“A bit of tranquil lake is extra important to my life than any large metropolis on this planet.” – Munia Khan (writer and poet)
Persistently making it to the highest of Cash Journal’s greatest locations to dwell 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, also called 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 rapidly 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 yr together with a “crossanterie.” In Merriweather District’s Colorburst Park, you possibly can go ice-skating at their seasonal out of doors rink in winter they usually even host out of doors film nights and dwell music in the summertime.
There’s an appreciation for nature and sustainability right here too. Columbia maintains 3600 acres of open area, 114 miles of trails, and 5 lakes for anybody desirous to benefit from the outdoor. Columbia’s Lakefront District is a well-liked spot for festivals and different out of doors occasions all year long.
The Merriweather Lakehouse Resort
Now, with the opening of its brand-new luxurious, Merriweather Lakehouse Resort in 2022, Columbia is turning into a sought-after vacation spot. With fashionable lake home vibes and beautiful floor-to-ceiling lake views all through, The Merriweather Resort is the proper spot for a soothing winter getaway.
Open only a yr, with 212 fashionable rooms and a part of Marriott’s Autograph Assortment (a gaggle of over 180 distinctive impartial inns, upscale and luxurious inns), Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel is a shocking lakeside retreat tucked in seven wooded acres the place you possibly can take time to loosen up and refresh any time of yr.
And there’s a lot to like right here.
Stunning, serene visitor rooms with luxurious linens (many with lakeside balconies views), a stunning 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 wish to depart.
Visitor room comforts and facilities embody:
- Luxurious Linens
- C.O. Bigelow Lavender-Peppermint Tub Necessities
- 55′ Flat Display Sensible TV
- Mini Fridge
- Keurig
The excellent news is if you wish to convey your pooch alongside, they’re pet-friendly too.
The nice and cozy and attentive employees makes this lodge really feel like a boutique property, nevertheless it’s the attractive views, luxurious facilities, and scrumptious onsite eating that can make you wish to come again time and again.
As you enter The Merriweather Lakehouse Resort, you’ll immediately get transported right into a Zen-like area that mixes the fantastic thing about lakeside residing with an appreciation for the musical facet of Columbia’s historical past.
With a impartial palette with accents of blues and greens and lake-inspired décor in each nook, some of the hanging 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 approach to not really feel relaxed. We particularly loved sipping complimentary sizzling chocolate within the cozy foyer every night.
There’s additionally a real appreciation for dwell music right here. Musical performances streamed within the foyer, honor the close by Merriweather Put up Pavilion, which each Billboard Journal and Rolling Stone have acknowledged as the most effective out of doors amphitheaters within the U.S. For the final 40 years, it’s drawn a few of the greatest 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
The Merriweather Lakehouse Resort overlooks Columbia’s lovely 27-acre Lake Kittamaqundi. Surrounded by a peaceable 1.4-mile wooded path, it’s good for nature lovers and health lovers. A beautiful spot to reconnect with nature any time of the yr.
A reputation that means “assembly place” within the language of the primary domestically settled Indian tribe, Lake Kittamaqundi, is a reasonably little lake. Chill out on one in every of its many benches, take a leisurely stroll, or get your each day run alongside its simple paved path. Whereas the lake definitely sees extra visitors in summer time, it’s simply as lovely and serene within the winter.
Lake Kittamaqundi is the biggest of Columbia’s 5 deliberate and developed lakes. However though it’s not authentic to the world, it seems to be and feels prefer it belongs right here. And native wildlife agrees.
Chook lovers will probably be comfortable to be taught that the lake and its surrounding space at the moment are residence 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: Test right here for up-to-date daily bird sightings at Lake Kittamaqundi!
An awesome place to “canine watch”, the lake is a favourite spot for locals to stroll their canines of all breeds. Welcome to kayakers, you’ll want a allow if you wish to fish.
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 proper path to take for those who’re on the lookout for an extended out of doors trek (2.9. miles whole). See the trail here
Lake Kittamaqundi makes a terrific picnic spot within the hotter months. There’s a Complete Meals a brief stroll from the south finish of the lake (2 minutes) the place you possibly can seize lunch, a snack, or take a espresso to go to benefit from the lakeside. It’s additionally recognized for its lovely sunsets.
Eating At The Merriweather Lakehouse Resort
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 chunk. The lodge’s onsite restaurant, lāk gives a artistic menu of traditional American with Worldwide infusions.
lāk Restaurant at The Merriweather Lakehouse
Serving breakfast and dinner each day, lāk (pronounced “lake”) is taken into account a high quality eating restaurant. However its heat service, cool fashionable, pop artwork décor and relaxed environment give it good informal vibes. And we love that.
Even higher is the meals.
All the things we tried at lāk was contemporary and scrumptious. The highlights from our order the night time we visited was the sunshine and crispy Fried Calamari with pepperoncini and Fra Diavolo sauce and the Hen Piccata, a Parmesan-crusted hen breast with angel hair topped with a delicious Lemon Caper Sauce.
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 unbelievable. If you happen to love crab, don’t miss this dish.
Even for those who’re full from dinner, don’t miss out on their ever-changing made-from-scratch dessert menu. Dessert choices change right here usually. If obtainable, 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, 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
At night time, 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.
Stylish and fashionable, with a few of the greatest lake views in the home, The Rookery Bar & Lounge opens at 4 pm every night time. 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 cozy 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, it’s also possible to seize a fast chunk within the morning for those who don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast.
Don’t overlook to choose up one in every of their freshly baked pastries, like their buttery chocolate croissants.
The Health Middle
The gymnasium right here is so good right here you’ll wish to break a sweat.
To get in a superb exercise, the Merriweather Lakehouse Resort 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.
In addition they have a rowing machine, Peloton® bikes, and high-tech Elevate Way of life treadmills and elliptical machines, that are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled and have dwell real-world interactive programs that can transport you across the globe. They’re plenty of enjoyable! Make an account, and it can save you your exercise information for later.
The Pearl Spa
For spa facilities, remedies, and health courses like yoga, The Pearl Spa, is a 27,000-square-foot wellness heart solely a brief stroll from the lodge.
In addition to stress-free massages, physique wraps, and reiki, additionally they provide magnificence remedies 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 singular expertise, e book a session in The Pearl’s Halotherapy (salt) room which advocates consider helps promote cleansing, 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 company with an reasonably priced package deal 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’ll prepay when reserving the lodge with code SPA at checkout.
Merriweather Lakehouse Resort Location and Parking
Resort: Merriweather Lakehouse, Autograph Assortment
Web site: https://merriweatherlakehouse.com/
Tackle: 10209 Wincopin Circle
Columbia, Maryland, 21044
Tel: +1 410-730-3900
Nearest Cross Road: Little Patuxent Parkway
Parking: Parking on the lodge is free and straightforward. Self-park within the storage instantly throughout from the lodge.
Attending to the Merriweather Lakehouse Resort
Close by Airports
- Balt/Wash Intl (10.25 miles southeast)
- Ronald Reagan Natl (27.25 miles southwest)
- Dulles Intl (36 miles southwest)
Close by Sights
The Mall in Columbia
Merriweather Post Pavilion
THE Pearl Modern Spa
Fairway Hills Golf Club
Historic Ellicott City
Robinson Nature Center
Patapsco Valley State Park
Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Lost Ark Distilling Company
Sapwood Cellars Brewery
Discover Extra of Maryland
ENJOY A BIRDING GETAWAY AT MERRIWEATHER LAKEHOUSE HOTEL
VISIT KENT NARROWS, MD: CHESAPEAKE BAY’S HIDDEN GEM
EXPERIENCE ST. MICHAELS, MD: A CHARMING COASTAL RETREAT
SUMMER WEEKEND TRAVEL HACK: AN OCEAN CITY, MD ITINERARY
HOLIDAY TRAVEL: A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS TOWN IN BERLIN, MARYLAND