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27th February 2024

Summer is around the corner!

Uncategorised

As we gear up for spring, it’s time to shed off those extra layers of clothing and feel inspired. With summer just around the corner, a …

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30th January 2024

Strength Training for Bone Density

Spa

Strength training is really important for many physiological reasons, one of the main aspects is improving/retaining our bone density. When …

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3rd January 2024

Head Housekeeper- Full time

Sopwell House

Head Housekeeper- Full time Sopwell House Country Hotel & Spa enables our guests to escape from it all but is still within easy reach of …

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2nd January 2024

Stay on track in the New Year

Uncategorised

As the new year approaches so do the inevitable fitness goals we set as our new year’s resolutions!  If you’re someone that falls short of …

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29th November 2023

The power of strength training and lifting weights

Spa

In the quest for a healthy and fit lifestyle, many people focus their energy on just cardio-based exercises, such as power walking, running or …

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31st October 2023

Understand and Manage Your Food Cravings 

Uncategorised

Some people crave sweets and chocolate whilst others crisps or fried food… but one thing we all have in common is we have all experienced …

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28th September 2023

Controlling the War Within your Gut

Spa | Wellbeing

As you sit there reading this, 100 trillion bacteria in your gut are at war amongst themselves and you are in control of who will be the victor! …

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25th August 2023

Is BMI a Useful Measure of Health

Spa

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass and height of a person. It is defined as the body mass divided by the square of the body …

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1st August 2023

Muscular cramps and how to prevent them

Uncategorised

Muscular cramps or spasms can be described as painful contractions and tightening of your muscles. The worse thing about experiencing this type …

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5th July 2023

Top 5 Tips for an Effective Workout

Uncategorised

Walk into the gym with a plan More often than not I notice people wandering around the gym deciding what they need or want to do next with their …

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9th June 2023

Summer Body Nutrition

Uncategorised

Achieving the ideal summer body takes a lot of work and discipline. Whilst exercise is key to accomplishing your goals, it is equally import to …

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8th June 2023

Summer BBQ Tips

Uncategorised

As we are entering BBQ season, we would like to provide you with these top tips which have been suggested by our executive Chef, Gopi Chandran. …

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10th May 2023

Summer Body Workouts

Spa | Wellbeing

As summer approaches, it is time to get our bodies in shape! Below highlights two types of training that are perfect to get you slim and toned in …

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6th April 2023

Pilates – How does it work and what are the benefits?

Spa

Our day-to-day lives involve a large amount of time sitting down, being inactive. This unfortunately can lead to a variety of different health …

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18th March 2023

Training Tips for Skiing

Sports & Outdoors

Preparing for the activity ahead has many benefits and helps to reduce the risk of injury but above all makes your experience more enjoyable as …

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8th February 2023

Managing and improving lower back pain

Wellbeing

Everyone’s back pain is different and subjective to that individual – the first step should always be get the area assessed by a professional …

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16th December 2022

The Christmas Grazing table

Food & Drink

Christmas is all about food, family and friends… but let’s be honest, how many Christmas dinners can one have in December before one is bored of …

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2nd November 2022

Autumn Overnight Oats

Food & Drink

It's getting cold outside and those chilly mornings aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so why not enjoy an extra few minutes in bed in the …

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2nd November 2022

The iSClinical Difference

Spa

If you are looking for cutting -edge, safe and highly effective results from your skin routine, then think about switching to iSClinical.

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10th October 2022

Winter Skincare

Spa

The drop in temperature as Autumn and Winter unfolds takes its toll on our skin, and we often find ourselves battling dry patches, flaky skin, …

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6th October 2022

Posh Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Food & Drink

As soon as it becomes sweater weather and the leaves start turning into the most beautiful shades we know it is time for pumpkin spiced lattes.

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6th October 2022

Finding Time for Fitness

Spa | Uncategorised

Nowadays there is countless evidence to support how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you train regularly and can maintain a …

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8th September 2022

Top Tips for Injury Prevention

Wellbeing

As the cooler Autumn weather arrives, our bodies and muscles are also feeling the cold and they tighten up, become more tired and less productive …

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7th September 2022

Peaches

Food & Drink

As peach season comes to an end, we thought we would share some favourite recipes to get that final taste of Summer whilst we still can.

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9th August 2022

Get in Shape this Summer

Wellbeing

With so many people jetting off on their holidays, it’s never too late to get some exercises on your radar to tone and firm up before your …

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1st August 2022

40 Winks with Pride of Britain Hotels

Uncategorised

This Autumn Pride of Britain Hotels celebrate their 40th Anniversary with a 40 winks campaign. To join in the celebrations, Sopwell House have …

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14th July 2022

Skin Sun Protection

Spa

There are several ways in which you need to protect your skin daily, particularly from the sun and its UV rays which can lead to skin cancer, …

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14th July 2022

Hydrating in the heat

Uncategorised

Water has integral roles to play in a variety of vital body functions such as helping carry oxygen around the body, the removal of toxins and the …

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30th July 2021

Sipping Sopwell Cocktail

Uncategorised

One of 12 signature cocktails, the Sipping Sopwell draws inspiration from the history books, when nuns used to dip crusts of bread into the water …

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1st April 2021

Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Food & Drink

Ingredients  250g good quality dark chocolate – we use Callebaut Dark Chocolate Buttons! 250g unsalted butter 150g plain flour 1 tsp of baking …

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1st February 2021

Wedding Trends for 2021 and Beyond…

Uncategorised

Without question, the wedding trends for 2021 (and 2022!) are going to be influenced by the Coronavirus lockdown of 2020. With a myriad of …

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12th January 2021

A Couple of Cocktails – Ideal for Valentine’s

Food & Drink

This year you’ll probably be celebrating Valentine’s Day a little differently. Many of our favourite Restaurants are now able to …

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6th January 2021

Keep Well this Winter

Wellbeing | Sports & Outdoors

It can be hard to kick the seasonal slump and stay mentally and physically well throughout winter even without the new challenges we face this …

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5th January 2021

A delicious gluten free vegan treat

Food & Drink

An absolute favourite on our Brasserie menu because it just doesn’t taste like it’s gluten free or vegan, but we promise it is! Try …

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4th January 2021

Nutritious Smoothie Recipes to Kickstart Your Year

Food & Drink

Almost all of us are guilty of a little over-indulgence over the festive period. Come January, we’re trawling for ways to rid our body of …

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4th January 2021

Combating Stress

Spa | Wellbeing

Stress is a very relatable feeling however it affects us all in different ways. In light of what we are all going through as a nation regarding …

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3rd August 2020

Summer Dining at The Restaurant

Food & Drink

Now The Restaurant has been open for over a week we thought we would sit down with Restaurant Chef Joe Graham to find out what inspired the …

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18th May 2020

Meringue Making

Food & Drink

Often feared in the kitchen is the mighty meringue, a necessity for your Pavlova and a staple in our personal favourite, Eton Mess. With this …

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13th May 2020

Chef Q&A: Gopi Chandran of Sopwell House

Food & Drink

The executive head chef of the St Albans country house hotel talks unusual combinations, going veggie and cooking with love Describe your style …

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9th April 2020

Simple ways to improve productivity…

Wellbeing | Meetings & Events | Sopwell House

Whether you are doing projects around the house or working from home – The key is to work smarter, not harder. Here are some great tips to …

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9th April 2020

Easter Cocktails!

Uncategorised | Food & Drink

Town and Country Magazine recently published their top 25 cocktails to enjoy over Easter.  Below we have narrowed this down even further into our …

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26th March 2020

Homemade Iced Tea Recipe

Food & Drink

Stuck around the house with too much time on your hands? Make yourself a sweet treat and give our homemade iced tea recipe a go! Recipe serves 4 …

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25th March 2020

10 Top Tips for Working from Home

Meetings & Events | Wellbeing

Most of us have had to make a strange transition in the last few days or maybe weeks, we hope these top tips give some support. 1. Set up your …

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26th February 2020

Tips for Planning a Winter Wedding

Weddings

Winter weddings certainly have a magical element to them with the crisp blue skies, ambient snowy landscapes and long, cosy evenings. Hence it’s …

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21st February 2020

TOP TIPS FOR OPTIMAL SKIN HEALTH

Spa | Wellbeing

Maintaining healthy, glowing skin can be a struggle at times – even more so in changing seasons. Thankfully, our experienced Spa Therapists are …

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18th February 2020

Shake Up Your Shrove Tuesday

Food & Drink

BLUEBERRY AND LEMON CHEESECAKE PANCAKES The beloved traditional lemon and sugar crêpe is always a go-to on Pancake Day, but why not use this …

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6th February 2020

Product Partners for the Perfect Valentine’s Gift

Spa | Wellbeing

On the annual celebration of romance, what better way to show them you love them than with the gift of luxury and indulgence. So here …

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24th January 2020

Wedding Trends to Take Note of in 2020

Weddings

Real cheese wedding “cakes”, potted plant centrepieces and vegan menus… We’re diving into the top wedding trends for …

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13th December 2019

Christmas Best Buys at Cottonmill

Spa | Wellbeing

This year, we’ve been proud to introduce some new brands to our spa product offering who are taking the beauty industry by storm. This Christmas, …

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13th November 2019

Winter Skin Heroes

Spa | Wellbeing

The drop in temperature as winter unfolds takes its toll on our skin, and we often find ourselves battling dry patches and chapped lips, and …

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21st October 2019

Our Top 5 Classes

Sports & Outdoors | Wellbeing

Our Fitness Manager, Laszlo Szabo has put together his favourite five studio classes from our brand new schedule, here are his favourites… …

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9th October 2019

Rahanni Celestial Healing

Spa

Rahanni Celestial Healing Rahanni is an angelic hand’s on healing treatment, releasing negative energies and replacing them with inner peace, …

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9th August 2019

Day in the life of a Cottonmill member

Wellbeing | Spa

Ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a member of Cottonmill, the UK’s first private members’ spa? Well today we’re …

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26th June 2019

The story behind the cocktails

Food & Drink

Cocktail Bar & Lounge Manager, Manuela Camilleri joined the Sopwell House team late 2018 and from the minute Manuela came on board she was …

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20th June 2019

A sprouting summer salad

Food & Drink

Anyone who says salads are boring, simply hasn’t made one well. By no fault of their own, this might have been because they were short of a …

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13th June 2019

Sopwell in bloom

Sopwell House | Sports & Outdoors

Spring/Summer Edition. If you’ve ever ventured to Sopwell House, you’ll know we take great pride in our glorious & blooming …

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18th April 2019

Only the best for Mum

Spa

Who need’s superheros when we have Mums in the world? Who else would do your washing, cook you delicious Sunday dinners, pick you up every time …

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18th April 2019

2019 Wedding Trends

Weddings

From wedding design and colours to innovative food ideas, here are some trends to make note of for the wedding season in 2019. From wedding …

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18th April 2019

Ten Questions with Lorenzo Vettori

Food & Drink | Sopwell House

ASSISTANT RESTAURANT MANAGER Welcome back to our ‘Ten Questions with…’ blog series where we’re sharing some inside information on our spectacular …

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18th April 2019

The best way to ‘detox’ this January

Wellbeing

The word detox will be used over and over throughout January and it’s a word that you shouldn’t be scared of. Put simply a ‘detox’ or as we like …

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18th April 2019

Spelt and Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto Recipe

Food & Drink

Are you eating healthily but struggling for recipe inspiration? We’ve got a dish that’s delicious, healthy, satisfying and versatile so that you …

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18th April 2019

2018 Beauty & Skincare Gift Guide

Spa | Wellbeing

Christmas day will soon be upon us, have you begun your Christmas shopping? Today we’re sharing our top five beauty and skincare gift …

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18th April 2019

Festive Fruit Cake Recipe

Food & Drink

The secret to a deliciously rich and indulgent fruit cake is well soaked dried fruit. In this recipe our expert chefs recommend soaking the dried …

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18th April 2019

Winter Skincare

Spa | Wellbeing

As people who work in skincare on an every day basis, it was only right that we consulted our spa therapy team for winter skincare tips… …

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18th April 2019

Tiramisu

Food & Drink

Unforgettably delicious, rich and sweet, this tiramisu recipe will have you wanting dessert for every meal of the day. Serves 4-5 Ingredients …

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18th April 2019

Ingredients for a spectacular Christmas party!

Meetings & Events

Organising a Christmas party can come with its pressures. Whether you’re hosting colleagues, partying with friends or even celebrating with …

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18th April 2019

Ten Questions with Victoria Doyle

Meetings & Events | Sopwell House

WEDDING & EVENTS COORDINATOR Welcome back to our ‘Ten Questions with…’ blog series where we’re sharing some inside information on our …

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18th April 2019

Hospitality Interview Tips

Meetings & Events | Sopwell House

Interested in joining a fast-paced, exciting and engaging industry? THEN HOSPITALITY COULD BE FOR YOU… Looking to break into the …

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18th April 2019

Ten Questions with Jonathan Edwards

Sopwell House

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER A brand new blog series of ‘Ten Questions With…’ where we’ll be diving in behind the scenes to find out more about the …

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18th April 2019

Cumin Potato Cake

Food & Drink

Ingredients • 2 large potatoes, peeled • 4 sprig Spring onion, finely chopped • 150g of tinned chickpeas, drained • 1 tbsp of cumin seeds • 1 tsp …

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18th April 2019

Top tips for organising a conference

Meetings & Events

Are you in charge of organising the next company conference? We’re sharing our top tips which might help to ease the process. Being …

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18th April 2019

Mastering The Barbecue

Food & Drink | Sports & Outdoors

Our top tips for mastering the barbecue… We’re now officially into the summer months and we all know what that means, time to uncover the …

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18th April 2019

Watermelon & Feta Salad

Food & Drink

Serves 4 Ingredients  • 1/4 Watermelon –  skin removed and diced 1 inch thick • Feta – 200g diced or crumbled • Kalamata olives – 50g pitted • …

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18th April 2019

The do’s & don’ts post London Marathon

Sports & Outdoors | Wellbeing

Recovery after a marathon is not only one of the most important aspects of running a marathon, but it’s also unfortunately one of the most …

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18th April 2019

National Tea Day

Food & Drink

#NationalTeaDay SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ALMIGHTY BREW. If you were to search for ‘things associated with British culture’ it is …

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18th April 2019

Spring Cleaning Tips

Wellbeing

About to embark on your annual spring clean? We’re sharing our top cleaning tips for the jobs you might have been putting off…   1. Turn …

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18th April 2019

Team Building

Meetings & Events

Turn on the out of office; IT’S TIME TO ENGAGE YOUR TEAM IN AN AWAY DAY. With company culture a hot topic in the ever changing millennial world …

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18th April 2019

Quinoa, Fennel and Sweet Potato Salad

Food & Drink

Recipe BY EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF, GOPI CHANDRA INGREDIENTS • 30ml olive oil + 1 teaspoon • 1 large sweet potato, diced • 2 medium fennel bulbs, cut …

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18th April 2019

A guide to making Perfect Pancakes

Food & Drink

Pancake Making – Top Tips! BY EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF, GOPI CHANDRA • The basic kit- a good non-stick frying pan – flipping will be a lot …

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18th April 2019

Sopwell Scones

Food & Drink

The secret recipe to our warm homemade scones. Makes 10 scones with 5cm diameter cutter Ingredients 250g plain flour 50g sugar 15g baking powder …

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18th April 2019

Top 5 Wedding Tips

Weddings

Straight from the experts. Getting Married? WE’RE SHARING OUR TOP 5 TIPS TO EASE YOUR WEDDING PLANNING… 1. Venue – pick your venue …

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18th April 2019

History

Sopwell House

A 17th Century Georgian Country House.. The earliest reference to Sopwell House is found in a deed of 1603, which makes reference to the house as …

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18th April 2019

Beat the Blue Monday Blues…

Wellbeing

IT’S ONLY THE MOST DEPRESSING DAY OF THE YEAR IF YOU LET IT BE. Is Monday getting to you a little more than usual? You’re not alone. It’s …

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18th April 2019

Champagne Tips

Food & Drink | Meetings & Events

FROM OUR RESTAURANT & BAR MANAGER Top of the Pops – You only need to remember one thing when opening a bottle of Champers, twist the bottle, …

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