Hotels Now Offer Tennis Courts, Surf Lessons and Game Tickets

Last August, during the US Open, the Waldorf Astoria New York changed its Grand Ballroom, which covers almost 10,000 square feet, into a tennis court of regulation size. The event took place at the same time as the US Open. Pros including Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Leylah Fernandez and Maria Sakkari played showcase matches under the chandeliers. Fans also joined meet-and-greets and coaching sessions, and then checked in to the hotel's rooms.

Condé Nast Traveler says this is part of a bigger trend. The sports-tourism market was valued at about $1.16 trillion in 2025 and is now roughly 10 percent of the whole tourism economy. Travelers want to do more than watch a game. They want to play on the court with Grand Slam winners or sit in the VIP seats at a Formula 1 race, and top hotels are increasingly helping them do that.

Here are some examples from the magazine:

• At The Little Nell in Aspen, Olympian Christian Vande Velde leads cycling camps that are tougher because the mountain town is so high above sea level.
• At The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, guests can surf famous waves with champion Jamie O'Brien through his surf school.
• Andy Roddick hits tennis balls with guests at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego, and Feliciano López plays at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.
• This summer, a stay at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad included four tickets to the FIFA World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco, a driver to and from the stadium in New Jersey, and two nights in a 2,100-square-foot suite with a small gym and a Peloton bike.

Jamie Kerr, a Hilton vice president, says it is especially appealing when a fan experience is tied to the culture of its location. Hilton plans to add more tennis with the Waldorf Astoria Racquet Club at the new Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, which is due to open in March 2027. Kerr describes it as grass, tennis whites and strawberries and cream, which recalls Wimbledon, the world's most famous tennis tournament, which she says draws half a million spectators a year. The goal, she says, is to let guests take part, whether they are holding a racket, watching courtside or simply enjoying the energy around the game.