Our roving doggy rePAWter TeamCocopup and doting dog mum Hannah Tan-Gillies went for an idyllic weekend getaway with Coppa Club at The Great House at Sonning, for a taste of life by the river.
Much like its sister properties, The Swan at Streatley and Coppa Club Henley, The Great House Sonning was the vibrant, bustling centre of life in the quiet riverside town of Sonning.
Every time we visited The Coppa Club Restaurant, whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner, it was absolutely buzzing with life and filled with both locals and tourists alike (and their pets!) It is evident that when a place has that perfect combo of good food, excellent service and a dreamy location – that the people will come…and stay a while.
And who wouldn’t? The Coppa Club at The Great House Sonning has a gorgeous riverside location that looks like it could have been lifted from a landscape by John Constable. Adding allure to the outdoor setting are Coppa Club’s signature domes, which are accented here with perfectly curated flowers and wicker chairs . The domes are the perfect Instagrammable moment for any guest at Coppa Club.
We recommend having breakfast on the terrace where you can watch the swans and ducks swimming along in the distance. Coppa Club’s Full English is impeccable, but the avocado on sourdough with Scottish salmon is equally impressive.
For a light lunch – we recommend the San Daniele Prosciutto Salad which had the perfect blend of crunch, savoury and sweet. This generous salad is made with ith D.O.P Prosciutto, rocket arugula, radicchio, apple parmesan and walnuts.
For dinner – an excellent vegan alternative is the Spice Roasted Cauliflower which comes with steamed rice, pomegranate and a hefty serving of tahini sauce. This dish puts the humble cauliflower on the spotlight and to sparkling effect, easily one of our favourite dishes on the menu.
We recommend going beyond Coppa Club and take advantage of The Great House’s beautiful riverside location. In addition to being a dog friendly hotel, the location itself is ideal for long riverside walks (and swims) with your pooches. Charlie certainly enjoyed strolling along the river and saying an enthusiastic hello to the people on houseboats moored on the banks of the Thames.
With 49 rooms, spread between the Main House, Clock Tower, Palace Yard and Coach House, The Great House at Sonning brings a contemporary flair to countryside living. The rooms are awash in a vibrant orange and duck egg blue colour palette, complete with Smeg fridges and shabby chic dark wood accents.
We stayed in the Coach House and Charlie was greeted with a dog bed, dog treats and a dog bowl. While the Coach House did have a small outdoor space for doggy business, there weren’t really any easily-accessible grassy areas from the hotel rooms for dogs to do their business at the Coppa Club, which is the only nit-pick from our otherwise wonderful stay.
In fact, all 49 rooms were booked during our stay. A testament to the popularity of The Great House and to the quality of hospitality on offer here. After our two day sojourn to the world of The Great House, which since its opening in 2016 has become a well-loved hub for the Sonning community, we too have fallen in love with life by the river.