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Here's what others have had to say about Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa and Vermont Tennis Vacations.
"We attended the USTA Seniors Doubles Tournament last fall (the tennis was actually played in So. Burlington not at the resort). The rooms were lovely. Breakfast in the Tavern was delicious. We spent a very pleasant evening in the Tavern listening to an acoustical guitar playing who did a wonderful job.
HOWEVER - the dinner provided as part of the conference was abysmal. We were one of the last tables to be called – the process was painfully slow. First, you had run out of plates and silverware so we had to wait for more to be brought out. Then, a large portion of the food, including main courses, was completely gone. And what was there, was cold. When we finally got SOMETHING to eat, what we had was definitely not worth the wait. It wasn’t just that it didn’t live up to the hype associated with the Essex, it wasn’t good by any standards. Not very flavorful, not cooked well. And the staff hosting the food stations kept talking about how it was the USTA’s fault for increasing the numbers at the last minute. The Essex is a high end professional establishment that should take things like that into account and plan accordingly. And the staff SHOULD NOT have been complaining to the attendees about the tournament organizers – or anything else for that matter. Completely unprofessional.
In addition to the bad food, the PA system was horrible! It made sitting through the presentations painful – sometimes literally.
Although this had nothing to do with the tournament, I was completely disappointed in the grounds. While I’m sure they would have been beautiful in the spring, last fall they looked run down and neglected. The flower beds were full of flowers that had gone by and there was very little seasonal that was growing. There were at least 2 wedding parties taking photos surrounded by gardens of dead flowers. Had I been a manager there, I’d have been mortified. Had I been part of the wedding party, I would have been furious. There are plenty of beautiful fall plants/gourds/pumpkins/flowers that could have been planted or brought in to spruce things up. At a minimum the gardens should have been cleaned out of the plants that had gone by.
Overall, despite bright spots such as the Tavern, I certainly would not recommend the Essex as a wedding destination. And I wouldn’t recommend it for any type of large meeting or convention. Our stay was a BIG disappointment."—M.L., Low Int., April 2012
"This camp is part of the Essex Resort which is a lovely inn with beautiful grounds, pools, a spa and great food. the tennis program is run and taught by Rob Barr who is an unusually talented teacher. He has a friendly easygoing personality but takes his coaching very seriously. Another nice feature is that Rob and his assistant coach eats lunchnwith the players each day which makes the whole experience even more intimate and friendly. My husband and I have gone to various tennis camps over the years and this one is by far the best."—E.P., Adv. Int., April 2012
"Lovely inn, great food, beautiful setting, small and intimate tennis program, and fabulous pros!"—N.S., Int., April 2012
"great teachers. Excellent drills, plenty of individual instruction time. Would like more real playing time. Video feedback is very helpful."—B.S., Adv. Int., April 2012
"This tennis camp was really excellent. Rob and Anders make a great team. They are both wonderful teachers and their different styles compliment each other well. They created an atmosphere of both easy going fun and intense work on skills. My only complaint is that my physical fitness was not up to all the great attention they were giving me. But I finished the camp with not only sore muscles, but also lots of new tennis skills and good memories of a wonderful time."—K.Z., Adv., April 2012
""—E.B., Int., April 2012
""—F.P., Int., April 2012
"The tennis program at The Essex is exceptional. The pros are top notch, they cater the program to each individual's needs, and they are a lot of fun. The Inn is comfortable, the food is excellent, the service is great. This has become an annual vacation for me and my friends and we couldn't live without it! We're hooked!"—J.W., Adv. Int., April 2012
"Great place to get instruction with excelllelnt pros and high level of individual attention. I would love to go back."—K.S., Adv., April 2012
"The tennis program run by Rob and Anders is exceptional - whether you participate in the tennis program or take individual lessons. I have done both many times over the past several years.
The instruction is geared towards improving your game in a fun yet challenging way. Rob and Anders do an excellent job of making you a better player - they give you subtle but effective changes to your game. And their enthusiasm and positive encouragement are what really makes the difference. You would be hard pressed to find two better teachers.
And the setting is just simply lovely."—T.M., Int., April 2012
"Wonderful tennis, wonderful pro's. Beautiful. Near Burlington, VT."—J.P., Int., April 2012
"Teaching staff is fantastic. The atmosphere is friendly yet professional and the instructors always make sure to provide personalized advice. The times we attended the group size was very small (2-3 people) which resulted in particularly individualized instruction. Dining is outstanding, although it was somewhat difficult to get a table at the restaurant at dinner time."—R.M., Low Int., August 2011
The Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa
The prices for the tennis vacation package below include 5 hours/day of group instruction, lodging, breakfast and lunch daily, dinner all but one night, and all taxes and gratuities. Rates are per person/double occupany. See the website for single-occupancy options.Tennis Vacation Packages: May-July 2012
2-day: $629. 3-day: $899. 5-day: $1,399
Tennis Vacation Packages: September 2012
2-day: $629. 3-day: $899. 5-day: $1,399
Rates on request.
Reservations:
Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa