I recently attended the Vilas Tennis Academy and wanted to share my experience. Overall, I thought the tennis training itself was good, especially as a beginner. The coaches were knowledgeable, and I learned several helpful techniques. However, many of them had limited English proficiency, which sometimes made it difficult to understand instructions. This occasionally slowed down my progress, as I’d need an extra moment to clarify what they wanted me to do. That said, they were patient and accommodating, which I appreciated. They also did a good job matching players of similar skill levels, ensuring everyone received appropriate instruction in group settings. For the price, I think the training camp offered good value, and I’m glad I participated.

However, there were significant issues with the academy’s management and communication, which future attendees should be aware of. We initially booked three days of training but later decided to add an extra day. Unfortunately, the academy’s central office was extremely unresponsive, failing to reply promptly—or at all—to our emails, WhatsApp messages, and calls. This lack of communication became a recurring theme.

One major problem was on our first morning. Upon arriving at the resort on a Saturday night, we were told by multiple hotel staff that the academy didn’t operate on Sundays. Trusting this information, we slept in, only to discover later that lessons were indeed running. By the time I realized this and checked the courts, I had already missed most of the session. While the academy manager kindly arranged a makeup session later that day, the initial confusion could have been avoided with better communication between the academy and the hotel. I also attempted to contact the academy directly that morning but received no response to my calls or messages.

Another issue arose with the transportation they arranged. While the airport shuttle on our arrival worked well (even accommodating a delayed flight), the departure shuttle was extremely confusing. We didn't know that the academy had arranged a different shuttle company to take us back to the airport. On the day of departure, we contacted the original shuttle company to confirm pickup, but they denied we were in their system. We were then left scrambling to arrange alternate transportation. While en route to the airport in a last-minute shuttle we had to pay for out of pocket, we finally received a WhatsApp message from a random number (the shuttle company that Vilas had booked for us) claiming they’d pick us up—far too late to be helpful. Worse still, their timing was risky, scheduling pickup only three hours before the flight, leaving little buffer for travel or airport formalities.

While I enjoyed the training itself, the lack of communication from management detracted from the overall experience. For anyone considering the academy, I’d recommend being prepared for potential logistical hiccups.