There’s a reason why Business Insider named Bio & Wellness Resort Stanglwirt in the Austrian Alps as the #1 destination to play tennis once before you die and Tennis Resorts Online ranked it as the #1 tennis hotel outside of the US and the #2 camp globally. There’s many more reasons why numerous tennis guests have been coming at least once a year for close to half a century to this 450 year old establishment. Read on and find out what all the fuss is about:
PBI started the tennis program here back in 1978 (yes, we will be celebrating our 45th anniversary next year, making this one of the longest-running cooperations between a hotel and tennis school anywhere) when the word “tennis camp” did not yet exist.
Balthaser Hauser, the owner of the hotel, loves to tell the story of how the camps were the foundation of the hotel’s now legendary-success. With the emergence of folk-heroes Boris Becker and Steffy Graff in the 80’s, it felt like every German wanted to learn tennis – at Stanglwirt. In some weeks, the hotel’s occupation was made up with 80% tennis players wanting to attend the famous PBI Camps at the famous Stanglwirt. And that is how the reputation of Stanglwirt as THE luxury tennis destination was founded and has persisted ever-since. Over the years, we have been fortunate to harness an incredible following of faithful tennis repeaters who often come several times a year to attend the camp.
And not only is it a favourite amongst tennis players but also amongst PBI pros who, over the years, have attended numerous Annual Meetings here and loved the wooden, rustic, mountain, natural, bio feeling of the surroundings and the unparalleled breakfast. And spending a summer in the “Hut” by the outdoor courts and learning how to give a lesson in basic German has become a rights-of-initiation for any self-respecting PBI pro over the years!
Stanglwirt still remains the largest tennis facility (6 indoor newly-recarpeted, newly LED-lighted courts and 8 outdoor clay courts with a view to make you flub your forehands) of any 5* resort in continental Europe but also a hotel with pure luxury to match. The hotel is a household name in the German-speaking world and attracts countless VIP’s and the paparazzi-worthy crowds. To his dying day, Peter Burwash believed Stanglwirt to be the most beautiful tennis hotel in the world.