A number of factors made Niagara-on-the-Lake a desirable destination for international tennis in the 1880s and beyond.  It was ideally situated on Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Niagara River, a location that provided beautiful scenery and a great climate.  It was readily accessible by steamship and by rail, from major centres in both the United States and eastern Canada.  And it had one of the most elegant yet comfortable resort hotels in North America : it had Queen’s Royal.

In his book, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Its Heritage and Its Festival, Ron Dale explains the town leaders took the initiative to build the Queen’s Royal as a centrepiece of their drive to add tourism to the town’s economy.

“The Queen’s Royal Hotel set a standard for elegance at its opening in 1866. The beautiful four-storey white structure, set on the river shore, featured excellent service, uniformed bellhops, fine dining, and scenic vistas from its airy balconies and veranda. … Niagara could now accommodate the most discerning guests in world-class style.”