Sopwell House is a picturesque, four-star country house hotel, nestled within 12 acres of Hertfordshire's rural landscape. Its Georgian facade is breathtaking, set against manicured lawns, with a beautiful outdoor terrace, too.
As well as the 128 bedrooms, Sopwell House boasts several up-market restaurants and bars which are a lovely escape from the big city, with London being just a short, convenient train ride away.
Whether you're staying as a guest of the hotel or live locally, The Octagon Bar needs to go on your must-visit list. First up, there's the space itself; as a listed Georgian building, the venue boasts stunning period features such as huge, arched windows, ceiling cornicing and a stone fireplace.
The design decisions are also something to behold, with a ribbed, marble bar, as well as rose pink wallpaper decorated with woodland scenes and a modern take on chandeliers overhead. Combined with high stools for propping up the bar with a cocktail, and an adjoining lounge space for socialising and relaxing in deep, tub chairs, The Octagon Bar has everything you might need.
Moving onto the drinks menu and fans of history, or just exceptional attention to detail, are in for a treat. You see, the bar has designed and named its drinks in accordance with London historical events, starting in 1140 with the Ale, Ale and Honey, which mixes Dom Benedictine, dark and ginger ales and honey cordial. This is the year that the Sopwell Priory was founded, and the beginning of the drinks timeline which charts several centuries, marking significant dates with a different cocktail.
Amazingly, each drink has its own description to give a feel for the taste and presentation, as well as a short story about what happened that year. It's a truly special touch which makes this drinking experience a stand out one.