Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Below you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked the most about the hotel and our services.
FAQs
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General
How many bedrooms/suites do you have?
Sopwell House boasts 127 bedrooms and suites in total. 16 of which are individually designed Mews suites.
Do you have free wifi throughout the hotel?
Yes.
What time can I check in?
Check in time is from 3:00pm
What time is check out?
Check out time is 11:00am
Do you offer express check-out?
Yes
My flight arrives late in the evening; will it be possible to check in late?
Yes. Staff are on duty 24 hours a day, we do ask that you inform us on booking that you will be arriving late.
Can I check in earlier than 3pm?
Early check-in may be available upon request. To help us better accommodate your needs, we kindly ask that you notify us ahead of your stay. While we'll make every effort to fulfill your request, early check-in is subject to availability and considered on a case-by-case basis. Should early check-in not be possible, you’re welcome to store your luggage with us and enjoy our amenities (excluding the Cottonmill Spa) until your room is ready.
Is late check out available?
Late checkout is available at extra cost, please check at booking stage if this is available and for the charge. Requests are considered on a case by case basis due to availability.
Why do I need to enter my credit card number to reserve a room?
All reservations must be guaranteed with a valid credit or debit card. Your card is not charged at reservation stage unless booking a special advanced purchase rate.
You are entitled to change your booking without charge up to 48 hours before your arrival for overnight stays, spa treatments and spa day bookings.
We have also changed our policy on certain special advance purchase offers. Whilst they require full pre-payment at time of booking to secure the special rate, these too are able to be amended free of charge up to 48 hours before arrival. If you need to cancel up to 48 hours before your arrival, you will be provided with a voucher to the value of your booking to use at another time or on another experience. Full room payment will be taken upon arrival for all other bookings. Any additional pre-authorisation or deposit of £200 per night will also be taken for any incidentals during your stay. Please note although the card is not fully charged at this stage the authorised monies will be held against the likely purchase.
Will my credit card be charged if I fail to show up or do not cancel my reservation?
Yes, your credit card will be charged the full amount.
Is the hotel family run?
Yes, Sopwell House is part of the AB Hotels Group which is owned and run by a father and his two sons.
What is the maximum of Adults/Children that can be accommodated in one room?
Cots for babies can be placed in room categories Chicand above however guests must provide all bedding needed. Junior Suites and Corner Suites can accommodate two adults and two small children aged 4-12 years. Additional charges do apply for additional children but cots for babies are provided free of charge (no bedding provided).
Is Sopwell House on social media?
Yes we have Facebook, X and Instagram, you can follow us @SopwellHouse on all channels.
Are you Pet friendly?
Pets are not permitted, with the exception of guide dogs. Please inform us in advance if you will be bringing a guide dog.
Do you offer babysitting facilities?
We do not have an in-house Babysitting facility however this can be arranged through a certified agency.
Do you offer disabled facilities?
Yes we do – please contact our reservations department for further details and to discuss your specific requirements.
Are you child friendly?
We do accommodate children of all ages however there are access restrictions in Cottonmill Spa. The Spa is open for use to those aged 18 years and over. 16 – 18 year olds must be accompanied by an adult and please kindly note only a selected treatment menu is available for this age group.
Can I pay over the phone for someone’s stay, meal or additional inclusions such as Champagne, Spa Treatments etc.?
We do not accept payment over the phone I’m afraid. We do however accept third party authorization for Champagne and extras added onto bookings up to £100 and for some agency bookings. We do accept Bank transfers and can facilitate payments upon arrival with chip and pin or alternative via voucher purchases.
Do I need a credit/debit card to make a Hotel booking?
All major credit/debit card are accepted, including American Express.
Do you take cash?
We do allow cash payments for rooms, however a credit or debit card will still be required for the £200 per night pre-authorisation deposit. Cash can be taken within our outlets.
Can I pay with a cheque?
This facility is available at Sopwell House by pre-arrangement prior to arrival. Please request our cheque clearance policy for full details.
Can I pay via Bank transfer?
This facility is available at Sopwell House by pre-arrangement prior to arrival.
What is your cancellation policy?
To give you peace of mind when booking your leisure stay please see our cancellation policy.
You are entitled to cancel or change your booking without charge up to 48 hours before your arrival for overnight stays, spa treatments and spa day bookings.
We have also changed our policy on special advance purchase offers. Whilst they require full pre-payment at time of booking to secure the special rate, these too are able to be amended free of charge up to 48 hours before arrival. If you need to cancel up to 48 hours before your arrival, you will be provided with a voucher to the value of your booking to use at another time or on another experience.
Please note that our usual terms and conditions do apply for prepaid events, where a non-refundable pre-payment is required at the time of booking.
Do children stay free of charge?
A baby cot can be provided free of charge but please note guests must provide their own bedding, no bedding will be provided.
4-12 years is £75.00 per child per night bed and breakfast, please note we have sofa beds for children (only in certain room categories).Can I smoke in the hotel?
No. Sopwell House is strictly a no smoking hotel.
How do I make a complaint?
You can either contact us on +44 (0) 1727 864477 or email us on enquiries@sopwellhouse.co.uk
Is my personal information safe and secure?
Yes please see our privacy policy
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Location & Travel
Where is St Albans?
St Albans is a roman city in Hertfordshire, 20 miles north of London.
Do you offer free parking?
Yes.
How many car parking spaces do you have?
260.
Directions To The Hotel
Directions to the Hotel can be provided by our reservations department or please see here
By road - St Albans is close to the M1 (J6), M25 (J21a) and the start of the M10 (J1).
Is there a local Bus service?
The nearest bus stop is approximately 10 minutes walk from the Hotel.
Do you offer Taxi arrangements?
Yes we do, taxi’s can be booked directly with reservations or at Reception.
Are you near public transport?
By rail – St Albans has two stations: St Albans City is on the Brighton to Bedford line served by First Capital Connect. St Albans Abbey has a local service to Watford Junction and connecting destinations run by London Midland.
By bus – services run to, from and around St Albans: Arriva operates the 300 and 301 (Stevenage-Hemel), 321 (Watford-Luton Airport) and Green Line (Harlow-Heathrow)
Metro line operates Route 84 (Potters Bar-New Barnet)
Uno operates the 601 (Hatfield-Welwyn), 602 (Watford-Hatfield) and 655 (Borehamwood-Hatfield)
How far are you from London?
25 miles / 40 km from St Albans to Central London.
Do you rent cycles?
We do not offer this facility onsite however St Albans do offer offsite Cycle Hire http://www.st-albanscycles.co.uk/home.html
Do you offer Clay Pigeon Shooting?
We do not offer this facility onsite however St Albans do offer this locally http://www.claypigeonshootinguk.co.uk/clay-shooting/hertfordshire/st-albans
Do you have a Helipad?
No, however special arrangements can be made upon request with advance notice.
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Local Information
What is there to do locally/events going on locally in St Albans?
Is St Albans walking distance from the Hotel?
Yes, approximately 20 minutes’ walk however we do recommend using Taxi services instead, we can assist with booking for this.
Do you have a Golf Course?
No – Sopwell House does not have a Golf course onsite however the Verulam Golf Club is next door. http://www.verulamgolf.co.uk/
Do you have any Cinema’s close by?
There is the Odyssey in St Albans and Odeon in Hatfield.
Do you offer Horse Riding facilities?
We do not offer this facility onsite however St Albans do offer Horse Riding in the local area.
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Room Amenities
Are there hairdryers in the rooms?
Yes
Is there an iron and ironing board in the room?
Yes.
Do you have sky?
Yes including the Sky & BT sports package.
Do you have mini bars and fridges in the room?
We do only offer mini bars and fridges within our Mews Suites (specific Suites only) and not the main Hotel bedrooms. Fridges are available upon request in the main Hotel bedrooms.
What amenities do you have in the bedrooms?
The room is also equipped with all the facilities you would expect including:
- Air conditioning
- Flat screen TV with a selection of national and international TV channels, Sky Sports and BT Sports
- Complimentary WIFI
- Coffee & Tea making facilities
- Ample desk space
- In room safety deposit boxes
- Iron & ironing board and hair dryer
Do you offer a same day dry cleaning service?
Yes we do offer a dry cleaning service, please take your dry cleaning to Reception by 8.15am. Please enquire into same day availability.
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Food & Drink
Do you offer a gluten intolerant afternoon tea menu?
Yes but please let us know 48 hours in advance of visiting.
Can I just come to Sopwell for a drink/coffee?
Yes we have the Conservatory Bar or Octagon Bar.
How many Restaurants do you have?
Two – The Brasserie and Omboo a Pan-Asian sharing experience.
What type of cuisine do you serve?
Brasserie: Classic and simple dishes served alongside specials inspired by global cuisines.
Omboo: Inspired by the spice routes of Asia and the Far East, Omboo serves up mouthfuls of fragrant flavours. Our service philosophy is simply “when ready”; there are no starters or mains when dining at Omboo, your selection of sharing platters are simply delivered to your table fresh out of the kitchen when ready.
Do you offer room service?
Yes. Room service is available from 12 noon to 22.30pm.
Do you offer 24 Hour Room Service?
Room service hours are as follows:
Breakfast
Monday to Friday - 7:00am - 10:00am
Saturday to Sunday - 8:00am - 11:00amLunch and Dinner
Monday to Sunday - 12 noon - 22:30pmPlease note that we offer a limited Room Service menu.
Can I make a dinner reservation on the day?
Yes, you can make the reservation at any time but is subject to availability. We recommend to make your bookings in advance to avoid disappointment.
Opening and closing times of our restaurants
Brasserie: https://www.sopwellhouse.co.uk/dine/the-brasserie/
Omboo: https://www.omboo.co.uk
Do you accommodate Dietary/Allergen requirements?
Our customer’s safety and dining experience is of paramount importance to us and we will endeavour to accommodate all customer dietary and allergen specific requests. To ensure these special requests are treated with diligence there is a minimum requirement of 48 hours’ notice for all allergen, ingredient intolerances and any other special requests, however, please note that due to the nature of our business and offering we cannot guarantee 100% allergen or intolerant free recipes / dishes.
What is included in the Afternoon Tea?
Traditional Afternoon Tea
Our Traditional Afternoon Tea features a selection of sandwiches, freshly baked scones served with Devonshire clotted cream and Strawberry preserve. A variety of afternoon tea pastries and your choice of luxury Newby loose leaf tea or coffee are also included.Champagne Afternoon Tea
Our Champagne Afternoon Tea includes our entire Traditional Tea offering with the inclusion of a glass of our House Champagne.All our Afternoon Teas are served on the traditional tiered stand within either in our The Restaurant.
Do you serve Kosher food?
No, however special arrangements can be made if Kosher food is brought in, a supplement charge may apply.
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Cottonmill Spa
What are you opening and closing times of the Spa and Gym?
COTTONMILL FACILITIES
Weekdays 6.30am - 10pm
Weekends & Bank Holidays 7.30am - 9pm
THE CLUB AT COTTONMILL
Weekdays 8am - 10pm
Weekends & Bank Holidays 8am - 9pm
Are children allowed in the swimming pool?
Cottonmill is an adults only facility and only children aged 16 and over are allowed in the pool facilities and spa. Children may only use the swimming pool at specific times over the Christmas Period. Please check with us for further details. 16 & 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult and please note there is a limited treatment menu available for this age group.
Are children welcome into the spa?
Cottonmill is an adults only facility and only children aged 16 and over may use the spa and pool facilities. 16 & 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult. Please note there is a limited treatment menu available for this age group.
Do you offer spa treatments and spa days to under 18 years of age?
Cottonmill is an adults only facility and only children aged 16 and over may use the spa and pool facilities. Please note there is a limited treatment menu available for 16 and 17 year old's and they must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Do you offer Gym Membership?
Yes, Cottonmill & Club memberships are available. For Cottonmill membership, click here.
For information about the new Club at Cottonmill membership, click here.
What is the cost for the Gym membership?
If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact our Membership Director: membership@cotttonmillspa.com or see our membership pages for more details.
Cottonmill membership - https://www.sopwellhouse.co.uk/cottonmill-spa/membership/
The Club at Cottonmill membership - https://www.sopwellhouse.co.uk/cottonmill-spa/club-membership/
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Events
Why choose Sopwell House instead of a venue in Central London?
An award winning conference venue in Hertfordshire, Sopwell House is an incredible venue with a selection of well equipped function suites that can cater for all your business needs – from small meetings or interviews, to product launches and large conferences.
A popular choice for many businesses for its location, Sopwell House is just 20 minutes from St Pancras International by train or less than one hour from Central London or Heathrow Airport by car.
How many event rooms do you have?
We have 19 flexible function suites.
Can I exclusively hire the hotel?
Yes, however an enquiry would need to be made and it would be looked at on a case by case basis.
Do you allow outdoor Weddings?
Yes.
Can you accommodate Asian or Kosher Weddings?
Yes.
Do you permit external caterers for events?
Yes.
Do you allow fireworks?
Yes (terms and conditions apply.)
Do you permit me to bring my own suppliers for events?
Yes (terms and conditions apply.)
Can I reserve a space in your Bar for a meeting?
We would strongly recommend that you contact our conference and events team for a more private environment however if your meeting is small and informal over a cup of coffee you are more than welcome in Octagon Bar, The Lounge or conservatory. Note that this cannot be pre-booked and is on a first come first serve basis.
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Omboo
What days is Omboo open?
Tables are available to book from 6pm to 10:00pm Tuesday – Sunday
What if I am running late?
We hold your reservation for up to 15 minutes. Do call us on 01752 750 581 if you are running late and we will endeavour to allocate an alternative available time, otherwise we may have to release your reservation.
What is the dress code?
Smart casual - you can choose to dress up or dress down. Jeans and smart trainers are welcome. However, as a courtesy to other guests, we preclude sportswear.
How long can I expect dining in Omboo to take?
We estimate a dining time of 120 minutes.
Do you cater for allergies?
Our menu displays all of our allergens which you can view here. However, we may be unable to modify a dish without losing its essential flavours. Please speak to the service team if you have any allergies or dietary requirements that we can assist you with.
Are children welcome in Omboo?
Due to the nature of the flavours and spices, Omboo may not be a suitable dining experience with children below 12. We recommend dining at the Brasserie where a children’s menu is available.
Do you offer private dining?
We have a private area available to pre-book (and pre-order) for up to 14 persons for a deposit/minimum of £700. We are also able to cater for bespoke menus, please speak to us at least 5 days prior to discuss. For full refund of deposit, cancellation of bookings must be made 5 days prior to arrival.
Courtesy
Should you need to take a call, we politely request that you leave the restaurant temporarily to do so.