DANA GLOGER finds chic gourmet living on the menu at a restaurant with rooms in the Cotswolds

I WAS  relaxing in my Jacuzzi in a suite bigger than my London flat.

However my weekend bolthole, Russell's of Broadway, wasn't a luxury hotel but a restaurant with seven rooms.

Sir Gordon Russell, a 20th-century furniture designer, would be hard pushed to recognise his former workshop, a converted Georgian farmhouse in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Broadway.

Click here for amazing deals to Gloucestershire!

My suite looked like a chic city loft apartment with heavy beamed ceilings, exposed brick walls and a contemporary four-poster bed with chocolate coloured throws and scatter cushions. As well as the Jacuzzi, my sleek modern bathroom had twin sinks, a separate shower, wood floors and a plentiful supply of posh toiletries. Three large windows overlooked the lush Cotswold hills.

It's the attention to detail that makes Russell's stand out. Here the obligatory tea and coffee making facilities had been taken to a new level. There were more than 20 different types of coffee, including three decaffeinated options, as well as a good selection of teas.

My sister Paula and I were keen to see if the food was as impressive as the rooms. We walked down to a light and airy dining room with polished limestone floors and a cavernous stone fireplace. Despite being a miserable, rainy mid-week evening, the restaurant was buzzing and packed.

The modern British menu has attracted celebrities such as Zara Phillips.

As a vegetarian I generally find there is just one token dish on the menu so I was pleasantly surprised by the three or four options for each course.

Want incredible deals to Gloucestershire? Click here now...

Carnivores had even more choice, with 10 starters and yet more mains.

We both had a delicious starter of filo pastry filled with goat's cheese, beetroot and sun-blushed tomatoes.

I chose the tasty roasted summer squashes accompanied by artichoke, olives and various other vegetables while Paula declared herself very happy with sausages and mash. Most of the produce is sourced locally. We couldn't resist rounding off the meal with a superb sticky toffee pudding and ice cream.

Next morning breakfast turned out to be a three-course feast with fruit and yoghurt, croissants and toast before a full English.

Another nice touch at Russell's is the packed lunch - more of a picnic hamper brimming with salads, cold meats, cheese and crackers.

Broadway, with its honey-coloured stone cottages and immaculate lawns is dubbed "the jewel of the Cotswolds". We browsed the antique shops and boutiques before hiking up to the 18th-century Broadway Tower, the second highest point in the Cotswolds.

After such strenuous exercise we felt we deserved the gourmet dinner that awaited us.

THE KNOWLEDGE:

Russell's (01386 853555/www.russellsofbroadway.co.uk) offers doubles from £95 per night (two sharing), B&B.

Cotswolds and Forest of Dean Tourism: 01242 864171/www.cotswolds.com