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Powered By TripAdvisorA Historic Countryside Estate Within Picturesque St. Albans
Powered By TripAdvisorHoused in a striking Georgian country estate — and with a rich history that goes back to 1603 — Sopwell House is a charming and graceful hotel nestled within the tranquil Hertfordshire countryside. Located in the midst of 12 acres of lush grounds just a half hour from London, it is the perfect hideaway. The expansive spa is designed to complement the dynamic needs of modern living, and combined with the two restaurants and afternoon tea service, makes Sopwell House a veritable treat.
- Choose from 128 guestrooms and suites offering varying sizes and design
- Enjoy sampling the food and drink menus of four restaurants and bars
- Indulge, rest, and relax at the adults-only The Spa at Sopwell House
- Start your day with a full English breakfast and partake in traditional afternoon tea
Whether you seek a romantic weekend away, a family vacation, a spa break, or an impressive business retreat, the grand and inviting Sopwell House delivers. It is also the perfect location for a wedding with its historic architecture, gorgeous gardens, and dedicated Wedding Coordinators.
Hotel Amenities
Accommodations
The 128 rooms and suites vary in size and style for couples and families alike and have a boutique feel mixed with sophisticated style and modern conveniences, such as Wi-Fi and televisions. Many rooms offer beautiful gardens and landscape views, as well as walk-in showers and Elemis toiletries. Mews Suites are separate from the hotel and set in lovely landscaped gardens. Suites may feature fireplaces, four-poster beds, in-room baths, kitchenettes, private terraces, and cedar wood spa baths. Mews guests also gain complimentary access to all Spa facilities at Sopwell House, including The Club at Cottonmill with new Spa Gardens, a Deep Relaxation Room, a Whisper Room, and a Garden Room.
If you’re a sports fan, you will welcome the fact that all guestrooms feature a BT and Sky Sports TV package. Suites are particularly appealing to families, and the hotel is a great favorite for wedding parties.
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Dining
Traditional and international fare are conveniently served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Sopwell House's two dining options, Omboo and The Brasserie, while the Octagon Bar and Conservatory Bar invite guests for light snacks and classic and craft drinks.
Omboo – Inspired by the spice routes of East Asia, the hotel's unique main restaurant serves flavorful dishes alongside a cocktail menu curated to complement the cuisine. Omboo’s creative “when ready” philosophy means meals are served from platters delivered to the table fresh from the kitchen.
The Brasserie – For a more casual dining experience, The Brasserie boasts an open kitchen and a classic menu that also features international flavors such as steaks, burgers, and teriyaki salmon. Breakfast and lunch are offered à la carte and dinner is offered à la carte or off a set menu. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
Octagon Bar – Inspired by London's exceptional cocktail scene, this inviting space is outfitted with a marble-topped bar, leather bar stools, and intimate seating areas perfect for couples or small groups. Enjoy signature cocktail creations, each telling a story of Sopwell House, sipped from vintage glasses while taking in views of the picturesque lawn.
Conservatory Bar – Fresh, bright, and modern, the Conservatory is ideal for an early morning coffee, a lunchtime snack, or evening cocktails.
Activities at Sopwell House
Many of the activities found at Sopwell House are focused on health, wellness, and relaxation.
Enjoy a swim or raise your heart rate at the state-of-the-art gym. Walk the gorgeous grounds and dine on delicious cuisine. Spend your day reveling in the hotel's Spa at Sopwell House, or journey outside the manor to explore the surrounding countryside.
Featuring two distinct, adults-only areas, Cottonmill and The Club at Cottonmill, The Spa at Sopwell House invites guests to treat themselves to a world of calm, quiet, and rejuvenation.
Cottonmill includes use of the indoor pool, two vitality pools, a state-of-the-art gym featuring the latest Technogym equipment, classes taken in the new energizing studio, sauna, steam room, poolside terrace, and sitting room. After a treatment, you can rest in the Rose Relaxation Room.
The Club at Cottonmill features world-class spaces and facilities, including new spa gardens, a garden room, a whisper room, and a deep relaxation Room. The Club area is accessible only to a select group of members and a limited number of guests or residents on Club packages.
For adventures outside of the hotel, travel just half an hour to the sights and sounds of London, or even closer to the historic city of St. Albans — which takes its name from the first British saint. Visit the St. Albans Museum + Gallery, with its collection of heritage and contemporary works, as well as the Verulamium Museum with its ancient treasures — it is built on one of the largest Roman sites in the country. If you have children with you, Willows Farm Village and Park has farmyard animals, adventure play, funfair rides, and indoor soft play.
Other Nearby Attractions & Activities
- Buckingham Palace
- Gorhambury House
- Museum of St Albans
- Paradise Wildlife Park
- The Alban Arena
- Willows Farm Village and Park
- Warner Brothers Studio Tour London — The Making of Harry Potter
Location
While Sopwell House feels wonderfully secluded, thanks to the immediate expanse of greenery that surrounds the hotel, there are plenty of nearby attractions if you are keen to explore the wider area. The Verulamium Museum, Old Gorhambury House, and Hatfield House are just a few notable names accessible if you wish to step away, however briefly, from relative solitude.
Address
Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, United KingdomTransportation
- Airport
- The nearest airport is Luton, which is 16 mi / 25km away.
- Heathrow is 28 mi / 45 km away.
- Train
- The nearest train station is St Albans. This is a 19-minute ride from London’s St. Pancras International.
- The hotel is just south of the market town of St. Albans and a 10-minute drive from the junctions of the M25 and the A1.
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Reviews
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Beautiful hotel, variable service
Fri Mar 21 2025 18:07:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by clh333
We had a good stay at Sopwell House but there were a few aspects that were a little disappointing. Our room was great, spacious with a lovely decor. There is a decent spa with a nice pool. The setting is beautiful. But the service was variable throughout our stay. We waited a long time for our food and drinks at lunchtime and had to chase up our drinks four times. Our visit to the spa was very nice but locker arrangements weren’t explained so there was a bit of confusion and delay. At dinner, our drinks took a long time to arrive and service was initially slow. This was balanced by much better service from our waiter at dinner later on (who spotted the delay to drinks and chased up) and great service in the bar. It felt like some staff were maybe new or needed more training. We were a bit disappointed by the Brasserie, with the decor and menu. If we went again we’d opt for the other restaurant as it seemed a bit more special and we were there to celebrate our anniversary. But we should have researched both options before. Overall - it’s a lovely place and could be exceptional, if variability in service can be addressed.
Excellent service, ambience and facilities
Fri Mar 21 2025 07:59:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by AndrewandMarion
The service, ambience and facilities have now become so good and really in line with a top hotel. They have recently refurbished the Brasserie and the decor is really is really beautiful and such a nice dining area for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Similarly, the lounge was also refurbished recently and the atmosphere imbues the quality and relaxing tone of the whole hotel. Also, the spa is really outstanding and well worth the outlay to experience the facilities in The Club and Cottonmill areas. The service has also markedly improved. Particular appreciation to Siriwan who serves in the Brasserie and lounges with professionalism, courtesy and elegance, to whom I would like to give particular recognition and thanks. Well done to the management of Sopwell House for constantly investing in and upgrading their facilities and service.
Would not rush back
Wed Mar 19 2025 18:16:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Y4484EGemmad
Overall the refurb at sopwell is beautiful and the spa is lovely. My partner organised a lovely overnight stay and spa break for my birthday. Our first room was beautiful but there was a party downstairs and was very noisy. If you’re advertising yourself as a spa hotel where you sell expensive packages to relax maybe don’t have rooms above a party which goes on until midnight or sound proof the rooms. Then moved to the second room which had no bath which we had specifically booked a non basic room to have a bath in it. The third time we had to move the room was beautiful and the manager did give us 2 free drinks at dinner. However it was a shame that so much of our time was taken up with room moves and it really did disturb our stay. The lunch at the spa was lovely. My treatment was average at best. The dinner was delicious and the restaurant manager was delightful. We were told by reception breakfast was served until 11 but they clear it away at 1030 so we had cold breakfast we’re rushing to eat and we’re very dissatisfied with the breakfast due to the incorrect communication. If you want to pack breakfast away at 1030 then you should tell guests it finishes at 10 so then they have 30 mins before they are rushed to finish. So unprofessional and made us feel uncomfortable about having a nice leisurely breakfast. Overall nice place but the service was lacking and some key points of communication. Would not rush back.
Best staff I have seen in a long time
Wed Mar 19 2025 07:58:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Mina M
I have been meaning to write this review for a long time. Came to Sopwell House for my birthday in the summer and apart from the outstanding spa and food, it was the people such as Chef Vicky and Buban, Charles, Athul and Suzanne who made everything absolutely perfect. They were kind, went out of their way to make my birthday feel special and I wrote down all their names so I could remember it so I could publicly celebrate their presence in my review. What a gem of a staff… thank you all
A luxurious treat!
Sun Mar 16 2025 13:15:51 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by CSC0404
It’s like Sopwell House and their spa, The Cotton Mill, knew exactly what we would need and want from a hotel and spa. Every detail was so well thought out, the staff were amazingly attentive, the spa and treatments were fabulous and the food was wonderful. We thought this was the best Spa we had ever been too. We will be back!
