At long last, the Hilton Garden Inn has opened its doors in Ocala.
Following well more than two years of construction, the hotel is ready to welcome in new customers. The grand opening was pushed back multiple times due to an array of issues, including construction setbacks, architectural holdups and the COVID-19 pandemic. "The fact that we can open is a sigh of relief,” co-owner Kunal Gaekwad told ClickOrlando.com.
The new Hilton Garden Inn is located in the Ocala Downtown Square, at 120 East Silver Springs Blvd. The hotel consists of 107 rooms, multiple bars and outdoor patios that are open to the public. It occupies space formerly used by the old chamber of commerce building.
The Light Up Ocala event was expected to be a major boon for potential tourists to kick start revenue to the hotel, but the city decided to call it off due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the Downtown Square area will still be adorned with lights for the visitors who are there during the holiday season.
Though the pandemic has spelled trouble for local businesses, the hope among locals is that the arrival of the new hotel will help bring tourists to the area and regenerate the local economy. “Now that the hotel’s open I think we’ll have a lot of business," said Andrea Seiler, a bartender at Brick City Southern Kitchen. "We’re definitely a good choice, right down the street. I’m excited to see some new faces."
