Tennis Courts in Holland Park

The Victorian and Edwardian periods had a profound effect on West London in so many aspects. Taking a stroll around the Holland Park neighbourhood is a wonderful way of experiencing how much it has altered the built environment here, with the remaining architecture telling its own story of an area created for residential purposes with eye-catching style as standard. These eras worked in a similar manner for lifestyles and amenities, often commandeering any available space for entertainment and leisure activities that the population were expressing interest in and needed the appropriate facilities for.

The sports clubs and pleasure grounds that bridged the gap across these times were originally used for sedate sports of croquet and bowling but gradually evolved to accommodate the rapidly growing trend for lawn tennis amongst the elite.

In 2025, the appetite for tennis remains strong here and there are courts to suit every manner of playing behaviour from the interested beginner, through to keen amateurs and on to those that make the sport a larger part of their daily lives.

In this brief guide, we profile three of the main players that are serving excellent tennis facilities to the residents and visitors of Holland Park.

Holland Park Public Courts

The public courts here were introduced shortly after World War II, with the beautiful lawns and terraces proving the perfect way for local residents to explore their love of the game in a wonderfully aristocratic setting. Anyone can book a court up to seven days in advance through the free Clubspark online system that delivers membership and scheduling online.

Six tarmac courts ensure that all weather conditions are catered for under floodlights that allow for sets long into the evening all year round. Courts 1 & 2 can be found at the west side of the park near the Orangery, with Courts 3-6 a little stroll away at the south end opposite the fascinating Design Museum. With such open access, it can mean that peak times do fill up quickly, particularly in the spring and summer seasons, and the public park surroundings do mean that any sessions for tuition or game development will be conducted in front of passers-by with little privacy. However, with such elegant scenery and natural finery enveloping the courts, this does feel like a small price to pay in this ace of a setting. Importantly, equipment hire is also available, so spontaneous sets and matches are always possible when the mood strikes.

Holland Park Lawn Tennis Club

The history of Holland Park Lawn Tennis Club stretches back to 1875 when it was formally recognised as a ‘private lawn tennis, cycling, croquet and pleasure ground’ set in the Holland Estate. Initially, membership was limited exclusively to residents here who owned land until around 1920, when it was opened up to less stringent local criteria.

In the modern era, that elite nature is still evident with a waiting list for membership that is reported to be around five years. And it is incredibly easy to see why demand is so high in the secluded, quiet and beautiful grounds of this club. A total of 8 courts are built around the fabulous clubhouse that was itself once part of the Holland Estate Mansion House. Five of these courts are open all year round with an all-weather artificial grass surface that has floodlit capability for autumn and winter. The remaining 3 courts are immaculately maintained natural grass that operate from May to September only.

Standards here are high, with many members competing in the Middlesex leagues and regular competitions and events held at the club. Booking is a simple process with management staff always on hand to help with any issues or queries. It is also interesting to note that in the event of any potential scheduling clashes, doubles games will be given priority. 

Kensington Tennis Club at Holland Park Villas

Kensington Tennis Club is a modern way of using the network of available courts and surfaces across this area of London. It intends to ‘break free from club tradition’ to provide tennis facilities in an annual or monthly membership structure that gives a little more freedom to use multiple sites and coaches across the west of the city.

The 68-apartment complex of Holland Park Villas is an excellent development of high-end modern living within a private estate bordering Holland Park. The private leisure amenities for owners and residents include a swimming pool, cinema, gym and wellness facilities and three private tennis courts within the landscaped grounds. The Kensington Tennis Club network utilises this space for bookings, group coaching workshops and guest play as part of their overall membership.

As a result of the rather private location and tiered membership, this venue is somewhat of a hidden gem amongst the tennis communities of West London. With evening bookings restricted around the residents of Holland Park Villas, there is a premium price to pay with bookings taken care of exclusively through a mobile app. What this does inevitably mean is that playing here can feel a world away from many of the clubs in the city, with an ultra-elite atmosphere and energy. Overall, the Holland Park Villas courts are more than a match for any tennis scenery in the whole country.

Holland Park revels in the status of being one of the most alluring postcodes in all of London. It also rises to the responsibility of providing exactly what its residents want and ensuring that the services are of the highest quality at all times. As these three examples show, the neighbourhood is always happy to accommodate everyone and anyone for tennis in the most attractive way possible.