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Project Name: The Club at Cottonmill Sopwell House

Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire

Date Completed: September 2019

Architect: SPARCSTUDIO / ISA

Interior Designer: Sparcstudio

Hotel Group AB Hotels

Construction Company: Paragon

In early 2018, Sparcstudio was engaged by Bejerano family-owned AB Hotels to develop an innovative luxury concept for the new spa at Sopwell House, the Group’s luxury country house hotel, in Hertfordshire, with the brief of creating a ‘world class spa’ The budget was 15 million pounds.

When designing Cottonmill, the team at Sparcstudio wanted to challenge the general spa concept and help bring the private members’ ethos to life through contemporary design and diverse relaxation spaces with a storing connection to nature and light.  The team started with a total refurbishment of the existing spa areas and the addition of a sleek, glass-sided three storey extension linking the spa to the new private spa garden, designed by Ann-Marie Powell.

The aim was to create a spa that is truly luxurious and sumptuous whilst at the same time informal and fun: a favourite spot can be found in the garden room where guests can relax in swinging chairs gathered around the bespoke fireplace, overlooking the in-out hydropool & gardens.

The Spa Garden and surrounding grounds of the hotel ensures that nature is an integral part of the spa experience. Kites can be seen hovering at eye level from the ‘Whisper room’ or from within the Panoramic sauna, with full height glazed walls on two sides. Water features are present throughout the spa & spa garden at different levels, inspired by the River Ver, a local chalk stream which runs through St Albans. Planting has been inspired by the local fields with grasses, ferns and other native plants amongst perennial plantings to provide year-round colour for visitors and wildlife alike.

The bespoke elements ensure that Cottonmill Spa has a unique look and feel. These included bespoke furniture design and fittings, from the small oval glass, brass and stone tables in the Sitting Room, the luxurious bespoke loungers for two with integrated feature light and the Garden and Whisper Rooms bronze privacy screens.