With music playing gently in the background, the soft lighting and candlelit tables add to the already exquisitely presented restaurant. The quality and attention to detail in the place settings is beautiful.

To start the meal I chose one of the evening's specials - the thick and creamy leek and potato soup, and my guest began her meal with duck spring rolls, which both looked and tasted extremely appetising.

The simple but elegant menu also offers many other options ranging from goat's cheese with marinated artichokes to a new take on shepherd's pie.

I found the roasted breast of chicken with a delightful sage and onion muffin, roast potatoes and creamed spinach to be rich and tender in a perfectly-sized portion, leaving just enough room for a wonderful dessert which was similar to a chocolate fondue with fruit, marshmallows, banana ice cream and hot chocolate sauce.

Or perhaps you would prefer another offering from the intriguing dessert menu which includes tiramisu and an amazing warm chocolate truffle ravioli.

If after your meal you find yourself craving something a little more savoury then I would strongly recommend the cheese plate, which offers a plentiful and varied selection of cheeses and would be enough for two to share.

For me though, one of the meal's main highlights was the particularly tasty chef's speciality raisin bread, which proved to be an exciting and refreshingly original take on what is normally offered at restaurants, and it certainly left us wanting more.

The team of smartly dressed waiting staff were welcoming, courteous and very attentive from the moment we arrived until the end of the evening and it all certainly lives up to the hotel's four star reputation.