Our trip to Sopwell House fell on a cold, snowy February day, and our welcome there could not have been more perfect! Greeted with a roaring open fire, we immediately felt at home in the friendly, warm atmosphere.
This wasn’t our first visit to Sopwell House, so it was lovely to be invited back and we couldn’t wait to enjoy their hospitality. The ‘Country Home from Home’ lies in a lovely countryside village in Hertfordshire and is set in 12 acres of beautiful grounds, with a real country house feel.
Entering the hotel and being greeted by the fabulous fire was so welcoming, and the bright and traditional lobby is just lovely.
Being a historic Georgian country house, it benefits from some gorgeous architecture and a rich history. In 1900 it was leased to Prince Louis of Battenberg, an admiral of the Royal Navy, who made it his family home. Prince Louis (later Mountbatten) had the honour of a certain cake named after him to mark his marriage to Princess Victoria. And we were delighted to sample some delicious Battenberg cake and strawberries, kindly left for us in our room. The room was lovely – clean, bright and spacious with a modern feel and a lovely view of the Hertfordshire countryside.
Having settled in, we took a trip to the spa to enjoy the pool and Jacuzzi before heading back to our room to prepare for a lovely pre-dinner cocktail. Sopwell House has two restaurants and two bars, and, holding an AA Rosette, you’re assured of something special from their award winning chef
The cocktail lounge is a lovely space – relaxed and comfortable, and transforms into an elegant bar, come the evening. We enjoyed a lovely martini here before our dinner in the Brasserie.
The Brasserie serves classic dishes from an open kitchen – and the food is really good. From the crayfish and prawn cocktail, the crusted fillet of salmon and the beautiful white chocolate crème brulee, the service was good and the food was delicious!
The wedding details…
This is a really lovely wedding venue. Sopwell House can cater for up to 300 guests and has a range of rooms and suites as well as magnificent grounds where you can take your vows. You have a choice of five spaces on the ground floor, and five on the first floor – all exquisitely tailored to fit with your theme. There’s also a separate entrance for wedding parties. They have a range of wedding packages to suit and will be with you to help plan your very special day. And of course, there are plenty of rooms for your guests to stay over!
If you’re considering an English country house wedding, why not have a look at our reviews of The Grove or Luton Hoo?