HE'S affectionately known as the Willy Wonker of the south coast. There certainly isn't much that chocolatier Gerry Wilton doesn't know about the sweet stuff.

This week the Bournemouth hotelier launched the UK's first chocolate buffet at the Cottonwood Boutique Hotel.

His instructions to the guests who had eagerly gathered for a taster session were simple.

"Eat as much as you can enjoy - fill your faces!" And who were we to argue?

You could smell the chocolate wafting along the hallway and as you stepped into the room, it felt as if you had walked into a scene from Willy Wonker's chocolate factory.

The sumptuous suite was a showcase to all things chocolate. At each end of the room were two giant chocolate fountains surrounded by fresh fruit and marshmallows.

Then there the were various 'chocolate stations' of different flavours, from white to dark chocolate and everything in between, including chocolate trifles, chocolate mousses, chocolate cakes, tarts and an exquisite hot chocolate drink.

The hotel's executive chef Edward Lopes was also on hand to make chocolate pancakes or hot chocolate waffles on request.

You might think that Gerry would be sick of the sight of the stuff.

"I still eat chocolate every day - good quality Belgian chocolate," he says.

Perhaps this is where he gets his energy from. Gerry was the UK’s first supplier of chocolate fountains, he's worked on cruise ships as a ‘chocolate educator’ and in 2007 he opened the world’s first chocolate themed hotel.

The Chocolate Boutique Hotel hosts chocolate tasting, chocolate workshops, truffle and chocolate cocktail making and also teaches guests how to create chocolate portraits. Past guests include rock legend Bob Geldof.

Today the Chocolate Boutique Hotel Group not only includes the Chocolate Boutique Hotel on Durley Road in Bournemouth but also the Chocolate Box Hotel on West Cliff Road and was recently awarded the management contract to run the Cottonwood Boutique Hotel on the East Cliff.

Gerry added: “Chocolate has always been a big part of my life. Back in 2004 I was at a wedding exhibition in Bournemouth and saw the very first ever cascading chocolate fountain that came in to the UK.

"I was so impressed that I went on to buy the next ten and hired them out to all sorts of occasions and celebrations; film premiers, private parties, corporate events and weddings, including several celebrity weddings including Katie Price’s and Peter Andre’s!”

The Chocolate Buffets at the Cottonwood Boutique Hotel start on Sunday February 12 with two sittings a day.

“We promise to provide a decadent chocolate treat for all that is guaranteed to indulge your senses," says Gerry.

There's even a range of alcoholic chocolate cocktails ‘Chockie Wocky Minty’, ‘Crème de Cocau’, ‘Crème de Menthe’, ‘Chocolate Martini’ or ‘Chocini Bikini Martini’ as well as children's cocktails.

The menu is self -service. For more information, call 01202 405010. Prices £19.95 for adults and £9.95 for children under ten.