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
-
Tour architect Paul Schweikher’s house, a Chicago midcentury masterpiece
Now hidden in the Chicago suburbs, architect Paul Schweikher's former home and studio is an understated midcentury masterpiece; we explore it, revisiting a story from the Wallpaper* archives, first published in April 2009
-
Technogym’s new Pilates reformer blends peak performance with sleek design
The Technogym Reform is the latest addition to the company’s design-led equipment roster, made from sustainable materials including apple-skin leather
-
Kaari Upson’s unsettling, grotesque and seductive world in Denmark
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark is staging the first comprehensive survey of late artist Kaari Upson’s work
-
Time-travel to the golden age of the cruise ship at Sea Containers London
The South Bank hotel celebrates its tenth anniversary with four new suites inspired by period cabin design, from Edwardian elegance to 1980s glamour
-
Twin Peaks’ Double R Diner is coming to London (for a day)
Mubi marks Twin Peaks’ 35th anniversary with pop-up diner and streaming release
-
Art, pasta and maritozzi: this is Locatelli at the National Gallery
Chef Giorgio Locatelli is the National Gallery’s new Italian master with the latest chapter of his beloved London restaurant
-
A local’s guide to London – Climax Books founder Isabella Burley’s favourite haunts
Creative consultant Isabella Burley credits growing up in the English capital with shaping who she is today. She takes us on a tour of some significant spots
-
This new London restaurant is a Greek island idyll on a plate
Myrtos by Asimakis is a flavoursome ode to Kefalonia, conceptualised by Vernon Viljoen and Block1:Design
-
Late-night spring shopping comes to London’s Chiltern Street
On Thursday 22 May, those in London can enjoy the Chiltern Street Spring Shopping Evening, including a programme of in-store drinks, offers and workshops
-
Fin-to-gill sophistication awaits at Tom Brown at The Capital
Expect ambitious cooking from the country’s most creative seafood chef
-
The Kerfield Arms is south-east London’s hot new gastropub
In Camberwell, this stripped-back haunt comes courtesy of the team behind The Baring in Hoxton