Cottonmill Spa & Club at Sopwell House — St Albans, UK

As the ubiquity of private members’ clubs grow, Sopwell House, the grand Hertfordshire-based hotel, has taken the quest for exclusivity quite seriously with the relaunch of its wellness facilities into a sprawling private members' spa comprising Cottonmill and the even more exclusive The Club at Cottonmill
With new interiors overseen by London’s Sparcstudio Design, both the reimagined pre-existing structure and a new extension are now bound by a ‘refined nature’ aesthetic. This translates to indoor-outdoor areas, lush gardens, designed by gold medal-winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show designer Ann-Marie Powell, soothing water features, aqua hues, washed cotton and terracotta textures, and swathes of natural light.
This all sets a soothing tone for a series of facilities including an indoor pool, two vitality pools, a state-of-the-art gym and a lenghty menu of treatments using products from British brands Elemis, Espa and Aromatherapy Associates, along with new innovations such as the UK's first thermal amber and quartz crystal spa bed. Beyond the Cottonmill offerings, an exclusive labyrinth of areas awaits select members and a limited number of hotel guests at The Club at Cottonmill. This includes new saunas and steam rooms including the light-filled organic sauna with panoramic views over the estate; a hushed Whisper Room; and a Deep Relaxation Room laid out with softly vibrating Four Senses loungers.
Although, pre and post treatments, you're likely to find us in the Garden Room, swinging in one of the hanging Dedon chairs, while sipping on a glass of the spa's very own brand of Prosecco and making the most of what we like to call, productive recreation
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Cottonmill Lane, St Albans
Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms
-
Visit this Michelin-star New York restaurant that doubles as an art gallery
Artist Mr.StarCity is exhibiting his emotionally charged yet optimistic ‘Bloomers’ portrait series at Frevo, a Greenwich Village hidden haunt
By Adrian Madlener
-
Nina Runsdorf brings classic jewellery back to life to mark 20 years
New York-based jewellery designer Nina Runsdorf celebrates her eponymous brand’s anniversary with a new jewellery collection, ‘Archive’
By Hannah Silver
-
Enter the world of Cave Bureau, and its architectural and geological explorations
Nairobi practice Cave Bureau explores architecture’s role in the geological afterlives of colonialism, as part of a team exhibiting at the British pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
By Marwa El Mubark
-
One Club Row is London’s answer to the Lower East Side
Located at the site of the former hotspot Les Trois Garçons, One Club Row brings back noughties glamour with 19th-century interiors, gourmet bites, and jazz nights
By Ben McCormack
-
Marylebone restaurant Nina turns up the volume on Italian dining
At Nina, don’t expect a view of the Amalfi Coast. Do expect pasta, leopard print and industrial chic
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Treehouse Hotel Manchester: you may not want to leaf
Treehouse Hotel Manchester offers a nature-infused biophilic sanctuary amidst the city’s ever-growing architectural canopy
By Imogen Green
-
Dining at Pyrá feels like a Mediterranean kiss on both cheeks
Designed by House of Dré, this Lonsdale Road addition dishes up an enticing fusion of Greek and Spanish cooking
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
London restaurant Tatar Bunar puts Ukrainian heritage front and centre
Family recipes and contemporary design merge at this new east London restaurant by Ukrainian restaurateurs Anna Andriienko and Alex Cooper
By Ben McCormack
-
Corner Corner may be London's most unique entertainment destination yet
The newly-opened venue combines food, jazz and—yes—urban farming beneath one sprawling roof
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
For a taste of Greece, head to this playful new restaurant in London’s Chelsea
Pachamama Group’s latest venture, Bottarga, dishes up taverna flavours in an edgy bistro-style setting
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
A buzzy Korean pop-up becomes a permanent fixture in East London
Chef Joo Won has turned his Calong pop-up permanent in the arty enclave of Stoke Newington
By Ben McCormack