Hillsborough Racquet Club 252 El Cerrito Avenue • Hillsborough • California 94010

The Hillsborough Racquet Club has a wonderful ambiance—polished and dignified, but without any stiffness or stuffiness. HRC's members are proud of their private club and enjoy its unique spaces, from the ballroom, patio and bar, to the indoor badminton court. When you host your wedding here, you have exclusive use of the facility during your event, along with an experienced manager to provide discreet assistance.

Built in 1913 as a polo club, the Hillsborough Racquet Club is located in a lovely residential neighborhood surrounded by elms, cypresses and laurel hedges. The entrance faces away from the street, and it's not until you walk around to it that you see the club's beautiful architectural elements. The building's design is based on the classical Greek Doric order with clean, elegant lines. A handsome portico curves along the front, opening to a patio with flowerbeds and the main entrance. Visitors enter a domed, parquet-floored foyer with hallways that lead to a bridal changing room, a servers' entrance, dining and music rooms, and the ballroom.

The ballroom is the heart of the club and it's easy to see why. It's large and airy, but not overwhelming—ideal for dinner and dancing. Interior designers enjoy the room's good "bones"—the walls are finished in off-whites and ornamentation is simple and subdued. The room's main visual focuses are a large fireplace capped with a Tudor arch on one side, and a wall of windows and French doors on the opposite side that open to the patio. This sunny space, sheltered by a shade tree and lined with flowers and small hedges, is a wonderful spot for cocktails and outdoor dining.

Adjoining the ballroom is a bar and a "domino room." The bar is backed by a mirror that reflects light pouring in from the windows. Next door, the domino room has a very clubby feel and makes a fine place to sit and relax, or to take a break from the festivities.

The dining room has a fireplace, brass chandelier and "hounds and hunters" prints on the walls. In the adjacent music room, a grand piano stands against a light-loving wall of windows that can serve as a backdrop for small ceremonies. (Couples may wed in the ballroom, too, and HRC is close to several neighborhood churches.) French doors in this room also lead to the patio, creating a nice indoor/outdoor flow.

Other pluses are the large staging kitchen off of the dining room, and the changing room/ladies' lounge next to the foyer.

The members are happy to share their club with you for your special occasion, whether it be a wedding, anniversary party, or other celebration. What's more, you'll get the attention you deserve, since HRC never hosts more than one function per weekend.