A padel holiday for beginners typically combines a short introduction to the sport with relaxed games, allowing you to learn the basics while enjoying a luxury resort setting. Luckily, it’s is one of the easiest racquet sports to learn, which helps explain its extraordinary rise in popularity in recent years.
For travellers who enjoy staying active, this makes padel holidays particularly appealing. Many luxury resorts now offer fantastic courts and equipment hire as part of their wider sporting facilities, allowing guests to try the sport in beautiful surroundings without needing previous experience.
For beginners, the most enjoyable padel holidays usually combine excellent courts with access to a racquet coach who can introduce the basics of the game. In most resorts this takes the form of a private lesson or two, after which guests can hire a court and begin enjoying relaxed games with friends, family or other guests staying at the hotel.
One of the reasons padel has grown so rapidly is how quickly new players can begin enjoying the game. The smaller court and slower ball speed make it easier to control rallies, while the glass walls introduce an additional tactical element that keeps points flowing.
Most beginners find that after a short introduction they are already enjoying long exchanges and competitive games. Because padel is typically played in doubles, it also has a naturally social atmosphere that suits holidays particularly well – you’ll find social sessions at many resorts.
This accessibility makes padel ideal for couples, friends and families who want to try something active together without needing much prior experience.
For beginners, there are generally two ways to start playing padel during a holiday…
At Pine Cliffs Resort in Portugal, the Annabel Croft Tennis & Padel Academy offers structured coaching within an established racquet academy environment, including the possibility of group sessions where beginners learn the fundamentals together.
At most other luxury resorts, the approach is slightly different. Rather than operating a full academy programme, hotels typically offer private padel lessons with a racquet coach, followed by the option to hire a court for your own games.
For many travellers this works extremely well. A couple of introductory lessons are usually enough to understand the basics — positioning, using the glass walls and simple tactics — after which you can begin enjoying sociable games with friends, family or other guests.
Because padel is played in doubles and rallies develop quickly, it naturally lends itself to relaxed, social play.
If you are new to padel, choosing the right resort makes the experience far more enjoyable. The hotels we recommend combine excellent courts with a relaxed atmosphere where beginners can learn quickly and start enjoying proper rallies within a short time.
Spain and Portugal remain the most established destinations for padel, with a strong club culture and resorts such as Pine Cliffs and Puente Romano offering excellent facilities. In Italy and Greece, beautiful resorts like Borgo Egnazia and Daios Cove are increasingly incorporating padel courts alongside tennis, fitness and wellness experiences.
For many travellers, padel works best as part of a broader active holiday. A morning game followed by time on the beach, a spa treatment or a long lunch overlooking the sea creates a wonderfully balanced way to spend the day. No matter what combination you’re looking for we can recommend the perfect match for your needs (no pun intended!).
Set on dramatic red cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, Pine Cliffs Resort is one of the Algarve’s most established sporting resorts.
Our partner, the Annabel Croft Tennis & Padel Academy operates several padel courts here alongside its renowned tennis facilities. Guests can reserve courts or join coaching sessions through the academy, making it one of the few resorts where beginners can learn padel within a structured racquet academy environment.
For those completely new to the sport, this type of setting can be particularly helpful, with professional coaches available to introduce the fundamentals before players move on to friendly games.
Away from the courts, Pine Cliffs offers a beautiful beach accessed by lift through the cliffs, a large Serenity Spa and a wide range of restaurants spread across the resort’s gardens. If you are considering padel holidays in Portugal, Pine Cliffs is one of the most established resorts for combining racquet sports with a relaxed Algarve escape.
Spain is widely regarded as the global home of padel, and Marbella is one of the sport’s most vibrant destinations.
At the heart of Puente Romano Beach Resort sits the Puente Romano Tennis & Padel Club, one of the most respected racquet clubs in southern Europe. The club features numerous courts and a lively sporting atmosphere, with coaching available for guests wishing to improve their game.
While it operates primarily as a club rather than a structured resort academy, we can easily arrange private lessons before you start enjoying casual games on court.
The wider resort experience is equally appealing, with beautiful gardens, a beachfront setting and an excellent collection of restaurants and bars.
For travellers who want a resort built around racquet sports, La Manga Club has long been one of Europe’s best-known destinations.
The resort includes extensive tennis facilities as well as multiple padel courts, forming part of its well-established racquet centre. Guests can book courts and arrange private coaching sessions with professional instructors, making it a comfortable environment for beginners who would like an introduction to the game.
La Manga Club also offers structured padel academy programmes, including short courses and holiday academies during school holiday periods.
Because La Manga has such a strong sporting culture, it also works particularly well for sociable play. Many guests come specifically to enjoy the racquet facilities, creating a relaxed atmosphere where it is easy to arrange games during your stay.
Beyond the courts, the resort offers a wide choice of accommodation, restaurants and golf courses set within the hills overlooking the Mediterranean coast. For those interested in padel holidays in Spain, La Manga Club remains one of the most established and versatile options.
Set within a peaceful natural harbour on Mallorca’s southeast coast, Ikos Porto Petro combines the relaxed style of the Ikos brand with excellent sporting facilities.
Among these are padel courts available to guests, with the option to arrange private coaching sessions with a racquet professional. For beginners, this approach works particularly well: a short introductory lesson can quickly build confidence before continuing with relaxed games during your stay.
Padel sits comfortably alongside the resort’s wider activities, which include tennis, watersports and fitness classes. After a game, guests can enjoy the resort’s beaches, pools or spa facilities, or take advantage of the excellent restaurants included within the Ikos all-inclusive concept.
Set within the beautiful Navarino Dunes area of the Peloponnese, The Romanos at Costa Navarino offers one of the Mediterranean’s most impressive collections of sporting facilities.
Padel is available through the Mouratoglou Tennis Center, a large racquet complex that includes three padel courts alongside tennis courts and other racquet sports facilities.
Guests staying at The Romanos can book courts or arrange private coaching sessions with the professional team based at the centre. For beginners, this works well as an introduction to the game: a short lesson can cover the fundamentals before continuing with relaxed doubles play.
Beyond the racquet facilities, Costa Navarino is a fully developed resort destination with four golf courses, long sandy beaches and the impressive Anazoe Spa, making it easy to combine sport with relaxation during your stay.
For travellers interested in padel holidays in Greece, The Romanos offers one of the most comprehensive sporting environments in the region.
Overlooking a secluded bay on Crete’s northeast coast, Daios Cove offers a beautiful setting for an active Mediterranean holiday.
The resort includes padel courts as part of its sports facilities, alongside tennis and a wide range of fitness activities. Guests can reserve courts and arrange private lessons with the resort’s sports team.
Many travellers enjoy combining a couple of introductory coaching sessions with relaxed games during their stay, alongside other activities such as personal training, yoga classes or spa treatments.
With its dramatic coastal setting and calm turquoise bay, Daios Cove provides a particularly scenic backdrop for discovering the game and is a lovely choice for your padel holiday.
If you are considering a padel holiday, we can help guide you towards the resorts that offer the most enjoyable experience for beginners. Drawing on our knowledge of these destinations, we can advise on the facilities, coaching options and atmosphere at each property, helping you choose the setting that will suit you best.
Can beginners go on a padel holiday?
Yes. Many resorts offer private coaching sessions or introductory lessons, allowing complete beginners to learn the fundamentals before enjoying relaxed games.
Do I need to bring my own padel racket?
No. Most resorts provide equipment hire, including rackets and balls.
Which destinations are best for beginner padel holidays?
Spain and Portugal have the most established padel culture, while resorts in Greece and Italy increasingly offer excellent facilities for beginners.
Please provide us with some basic contact details and your message. We will be glad to help. If you would prefer to call us, we’re on 020 8968 0501 or, for international callers: 00 44 20 8968 0501
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