The Queen’s Club Championships is a tennis event I’d heard about for years, as it’s a popular one for corporate entertaining in London. But I always focused on getting tickets for Wimbledon and was lucky in the public ballot multiple times. That was until the old-school paper application system went online, and success became much harder. So this year, I decided to give Queen’s Club a try. Here’s why I’m pleased I did.
It was easier and cheaper to get tickets
Now, I should qualify this by saying my friend and I went to the WTA Women’s tournament, which was held at Queen’s in 2025 for the first time in 50 years. Tickets were released later than the men’s tournament, and when I saw the information in an e-newsletter from Wimbledon, there were still tickets available. They may go quicker in future years, but on the plus side, there’s no ballot. And for £25 a year, you can sign up as an LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) Advantage Fan+ member and get priority access to tournament tickets. There was a range of prices in 2025, but we got seats at the back of the Andy Murray Arena (centre court) on quarter-finals day for just £35.
Queen’s Club is easier to get to
The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon isn’t the easiest place to get to. From Wimbledon train and tube station, it’s a 20-25 minute uphill walk. So most people join the queue to get on a shuttle bus. Queen’s Club is an easier option as it’s in West Kensington and only a three-minute walk from Baron’s Court tube station, which is on the District and Piccadilly lines. Outside the station is a handy row of shops to buy snacks, water, hats and fans (for hot days). We even saw a sign in a shop window saying they would store luggage. I live just outside London, so could visit for the day. But someone we met at the club recommended staying in Hammersmith, where there’s a Premier Inn and a Novotel that are just a 10-minute walk from the Queen’s Club Palliser Road entrance.
Queen’s Club is a smaller, more intimate venue
Going to the Wimbledon Championships is a great experience, but the club and grounds are huge. Queen’s Club is a smaller, more exclusive private members’ club, and it feels more intimate. Getting around the site is quick and easy and there are plenty of facilities, many of which were added for the championships, thanks to the sponsors HSBC. We even spotted free portable phone chargers in case you take more photos than your phone can handle!
Food and drink didn’t seem crazy expensive
To be fair, I don’t know how Queen’s Club compares to the Wimbledon Championships for food and drink prices, as I’ve not been to the latter for a few years. And one advantage of the bigger venue is that you can take some alcohol in. However, we didn’t think Queen’s Club prices were too outrageous. Particularly having seen a glass of rosé wine on sale for £17 at the Royal Albert Hall the evening before!
At Queen’s, wine was around £9-11, depending on whether you bought it in a can or a glass (note to self to take plastic wine glasses with us next time!). And a jug of Pimms was great value. A glass of Pimms was £12, but a jug was £34, and my friend and I had 3-4 glasses each from it. We took sandwiches with us, but ice cream wasn’t expensive, and other food options in the food court area looked fairly reasonable. And the hot drinks were slightly cheaper than at Waterloo Station.
The view of the tennis action is great!
Of course, the most important element of going to Queen’s Club for the championships is watching the tennis, and we thought the views in the Andy Murray Arena were great. Previously called centre court, the arena was renamed this year to honour British champion Andy Murray, who won the men’s tournament at Queen’s Club five times. Our seats were one row from the back, and we could see all of the action perfectly. We were also quite comfortable as hired cushions to sit on – well worth it for £3 each.
The only thing to be aware of before sitting courtside is that there is no cover at Queen’s Club. So, you need to go prepared for all types of weather. It was very hot on quarter-finals day, so we had hats, wraps, sunglasses and plenty of sun cream. But we also took breaks, as sitting through four matches wasn’t feasible. Though we were a bit cooler being higher up than those who were closer to the action, as we got a bit of breeze. And next time we’ve decided to book seats in the back row as you can put up an umbrella, which is handy with the variable British weather! Because, of course, we do plan to go again, as in our opinion, watching tennis at Queen’s Club is a great alternative to Wimbledon.
For more posts about cultural events and activities in London, check the London section of my blog.