Planet Hollywood Towers in Las Vegas is poised to establish timeshare company Westgate Resorts as a brand name.

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The word “timeshare” used to be a loaded term, and one that many people viewed suspiciously, but Westgate Resorts founder, Chairman, President and CEO David Siegel says his company has changed that. He explains Westgate gives the owners of its resort vacation homes the best value for their money through exemplary service, quality amenities and locations in the most desirable vacation spots in the country.

The company is promoting the value of timeshare properties, with high-profile projects such as the Planet Hollywood Towers in Las Vegas poised to establish Westgate as a brand name. Through having a timeshare property right on the Las Vegas Strip, steps away from some of the most popular destinations in the country, Westgate Resorts hopes to boost not only its own profile, but also increase awareness of timeshare properties in general.

Owning a timeshare vacation property isn’t something most Americans do, but Siegel says those who do have come to realize its value. Owning a vacation property for many people means having a guaranteed place to go for rest and relaxation, without the hassles and impersonal feel of a hotel room.

“We’ve changed their lives; we’ve made their lives better,” Siegel says. “I’ve had people write me letters that I’ve saved their marriage.”

Major Growth
As the company celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, Siegel reflects on Westgate’s humble beginnings and looks ahead to a future where he predicts the company will continue to lead the way in the timeshare industry. “We’ve gone from 16 villas to 10,000 villas,” he says.

Today, Westgate is the largest privately held timeshare company in the world, with properties in popular vacation spots such as Orlando, Fla.; Park City, Utah; Mesa, Ariz.; Branson, Mo.; and Miami. Westgate Resorts was founded in 1982 as an offshoot of Siegel’s Central Florida Investments Inc. (CFI), a real estate development company that has grown to incorporate hotels, insurance, publishing, cattle and other business sectors. The company’s first timeshare resort property was Westgate Vacation Villas, opened just one mile from Walt Disney World in Orlando. Since then, Westgate has been recognized numerous times for its success. Siegel was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the state of Florida in 1996.

‘Not Just Numbers’
As a privately held company, Westgate Resorts is able to offer its villa owners a level of service that some public timeshare companies which focus more on the bottom line might not be able to, Siegel says.

“Our resorts exceed our competitors by a wide margin,” he says. “We work really hard on service. We look at every family as an individual, not just numbers.”

Beyond offering its villa owners timeshare properties located minutes from some of the country’s hottest vacation spots, Siegel says Westgate makes sure the resorts themselves give their owners all the comforts of home along with all the amenities they would expect on vacation.   

Fine dining, world-class health spas and activities including mini golf and fishing are always included in the Westgate Resorts experience, and Siegel says villa owners are treated like VIPs.
“We have daily activities throughout their stay, and we have a concierge service that takes care of them during their stay,” he says. “The average family that stays with us will feel like they’re Rockefellers with us.”