How to read a padel court booking app abroad
Per court or per player, ninety minutes or sixty, panoramic or not. A practical decoder for the booking screens you will meet when you play away from home.
Panoramica
Booking a court at home is second nature. You know the club, the price and which courts to avoid. Abroad, the same task means reading a booking screen in a slightly different format, sometimes in another language, with conventions you may not have met. Most clubs now use one of a handful of booking platforms, and they share a common vocabulary. Learn it once and you can book with confidence almost anywhere.
Times and durations
The first difference is the clock. Most of Europe, the Gulf and Latin America use the twenty-four hour clock, so an evening slot appears as 19.30 rather than half past seven. Make sure the app is showing local time, not your home time. If you booked from home before you travelled, check the confirmation once you arrive.
Durations vary too. Ninety minutes is the standard booking in Spain, Portugal and much of the Gulf, while sixty minutes is common in the UK and northern Europe. Some clubs offer both, with the ninety-minute slot priced as a better deal per hour.
Price per court or per player
This catches out more visitors than anything else. Some apps show the price of the whole court; others show the price per player. A figure that looks expensive may be the total for four people, and one that looks cheap may be a quarter. Look for a small icon or label near the price, and check the summary screen before you pay. Many apps let you split the cost so each player pays their own share.
Court descriptions
Booking screens often describe each court in a few words. The terms you will meet most often are:
Indoor or outdoor. Some clubs add "covered", meaning a roof with open sides.
Panoramic. Glass on all sides with no wire mesh in the back corners. It gives the best view and is often priced slightly higher.
Glass or wall. Older courts may have solid concrete walls instead of glass. They play faster and bounce more consistently.
Single. A narrower court for two players, useful for coaching and practice.
Lights. A supplement for evening play on outdoor courts is common.
Open matches and levels
Many apps list open matches: courts booked by one or two players who are looking for the rest of the four. These usually show a level range, the gender mix and the number of places left. Level scales differ between apps and countries, so read the description of each band rather than trusting the number alone. If the range is narrow and you are at its edge, a short message to the organiser before joining is good manners.
Cancellation and payment
Read the cancellation window before you book. Twenty-four hours is a common minimum, and some clubs keep the full fee for later cancellations. Weather policies vary for outdoor courts: some refund automatically if rain stops play, others offer a credit. Card payment in the app is now standard, though a few smaller clubs still ask you to pay at reception.
Before you leave home
Download the app the club uses and create your account on wifi.
Add a payment card and check that it works abroad.
Set your level honestly, with a note in your profile describing your game.
Message the club if anything is unclear. Reception staff are used to visiting players and nearly always reply.
Once you have booked a court or two abroad, the screens become familiar. The bigger reward is the moment the confirmation arrives, and all you have to think about is the match.