IN 1978 Baba Hine and her husband Denis bought the Grade II listed Corse Lawn House in Gloucestershire with the vision of turning what was a failing nightclub into a quintessential country house hotel.

They moved in along with their 10-year-old son Giles and an assortment of pets and gradually restored and extended the building while welcoming guests (and their dogs).

40 years on and Baba and Denis, who has sadly passed away, clearly have realised their vision.

Corse Lawn House is the classic country house hotel.

Baba explained: “It is the place and people that matter. My long-serving team and the camaraderie and humour shared is what makes Corse Lawn tick. We have garnered a faithful following of guests, some of whom have been coming here since our first days here, and now visit with their own children and even grandchildren.”

With a population of just over 500, Corse sits 10 miles from Cheltenham, and Corse Lawn House is the heart of the village.

It offers Anglo-French dining and has been bestowed with many awards over the years, including Best Restaurant, Best Cheeseboard and Best Wine List. Featuring in the AA restaurant guide and the Good Food Guide, the quality of the cuisine draws in visitors from afar and on the Saturday night that we visited, the restaurant and bistro were packed.

My companion and I were very impressed by the whole dining experience, from the welcome drink in the lounge while we browsed the menu through to the exceptional service (every time I so much as looked up, a waiter was right there to help) and superb food.

To start, I had the seared scallops with cauliflower puree and Ras-hal-hanout caramel (£12.50) while my better half chose the wild mushroom risotto with truffle and parmesan (£9.45).

For main, I went with the ale braised ox cheeks with smoked mash potato (part of the table d’hôte menu which is £33.50 for three courses), while she opted for the grilled fillet of sea bream with saffron sauce and samphire (£19.50). To finish, I enjoyed the cheeseboard (£12.95 for four pieces and definitely worthy of the award) while she had a selection of the ice cream (£6.95). To drink, we shared a bottle of the excellent Saint Clair Tuatara Bay Sauvignon Blanc (2014, Marlborough, New Zealand – (£26 or £6.75for a 175ml glass).

Everything was perfect, from the presentation to the taste and texture; you could see why Corse Lawn has received so much acclaim for its food. Breakfast was also impressive with a wide choice. Corse Lawn House ticks all the boxes for a quality country house hotel.