This winter represents the perfect time to see the result of the hotel’s £2m investment in 2010/11, adding to one of the area’s most desirable country house hotels 21 luxury bedrooms and a restaurant, Seasons, under the custodianship of Simon and Liz Eve.

First impressions are extremely favourable; the hotel is located right next to the Woodhall Spa’s Bracken golf course, sibling of the world famous Hotchkin course. The result is a blissfully peaceful environment with impeccably maintained gardens. It’s a truly stunning venue, understandably popular for weddings.

“We’ve tried to create somewhere that’s faithful to the character of the building.” says Simon. “It’s a beautiful building, created in 1905.”

The hotel was created within the grounds of the Hotchkin family’s estate. The Dower House’s new name from 2004 onwards reflects its history as the residence of Hotchkin’s widow and was a private house up until it was requisitioned for RAF use during the war and later became a surgery before being transformed into a hotel, owned from the 1970s by Carol and Harry Plum, after whom the Dower House’s bar is still named.

Simon and Liz met in Nottingham around 30 years ago and returned to Liz’s native Woodhall Spa to run Macauley’s Tea House in the Woods, now an Italian restaurant. They took advantage of the previous owner’s desire to retire when the Dower House came onto the market in 2004. The couple ran the two businesses concurrently before deciding to concentrate solely on the hotel, giving it an initial refurbishment and then creating an additional 15 bedrooms in The Lodge, last year.

“We always thought the venue had potential.” says Simon. “Its location is perfect and its mature gardens are lovely. We wanted to add a restaurant to create somewhere to dine that reflected the provenance of our locally sourced ingredients and to appeal to Lincolnshire diners who were seeking quality dining in a sophisticated, comfortable environment.”

Seasons itself is spacious and comfortable with high ceilings, crisp table linen and light colours. Whilst the restaurant boasts a total of 60 covers, it can be extended to form the hotel’s Orchards Suite, to host functions and wedding receptions for up to 120. In all cases, meals are skilfully presented and freshly prepared to order by a brigade of three chefs; including Steve Jasper and Brenda Pipes, both of whom have been with the Dower House Hotel since 2004.

Dining is open to residents and non-residents alike, with a main à la carte menu from Monday to Saturday evenings inclusive, from 6.30pm-9pm. The menu comprises nine starters, 11 main courses plus a special dish that changes daily, and seven desserts.

Completed this summer, Seasons restaurant has been an essential part of the creation of The Dower House Hotel’s new identity as somewhere contemporary, comfortable and stylish. However, it has also achieved something that other hotels sometimes find difficult — the establishment of a high quality restaurant with a dining experience that can definitely rival dedicated restaurants.