The finest hotel tennis courts in Italy: a stylish guide to cinematic allure, refined luxury, and breath-taking vistas overlooking the sea, the lakes, and rolling hills.
In Italy, one may play tennis amidst ancient olive groves, upon cliffs sheer above the Tyrrhenian Sea, or beside waters framed by Renaissance hills.
From historic manors overlooking Lombardy’s lakes to legendary retreats along the Amalfi Coast, here is a curated Secrets-style selection of the Peninsula’s most enchanting courts. These are sanctuaries where a game of hotel tennis transcends sport to become an act of pure aesthetic pleasure, each imbued with the distinct allure of a cult film classic.
The man who said ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’ saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life a matter of luck is. It’s scary to think so much is out of one’s control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back.
(Wilt, Match Point by Woody Allen, 2005)
Il San Pietro di Positano (Positano, Amalfi Coast)
Suspended between the azure depths of the Gulf of Salerno and the sheer cliffs of Amalfi, the tennis court at Il San Pietro di Positano is universally celebrated as one of the world’s most spectacular. Carved into the rockface directly above the sea, it is reached via lifts cut through the stone and terraces heavy with the scent of lemon blossoms. To play here is to feel the sea breeze upon one’s face, with the gentle lapping of the waves providing the soundtrack to every rally.
Cinematic Vibe: The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). The aesthetic is pure 1950s coastal dolce vita: hedonistic elegance, crisp white linen, dark sunglasses, and that dazzling, luminous Mediterranean light that breathes eternal summer.
Passalacqua (Moltrasio, Lake Como)
Crowned the world’s finest hotel, Passalacqua in Moltrasio epitomises the sublime art of Como villeggiatura. Its clay court sits high upon the terraced gardens of this eighteenth-century estate, enveloped by olive trees, climbing roses, and sweeping views across the lake basin. The clay blends seamlessly into the landscape, offering a game immersed in aristocratic, timeless tranquility.
Cinematic Vibe: Call Me by Your Name (2017). An atmosphere steeped in classical beauty, languid afternoons, erudite conversation, elegant nostalgia, and the sense that time itself has finally agreed to slow down.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo (Tremezzina, Lake Como)
A quintessential icon of Belle Époque hospitality, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo boasts a court nestled within its twenty-thousand-square-metre estate, set just behind the principal mansion. A match here unfurls amidst lush greenery—azaleas, rhododendrons, and ancient palms—with glimpses of the lake and the promontory of Bellagio emerging through the foliage.
Cinematic Vibe: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) meets Casino Royale (2006). The charm lies in vintage grand-tour grandeur, blending early twentieth-century Art Nouveau touches, cosmopolitan flair, and a dash of international intrigue courtside.
Villa Cordevigo Wine Relais (Cavaion Veronese, Lake Garda)
Nestled among the Bardolino vineyards near Lake Garda, Villa Cordevigo is a sixteenth-century patrician residence transformed into a refined wine relais. Its tennis court is cloaked in the serenity of the Venetian countryside, framed by neat rows of vines, slender cypresses, and the estate’s historic walls. It provides the ideal setting for a match at dusk, as golden light bathes the hills and the evening air turns pleasantly cool.
Cinematic Vibe: Match Point (2005). An homage to stylish tension and classic tennis: a court where precision of execution meets the discreet charm of country nobility, enjoyed between a glass of fine Bardolino Classico and a decisive volley at the net.
Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice (Giudecca Island, Venice)
Tucked away in the most secluded, verdant corner of Giudecca Island, the Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel harbors Venice’s sole full-sized tennis court. Enclosed within the legendary Casanova Gardens—where the famed seducer once strolled amongst the roses—the clay court is sheltered by ancient brick walls and framed by cypresses and maritime pines, offering utter privacy in the heart of the lagoon.
Cinematic Vibe: Summertime (1955). Sophisticated, slightly mysterious elegance where refined tennis encounters the myth of Venice: an exclusive sanctuary for aesthetes, far removed from the tourist trail and wrapped in a near-magical quietude.
And if the tennis courts are this beautiful, can you imagine the cocktail bars for an after-match drink?
The Secret
The birth of the clay court is a stroke of serendipitous genius. In 1880, the British brothers William and Ernest Renshaw — dominant champions at Wimbledon — were spending the winter at the Hôtel Beau-Site in Cannes, a legendary retreat for European nobility on the French Riviera. However, the dry Riviera climate quickly scorched and ruined the hotel’s lush grass courts. To protect the lawn from the burning sun without sacrificing their play, the Renshaws turned to a nearby pottery workshop in Vallauris, a town famed for its red clay ceramics. They took defective terracotta pots, crushed them into a fine powder, and spread the red dust across the turf. It was the official birth of terre battue, a playing surface that would go on to conquer tennis clubs around the globe and define the red courts of Roland Garros.
