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A Brief History of the Westgate Brand

Westgate Resorts was founded by David Siegel in 1982, and it grew out of the vacation ownership industry during a period when timeshare was becoming a mainstream concept in American travel. What started as a relatively small operation in Orlando expanded steadily over the following decades into one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in the United States.

The growth of Westgate tracked closely with the broader expansion of Florida as a vacation destination and with the rising popularity of the timeshare model among American families who wanted a reliable, pre-paid approach to annual vacations. Over time, the brand expanded well beyond Florida, adding properties in Las Vegas, the Smoky Mountains, Myrtle Beach, Park City, Mesa, and other destinations that are popular with American travelers year-round.

What makes the history of Westgate interesting is that it stayed privately held through its entire growth. David Siegel retained ownership of the company rather than taking it public or selling to a larger hospitality conglomerate, which gives the brand a different kind of operational identity than some of the publicly traded resort chains it competes with. That private ownership structure has shaped how the brand makes decisions and how it positions itself in the market.

How Many Locations Westgate Currently Operates

Westgate operates more than two dozen resort properties across the United States, which puts it in a genuinely significant position within the American resort landscape. The portfolio covers a wide geographic spread that goes well beyond the Florida origins of the company.

In Florida alone, Westgate has multiple properties in the Orlando and Kissimmee area, including some of the largest villa-style resorts in the region. The Florida properties collectively represent a large portion of the brand’s total room inventory and are among the most visited by families traveling to the theme park corridor.

Outside of Florida, Westgate has a strong presence in Las Vegas with the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, which is one of the more historically significant properties in the brand’s portfolio given its connection to the original International Hotel where Elvis Presley performed his 1969 comeback residency. The Smoky Mountains properties in Tennessee draw a significant number of travelers from the Southeast and Midwest. The Park City, Utah location is popular with skiers during winter months and outdoor enthusiasts in the warmer seasons.

The overall geographic spread of the brand means that Westgate is a realistic option for a wide range of American vacation destinations, not just a niche player in one regional market.

What Types of Travelers Westgate Caters To

The honest answer to this question is that Westgate caters to a broader range of travelers than most people assume when they first encounter the brand.

Families make up a large and consistent portion of the guest base, particularly at the Florida and Tennessee properties. The villa-style accommodations with multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, and on-site amenities like pools and recreational activities are designed with families in mind. Parents who have done a few Orlando trips in cramped hotel rooms tend to find the transition to a Westgate villa immediately appealing.

Couples and two-person groups also fit well at Westgate properties, particularly at locations like Las Vegas and the ski resort destinations where the experience skews less toward family-focused amenities and more toward entertainment, dining, and outdoor activities.

Looking into what each specific Westgate property offers in terms of activities and amenities before you choose your destination helps you match the right location to your travel style and get the most out of your stay. The brand has enough variety across its portfolio that the best property for a golf trip in Arizona is a completely different experience from the best property for a family theme park vacation in Florida.

Golfers, outdoor enthusiasts, sports travelers, and couples looking for a quieter retreat all find something within the Westgate portfolio that fits their specific trip goals, which is part of what makes the brand appealing across such a wide traveler demographic.

Ownership, Timeshare, and Vacation Club Options

This is the part of the Westgate brand that tends to generate the most questions, and it is worth understanding clearly before you interact with any of the resort’s sales or booking staff.

Westgate grew up in the timeshare industry, and vacation ownership is still a significant part of how the brand operates and generates revenue. When you stay at a Westgate property, particularly if you book through a promotional rate or a discounted package, there is a good chance you will be invited to attend a sales presentation about vacation ownership. This is a well-known aspect of the Westgate guest experience and something that first-time visitors should go in knowing about.

The timeshare or vacation ownership model at Westgate works similarly to other brands in the space. You purchase the right to use a unit at the resort for a set period each year, typically one week, and you can often exchange that time for stays at other properties within the Westgate network or through affiliated exchange programs.

The Westgate Vacation Club is the branded version of this ownership product and is structured to give members flexibility in how and when they use their ownership time. It is marketed primarily to travelers who visit the same destination regularly and want a predictable, pre-arranged way to do so.

For travelers who have no interest in ownership and just want to book a vacation, that is completely available through standard booking channels. You do not need to be an owner to stay at a Westgate property. Just be clear when booking whether you are looking for a standard reservation or are open to hearing about ownership options, and manage expectations accordingly.

How Westgate Compares to Other Resort Brands

When you place Westgate next to other well-known American resort brands, a few things stand out about where it sits in the market.

Compared to major hotel chains that operate in resort destinations, Westgate generally offers more space per dollar. The villa-style accommodations with separate bedrooms and full kitchens provide a different value equation than a traditional hotel room, especially for families or groups who are staying for multiple nights. A two-bedroom villa at Westgate priced comparably to two separate hotel rooms at a nearby property almost always gives you more total square footage and better practical amenities.

Compared to other vacation ownership and timeshare brands like Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, or Wyndham Destinations, Westgate operates at a price point that tends to be more accessible for middle-income American families. The brand does not try to compete at the luxury end of the ownership market but focuses on delivering solid value in the mid-tier range where the majority of American travelers actually make decisions.

One area where Westgate stands out from most competitors is the sheer variety of destinations in its domestic portfolio. Some competing brands have a heavy concentration in Florida and Hawaii with limited options elsewhere. Westgate’s spread across Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, Utah, South Carolina, Arizona, and other states gives it broader relevance for American travelers with diverse destination preferences.

What Sets Westgate Apart From Competitors

Beyond the destination variety and the pricing position, there are a few things that Westgate does differently from a lot of comparable resort brands.

The size of the properties is one distinguishing factor. Several Westgate resorts are among the largest in their respective markets. The Orlando villa properties are genuinely massive, offering thousands of units and extensive on-site amenities that smaller competitor properties simply cannot match in terms of variety and scale.

The private ownership structure gives Westgate a different operational personality than publicly traded competitors. Decisions about how properties are maintained, how guest experience investments are prioritized, and how the brand is positioned tend to reflect the direction of a single ownership rather than the quarterly earnings pressures of a publicly traded company.

The historical and cultural significance of certain Westgate properties also sets the brand apart in ways that purely operational comparisons miss. The Las Vegas property’s connection to Elvis Presley’s residency history is a genuine point of distinction that no competitor can replicate. That kind of embedded cultural narrative adds a layer to the guest experience that is worth something beyond the room amenities alone.

Tips for First-Time Westgate Visitors

If you are booking your first stay at a Westgate property, a few practical pieces of advice will help you have the best possible experience.

Know what you are booking before you arrive. Westgate properties vary significantly in character and amenities depending on the location. A stay at the Las Vegas property is a fundamentally different experience from a week at an Orlando villa resort. Reading property-specific reviews and doing a bit of destination-specific research rather than just assuming all Westgate properties are identical will help you arrive with accurate expectations.

If you book a discounted or promotional rate, understand that a sales presentation may be part of the package. Going in knowing this prevents any feeling of surprise or pressure. You are not obligated to purchase anything, but being mentally prepared for the conversation makes the experience less disruptive to your trip.

Request your unit location preferences at check-in. Westgate properties are often large, and where your unit falls on the property can affect your proximity to pools, dining, and parking. A quick conversation at the front desk about your preferences is worth doing.

Use the kitchen. This sounds obvious, but a surprising number of guests staying in fully equipped villa units never take advantage of the kitchen facilities. Picking up groceries early in the trip and covering breakfasts and lunches from the villa saves real money that makes the trip more enjoyable overall.

Book directly through the Westgate website when possible to access the most current rates, loyalty program benefits, and any promotions the brand is running. Third-party booking sites sometimes have good rates, but direct booking often comes with perks that are worth the comparison.

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FAQs

Do you have to be a timeshare owner to stay at a Westgate resort? No, Westgate resorts are open to all guests through standard booking channels. Vacation ownership is an option the brand offers, but it is not a requirement for booking a stay at any Westgate property.

How many Westgate resort locations are there in the United States? Westgate operates more than two dozen resort properties across the United States, with locations in Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, Utah, South Carolina, Arizona, and other states popular with American travelers.

Who founded Westgate Resorts and when? Westgate Resorts was founded by David Siegel in 1982. The company has remained privately held under his ownership throughout its growth into one of the largest resort companies in the country.

Is Westgate considered a luxury brand or a mid-range resort brand? Westgate positions itself primarily in the mid-range to upper-mid-range segment of the American resort market. It offers villa-style accommodations with solid amenities at price points that are accessible to a broad range of American travelers rather than targeting the luxury end of the market.

What is the Westgate Vacation Club? The Westgate Vacation Club is the brand’s vacation ownership product, giving members the right to use resort accommodations for a set period each year. Members can also exchange their time for stays at other properties within the Westgate network or through affiliated exchange programs.