DANBURY, Connecticut—Meyer Jabara Hotels assumed management of the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel, Autograph Collection, on Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia, Maryland. The full-service boutique property has 212 guestrooms and suites; an upscale restaurant and lounge; a 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 Merriweather Post Pavillion outdoor concert venue.
“We are delighted to add the Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel to our portfolio,” said Justin Jabara, president, 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.”
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,” said David Costello, owner, Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel. “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. ”
As part of its management initiative, Meyer Jabara Hotels has selected Jeff Sweet as general manager. Sweet served as vice president 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.
“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.
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 performed at Merriweather Post Pavilion; a 1,200-square-foot penthouse suite; and a lakefront vista.
