The Great House at Sonning: Your Guide to Staying at This Riverside Retreat

The Rooms

The Great House offers a range of rooms and suites designed for different kinds of stays, but all of them share the same commitment to comfort, thoughtful detail and the kind of softness that invites you to slow down.

At the top of the range, the Clocktower Suite offers a generous lounge, a super king bed, a record player with a curated selection of vinyl, and enough space to spread out properly. The Clocktower Family Suite adds a children’s corner with cabin beds that younger guests will love. For those seeking river views, the Biggy Riverside Doubles look directly out over the Thames, some with freestanding baths, and are ideally suited to longer stays or special occasions.

Every room, from the spacious to the cosy, comes with a fully stocked mini fridge, a treat hamper, Spa Factory toiletries and a Nespresso machine with fresh milk. These small touches make a real difference, particularly on a lazy morning when you’re not quite ready to face the world.

Beside the Water

The Great House’s riverside setting is its greatest asset, and the hotel makes it easy to enjoy. Walking the Thames Path is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to spend a morning here. The path runs through meadows and past Sonning’s beautiful eleven-arched bridge, offering wildlife, open skies and birdsong rather than traffic noise. More adventurous guests can take to the water with paddleboarding sessions on the Thames (suitable for all abilities), hire a skippered wooden boat for a scenic river cruise, or try wild swimming. For those who prefer a gentler encounter with nature, a deckchair on the lawn with a cold drink will do just as well.

All-Day Dining, All-Day Pleasure

Staying at The Great House means having access to the restaurant and bar from the moment you arrive. Breakfast in the restaurant sets the day up beautifully, with lighter options alongside more indulgent classics. Lunch might be a sharing platter on the terrace or a bowl in the garden, and dinner in the evening takes its time and takes it well, with a menu built around seasonal British ingredients. On Sundays, the roast is something of a local institution. And for those who find themselves still at the bar well past midnight, there are cocktails and late-night snacks to keep the evening going.

Special Packages

The hotel offers a handful of packages that make it easy to build a complete stay around a particular experience. The Supper & Stay package bundles dinner, a night’s sleep and breakfast into one easy arrangement, ideal for those who want everything taken care of without a fuss. For those visiting during summer, the Cinema & Stay package wraps an open-air film screening on the river lawn into the stay. Around Henley Regatta week in early July, the hotel offers a dedicated Regatta Escape with a river cruise and picnic included.

Why Book Direct?

Booking directly with The Great House comes with a number of advantages: access to the best available rates, a complimentary drink on arrival, and the possibility of a complimentary room upgrade. For a hotel that takes hospitality this seriously, it’s an easy decision.