tennis instruction was the high point of our stay, and I'd go back again for more instruction with them in a second."—A.V., Beg., September 2007

Other Recreation

Golf Courses. Golf at the Balsams dates to 1897 and now comprises 27 holes. There are no greens fees for registered guests. There are golf pro shops and professional staff at both locations. Balsams also runs a seasonal golf school. For starting times, phone 603-255-4961.

The Panorama: The legendary golf architect Donald Ross redesigned and expanded the original course in 1912, personally supervising its construction. He laid out a devilish course along the western side of Keyser Mountain, giving it scenic views all the north into Canada. He invested it with his signature sloping fairways, hilltop and often domed greens, and an occasional tee marker mischievously pointed out of bounds. Par 72. Length: 5,069-6,804 yards.
Coashaukee: A 9-hole Executive course next to the hotel. Par 32. Length: 1,917 yards.

Fitness Center. Given all the outdoor recreation, it's not certain why guests would need one but there is a small exercise room with a Body Master II multi-workout station, five cardiovascular machines, mats, and a very few dumbbells in a room with small high windows and fans (but no air conditioning).

And ... Lake Gloriette is a 32-acre spring fed lake stocked with trout (guests may fish without a license). A fleet of rowboats, canoes, and paddleboats is available for guests to use. You can swim in the lake if you like cold water; otherwise, there is a heated swimming pool adjacent. Also at lakeside are facilities for badminton, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, croquet, bocce, and shuffleboard. Beyond the lake, an extensive network of maintained trails for walking, hiking, climbing, and mountain biking laces the resort's 25 square miles. The rugged terrain varies from rolling countryside to 800-foot cliffs and varies more than 2,000 feet in elevation. Mountain bikes are available for rent and there are regular guided mountain bike excursions.

Children's Programs

During July and August, the Balsams runs award-winning Camp Wind Whistle for children ages 5-13 (and for those ages 3-4 during part of July). The program operates from breakfast through dinner, seven days a week. Kids are divided into age groups and then entertained with appropriate activities. At meals, they can dine with their parents or with counselors in the dining room. Like most all of the activities at the resort, these programs are complimentary.

Lodging

The resort has 232 rooms altogether, of varying layouts and sizes but each with the homey country-inn feel of hand-painted pine furnishings, ruffled drapes, brass and ceramic lamps. They have phones but neither air conditioning (rarely needed; rooms do have fans) nor televisions (there is a public TV room for those who can't live without it).

Restaurants

The vast chandeliered dining room seats 500 guests at a time at tables awash with starched napkins, glistening crystal, and polished silverware. Each party—the men in jackets—is assigned a table and a waiter, who remembers whether they prefer Balsams Spring Water or lemonade, and delivers the sumptuous four-course (or more, if you're hungry) dinners from a menu that changes nightly. All the options, including the at least eight entrées, soups, appetizers, and desserts, are displayed on a central buffet so you can view your choice before ordering. Once you do, everything is prepared to order. Choices range from roast prime rib of beef to poached Boothbay haddock, fettuccini primavera, and a spicy spinach and mushroom enchilada. There's also a wine list of some 300 imported and domestic labels. Lunch and Saturday night dinner consist of stupendous buffets.

See Also

The mountain setting and all-inclusive pricing set the Balsams apart from all of the other tennis resorts reviewed here. What else you look at depends on which aspects of the hotel interest you most. For complimentary, well-run children's programs, look at:

• Grand View Lodge, Minnesota
• Wild Dunes Resort, South Carolina

For similar Gilded Age grand style, look at:

• Sea Island Resort, Georgia
• The Greenbrier, West Virginia
• Mohonk Mountain House, New York

For a secluded setting and an abundance of recreation, look at:

• Callaway, Georgia
• Northstar-at-Tahoe, California
• Sunriver, Oregon
• Waterville Valley, New Hampshire

Travel Essentials

Seasons. Although the Balsams is also open in winter for skiing, the tennis season runs essentially from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, reaching its peak during July and August, which the resort still designates as the "Social Season."

Balsams Grand Resort Hotel
Route 26
Dixville Notch, NH 03576-9710
603-255-3400
Toll-free: 877-225-7267
Fax: 603-255-2441
Web Link: Balsams Grand Resort Hotel

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Travel Instructions. The nearest major airports are Portland, Maine, 118 miles to the south and Burlington, Vermont, 150 miles to the west. Montreal, 158 miles to the west and a little north, is a little farther, and Boston, 219 miles to the south, farther still.

General Tourist Information. Visit the New Hampshire Office of Travel & Tourism web site or contact them at 172 Pembroke, P.O. Box 1856, Concord, NH 03302. Phone: 603-271-2343 or 800-FUN-IN-NH.

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