Travel Shortlist · 2025 / 26
European Tennis
Hotel Collection
Four handpicked resorts combining active Mediterranean lifestyle, scenic tennis courts, and distinctive character — from Spain's coastline to the Greek Aegean.
01
Zel Costa Brava
Tossa de Mar · Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain 🇪🇸
★★★★
€220–420
per night
Rooms · Tennis · Spa · Dining · Beach
Tennis at Zel Costa Brava
Nine outdoor clay and hard courts set between the coves of Cala Pola and Cala Giverola, surrounded by 35 hectares of protected pine forest. Courts are floodlit for evening play. Qualified instructors available for private or group sessions. Tennis is at the heart of the Zel philosophy — a Rafa Nadal co-creation.
9
Courts
Clay + Hard
Surfaces
Floodlit
Evening Play
Pro coaching
On-site
Rooms & Suites
- 🛏️214 rooms across Junior Suites, Suites, Casa ZEL & Duplex
- 🌊All with sea, mountain or garden views
- ✨Mediterranean design — bright tiled floors, natural materials
- 🍳Many units include a kitchenette
- 🌿Private terraces opening onto nature
Facilities
- 🏊Outdoor pool + spa indoor heated pool with mountain views
- 💆Full spa: sauna, hammam, steam room, treatments
- 🚡Funicular railway down to private beach & Cala Giverola
- 🏃46 sports activities: yoga, padel, beach volleyball, cycling
- 🍽️3 restaurants + beach bar & terraces
- 🧒Kids' club, mini-golf, daily entertainment
🗺️ Nearby & Road Trip Options
Tossa de Mar
4 km · 5 min drive
Medieval walled old town (Vila Vella), castle ruins, and fishing harbour. Perfect for an evening stroll and dinner.
Girona
45 km · 45 min drive
Stunning medieval city with Jewish quarter, colourful houses, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Game of Thrones filming location.
Barcelona
109 km · 80 min drive
World-class city break option: Sagrada Família, Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, and some of Europe's best dining.
Dalí Triangle
50–80 km · 1 hr
Figueres (Dalí Theatre-Museum), Portlligat (Dalí House), and Púbol — a surreal art and architecture road trip.
Cap de Creus
80 km · 1 hr
The easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula. Dramatic capes, hidden coves, and the picturesque village of Cadaqués.
Blanes & Costa Brava Coves
20 km · 25 min
Marimurtra Botanical Garden, sea kayaking, and exploring secluded calas (coves) along the rugged coastline.
02
Zel Mallorca
Playa de Palma · Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain 🇪🇸
★★★★
€250–420
per night
Rooms · Rooftop · Dining · Beach
Tennis at Zel Mallorca
The original Rafa Nadal-Meliá tennis concept, launched in 2022 on Mallorca — Nadal's home island. Multiple courts with professional on-site coaching, part of the broader ZEL active lifestyle programme. The hotel reportedly hit 100% occupancy in its debut seasons — its tennis offering was central to that success.
Multiple
Courts
Nadal's
Home Island
Pro coaching
On-site
1st ZEL
Property Ever
Rooms & Suites
- 🛏️Rooms, Suites, and Junior Suites with sea or garden views
- 🌊Many rooms with direct sea-facing balconies
- ✨Same ZEL design DNA — Mediterranean palette, natural textures
- 🏝️Beachfront location on Playa de Palma
- 🌿Modern interiors with warm coastal touches
Facilities
- 🏊Outdoor pools with Mediterranean views
- 💆Spa and wellness centre
- 🏋️Fully equipped gym and fitness classes
- 🏄Water sports, cycling, and beach activities
- 🍽️Multiple restaurants & bars with local Mallorcan flavours
- 🎉ZEL Club social events and cooking classes
🗺️ Nearby & Road Trip Options
Palma de Mallorca
12 km · 15 min drive
Magnificent Gothic cathedral (La Seu), Bellver Castle, Passeig des Born boulevard, and a thriving food scene.
Serra de Tramuntana
30–50 km · 40 min drive
UNESCO mountain range with hairpin roads, olive terraces, and stunning sea views. Stop at Valldemossa and Deià.
Sóller & Port de Sóller
35 km · 40 min drive
Charming mountain town reachable by vintage wooden train from Palma. Lovely harbour, orange groves, and tapas bars.
Cap de Formentor
80 km · 1 hr 15 min
The "island's crown" — a dramatic limestone peninsula with turquoise coves and one of Europe's most scenic coastal drives.
Coves del Drac (Dragon Caves)
65 km · 50 min drive
Spectacular underground cave system with one of the world's largest underground lakes. A surreal detour on the east coast.
Pollença & Alcúdia
55 km · 50 min drive
Charming Mallorcan towns with Roman ruins, Sunday markets, and access to Mallorca's most beautiful northern beaches.
03
La Manga Club
Cartagena · Costa Cálida, Murcia, Spain 🇪🇸
★★★★★
€150–350
per night
Tennis Academy · Golf · Dining · Pools
Tennis at La Manga Club
One of Europe's most complete tennis complexes — 28 courts across four surfaces. The La Manga Tennis Academy offers programmes from beginner to elite level, with professional coaches, ball machines, video analysis, and clinics. The facility has hosted ATP Challenger events and trained professionals. Easily the biggest tennis infrastructure on this shortlist.
28
Total Courts
20
Clay Courts
4
Hard Courts
Academy
All Levels
Rooms & Suites
- 🛏️Multiple accommodation categories: hotel rooms, suites, villas & apartments
- 🏠Self-catering villas ideal for longer stays or groups
- ⛳Views across golf courses, gardens, or Mar Menor lagoon
- ✨Classic Spanish resort styling with contemporary comforts
- 🌴Spacious resort grounds — feels like a private village
Facilities
- ⛳Three 18-hole golf courses — one of Spain's premier destinations
- ⚽Full football (soccer) academy and pitch complex
- 🏊Multiple pools plus access to the Mar Menor lagoon beaches
- 💆Spa, fitness centre, and wellness programmes
- 🍽️6+ restaurants and bars across the resort
- 🛒On-site shops, supermarket, and resort shuttle service
🗺️ Nearby & Road Trip Options
Cartagena
25 km · 25 min drive
Ancient port city with Roman theatre, Punic walls, and excellent tapas bars. One of Spain's most underrated cities.
La Manga del Mar Menor
10 km · 10 min
A narrow spit of land between the Med and Europe's largest saltwater lagoon (Mar Menor) — unique watersports playground.
Murcia City
60 km · 45 min drive
Baroque cathedral, lively tapas scene in the old town, and the extraordinary Salvador Dalí-influenced Casino de Murcia interior.
Cabo de Palos
15 km · 15 min drive
Charming fishing village with a famous lighthouse, superb seafood restaurants, and world-class scuba diving at the marine reserve.
Lorca & Castillo de Lorca
80 km · 1 hr drive
Imposing hilltop fortress with parador hotel inside, and one of Spain's most ornate Baroque cities — the "Rome of Murcia."
Alicante (day trip)
100 km · 1 hr 10 min
Castillo de Santa Bárbara atop the coastal rock, Explanada promenade, and a buzzing food and nightlife scene.
04
Elounda Collection
Elounda · Lasithi, Crete, Greece 🇬🇷
★★★★★
€300–600
per night
Suites · Tennis · Spinalonga Views · Spa · Dining
Tennis at Elounda Collection
For 2025, Elounda Collection partnered with LUX Tennis — bringing professional tennis, padel, and pickleball coaching to the resort. Highlights include a residency from ATP pro Karen Khachanov (July 2025). Courts sit above the shimmering Gulf of Mirabello with Spinalonga Island in the backdrop — one of the most dramatic tennis settings in the Mediterranean.
LUX Tennis
Partner 2025
Spinalonga
Backdrop Views
Padel+
Pickleball too
Pro events
ATP Residencies
Rooms & Suites
- 🛏️92+ suites and villas — many with private pool or jacuzzi
- 🌊Spectacular views over Gulf of Mirabello & Spinalonga Island
- ✨Distinctive domed Cretan architecture — design-led hideaways
- 🏠Luxury residences available for families or longer stays
- 🌿Premium bedding, designer toiletries, private furnished terraces
Facilities
- 🏊4 outdoor pools + indoor pool; private beach
- 💆Soma Spa with full treatments, sauna & wellness
- 🍽️5 restaurants including award-winning seafood & Asian
- 🎉CORE open-air agora: evening events, street food & live music
- 🤿Watersports: scuba diving, motor boating, kayaking
- 🧒Montessori-inspired Kids & Teen clubs
🗺️ Nearby & Road Trip Options
Spinalonga Island
2.3 km · 15 min boat
Venetian fortress and former leper colony — subject of the bestselling novel "The Island." A haunting, beautiful day trip.
Agios Nikolaos
12 km · 15 min drive
Charming coastal town with Lake Voulismeni, harbour tavernas, and an archaeological museum. Ideal for an evening out.
Palace of Knossos
70 km · 60 min drive
Europe's oldest city — the heart of Minoan civilisation. One of the Mediterranean's most important archaeological sites.
Heraklion City
70 km · 60 min drive
Crete's vibrant capital with the Venetian fortress, Morosini Fountain, food market, and excellent archaeological museum.
Sitia & East Crete
75 km · 1 hr drive
Off-the-beaten-path eastern Crete: the palm beach of Vai, Zakros Palace, and Toplou Monastery perched on the hills.
Plaka & Mirabello Bay Coves
5 km · 8 min drive
Picturesque fishing village with direct views of Spinalonga, traditional tavernas, and access to secluded swimming coves.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | 🇪🇸 Zel Costa Brava | 🇪🇸 Zel Mallorca | 🇪🇸 La Manga Club | 🇬🇷 Elounda Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Price (per night) | €220 – €420 | €250 – €420 | €150 – €350 | €300 – €600 |
| Tennis Courts | 9 courts | Multiple courts | 28 courts 🏆 | LUX Tennis partner |
| Court Surfaces | Clay + Hard | Clay + Hard | Clay (20), Hard (4), Grass (4) | Multiple |
| Pro Coaching | ✓ On-site | ✓ On-site | ✓ Full Academy | ✓ LUX Tennis + ATP pros |
| Private Beach | ✓ Funicular access | ✓ Beachfront | Mar Menor access | ✓ Private sandy beach |
| Spa & Wellness | ✓ Full spa | ✓ Full spa | ✓ Full spa | ✓ Soma Spa (extensive) |
| Private Pool option | — | — | ✓ Villa options | ✓ Many suites & villas |
| Golf on-site | — | — | ✓ 3 × 18-hole courses | — |
| Nearby City | Barcelona (80 min) | Palma (15 min) | Cartagena (25 min) | Heraklion (60 min) |
| Vibe | Active / Social / Nature | Active / Social / Beach | Sports resort / Multi-activity | Luxury / Cultural / Romantic |
| Best For | Couples & active duos | Beach + sport mix | Serious tennis players | Luxury seekers & culture |
Prices are indicative peak-season rates. Always verify directly with the hotel or booking platform. Document prepared May 2026.