Tennis has long been a central amenity at Westward Look Resort in the foothills of Tucson's Santa Catalina Mountains. The 80-acre landmark dates to 
1912, when the Watsons built an adobe home on the property. It later evolved into a guest ranch and then, during the tennis boom, added 8 hard courts, giving them a prime location at the top of the resort overlooking the original adobe buildings and the Tucson Valley beyond. The rooftop terrace atop a new ballroom has a 360-degree panorama that takes in the five mountain ranges ringing the valley.
Westward Look may not be as glamorous as some of the late-comers, but it retains a rich Sonoran character, in its architecture and its landscape. The original adobe homestead survives, converted now to a library with a wood-burning fireplace. The entire property is a botanical garden of desert species, set off here and there by ramadas with bird feeders and interpretive tiles about wildlife.
Although tennis remains a central amenity, it is not the only one. The guest ranch tradition survives in horseback rides into the adjoining hills, supplemented now by guided hikes, mountain biking, a fitness center, a spa, and three heated swimming pools, the largest of them—a lap pool—immediately adjacent to the tennis courts.
Pro Shop: 520-917-2466 or 800-722-2500, ext. 489
The complex of eight hard courts begins near the pro shop and cascades down the slopes of the foothills through a botanical garden of desert foliage. It has a tiny pro shop, with Wilson racquets, balls, accessories, on-site restringing, a limited selection of clothing, and snacks. Throughout much of the winter and spring, every court is likely to be in use during the prime 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. period, booked either by guests or locals for whom this is a membership club.
Tennis Staff. Tennis director Tom Lepisto can to Westward Look in the fall of 2004. Originally from Minnesota, this former college and satellite player directed adult and junior programs at the John Gardiner resorts in Scottsdale and Carmel Valley and then ran the operations at private country clubs before making the move to Westward Look.
He left intact the successful match-assistance program. "Tennis players are social," he notes. "When you call these members they really do want to play. We have enough members at 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 level that we can get something going." He further encourages activity with a policy of offering some free programs, including the Friday evening "Wine Down," where players bring snacks and beverages to share after an evening of playing, and Saturday clinics. "We aren't going to nickel-and-dime out guest," he insists. "I'm here anyway, so to run a round robin or play with a guest is no big deal. My position is that by offering guests something for free, we're encouraging them to come back."
"We offer a high level of technical expertise in our teaching," says Lepisto of his staff of USPTA-certified pros. "If you're happy with you're strokes, we're happy. But once the options are presented in the right way, we find people are much more willing to accept technical changes than they thought they would be."
Court Fees. $15/hour but included in tennis packages.
Golf Courses. Westward Look has no golf course of its own but does have an affiliation with many courses in the Tucson area.
Spa & Fitness Center. The Sonoran Spa at Westward Look provides massage and skin treatments using products indigenous to the region. Its seven treatment rooms are named for such healing desert plants as jojoba, Indian tea, and creosote. There are yoga and Pilates classes as well. At one end, there is an outside patio with lounge chairs and tables set just behind a cactus garden backdropped by the Santa Catalina Mountains.
The fitness center, in the same building as the tennis pro shop, is similarly modest, with a small array of cardiovascular machines, one Vectra workout station, and some hand weights. It has a gaslog fireplace, a television, and windows on the lap pool.
And ... As a former guest ranch, it understandably offers horseback riding on property. But there are also guided hikes and mountain biking tours and a looping fitness trail.
The rooms are scattered through roughly 40 one- and two-story buildings that spill down the hill from the main lobby. These tend to be larger than typical hotel rooms and have rough plaster walls, a Southwestern decor, spacious bathrooms, and mountain or valley views. All have been recently renovated.
There are two restaurants at the resort: the casual Lookout Bar & Grille and the Gold Room. The latter has burgundy banquets upholstered in a Southwestern pattern, viga and latilla ceiling, and dazzling views of the city below. Executive chef Jamie West uses traditional herbs and spices to give his cuisine a Southwestern flair. The menu also helpfully provides suggested wine pairings drawing on a cellar containing hundreds of selections.
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Rates on request.
Seasons. Although the resort is open year-round, the best period for tennis runs from late September into May.
Travel Instructions. Tucson claims to get 350 days of sunshine a year, more, says the Convention & Visitors Bureau, than any other city in the U.S. Expect high temperatures in the mid 60s in winter, in the upper 90s in summer. The rainiest months are July, August, and September.
General Tourist Information. For information about vacationing in Tucson, visit the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau website or contact them at 110 S. Church Ave. No. 7199, Tucson, AZ 85701. Phone: 520-624-1817; Fax: 520-770-0507.