On the lookout for the proper winter getaway in Maryland? The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge in Columbia provides luxurious lakefront lodging with gorgeous views of Lake Kittamaqundi. This boutique lodge offers a super base for exploring considered one of America’s most livable cities.
Persistently making it to the highest of Cash Journal’s finest locations to stay within the U.S. every year, and named the “most secure metropolis” by Forbes Journal, Columbia, Maryland is a wonderfully 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 changing into a hub for arts and tradition, with quite a lot of distinctive eating choices that embrace 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 may go ice-skating at their seasonal outside rink in winter they usually even host outside film nights and stay 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 desirous to benefit from the open air. Columbia’s Lakefront District is a well-liked spot for festivals and different outside occasions all year long.
The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge
The entrance entrance of the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge in Columbia, Maryland | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Because the opening of the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge in 2022, Columbia is changing into a sought-after vacation spot. With trendy lake home vibes and lovely floor-to-ceiling lake views all through, The Merriweather Lodge is the proper spot for a calming winter getaway.
With 212 trendy rooms and a part of Marriott’s Autograph Assortment (a bunch of over 180 distinctive unbiased resorts, upscale and luxurious resorts), Merriweather Lakehouse is a shocking lakeside retreat tucked in seven wooded acres the place you may take time to loosen up and refresh any time of yr.
And there’s a lot to like right here.

The residing space within the Presidential Suite on the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Lovely, serene visitor rooms with luxurious linens (many with lakeside balconies views), a stunning foyer and bar, a contemporary health middle, a cute little foyer cafe/espresso store, and lake views for days will all make you by no means need to go away.
Visitor room comforts and facilities embrace:
- Luxurious Linens
- C.O. Bigelow Lavender-Peppermint Bathtub Necessities
- 55′ Flat Display Good TV
- Mini Fridge
- Keurig

The bed room within the Presidential Suite on the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
The excellent news is if you wish to deliver your pooch alongside, they’re pet-friendly too.
The nice and cozy and attentive employees makes this lodge really feel like a boutique property, however it’s the beautiful 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 residing with an appreciation for the musical aspect of Columbia’s historical past.

The welcoming and spacious foyer at Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
With a impartial palette with accents of blues and greens and lake-inspired décor in each nook, one of the crucial hanging issues concerning the lodge is its floor-to-ceiling glass home windows that supply larger-than-life lake views from virtually each spot within the lodge. There’s no strategy 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 stay 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 among the best outside 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. | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
The Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge overlooks Columbia’s stunning 27-acre Lake Kittamaqundi. Surrounded by a peaceable 1.4-mile wooded path, it’s excellent for nature lovers and health lovers. A stunning spot to reconnect with nature any time of the yr.
A reputation which means “assembly place” within the language of the primary regionally settled Indian tribe, Lake Kittamaqundi, is a fairly little lake. Chill out on considered one of its many benches, take a leisurely stroll, or get your day by day run alongside its straightforward paved path. Whereas the lake definitely sees extra site visitors in summer season, it’s simply as stunning 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 and feels prefer it belongs right here. And native wildlife agrees.
Chicken lovers can be pleased to study that the lake and its surrounding space are actually residence to quite a lot 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 day by day hen sightings at Lake Kittamaqundi!
An incredible 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 | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
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 in case you’re in search of an extended outside trek (2.9. miles complete). See the path right here
Lake Kittamaqundi makes an awesome 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 recognized for its stunning sunsets.

Lake Kittamaqundi at sundown | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
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 provides a artistic menu of traditional American with Worldwide infusions.

Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge’s model new restaurant, lāk | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
lāk Restaurant at The Merriweather Lakehouse
Serving breakfast and dinner day by day, lāk (pronounced “lake”) is taken into account a effective eating restaurant. However its heat service, cool trendy, pop artwork décor and relaxed ambiance give it good informal vibes. And we love that.
Even higher is the meals.

Fried Calamari at lāk. | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
All the things 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 Hen Piccata, a Parmesan-crusted hen breast with angel hair topped with a delicious Lemon Caper Sauce.

Crab Muffins at lāk | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Since there’s no higher place for crab desserts than Maryland, we couldn’t go away with out attempting their two lump crab desserts served over a creamy forest mushroom risotto with lemon garlic aioli. Completely unbelievable. In the event you love crab, don’t miss this dish.

Skillet Cowboy Cookie Sundae | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Even in case 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, strive 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. | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
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 | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
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. | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Stylish and trendy, 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 connoisseur espresso served with lake views and cozy seating in entrance of a fireside, head to the Osprey Cafe, the lodge’s stylish lobby-side cafe.
Together with contemporary brewed Lavazza espresso, espresso, and fancy espresso drinks, you can even seize a fast chew within the morning in case you don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast.

A contemporary chocolate croissant and Lavazza espresso at Osprey Cafe. | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Don’t neglect to choose up considered one of their freshly baked pastries, like their buttery chocolate croissants.
The Health Middle
The fitness center right here is so good right here you’ll need to break a sweat.
To get in an excellent exercise, the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge has a 24-hour onsite health middle that’s well-equipped with weights, machines, and equipment like BOSU® steadiness trainers, yoga balls, and foam rollers for lively restoration.

A rowing machine with a lakeside view on the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge health middle. | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
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 stay real-world interactive programs that may transport you across the globe. They’re quite a lot 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 middle solely a brief stroll from the lodge.
In addition to enjoyable massages, physique wraps, and reiki, additionally they supply 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, ebook a session in The Pearl’s Halotherapy (salt) room which advocates consider helps promote cleansing, reduces irritation and improves respiratory. 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 offers friends with an inexpensive 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 $135 per individual and you’ll prepay when reserving the lodge with code SPA at checkout.

The entrance exterior of the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge | Photograph: Higher Dwelling
Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge Location and Parking
Lodge: Merriweather Lakehouse, Autograph Assortment
Web site: https://merriweatherlakehouse.com/
Tackle: 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 instantly throughout from the lodge.
Attending to the Merriweather Lakehouse Lodge
Close by Airports
- Balt/Wash Intl (10.25 miles southeast)
- Ronald Reagan Natl (27.25 miles southwest)
- Dulles Intl (36 miles southwest)
Close by Points of interest
The Mall in Columbia
Merriweather Put up Pavilion
THE Pearl Fashionable Spa
Fairway Hills Golf Membership
Historic Ellicott Metropolis
Robinson Nature Middle
Patapsco Valley State Park
Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Misplaced Ark Distilling Firm
Sapwood Cellars Brewery
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