Merriweather Lakehouse Is The Excellent Winter Getaway

 “A bit tranquil lake is extra vital to my life than any large metropolis on the planet.” – Munia Khan (creator and poet) 

Persistently making it to the highest of Cash Journal’s finest locations to reside within the U.S. annually, and named the “most secure metropolis” by Forbes Journal, Columbia, Maryland is a superbly landscaped instance of a tree-lined suburban utopia with city conveniences. 

Near each Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Columbia’s quickly increasing downtown, often known as the City Middle, attracts each locals and vacationers to its leisure and occasions, but in addition to buy on the Mall of Columbia, the place there are over 200 locations to buy and eat. 

The newly developed Merriweather District in Columbia’s City Middle is shortly turning into a hub for arts and tradition, with a wide range of distinctive eating choices that embody Thai, Indian, and a speakeasy with a number of extra eating places and eateries set to open this 12 months together with a “crossanterie.” In Merriweather District’s Colorburst Park, you may go ice-skating at their seasonal out of doors rink in winter they usually even host out of doors film nights and reside music in the summertime.

There’s an appreciation for nature and sustainability right here too. Columbia maintains 3600 acres of open house, 114 miles of trails, and 5 lakes for anybody eager to benefit from the outside. Columbia’s Lakefront District is a well-liked spot for festivals and different out of doors occasions all year long.

The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge

The entrance entrance of the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge in Columbia, MD.

Now, with the opening of its brand-new luxurious, Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge final 12 months, Columbia is turning into a sought-after vacation spot. With fashionable lake home vibes and lovely floor-to-ceiling lake views all through, The Merriweather Lodge is the right spot for a soothing winter getaway.

Open only a 12 months, with 212 fashionable rooms and a part of Marriott’s Autograph Assortment (a bunch of over 180 distinctive unbiased accommodations, upscale and luxurious accommodations), Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel is a surprising lakeside retreat tucked in seven wooded acres the place you may take time to chill out and refresh any time of 12 months.

And there’s a lot to like right here.

The dwelling space within the Presidential Suite on the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge

Lovely, serene visitor rooms with luxurious linens (many with lakeside balconies views), a beautiful foyer and bar, a contemporary health heart, a cute little foyer cafe/espresso store, and lake views for days will all make you by no means need to depart. 

Visitor room comforts and facilities embody:

• Luxurious Linens
• C.O. Bigelow Lavender-Peppermint Bathtub Necessities
• 55′ Flat Display screen Good TV
• Mini Fridge
• Keurig

The bed room within the Presidential Suite on the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge

The excellent news is if you wish to convey your pooch alongside, they’re pet-friendly too.

The nice and cozy and attentive workers makes this lodge really feel like a boutique property, but it surely’s the attractive views, luxurious facilities, and scrumptious onsite eating that may make you need to come again repeatedly.

As you enter The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge, you’ll immediately get transported right into a Zen-like house that mixes the great thing about lakeside dwelling with an appreciation for the musical aspect of Columbia’s historical past.

The welcoming and spacious foyer at Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge

With a impartial palette with accents of blues and greens and lake-inspired décor in each nook, probably the most placing issues concerning the lodge is its floor-to-ceiling glass home windows that provide larger-than-life lake views from virtually each spot within the lodge. There’s no solution to not really feel relaxed. We particularly loved sipping complimentary scorching chocolate within the cozy foyer every night. 

There’s additionally a real appreciation for reside music right here. Musical performances streamed within the foyer, honor the close by Merriweather Publish Pavilion, which each Billboard Journal and Rolling Stone have acknowledged as among the best out of doors amphitheaters within the U.S. For the final 40 years, it’s drawn a number of the largest acts in music, together with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, and Taylor Swift. And it’s solely a 15-minute stroll from the lodge.  

Lake Kittamaqundi

Having fun with espresso and the winter view of Lake Kittamaqundi from our suite’s non-public balcony.

The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge overooks Columbia’s lovely 27-acre Lake Kittamaqundi. Surrounded by a peaceable 1.4-mile wooded path, it’s excellent for nature lovers and health fanatics. A stunning spot to reconnect with nature any time of the 12 months. 

A reputation that means “assembly place” within the language of the primary domestically settled Indian tribe, Lake Kittamaqundi, is a fairly little lake. Loosen up on one in all its many benches, take a leisurely stroll, or get your every day run alongside its straightforward paved path. Whereas the lake definitely sees extra visitors in summer season, it’s simply as lovely and serene within the winter.

Lake Kittamaqundi is the most important of Columbia’s 5 deliberate and developed lakes. However though it’s not unique to the world, it seems to be and feels prefer it belongs right here. And native wildlife agrees.

Chook lovers shall be comfortable to be taught that the lake and its surrounding space are actually dwelling to a wide range of hen species, together with water birds like belted kingfishers and nice blue herons. Head to the lake’s pier to identify one of many many species of geese like ring-necked geese, northern shovelers, and hooded mergansers fortunately swimming by.  

Tip: Verify right here for up-to-date daily bird sightings at Lake Kittamaqundi!

An excellent place to “canine watch”, the lake is a favourite spot for locals to stroll their canine of all breeds. Welcome to kayakers, you’ll want a allow if you wish to fish. 

A panoramic view from the lodge of Lake Kittamaqundi

What’s good is that the path that wraps round Lake Kittamaqundi additionally connects with different paved trails that wind all through Columbia. For extra exploration, veer to the left the place the path forks on the northwest finish of the lake. This path will take you to close by Wilde Lake and is the right path to take when you’re searching for an extended out of doors trek (2.9. miles complete).  See the trail here

Lake Kittamaqundi makes an amazing picnic spot within the hotter months. There’s a Entire Meals a brief stroll from the south finish of the lake (2 minutes) the place you may seize lunch, a snack, or take a espresso to go to benefit from the lakeside. It’s additionally identified for its lovely sunsets. 

Lake Kittamaqundi at sundown.

Eating At The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge

The lodge is inside strolling distance of the eating places within the Merriweather District and The Mall of Columbia. However you don’t want to depart the lodge property for a scrumptious chew. The lodge’s onsite restaurant, lāk affords a inventive menu of basic American with Worldwide infusions. 

Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge’s model new restaurant, lāk

lāk Restaurant at The Merriweather Lakehouse

Serving breakfast and dinner every day, lāk (pronounced “lake”) is taken into account a tremendous eating restaurant. However its heat service, cool fashionable, pop artwork décor and relaxed ambiance give it sensible informal vibes. And we love that.

Even higher is the meals.

Fried Calamari at lāk.

Every thing we tried at lāk was contemporary and scrumptious. The highlights from our order the evening we visited was the sunshine and crispy Fried Calamari with pepperoncini and Fra Diavolo sauce and the Rooster Piccata, a Parmesan-crusted hen breast with angel hair topped with a delicious Lemon Caper Sauce.

Chef Zach Dollak within the kitchen at lāk.

Raised on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania close to the Poconos, Chef Zach Dollak just lately joined the Merriweather Lakehouse group because the lodge’s culinary director after working all through the U.S. at premier eating places and luxurious accommodations, together with Emeril’s NOLA and The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia. Now he’s placing lāk on the map as a culinary vacation spot to not be missed.

Crab Truffles at lāk

Since there’s no higher place for crab muffins than Maryland, we couldn’t depart with out attempting their two lump crab muffins served over a creamy forest mushroom risotto with lemon garlic aioli. Completely unimaginable. When you love crab, don’t miss this dish.

Skillet Cowboy Cookie Sundae

Even when you’re full from dinner, don’t miss out on their ever-changing made-from-scratch dessert menu. Dessert choices change right here usually. If out there, attempt the Apple Crisp served with caramel ice cream or the Skillet Cowboy Cookie sundae topped with vanilla ice cream and moist walnuts. Each are tremendous scrumptious.

Pastry Chef Brian Holland icing a carrot cake.

Pastry Chef Brian Holland, a graduate of the Worldwide Culinary Middle in New York Metropolis who spent greater than a decade on the 4 Seasons in Baltimore, creates tantalizing desserts and pastries for the lodge.

The Rookery Bar & Lounge

The Rookery Bar & Lounge

At evening, unwind on the lodge’s Rookery Bar & Lounge serves up craft cocktails, wine, and beer with tasty bites like Steak & Cheese Egg Rolls, Bavarian Pretzel Sticks, and Cubano sandwiches. 

Steak & Cheese Egg Rolls and Bavarian Pretzel Sticks at The Rookery Bar & Lounge.

Stylish and fashionable, with a number of the finest lake views in the home, The Rookery Bar  & Lounge opens at 4 pm every evening. You even have the choice to order from lāk’s menu however get served up within the bar.

The Osprey Cafe

For gourmand espresso served with lake views and comfortable seating in entrance of a hearth, head to the Osprey Cafe, the lodge’s stylish lobby-side cafe.

Together with contemporary brewed Lavazza espresso, espresso, and fancy espresso drinks, you may as well seize a fast chew within the morning when you don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast.

A contemporary chocolate croissant and Lavazza espresso at Osprey Cafe.

Don’t overlook to select up one in all their freshly baked pastries, like their buttery chocolate croissants. 

The Health Middle

The gymnasium right here is so good right here you’ll need to break a sweat.

To get in exercise, the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge has a 24-hour onsite health heart that’s well-equipped with weights, machines, and equipment like BOSU® stability trainers, yoga balls, and foam rollers for energetic restoration.

A rowing machine with a lakeside view on the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge health heart.

Additionally they have a rowing machine, Peloton® bikes, and high-tech Elevate Life-style treadmills and elliptical machines, that are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled and have reside real-world interactive programs that may transport you across the globe. They’re numerous enjoyable! Make an account, and it can save you your exercise information for later.

The Pearl Spa

For spa facilities, therapies, and health courses like yoga, The Pearl Spa, is a 27,000-square-foot wellness heart solely a brief stroll from the lodge. 

Apart from stress-free massages, physique wraps, and reiki, additionally they provide magnificence therapies like facials, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. A novel function of THE Pearl is its expansive water remedy room that features a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, chilly plunge, rest pool, and vitamin C bathe they name THE Therapeutic Waters.

For a novel expertise, ebook a session in The Pearl’s Halotherapy (salt) room which advocates imagine helps promote detoxing, reduces irritation and improves respiration. To quiet your thoughts, THE Nice Abyss – is a deep multi-sensory meditation expertise that mixes vibrations and magnetic remedy with layers of music – to induce deep rest.

The Pearl Spa’s Wellness Passport gives friends with an reasonably priced bundle with a few of their hottest experiences for relieving stress. It consists of: 

• 1 mind-body motion or meditation class
• 1 component expertise salt session
• 1 hour in THE therapeutic waters
• A 25-minute session in THE nice abyss (meditation expertise)​

It prices $100 per particular person and you may prepay when reserving the lodge with code SPA at checkout.

Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge Location and Parking

Lodge: Merriweather Lakehouse, Autograph Assortment

Web site: https://merriweatherlakehouse.com/ 
Deal with: 10209 Wincopin Circle
Columbia, Maryland, 21044
Tel: +1 410-730-3900
Nearest Cross Avenue: Little Patuxent Parkway
Parking: Parking on the lodge is free and straightforward. Self-park within the storage straight throughout from the lodge.