Russell's co-owner Andrew Riley meets us at the door with a cheery smile and says he’ll show us to the room. “C’mon, give me your bag - I’m going there anyway, so I may as well be helpful.”

He is - and entertaining with it. “Blimey, they had the room cold last night,” he says, juggling the thermostat. Now he’s into the bathroom. “The taps go sideways, not up and down as I did the first time. I thought we had no water.”

He breezes out, showing us DVDs and CDs by the honesty bar on the landing and, hallelujah, fresh milk in the fridge for our tea. What a nice start to our stay at Russell's.

It is a restaurant with rooms, which opened in the pretty pastiche Cotswold village of Broadway in 2004. The building had been the home of furniture designer Gordon Russell and fallen derelict – since then business partners Barry Hancox and Andrew Riley have bought the house next door and now have seven rooms.

The Elms, Abberley, Worcester

The brochure says the bedrooms have been "painstakingly restored to their former glory", the reality is a room my granny would be proud of

Background

• Russell's of Broadway, Worcs

• The Lygon Arms, Broadway, Worcestershire

Related Internet Links

• Read more reviews of Worcestershire hotels

It’s no surprise to learn they have more than 50 years experience of hotels between them, and that they managed two local institutions, the Lygon Arms and Broadway Hotel.

At Russell’s, they have stripped away the heavy curtains, baroque furniture and stuffy atmosphere and gone for a cool, informal and contemporary approach. The internet is free and there’s a plasma screen in the bedroom. The curtains here are lined, notes my wife, appraising the attention to detail.

To dinner, on a busy Saturday night. There is tap water on the table (we like that) and a very young, sharp staff buzzing around chaperoned by a pink-shirted lieutenant.

Wine and starters arrive within a minute, presumably pre-prepared in a busy and well organised kitchen. Sadly, the duck egg is cold. Lizzie’s lemon sole also doesn’t boast much purple sprouting broccoli. Service is very slick: our (£18.50) mains are served by 9.15pm and we only sat down at 8.45pm.

We appreciate the option of breakfast from 8.30-10am, or a tray in your room, with an 11am check-out. Russell’s will also serve a “proper” supper tray as the restaurant closes on Sunday evenings, and will organise £35 picnic hampers.

But we head downstairs to breakfast. “Any spare papers?” I ask our bustling waitress with an air of Mrs Slocombe. “No, you can get them at Budgens,” she retorts. “I don’t know what time it opens - I don’t go there myself.”

I see… Another waitress glides into view, used to mopping ruffled brows. “Tea? Here you go. Mind, the teapot’s hot now, worse than chocolate this one.” But watch out, Mrs S is back demanding our order even though we haven’t seen a menu yet.

She reels it off with a staccato voice. Lizzie opts for the chef’s own muesli which is heavy on the dessicated coconut. Irked, I order Rice Krispies as well as a cooked breakfast in a pathetically rebellious fit. Lizzie sighs.

Russell's is highly regarded among Tripadvisor.co.uk users, who give it an average 4.5/5 rating and recommend it for older travellers and couples, rather than families. The comments mostly priase the food and service, and the few complaints are not consistent - they range from guests who thought the bedroom they were allocated was not as nice as the other rooms, to concerns over patchy internet access.

Bottom line: Steve Keenan paid £135 B&B for a double room and £88.75 for dinner for two including a bottle of wine.

Sampling the fare: Seasonal menu created by chef Matt Laughton. London prices and service but a little rushed and slipshod.

Best thing: Barry’s bonhomie, service (in the main) and power shower.

Worst thing: The service from Mrs Slocombe.

Access all areas: Two of the seven rooms are on the ground floor – room 5 has a walk-in shower and separate bath.

Need to know: Russell’s, 20 High Street, Broadway, Worcs WR12 7DT (01386 853555, www.russellsofbroadway.co.uk).

Room: 9 out of 10

Breakfast: 7 out of 10

Service: 9.5 out of 10

Value: 7 out of 10

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