Wednesday, April 2Sports. Travel. Events

Hotels & Resorts

Mamaka by Ovolo partners with Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Mamaka by Ovolo partners with Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy

Mamaka by Ovolo, an urban resort located on Bali’s Kuta Beach, has announced a partnership with the Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy – the island's most renowned surfing school. As official partners, the Academy will be nestled within the resort and provide the finest surfing lessons to those keen on learning the sport.   Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy's proven track record and ISA-certified instructors will complement Mamaka's prime location, as Kuta Beach’s long stretch of golden sand and phenomenal sunsets has become a globally recognised surfer's paradise.  “Kuta has long been known as a surfing hotspot, and to be in partnership with Mamaka and be a part of the Ovolo family is exciting,” said Made Switra, co-founder of Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy. “It will certainly attract surf...
InterContinental Doha Beach & Spa hotel review: ‘football fans are in for a real treat’
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

InterContinental Doha Beach & Spa hotel review: ‘football fans are in for a real treat’

by Ramy James Salameh On the shores of the Arabian Gulf, the award-winning InterContinental Doha Beach & Spa is one of Qatar’s landmark hotels commanding one of the best coastal positions and incorporating Doha’s longest private beach. The architecture is an antidote to the gleaming high rises you pass on the way from the airport and the grand canopied entrance of the InterContinental sets the tone for arriving guests; as does the voluminous lobby lounge, interspersed with dark blue velvet armchairs, cushioned sofas and statement pieces of artwork, all sitting beside large picture windows looking out upon the free-form swimming pool, palm trees nestled in landscaped gardens and the sea beyond.  Location Qatar’s capital is in final preparations for the Fifa World Cup Qata...
Sport hotel in focus: padel tennis at Amendoeira Golf Resort in Portugal
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Sport hotel in focus: padel tennis at Amendoeira Golf Resort in Portugal

The growth of padel tennis has seen rising numbers take to the courts at Amendoeira Golf Resort in Portugal. Located on the Algarve and operated by Kronos Homes, the resort’s two padel courts have proved popular with players from around the world. An instructor provides daily lessons and the resort also hosts social competitions throughout the year. “Padel holds huge appeal thanks to its fast pace and easy-to-learn rules,” said Alda Filipe, sales and marketing director of Kronos Homes. “It’s a really fun way to keep fit. We've found that players have enjoyed making use of our padel courts, in addition to the other sports facilities provided at Amendoeira. With the social and competitive element as well, there's a really lively padel community taking shape here. “Our padel courts hav...
Sports holidays: ‘Wellness with Henri Leconte’ at Abama Resort Tenerife
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Sports holidays: ‘Wellness with Henri Leconte’ at Abama Resort Tenerife

French tennis legend Henri Leconte is to host an exclusive sport and wellbeing retreat at Abama Resort Tenerife, which is located on the southwest coast of the island. Leconte, a former world No.5, was a Davis Cup winner with France in 1991 and in his career he won 19 ATP titles.  Taking place from 9-12 June 2022, the event at the award-winning resort will offer guests a long weekend of golf and tennis, as well as a daily gourmet menu offering highly nutritious, restorative food. Following a welcome dinner in the resort’s Melvin by Martín Berasategui restaurant, on 10 June guests will have the opportunity to take part in a golf tournament, playing on one of the best courses in the world, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and the island of La Gomera...
Sport hotel in focus: see the Arabian horses at Selman Marrakech
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Sport hotel in focus: see the Arabian horses at Selman Marrakech

Selman Marrakech in Morocco is a haven for fans of equestrianism. For this luxury hotel is home to some very unique guests: sublime Arabian thoroughbred horses.  “Selman” was the original sire of a line of purebred horses, and the owners of Selman Marrakech, a Moroccan family, have chosen to recreate this awe-inspiring equine lineage as well as recreate the golden age of Moroccan culture within the property.  Originally from Saudi Arabia, Arabian thoroughbreds were introduced to Morocco in the 7th century. Selman’s private breeding programme is unique, and many of the horses have won prestigious international prizes.  The hotel works alongside the School of Equestrian Arts of Marrakech to offer dressage and liberty experience to students and participation in eq...
Sports holidays: Pine Cliffs Resort Algarve tennis and yoga retreat with Annabel Croft
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Sports holidays: Pine Cliffs Resort Algarve tennis and yoga retreat with Annabel Croft

Pine Cliffs Resort, a Luxury Collection Resort in the Algarve, Portugal, has announced a new tennis and yoga retreat from 21-24 April 2022 hosted by British former tennis player Annabel Croft and her daughter Amber Coleman. This retreat at the five-star luxury resort, will involve a total of six hours of hosted tennis lessons and drills across three days (all levels welcomed) run by Annabel and her team of coaches. Guests can learn how to perfect their serve, whilst they enjoy some Algarve sunshine and the extensive facilities of this family-friendly luxury resort. Amber will help guests unwind with twice daily yoga sessions in one of the many scenic locations around the resort including a cliff top deck. As a yoga instructor specialising in Yin yoga and Vinyasa Flow – Amber adopts...
Olympian Jamie Baulch talks ‘Restoration of mind/body’ at BodyHoliday Resort, St. Lucia
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Olympian Jamie Baulch talks ‘Restoration of mind/body’ at BodyHoliday Resort, St. Lucia

The Olympic 4x400m relay is one of the final disciplines of every Summer Olympic Games, it encapsulates team effort, precision, speed and stamina. Jamie Baulch made the 400m and 4x400m relay his specialism, medalling at major championships including 1999 World Indoor Championships, 1997 World Championships and the 1996 Summer Olympics and thus ran into the annals of sporting history in the UK.   Since 2012, Baulch has been sharing his wealth of experience at the BodyHoliday Luxury Wellness Resort on the idyllic shores of St Lucia’s north west coast. The resort is famed for its unique approach to health and fitness, being the very first overseas destination spa more than 30 years ago and continuing to lead in this field. With its range of treatments, therapies and activities, the 155-ro...
15 very cool places to stay in the UK – for beach, outdoors and adventure
England, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Scotland, Sports Travel, Wales

15 very cool places to stay in the UK – for beach, outdoors and adventure

The Coolstays.com website has a collection of unique and unusual places to stay across the UK, Europe and worldwide. We pick out 15 very cool UK properties which have an active theme – options include by the sea, outdoors, wild swimming and more… Nagden House (Image credit: Coolstays.com) Nagden House Where: Faversham, Kent, EnglandAbout the property: “With stunning panoramic views across Graveney Marshes, Nagden House is a stylish and secluded rural retreat in Kent”Ideal for: groups, dog friendly, wild swimming, families, boating Details: sleeps 10, 5 bedrooms, 2 bathroomsPrice: from £1,969-£4,245 per weekHow to book: coolstays.com The Lodge in the Loch (Image credit: Coolstays.com) The Lodge in the Loch  Where: Portree, Isle of Skye, ScotlandAbout the property: “L...
‘Magnificent’: Cabot Saint Lucia golf resort to open in 2022
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

‘Magnificent’: Cabot Saint Lucia golf resort to open in 2022

After huge success with Cabot Cape Breton in Canada’s Nova Scotia, the Cabot brand is now turning its attention to the Caribbean with the launch of the Cabot Saint Lucia golf resort in 2022. Situated on Point Hardy, a spectacular 375-acre peninsula on the northern tip of the Caribbean island, the master planned resort community is surrounded by raw, untouched natural beauty.  Described as “magnificent” by Golf Business News, the resort will feature an 18-hole golf course designed by Coore & Crenshaw and a collection of residences ranging from hillside townhouses to expansive single-family homes and beachfront lots. Health and wellness will be a major focus of the Saint Lucia development, with a beach club, spa and fitness facility, steam and sauna, and sports programme o...
Quinta do Lago launches pro-athlete training breaks at The Campus
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Quinta do Lago launches pro-athlete training breaks at The Campus

Quinta do Lago resort on the Algarve, Portugal, has launched its new “Pro-Athlete Training Break” packages which are tailor-made for athletes who are in between competition seasons.  Located 15 minutes from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago is a renowned sporting destination which offers elite training facilities at its new multi-sports hub, The Campus. It is the ideal destination for training, rehabilitation and recovery with more than 300 days of warm sunshine per year and at least 12 hours of daylight each day. The resort offers relaxed accommodation at The Magnolia Hotel combined with a hive of activity in the surrounding regions and provides a safe, secure and Covid friendly environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiHfxY-Q-OY About the packages The Pro-Athlete Trai...
Chasing the sun to Porto Montenegro: ‘The world’s first platinum status marina’
Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Chasing the sun to Porto Montenegro: ‘The world’s first platinum status marina’

If summer has passed all too quickly, then Porto Montenegro is the perfect destination to escape to this winter. With its idyllic Adriatic location in the UNESCO protected Bay of Kotor, proximity to three international airports, 450 marina berths and 295km of coastline, it is a true haven for the yachting community and other travellers looking to chase the sun. With average high temperatures of 21° in October – which only drops to an average of 13° in December – and more than 280 days of sunshine each year, it is the ideal place to enjoy Europe’s most impressive natural areas of outstanding beauty all year round. Porto Montenegro sailing opportunities As the world’s first platinum-status marina, Porto Montenegro welcomes and caters to the needs of the yachting community, offering...
Viktor Troicki to serve up tennis masterclass at Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel

Viktor Troicki to serve up tennis masterclass at Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences

Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences will welcome Serbian former tennis pro Viktor Troicki for an exclusive two-week tennis residency on the island. The Davis Cup winner, who achieved a career high world ranking of No.12, will offer Amilla guests top-class tailored coaching, practice workshops and pro tips from 26 October to 6 November 2021. Troicki became the first tennis player in the Open era to win all three major team competitions, with the World Team Cup in 2009, Davis Cup in 2010 and partnering with Novak Djokovic to win the inaugural ATP Cup in 2020. The 35-year-old announced his retirement from professional tennis at the end of June. Amilla Maldives has a long tradition of serving up some of the biggest names in tennis for one-off exhibitions, residencies and clinics, givi...
Olympic fever points the way to Paris 2024
Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel, Venues & Stadiums

Olympic fever points the way to Paris 2024

Team GB secured 65 medals in Tokyo, an amazing haul during any normal Olympic Games, but truly historic when considering this achievement against the backdrop of COVID. Tokyo sits in the history books as Team GB's second-best overseas Olympics and may well be the springboard to greater things in three years time for Paris 2024! France officially becomes the proud host nation of the next Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (the Games of the 33rd Olympiad), receiving the flag from Tokyo at its glittering Closing Ceremony yesterday. Set to take place exactly 100 years after France's last summer Games, Paris 2024 will be the largest event ever organised in the country, running from Friday 26 July until Sunday 11 August 2024. It promises to be an inclusive, interactive and sustainable c...
Lionel Messi signs for Hard Rock International as a brand ambassador
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business

Lionel Messi signs for Hard Rock International as a brand ambassador

Hard Rock International is 50-years-old this year and to celebrate its milestone anniversary the restaurant, entertainment and hospitality brand has announced a partnership deal with superstar footballer Lionel Messi. The Argentina and FC Barcelona forward has become a brand ambassador for five years - the first athlete to partner with Hard Rock.  “I am honoured to partner with such a renowned brand as Hard Rock, and even more so at this historic moment – its 50th anniversary!” Messi said. “Sports and music are an integral part of my life, a perfect combination between my profession and my leisure time. Uniting both is a great success, and I am very happy that they have counted on me for this special outcome. It is an honour to be the first athlete to partner with a brand who has a his...
F1 Portuguese Grand Prix: motorsport fans get revved up for Algarve race
Events, Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel, Venues & Stadiums

F1 Portuguese Grand Prix: motorsport fans get revved up for Algarve race

Motorsport fans could witness history at the next Formula 1 grand prix when it descends on the beautiful southern shoreline of the Algarve later this month.  Having equalled Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 F1 victories by winning the Eifel GP at the Nürburgring, Lewis Hamilton could go one better with a win in Portugal and write a new chapter in the sport.  For that reason motorsport fans will be even more eager to say “I was there” if indeed Hamilton takes the checkered flag on 25 October.   This year the 2020 Portuguese GP takes place over 66 laps of the 4.684-kilometre Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.  João Fernandes, president of Algarve Tourism, said: “Formula 1 has been absent from Portugal for 24 years and it is a prestigious int...
Sport + Travel interview: Dinah Josephs, group fitness manager at The Campus, Quinta do Lago, Portugal
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Sport + Travel interview: Dinah Josephs, group fitness manager at The Campus, Quinta do Lago, Portugal

The wellness and activity holiday trend has been evolving rapidly over recent years. Right now there has never been a greater need for vacations which enhance your mental and physical needs, and Dinah Josephs, group fitness manager at The Campus, Quinta do Lago, Portugal is at the forefront of facilitating that trend. She has nearly two decades of experience under her belt as an international health, fitness and wellbeing lifestyle professional and consultant, in a range of sports environments. Dinah specialises in yoga practise, personal training, group fitness training, healthy eating, nutritional advice and guidance and natural health using a holistic approach to wellbeing. As for The Campus, Dinah cannot speak highly enough (and without bias) about her place of work. So read o...
Sport + Travel Interview: Marco Koch – Olympic elite swimmer
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel, Venues & Stadiums

Sport + Travel Interview: Marco Koch – Olympic elite swimmer

It is not often you have the chance to pose questions to a European and World Champion swimmer, who is the former world record holder in the 200 meter breaststroke (short course). So here at Sports Tourism Media we are both excited and delighted to introduce Marco Koch, a German competitive swimmer, specialising in breaststroke events who has competed at the 2012 & 2016 Summer Olympics and took gold at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia. Marco says "I'm in my comfort zone in the water as swimming is my passion. I enjoy every second. The water unfolds my full potential. It carries and leads me. Water gives me a great feeling." (marco-koch.org, 20 Jan 2018). We are grateful Marco has taken time out of a gruelling training regime to answer our questions… Newsletter...
‘Escapade Living’ brings motorsport to your living room window
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel, Venues & Stadiums

‘Escapade Living’ brings motorsport to your living room window

It is somewhat of an understatement to say that 2020 has been and continues to be a year of seismic changes. The pandemic changed the world as we know it and whilst much pain – mental, physical and economic – continues to affect our lives, it has catalysed the need to for adaptability, innovation and resilience, especially within all areas of the travel sector. Clearly the travel industry that emerges at the end of this year will be very different from the one that entered it. But one thing the pandemic has turbocharged is the growing trend for ‘experiential travel’. Experiential travel – in which the traveller immerses themselves in a destination rather than superficially seeing it – is now coming of age in double time. The sports travel sector is of course at the very forefron...
Japan’s first esports hotel to open in Osaka in 2020
Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business

Japan’s first esports hotel to open in Osaka in 2020

The city of Osaka will be the home of Japan’s first esports hotel when it opens this year.  Featuring gaming facilities and 94 beds over nine floors, the “Esports Hotel E-Zone Cyberspace” will offer no-frills accommodation in order to prioritise on the in-game experience. In a news release the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said: “The first, second and third floors are dedicated to gaming, with over 70 top of the range gaming PCs.  “The floors above meanwhile will house sleeping cabins, though the seventh floor will also feature some rooms with their own PCs for serious gamer ‘otaku’ - eat, sleep, game, repeat!”   Newsletter: sign up for updates from Sports Tourism Media About the hotel Name of hotel: Esports Hotel E-Zone Cyberspace Located: Nipponbashi, Osaka, Osak...
Losinj in Croatia named European Island of Sport 2020
Holidays & Trips, Hotels & Resorts

Losinj in Croatia named European Island of Sport 2020

Losinj in Croatia has been named European Island of Sport 2020 - and to celebrate Hotel Bellevue in Čikat Bay has launched an Active 365 Weekend package. Known as Croatia’s “island of vitality”, Losinj will this year welcome some of the world’s leading triathletes, cyclists, runners and cricketers for a series of sporting events on the island. Events include the XTERRA Croatia off-road race weekend, the 10th Losinj half marathon and the Mediterranean Cricket League.  Losinj sporting events in 2020 XTERRA Croatia On 18-19 April, more than 800 participants will line up in Losinj to take part in XTERRA Croatia, an off-road racing extravaganza comprising the first ever XTERRA off-road triathlon held in Croatia, and a 40km off-road mountain bike race.  The XTERRA Croatia triathlon w...

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