By Tom Spoth, tspoth@lowellsun.com

Pierre Merhej said he "absolutely loved" working as general manager at the DoubleTree Hotel in Lowell, and several city officials say he improved its standing in the community. SUN FILE PHOTO

LOWELL -- Pierre Merhej is leaving his post as general manager of the DoubleTree Hotel after two years on the job to accept a position at a DoubleTree in Annapolis, Md.

Merhej, 50, said he "absolutely loved it" in Lowell and thinks he and his staff rehabilitated the reputation of the hotel, which had in the past been a frequent source of complaints from visitors and city officials.

"The lobby is clean, the staff is more attentive, and we have a great team of managers," Merhej said. "A lot of it was just hard work and going back to the basics."

City leaders agree that Merhej did a very good job after inheriting a difficult situation.

"He had to take that hotel and turn it around," said Jeanne Osborn, president of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. "(Now) I think they're on the right track."

Osborn said the chamber hosted its annual municipal breakfast at the DoubleTree in February, and Merhej "was very cooperative with us, trying to do whatever we needed to have a good event."

The city of Lowell also had a positive experience at the DoubleTree this year, when it hosted the first two of three "downtown summits" at the hotel. Jim Cook, executive director of the Lowell Plan, which co-sponsored the events with the city and the chamber, said Merhej was "a pleasure to deal with." The first summit went well enough that the second was booked at the DoubleTree. The third summit, scheduled for June 21, will also be held at the hotel.

Cook and the Lowell Plan had difficulties with the DoubleTree before Merhej started as general manager.

"Inconsistency was a very big issue," Cook said.

The group was so unhappy with service at the hotel that it decided to hold its events at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium instead.

Osborn said the DoubleTree had developed a bad reputation in part because of bad service and poor food. Complaints also surfaced about malfunctioning heating systems, rooms that had not been properly cleaned, and balky microphones at events.

Merhej helped to mitigate those problems by bringing some consistency, said Deb Belanger, executive director of the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"I think Pierre really went out of his way to develop the staff ... and meet the needs of the groups that came in," Belanger said.

Merhej thanked the city yesterday for providing a welcoming atmosphere and giving him a chance.

"When people say they leave with mixed feelings, I can honestly say that," he said. "Everybody gave me a really honest shot at making this right."

The Annapolis DoubleTree is about the same size, but brings in more than twice the Lowell hotel's annual revenue, Merhej said.

Merhej said he wasn't actively looking for a new job, but someone recommended him for the Annapolis position and he couldn't pass up the opportunity.

The Procaccianti Group, owner of the Lowell DoubleTree, will bring in an interim general manager starting Monday and is searching for a permanent replacement, Merhej said. That person will oversee $4.5 million in planned improvements, including all-new carpeting and new lighting fixtures and wall coverings in the function rooms, Merhej said.

Many of the hotel's 252 rooms will also get new bathroom fixtures and furniture, according to Merhej. "The company decided it's time to kind of do the whole thing," he said. "My opinion is once we do all the improvements ... the sales are going to skyrocket here."

Today is Merhej's last day at the Lowell DoubleTree.

Osborn and Belanger both said they hope his replacement will be a familiar face in the city.

"I hope it's someone who's out in the community more," Osborn said. "I think it will help mend some relationships."

This story appeared in the Lowell Sun on Friday, June 15, 2007