I had an unfortunate encounter with the front desk staff today when I went into Berkeley Tennis Club. I went to the front desk with the wrong information, and rather than being offered support, I was immediately treated like a child and my personal space was invaded. I was previously interested in becoming a patron, but am not interested in being condescended to at any establishment. read more

I visited the club in July and the admin upfront was very disorganized. There was no manager available to speak with? I came here to see if could sign up for tennis lessons and also because I heard great things about the swim lessons but it was a total waste of time and no one was able to help me. Left a bad taste so I left and choose to go some where else. read more

I grew up watching my Dad play tennis here, and now it's finally my turn. After flirting unsuccessfully with baseball in high school, tennis is now becoming my go-to "racket/stick" sport. And after taking a few quick lessons to "get my game back" this summer, I can definitely say that I'm enjoying the additional time I'm spending here. And why not? There's lots to like. The club is nicely set at the bottom of the Berkeley Hills, right off Tunnel Road, where the silhouette of the Claremont Hotel towers over the club in the background. It must be made known that the members of the Berkeley Tennis Club (known as the "BTC"), are a very, very tight knit community, to the point where many members take a keen interest in management decisions, almost as if stockholders. As many members come here basically everyday, it makes sense that they would have a vested interest in making the club the best place possible. However this just reflects the caring nature of most members, as people here are extremely friendly, social, and down to earth. Upstairs in the main "clubhouse", there is a newly renovated workout area, with separate rooms for cardio and weight equipment that both contain large flatscreen TVs. As someone who enjoys working out, this is a key feature for me. Other amenities include: 10 tennis courts, a basketball hoop, swimming pool, hot tub, and a fitness center with cardio machines and weights. Not a bad deal. As I look back on my time I spent here over the years, I realize that this is the place where I learned how to swim. This is where I made some of my earliest friends. And now, hopefully, this can be where I finally learn how to play tennis. read more

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My young daughter is currently taking swim lessons at BTC with Pierpaolo, and we could not be happier with her progress. I've taken her to multiple swim schools, and this is by far the best one. Pierpaolo is patient and supportive, and adapts his lessons to what my daughter is ready for. She's somehow now enjoying learning to swim! That's no small task given that she arrived hating the thought of water touching her face (after a bad experience at another school). Lots of swim schools are staffed by college or high school kids whose quality of instruction will vary widely. However, with Pierpaolo, the instruction quality is always excellent. I also heard he swam for his country's national team, so he's the real deal. We somehow lucked into an opening on his schedule, and we feel like we won the swim lesson lottery. Highly recommended! read more

My parents have been members of this place since long before I was born, so I grew up playing Pee-Wee Tennis on these courts. The BTC is like the red-headed bastard child of the Claremont that turned out to be a lot cooler and smarter than its siblings. Despite the long wait list to become a member, the club itself is as unpretentious as can be. Still, the courts are some of the nicest/well-kept in the Bay, the history of the club is fascinating, and the members really take their tennis seriously. So seriously that there's never a wait in the cardio room and I can put the TV on whatever channel I want (except when there's a Grand Slam on). They also keep the hot tub open year round now, so I've been marinating all winter long now that school's out. Plus, as a child of long-time members, the BTC has been a gold mine for educational/professional connections. I'm going to be devastated when I age out of my kid membership next year. -1 star for the poorly disciplined children who run amok in the weight room during the summer (you know who you are!) and the abundance of creepy old men. read more

Such a pretty tennis club that has some serious history and takes that history seriously. The staff and members are friendly and are always up to just hit around. They do take their tradition very seriously though. Etiquette is a must and things are done generationally. For example, there are only a limited number of lockers in the locker room and so one woman was saying that hers actually used to be her mothers and was passed down to her. A friend of mine waiting on a waitlist for a year in order to get a locker. It's a beautiful club. Membership is expensive, but not as bad as SFTC. Then again, it's on the other side of the bridge. read more

BTC is an historic tennis club at the base of the Berkeley Hills. Its ten tennis courts are accompanied by a comfortable clubhouse and ballroom, a nice 25 meter pool, and an ample fitness center. The courts are in very good condition and the weather is typically good. The Club balances recreational, league and tournament tennis and supports players of all ages and abilities with an excellent teaching staff. read more

This club has been in Berkeley since 1906 and is where many great tennis players got their start. Unlike the club associated with the Claremont Hotel, this is a club for fairly serious tennis players who pretty much live and breathe the sport. They've hosted tournaments where top players from around the world like Arthur Ashe have played. The wait list is about 3 years to get in, but most feel it's worth it. I have fond memories of being a ball-boy for some of the greats on the stadium court. read more

My 10 years old daughter has been taking private swim lessons with Pierpaolo for two years. He is wonderful. We are very happy with the way he teaches - he helps my daughter to improve techniques in the water and understand how to get the best of her. read more

One of the great things about the Berkeley Tennis Club is that there is a no-reservation system in place for getting on the tennis courts. You show up with your partner and either walk on to an empty court, or sign up on the chalkboard for the next available court. That means you can always play; you might have to wait a little while on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but you'll never be shut out. I've played at most of the clubs in the Bay Area, and I'm not sure there is a prettier place to play tennis than at BTC, with view of the Claremont Hotel. There are also a wide range of levels at the club. I probably have 25-30 people at my level with whom I play on a regular or occasional basis, so if one person is out of town or injured, there is always someone else to play with. And if you want instruction, there is excellent instruction for adults and kids. There are other really nice clubs around the Bay (Chabot Canyon in Oakland being one of them), but my favorite is definitely the Berkeley Tennis Club. read more

I went here for private swim lessons and I've been very happy with the service. Pier, the instructor, is awesome. I know how to swim but he helped me take it to the next level, correcting my form and coaching me how to get the most of the workout. He's very informative and patient and I appreciate his coaching style a lot. Swimming here has been a more satisfying workout than the gym or other classes I was taking, and my body feels more mobile and in shape since I've been taking these lessons. Warmly recommended whether you already know how to swim or not. read more

It would appear these courts are part of the Claremont but actually they belong to the BTC, as locals call it. I was here a couple times last week for the National Women's 18's Tennis Tourney and really enjoyed myself. The courts are nice and they even have a pseudo center court which was great for watching the finals match. The ladies locker room was nice enough, not fancy. In hall outside hung great B& W pictures of old school tennis at the club. Seems like a great place to play, if you lived in the EB, however I heard rumblings of a multi-year waitlist...I would suggest fact checking that though. read more

My swim lessons with Pierpaolo Morra were excellent. He was clear,instructive, and very patient. Good with kids or adults. I wanted to improve my breathing and stroke which I did under his guidance. I highly recommend him! Sandi B. read more

Putting in a plug for the children's group swim sessions run by Coach Ian. My daughter is in the intermediate one now, which takes kids able to do basic versions of the freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke and is structured around swim team-style drills. Most of the kids are between 7 and 12. The class is offered year round in six week sessions, M/W/F from 4:30 to 5:30, and you can pick how many days to attend (price changes accordingly). You don't need to be a member of the club to attend. Ian is a terrific teacher and manages to motivate and give individual feedback to each member of the class. When we joined there was a wait list for the sessions but there are spots open in the current session. He also runs a set of sessions for more advanced swimmers, who tend to be older. read more

My kids have been taking swimming lessons for the past several months with Pierpaolo Morra. I give him my highest recommendation. His skills and teaching methods are excellent - far better than your typical swimming lesson experience. My kids have definitely progressed under his direction. He is patient, has a real way with kids, shows humor and really pushes them to improve, which I appreciate. When he is engaged in the lesson, the kids have his full attention. For private or semi-private lessons, you're in excellent hands with Pierpaolo. read more

My 4-year old daughter took semi-private swimming lessons with Pierpaolo last fall and had a really positive experience. She was terrified of putting her face in the water and was very reluctant to even get in the pool. He was very patient and kind with her, and managed to get her to overcome her resistance, to my pleasant surprise. He managed to be fully attentive to both children, even though they were progressing at different levels. He was also flexible and responsive to our scheduling changes. Would definitely recommend Pierpaolo for individual or semi-private lessons. read more

This club has a lot more older folks then younger generation. Members here are average players or below average (not your high level players). The swimming pool area is decent but they allow "pool members only" to use the pool area which is a minus. The staff here is fair not very friendly and the food here is awful ( you are better off buying a sandwich at Safeway). The women's locker room smells like an old attic and they do not have a parking lot. I've seen better tennis clubs, but this is the only private tennis club close to home and they are cheaper than the Claremont. Although Claremont is more prestigious. read more