Sopwell House

The spa made our birthday stay feel like a proper escape. Destiny, Catalina, Rachel and Sophie were so welcoming, and the place felt relaxing. We were lucky with the weather too, it almost felt like being abroad. You can order drinks to your sun lounger, there’s a wonderful selection, and the service was impeccable. We upgraded to a Mews Suite and I’m so glad we did. It was gorgeous and felt luxurious, with housekeeping clearly putting real care into the cleaning. Dinner in the Brasserie was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. Breakfast was really nice with loads to choose from, and the slow-cooked beef at dinner was delicious. Amelia and Vincenzo were professional and made the meal unforgettable. Holly made check-in incredible. She was friendly and chatty, and knowing we were celebrating my 25th birthday, she made it special from start to finish. Everyone at the front desk seemed to genuinely care about their guests. Thanks for such a wonderful stay. I’ll recommend the hotel to everyone!

We came away feeling properly rested and less stressed, which was a lovely reset. The hotel’s management and general approach felt welcoming. On the day we were due to check in, my father-in-law was rushed to hospital, so we had to cancel that day. It was outside the 48-hour cancellation policy, and I shouldn’t have been entitled to a refund or a new date, but after hearing why, the manager let us move the stay without losing our money. The price was very high, so I arrived with equally high expectations. It turned out to be the experience you’d expect for that money. We stayed two nights with breakfast, dinner, afternoon tea and access to the ‘club’ at Cottonmill. Breakfast was varied and high quality, and the evening meals were excellent. The beef cheek melted in your mouth. Staff were amazing and made a point of smiling and greeting us in the hallways. The spa facilities were high-spec and all working well, with robes and towels available without limit, water stations constantly topped up, and free herbal tea you could make yourself. They seemed to manage numbers in the ‘club’ so it didn’t get too busy, and there were plenty of places to sit, lie down and relax. At that price, an overcrowded space would have annoyed us. Everything else looked high-spec too, even the halls and toilets seemed newly refurbished, with no mould or signs of age. The gym was clean, had all the machines you’d need, and the equipment was good quality. We also had a one-hour massage, probably one of the best I’ve ever had. We’ll return!

The rooms were spacious and nicely decorated, and the staff kindly switched us to another room for one night when we realised ours was within earshot of a wedding party disco. The breakfast buffet had lots of choice and was delicious. The spa was clean and the water was warm. We had a lovely, relaxing long weekend and would highly recommend staying here.

I couldn’t stay overnight because of commitments the next day, so I can’t comment on the room. Most of the party did stay and enjoyed the facilities, and from what they said, they were very happy with their rooms. I was there for my husband’s long-service presentation and dinner at work. The staff were smart, efficient, polite and helpful, and the grounds looked amazing for the photos our photographer took.