Sopwell House

Though mention of buildings on the site goes back to 1603^[3], it was not developed as a country house until the master mason Edward Strong built his home here in the 18th century. Strong's career included work on St Paul's Cathedral and Blenheim Palace.

During the mid-19th century Sopwell House known then as New Barnes (or New Barns) was the seat of the philanthropist Mrs. Isabella Worley. Amongst the many donations to St Albans from this benefactor were Christ Church on Verulam Road and the Wooden Room in Lattimore Road.

The house was extended in Victorian times and in 1900 was leased to Prince Louis of Battenberg, an Admiral of the Royal Navy who made it his family home. His 4 children grew up here, Alice Mountbatten, Louise Mountbatten, George Mountbatten and Louis Mountbatten. They all had notable lives.

The young Louis, like his father, had a distinguished Royal Navy career and was to become the last British Viceroy of India as Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Alice married Prince Andrew of Greece and their son is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The proposal of marriage was made in the grounds of the house. Louise Mountbatten went on to marry and become Queen of Sweden.

The home passed to the Verulam family after the Second World War and was sold to become a hotel in 1969.

The estate was acquired in 1986 by Abraham Bejerano, who subsequently redeveloped the property into a contemporary hotel and leisure destination.^[4]

Cottonmill Spa opened in 2019 as part of a major expansion project, introducing new spa facilities, treatment spaces and landscaped relaxation areas to the property.^[5]

Sopwell House operates as a country house hotel offering accommodation, dining, leisure and event facilities. The property includes 126 bedrooms and suites, including 16 larger suites located within the landscaped Mews area of the estate.^[6]

The hotel contains several dining outlets, including The Brasserie, which serves classic British foods, and Omboo, an Asian restaurant introduced in 2022. The Octagon Bar opened in 2023, and provides an additional lounge and bar space for guests, offering drinks and light refreshments.^[7]

Leisure facilities at the hotel include an indoor swimming pool, gym, and relaxation areas available to residents. In 2019, the property expanded with the opening of Cottonmill Spa, a purpose-built three story wellness facility offering treatment rooms, pools and terrace loungers for hotel guests. The spa also incorporates The Club at Cottonmill, an exclusive area that provides access to additional amenities, including hydrotherapy pools, enhanced thermal experiences, relaxation lounges, and private fitness and wellbeing spaces.^[8]

The hotel continues to operate under the ownership and management of the Bejerano family.^[9]

Sopwell House is used as a venue for meetings, private events, and weddings. The hotel features a dedicated meeting and conference suite with a private entrance, designed to accommodate corporate events and business meetings. It offers 15 meeting rooms with 19 possible configurations across two floors. Several ground-floor rooms have been refurbished and provide direct access to private terrace areas and the hotel gardens.^[10]

The hotel also offers outdoor spaces suitable for meetings, events, and team-building activities, including a walled garden that runs around the perimeter of the grounds and can be used for activities or temporary structures such as marquees.^[11]

The largest function space, the St Albans Suite, has a maximum capacity of approximately 700 delegates or 250 guests for a seated dinner and dance event. Day delegate packages and tailored dining options are available on request.^[12]