Have you heard the news about the new hotel opening in downtown Ocala? According to an article by Carlos E. Medina on Ocala.com, the new hotel is “meant to serve as a portal to the downtown area. The official front of the building faces the square, but the hotel’s main entrance is on the east side of the building. Most of the ground floor, about 12,000 square feet of it, will serve as a food hall. The hall will feature up to a dozen different styles of food, all from different chefs.” In addition, a large outdoor eating area will be located across from the square on the west side.
Once complete, the new Hilton Garden Inn hotel will include:
- 107 rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows
- Food hall with approximately 15 food options
- Fine dining
- Rooftop bar
- Terrace with a 200-inch retractable projection screen
A unique feature of the new hotel is the lobby, which is located on the second floor as opposed to the main level. Developer, Danny Gaekwad, states, “You don’t want the lobby on the first floor in a downtown hotel. I want the first floor to be part of downtown.” As such, the second-floor lobby will feature a buffet-style breakfast area, meeting rooms, and a ballroom. When visitors step off the elevator into the lobby, they’ll be greeted with a floor-to-ceiling LCD display that will showcase running horses to pay homage to Marion County’s rich equine history.
An additional two-story outbuilding will be located along the east side of the property and will include two restaurants, nine one-bedroom apartments, and Gaekwad’s offices. The hotel was originally scheduled to open in December but has been pushed to late February for the time being. While we have to wait a few more months for the grand opening, it’s safe to say we’re excited for all that the hotel will bring to the downtown area.
To find out more about the new Hilton Garden Inn, be sure to check out the original article.