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Photo of Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg, VA, USA
Courtesy Colonial Williamsburg

Williamsburg Inn

Williamsburg, Virginia USA

Players at the 8-court Tennis Club at the Williamsburg Inn face some rather unusual distractions, like the Revolutionary War taking place on the nearby streets. "You can be playing at 4:30 in the afternoon and suddenly hear the fife and drum corps," notes tennis director Hoy Correll. "That's what makes this unique."

Surrounded by the buildings and activity of a colonial village, you can often feel that you're being buffeted by two centuries. Not just the fife and drums but the fact that there are sheep grazing behind a white fence in a pasture just across the road or that you'll see village staff in his or her 18th-century garb headed home after a day of work. It is, as Correll points out, a very unusual environment in which to play tennis.
empty pixelThe courts—six clay and two hard—are just a few steps from The Williamsburg Inn, one of several hotels within the colonial village (all of which have playing privileges at this tennis center). Built in 1937 by John D. Rockefeller and recently renovated, this elegant 62-room hotel and its Providence Hall annexes and cluster of colonial houses (available for rent) stand just a short stroll from Duke of Gloucester Street at the heart of the colonial city. It backs up to a golf course and swimming pools and has a spa and fitness center in one of its wings. And except in winter, recruiters pass by the hotel each afternoon looking for volunteers to muster for the march on Yorktown, a step on the road to American independence.
empty pixelAnd spending time in Colonial Williamsburg is obviously the chief reason to visit. This revolutionary city contains more than 500 buildings, almost 100 of them original structures, including the parish church and courthouse. Within them, people in period costume go about their lives. Guided tours explain the architectural and historical significance of key buildings, while in the streets a revolution is at hand—though it is far from unanimous as dissenters and loyalists decry the direction the country is headed.

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Pro Shop: 757-220-7794
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Tennis director Hoy Correll, who played college tennis at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, wears 21st century tennis clothing, but jests that he "left New York City in May 2006 and arrived in Colonial Williamsburg in 1775." This is actually his third stint here, having previously been part of the staff in the 1980s and 1990s. Much of his teaching is comprised of private lessons though he does offer adult and junior clinics three days a week. Otherwise, the demand is for game matching. "“We have enough members (about 125) that I can work up games with hotel guests at almost any level," he told me. "I don't have any 6.0s but I have some 5.0s." He operates out of a small brick, clapboard, and shingle pro shop one side of the courts, with tables and chairs outside beneath the trees.

Court Complex. There are 6 well-maintained clay open from March to November, and 2 hard courts open year-round. Court fees: Guests of selected hotels get one free hour of court time daily.

Ratings

(24 Reviewers)
Tennis Overall
5-Ball Rating Tennis Staff
5-Ball Rating Instruction
4½-Ball Rating 		Game Matching
4½-Ball Rating Junior Tennis
5-Ball Rating Pickleball
3-Ball Rating 		Cuisine
4-Ball Rating Lodging
4-Ball Rating Spa & Fitness
5-Ball Rating 		Dollar Value
5-Ball Rating Other Recreation
5-Ball Rating Setting
4½-Ball Rating 		Kids' Programs
5-Ball Rating Romance
4½-Ball Rating Solo Travelers
5-Ball Rating

Other Recreation

Golf Courses. There are two 18-hole courses and a 9-hole course make up the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the 6,817-year, Par-71 Gold course in 1963, conferring traditional layout and considering it his "finest design." His son added the Green Course in 1991, through much the same landscape but making his longer at 7,120 yards and more forgiving. They are supplemented by the Spotswood Course, which is actually Trent Jones Sr.'s redesign of the club's original 1947 nine-hole course, with six par 3s, two par 4s, and one par 5.

Spa & Fitness Center. There is a full-service spa not far from the Williamsburg Inn and a fitness center with indoor and outdoor pools, a basic suite of cardio and weight-training equipment, and classes in yoga, Pilates, hip-hop, ballet, boot camp, and kettle bell.

Restaurants

There is a broad range of dining options, beginning with multiple taverns in the Colonial village, and continuing up the scale to more elegant dining in places like the Regency Room in the Williamsburg Inn, which showcases Virginia's bounty.

See Also

For comparison's sake, also check out:

Rates and Reservations

Williamsburg Inn

136 East Francis Street
Williamsburg, VA 23185 USA
757-220-7978
Toll-free: 888-965-7254
Web Link: Williamsburg Inn


Travel Essentials

Season. Year-round, though tennis season (and the clay-court season) typically extends from March to November.

Travel Instructions. The nearest airport is Virginia's Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), which is 20 minutes' drive from the hotels and colonial village. The alternatives are Richmond International Airport (RIC) and Norfolk International Airport (ORF), each about 45 minutes drive away

General Tourist Information. For information about Colonial Williamsburg, visit the Colonial Williamsburg website.




Ratings

(24 Reviewers)
Tennis Overall
5-Ball Rating Instruction
4½-Ball Rating Tennis Staff
5-Ball Rating Cuisine
4-Ball Rating Dollar Value
5-Ball Rating Setting
4½-Ball Rating Romance
4½-Ball Rating Kids' Programs
5-Ball Rating 		Game Matching
4½-Ball Rating Junior Tennis
5-Ball Rating Pickleball
3-Ball Rating Lodging
4-Ball Rating Spa & Fitness
5-Ball Rating Other Recreation
5-Ball Rating Solo Travelers
5-Ball Rating


Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Williamsburg Inn.

  • 5-Ball Rating "I really enjoyed meeting and getting a great lesson from the club pro, Hoy Correll. I visit this Williamsburg resort fairly often and will make it a point to take lessons with Hoy whenever I can."—R.W., Int., March 2024
  • 5-Ball Rating "Coach Hoy Correll at the Williamsburg Inn is an outstanding tennis professional. He quickly evaluates your strengths and weaknesses and listens to you about what you want to improve and accomplish with the lesson. He doesn't put any pressure to change style or swing unless he feels it is an important or necessary change, although when he does hone in on a suggested tweak, he always succeeds with patience and persistence, while at the same time strengthening the skills you already possess. He is marvelous with children and runs many children's clinics and private lessons. This past year I had two injuries that rendered me unable to play tennis for months. After spending two weeks working with Hoy, returned to MA with the confidence and the ability to start playing again. He is absolutely wonderful, and taking lessons from Hoy has always been one of the highlights of my yearly trips to Williamsburg from Boston. The Inn itself is an outstanding destination lodging that drips with Southern hospitality and Regency style charm. And of course, there is Colonial Williamsburg; an historic treasure trove."—M.K., Int., November 2023
  • 4-Ball Rating "My husband and I have visited Colonial Williamsburg a few times, but this was the first time staying on property and we did that intentionally for the tennis. This summer we ventured to stay at various tennis resorts throughout the US east coast and this stay did not disappoint! It was easy to book a tennis lesson and tennis pro Hoy was very accommodating and flexible considering the uncertainty of getting a late checkout to book a second lesson. Hoy's instruction was fantastic! We are pretty much beginners but he had us improving our ground strokes and serves almost immediately. Patient and creative, we walked away with an amazing experience and look forward to returning again!"—E.M., Low Int., September 2023
  • 5-Ball Rating "The tennis at the Williamsburg Inn is amazing, the Tennis Pro Hoy is professional and an excellent player and coach. The courts are well groomed and well maintained, and scheduling a court time is always easy and pleasant. The atmosphere at the tennis courts is always welcoming and pleasant. I would recommend this tennis club to anyone from beginner to expert."—M.C., Adv., September 2023
  • 4-Ball Rating "If you are planning on a visit to Colonial Williamsburg and you love to include tennis, this is a great place! Our 9 year old granddaughter had a lesson every morning with Hoy and went back home to win her first tournament! We all agreed to return!"—W.W., Int., July 2023
  • 4½-Ball Rating "Outstanding Har-Tru courts impeccably maintained. Very knowledgeable and friendly professional staff. Beautiful setting adjacent to Colonial Williamsburg. The tennis professional, Hoy Correll, is very personable and accommodating. Hoy teaches all levels and ages."—B.L., Int., June 2023
  • 4-Ball Rating "Try to schedule time with tennis pro Hoy Correll every time I visit! Enjoy the time, conversation, stag, & always come away with a great feeling!"—R.U., Int., June 2023
  • 4½-Ball Rating "Grey clay courts perfectly maintained in a peaceful bucolic setting. Never too crowded. The pro, Hoy, is a wonderful hitting coach — Southern charm, good humor, and great pearls of wisdom that have stayed with me for years. Highly recommend."—M.C., Adv. Int., June 2023
  • 4½-Ball Rating "I stayed for 12 days because of Hoy Correll's teaching and have been playing tennis for several decades, including college and competitive tournament play, with an attitude there is always more to learn and improve with a competent pro. Hoy is that person, and he went out of his way to accommodate me and also to teach my son in scheduling time, even making contingency plans for bad weather."—N.K., Adv., May 2023
  • 3½-Ball Rating "I booked a lesson with the head pro, Hoy. As I would only be able to take one lesson from him I wasn't expecting much. I really only took it to get out on the courts during my stay. I walked away so happy I did! Hoy is an excellent instructor, pinpointing small changes you can make to improve your game in a short amount of time. I wish I'd had time to take another. Hoy is definitely a reason to stay at the Inn! Highly recommend booking a lesson with him."—L.S., Int., January 2023
  • 4½-Ball Rating "I come to this resort at least once a year sometimes twice. My only regret is that Hoy, the tennis pro, doesn't live closer to me. I always walk out of a lesson with a better swing, a more efficient and effective serve and overall a great attitude and love for the game! He is calm, effective and very insightful. I see him work with little children and his patience is endless! As for me, I'm mediocre at best yet he always makes me feel amazing!"—P.K., Int., December 2022
  • 4½-Ball Rating ""—J.R., Int., April 2022

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©2023 Roger Cox