Meyer Jabara Hotels assumes management of the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel, Autograph Collection, on Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia, Md. The premium full-service boutique property features 212 spa-inspired guestrooms and suites; an upscale restaurant and lounge; rooftop swimming pool; and 14,000 square feet of event space. Owned and operated by IMH Columbia LLC, the hotel is within walking distance of the eminent Merriweather Post Pavillion outdoor concert venue, making it a popular destination for music enthusiasts and business/leisure travelers.
“We are delighted to add the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel to our portfolio,” said Justin Jabara, President of Meyer Jabara Hotels. “Since the early 1990s, Meyer Jabara Hotels has owned and operated multiple assets in Maryland. Given our background with this type of property, the Merriweather becomes the perfect complement to our growing portfolio. As an employer of choice within the hospitality industry, our team will deliver impeccable service to guests and top line revenue growth to its owner.”
Located at 10209 Wincopin Circle, the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel represents “all things Columbia.” The property is big on sustainability, meshing the natural setting and environmental practices of the hotel with the robust business environment of the area.
David Costello, owner of the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel, said he is thrilled to have Meyer Jabara Hotels at the helm.
“For any hotel to be successful, there needs to be collaboration between ownership and management,” Costello said. “That element was missing previously, and it is a refreshing element of how they operate at Meyer Jabara Hotels. As a unified team with a single vision and stellar culture, MJ will increase the level of service we provide to our customers and operate the hotel to the quality standards that it was built for. The synergies between our companies, especially on the food-and-beverage side, will ensure that the future of this 4.5-star hotel remains bright and profitable.”
A ‘Sweet’ Match
As part of its management initiative, Meyer Jabara Hotels has selected 40-year hospitality industry veteran Jeff Sweet as General Manager. Sweet brings to the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel a passion for guest service and fostering associate engagement, training, and career growth. His diverse hospitality background includes serving as VP of Operations, General Manager, and Area Managing Director with Pyramid Global Hospitality; Director of Operations, Executive Chef, and F&B Director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts; and Owner/Operator of Sweet Family Farms/ Stone Barn Kitchen and Catering. His ability to consistently exceed financial goals and guest service performance targets made Sweet the right candidate for the job.
“This is a beautiful boutique hotel in an amazing community – so much so that having the opportunity to run it brought me out of retirement,” Sweet said. “Working for Meyer Jabara Hotels was also an incentive to get back in the game. Not only do I share their culinary passion, but I get to reinvent their F&B offering to entice the locals to experience the hotel.”
Recent property enhancements include a 78-room tower addition and 2,000 square feet of new meeting space. Further improvements include a newly designed lobby with fireplace, wood accents, nature scenes, and showings of performances by artists who have graced the stage at nearby Merriweather Post Pavilion; a deluxe 1,200-square-foot penthouse suite; and lakefront vista.
