Sóller Tennis Club
Mallorca
Spain
As the birthplace to tennis royalty, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Moya, Majorca needs no introduction to racket sports. Furthermore, the island is proof that tennis and padel can coexist. And with Sóller, it’s living proof that they can not just survive together, but thrive.
Sóller Tennis and Padel Club: soft luxury and understated.
If a website is as good a depiction of what to expect of a business as some say, then Sóller’s website is a prime example of this: elegant, understated and calming, just like the real thing.
As the birthplace to tennis royalty, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Moya, Majorca is the hub of tennis academies and clubs that you would expect it to be. While tennis has been played, enjoyed, and respected within the Spanish culture for centuries, now, it is its younger sibling padel’s turn as the sport’s popularity booms globally.
Now, despite Novak Djokovic’s highly publicised concerns that padel could make tennis extinct in years to come, Sóller is in fact evidence that these two racket sports can exist happily side by side. In fact, if Sóller is nothing else, perhaps it is living proof that the sports should live side by side. Throughout Majorca, come rain or shine (though, let’s be honest, it usually shines), holiday goers and locals have the pick of the bunch in terms of facilities and clubs on the island. It is just about discovering your slice of sporting perfection – that you just keep coming back to. Sóller Tennis and Padel Club might just be your answer.
If you are flying into Palma Majorca International Airport, a 40-minute rolling hill and vineyard-vista Uber ride will transport you to this iconic sporting venue. On the way, you will pass through the picturesque town of Sóller itself, also known as the Valley of the Oranges. Traditional and tranquil are two words that spring to mind when describing the North-Western town, steeped in history and character.
Situated off the beaten track (always a sign that the club could be Águilas worthy), the main road signposts to Lluc and Pollenca. Here sits the Sóller Tennis and Padel Club drenched in Spanish sunshine, yet lightly shaded by surrounding Tramuntana mountains. Established in 1999, it has solidified itself as a much-desired destination for tennis and padel aficionados worldwide. Throw a state-of-the-art swimming facility into the mix, and here, folks, you have a sporting heaven. It’s unique selling point is the proximity of the padel, tennis, café, and swimming facilities, located just a few languid paces from each other. Promoting a time to rejuvenate, rest and rejoice, where one can shrug off the monotony of daily life and escape into a sporting dream. That’s Sóller alright.
There are bohemian relaxation areas for those who want to put their feet up and enjoy the ambiance, smoothies and spicy margaritas (it’s always five o’clock somewhere, right?) Listen to the light, competitive, jeering echoes from the direction of the padel and tennis courts, and you might just have found your slice of Majorcan sporting heaven. With an opportunity to learn or perfect your tennis and padel skills aided by top level coaches, the chance to play socially with friends, old and new, or the temptation to cool off in the pool after hours of sunbathing, Sóller symbolises the something for everyone spirit of the very best sporting clubs. It is, in many ways, the blueprint for combining effortless chic with a high-end sporting experience
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Once you enter the gates, you will be greeted by carefully curated grounds littered with fragrant scents of the lemon and orange trees so common in these parts, and an abundance of quiet seating areas to watch the everyday happenings of the club.
Carved into the local hillside, the club boasts four exquisitely maintained green-cushioned padel courts, five clay tennis courts and a football astro. All available to book on the doyen of padel court booking apps, Playtomic, where you can enter competitions, match plays, group sessions or individual lessons.
There is an eye-catching 25 metre outdoor pool, and also a playground, so that you can keep your kids occupied until they are asking for their next two-scoop Neopolitana or Dulce de Leche from the cafe.
If you’re part of the calorie-counting club, then worry not, because it’s not all ice cream and cocktails. The impressive café-bar serves the perfect fusion of healthy refreshments and Instagrammable brunches and salads to satiate even the most health-conscious on the island.
In keeping with the health and wellness vibe, yogis are well looked after, too. You can reconnect with your inner zen whilst taking in the magical mountain views – your body and mind becoming one - through one of the regular bookable yoga sessions on offer.
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Think cool without the try-hard, think aesthetically divine, think sensational scenery, and you’ve got Sóller Tennis and Padel Club. The blend of community, sport and lifestyle makes the club the perfect Club Águilas addition. The boho chic aesthetic and Balearic coastal backdrop offers that Majorcan magic that sees the island welcome more than four million visitors per year. Lose yourself in the mountain air, enjoy the background audio of the gentle thwack of the padel (or is it tennis?) ball and experience the warm Spanish breeze on your face.
The saying goes ‘At Sóller Tennis Club, every game starts and ends in love.’
They said it best. They really did.
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Creativity is at the forefront of everything Sóller Tennis and Padel club stands for. With cool DJ sets, Art and Wine nights and many more events, the club manages to balance the feeling of standing still, whilst never standing still. And it gets that balance just right. After a day full of activity, delve into the cocktail menu, lose yourself in the music, and dance the night away as the sun sets on the Mediterranean horizon. Detox to retox n’ all that. And, if you love your music, you can find the curated playlist of Sóller Tennis Club ‘Time Out’ on Spotify – an attempt by the management no doubt to give visitors withdrawal symptoms of their Sóller experience long after they’ve left.
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A drinks menu that rolls with the seasons with fruit hand-picked from the trees planted throughout the grounds
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Despite the club’s tennis naming rights, it is the padel courts which rightly get the most attention. The two panoramic courts boast incredible views and the green surfaces blend seamlessly into the surrounding environment. The older two with the old-fashioned brick walls play fantastically and make sure to remind you of your playing climate in the heat of the day! Thankfully there is the pool to cool off in afterwards…
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The Sóller Tennis and Padel club would be nothing without their staff, whose abundant charisma and charm match their coaching prowess. Director of Padel, David Ferragut is the lead coach. He was a world top 200 player and is a wonderful coach, with the patience and expertise needed to satisfy all levels.
There are also group sessions and kids camps on offer. You can hire the equipment you need, such as rackets and balls on request.
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Beautiful hand printed tees shirts crafted by local artisans.
The output from the local onsite pottery club is not bad, either.