TOPS'L Resort
Top 10 U.S. Tennis Resort Tennis pkgs: 888-248-4964
www.topsl.com
Longboat Key Club/Resort
On Florida's SW coast;home of New 20-court Tennis Gardens
www.longboatkeyclub.com
Here's what others have had to say about Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club.
"This is a tremendous resort for families with kids of all ages, or for just couples. The accomodations are excellent, the staff was extremely helpful, and the property is impeccably maintained.
While I enjoyed playing on the well-lit, har-tru courts, my strong recommendation for more serious tennis players is to seek out the Nunez Tennis Academy, which is only about two miles away from this resort. If available, book with Eric Nunez, for a hitting session or a lesson. I have been to several highly rated tennis resorts, and this Fairmont combined with Nunez is the finest."—J.F., Adv., March 2009
Rate Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club
Set in the upper reaches of Miami's Dade County, on the mainland 
side of the Intracoastal Waterway, the 300-acre Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club encompasses a splendid 392-room hotel, a complex of four lighted Hydrogrid courts, 36 holes of golf, a 25,000-square-foot Willow Stream spa, and a private beach club—though the last is a 10-minute shuttle ride away. Something like $150 million has been lavished on the property over the last several years on everything from a redesign of the two golf courses to a complete renovation of the hotel rooms, Ocean Club, restaurants, and common areas. That was somewhat mixed news for tennis, whose court complex was obliterated to make way for a new, but much smaller facility and modern pro shop.
Pro Shop: 305-933-6925
Elisabeth Cusack, who became tennis director when the complex reopened, has lived through all of this. A USPTR-certified pro who played for Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, she joined the staff in 1999. "The facility is smaller now but we still have a lot of activity," she told me. Tennis legend Fred Stolle, who has lived at Turnberry Isle for more than two decades, is once again an intermittent presence, dropping in on the men's night in season, conducting occasional fantasy weekends, and generally showing up unannounced to play or kibbitz. The weekly roster includes daily drill clinics, which afford guests the opportunity to meet other players. "They often stay around and play afterwords," Cusack noted. There's also a Friday evening round robin, Cardio tennis (increasingly popular with young kids "as long s you play the music they like," says Cusack), and four junior clinics (this is a club with local members as well). They're about to hire a tennis coordinator to handle game matching. Beyond that, the yearly calendar is spiked with those Stolle fantasy weekends, charity events, and beefed-up programming over the major holidays.
Beach. Turnberry's Beach Club is physically outside the resort in Aventura, a 10-minute drive or shuttle ride away. However once there guests have access to the private club and a lovely stretch of beach. The club also has watersports equipment, a six-sided swimming pool, cabanas, lockers and changing rooms, and a restaurant and bar.
Golf Courses. The resort has two 18-hole courses, originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and then redesigned by Raymond Floyd.
Spa & Fitness Center. At 25,000-aquare feet, Turnberry's the Willow Stream Spa offers a full range of treatments, exceptional relaxation areas, and an oversize fitness center with Techno-Gym equipment, personal trainers, and a variety of classes.
And ... The new Laguna Pool attracts adults and kids with its 800-foot-long lazy river, 35-foot-tall slide, zero-entry pool, hot tub, and wading pool. Poolside cabanas with flatscreen televisions and refrigerators are also available. A 2.9-mile jogging track circles the resort.
Turnberry offers a half-day and full day Kids Connection, a supervised program of activities, games, and crafts for children ages 5 to 12.
The resort's 392 guest rooms and suites have every lavish appointment and amenity. Most rooms have Mediterranean terra-cotta floors, armoires, and other exquisite furnishings in soft tones of almond, moss green and peach. Italian red marble, and overstuffed couches in the classic Mediterranean hues complete the seating area. French doors open to flower-lined terraces with spectacular views of the manicured fairways or pool gardens.
Options range from Bourbon Steak, a restaurant by James Beard award-winner Michael Mina, to grills variously located at the Ocean Club, golf clubhouse, and the Laguna Pool.
March 26-28, 2010: Grand Slam Weekend: Fred Stolle
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.
Among the other tennis resorts similar to Turnberry are:
See their website for details.
Seasons. Year-round.
Travel Instructions. By Air: The resort is 20 miles south of Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and 18 miles north of Miami International Airport.
General Tourist Information. For information about travel to this region of Florida contact the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, 701 Brickell Avenue, Suite 2700, Miami, FL 33131; phone 305-539-3000 or toll-free 800-933-8448 or visit their website.