It sometimes seemed as though the day would never come, but the Hilton Woking hotel on Victoria Way opened last week, some four years later than initially planned.

The hotel welcomed guests on Halloween, perhaps an appropriate choice given the history of a project haunted first by Covid and then by a failed cladding system which demanded lengthy remedial work after external panels fell from the building three years ago.

Now, though, the 189-room Hilton Woking can take its long-delayed place as a flagship of the ambitious Victoria Square development, with the panoramic views from the 22nd floor LOFT Sky Bar likely to become a signature feature.

Kelly Shrives-Wrist, general manager of the hotel, said: “We’re thrilled to open the doors to this incredible new hotel, offering fantastic rooms, great meeting spaces and vibrant dining options.

"We’re immensely proud to be supporting the local community, from creating 60 jobs to working with nearby suppliers that share our core value to make a positive impact.”

Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, leader of Woking Borough Council, added: "It’s great to see the much-anticipated opening of Hilton Woking. We hope that the state-of-the-art hotel will bring significant economic benefits and strengthen Woking’s position as a vibrant and attractive destination to live, work and visit. I wish the new hotel every success.”