One Year Later, Part 2: “Wow, that’s Westgate?”

In the conclusion of  a two-parter on Westgate Las Vegas, Deputy Editor “Sammasseur” looks at the timeshares, high-roller suites and upscale amenities of the former Las Vegas Hilton…and finds a resort that has positioned itself nicely into the selection of Vegas destinations. 

After returning to Westgate Las Vegas and spending the first night in a Signature Class room, it was time to meet with members of their team and discuss the past, present and future of this sprawling resort. What I learned was that, in the eleven months since my initial stay, the people behind the scenes have been working hard to re-establish an identity for the one-time Las Vegas Hilton.

“It wasn’t easy for us after losing the Hilton brand” said Travis Pixler, Guest Services Manager. “We became the LVH, and people would ask ‘What is that?” Even we didn’t know. We were operating without an identity”.

Then, having the somewhat notorious David Siegel step in to take over raised a few eyebrows. Not just for his interesting history, but Siegel’s inexperience with hotel casinos…and of course his association with timeshare resorts.

For many, timeshare salespeople are the bane of Las Vegas visits, and they go out of their way to avoid being cornered. For what it’s worth, although there are plenty of timeshare “hawkers” throughout this property, they are not aggressive. I actually witnessed them offering more in customer service than in sales pitches.

The team members that I spoke to about Seigel emphasized his love for Las Vegas…and the Westgate in particular. One stated that it was his decision to keep the resort in operation during renovations so that the staff could continue to be employed.

And apparently Siegel has no qualms about plunking down big bucks to wow guests (renovations have reportedly crossed the $100 million mark)….like the world’s largest indoor 4K panorama video wall, which was built specifically for an update of the resort’s Super Book sportsbook (a VegasChatter favorite).

The enormous curved screen is actually one UHD 4-K monitor, specially built for Westgate

Not everything has worked well since the Westgate name was risen onto the massive golden sign along Paradise Road. A planned partnership with performer Suzanne Somers, which included a cafe and spa re-branding along with her “Suzanne Sizzles” song-and-dance show, fizzled out quickly. So did a new Elvis show that awkwardly replaced Trent Carlini in The King.

A Graceland Exhibit and “Elvis Suite” tour remain at the property, but live entertainment has been a broader mixture these days. The topless burlesque show SEXXY just finished its first year, and funky Prince revue Purple Reign seems to have settled in nicely at Westgate’s Shimmer Cabaret after bouncing all over town. Riviera‘s final headliner, Dirk Arthur’s Wild Magic, also found a place on the marquee despite his own share of bad press.

Michelle Massaro, Westgate’s Director of Advertising and Marketing, has high hopes for Twisted Vegas, a new comedy-variety show premiering February 9th in the International Theater. A spoof of past and current Vegas entertainment, it’s spearheaded by French television host and actor Alex Goude. While a big star overseas, Goude is an unknown quantity to most Americans….even more so than Somers, who got stuck in a Thighmaster rut of her own making.

Twisted Vegas might be a hard sell, but its star has been making rounds on the talk show circuit to stir up interest, and insiders I’ve spoken to have given the rehearsals very high marks.

High marks in customer service are one thing that Travis Pixler strives to achieve on a consistent basis. He addressed the complaints from my first review (requests to meet with management during my initial visit went unanswered) and acknowledged that the ball was frequently dropped while the various teams within the resort were working out a system.

Now that Westgate’s team has been in place for over a year, Pixler feels that those concerns have been solved and the resort’s staff is dedicated to giving the best service possible. My random interactions with housekeepers, restaurant workers, casino staff and desk agents seemed to support this statement, as I had nothing but positives this time around.

According to Massaro, Siegel himself is dedicated to ensure that Westgate visitors get the same “high-roller treatment” that his family received when they visited Vegas many years ago. Siegel named the 24-hour restaurant “Sid’s Cafe” in honor of his own father, who relished the attentive service he received in the city many years ago.

I left my meeting suspecting that Westgate was well along the path to restoring its relevancy in this city, and in most respects already had. Being convinced remained for later, though, as I still had plenty of exploring left to do.

My first stop was the fitness facility, situated on the third level alongside a pool deck lined with numerous bright cabanas. The pool itself was smaller than expected and was closed for the season, allowing for workers to add improvements and perform down-time maintenance.

The fitness area was also moderate in size, but well-stocked with new resistance and cardio equipment. Although sufficient in its current incarnation, the workout facility is also slated for expansion.

That afternoon I relocated from a Signature room to a brand-new timeshare unit, a sleek one-bedroom with two full baths, kitchenette and laundry facilities. The living area had a pull-out sleeper sofa and the dining room could handle meals for up to eight. A color-changing LED jacuzzi tub highlighted the king bedroom.

After settling into these new digs, I found myself posting lots of photos on Facebook. The common response was “Wow, that’s Westgate?”. Indeed it was. While this writer has no personal interest in acquiring a timeshare, I began to understand the attractiveness of having something like this gorgeous apartment for a regular retreat.

The flexibility of choosing Las Vegas among many other destinations was unknown to me at the time, but for those who are into the notion of vacation ownership, there are a variety of locations in the Florida-based Westgate portfolio.

Settling in and making yourself comfortable is even more pleasant for guests who upgrade their stay to include the Concierge Lounge. This new concept, an optional amenity ($40 per day), provides access to a first-floor facility that serves a hot breakfast buffet, open bar from 4pm-7pm, and dinnertime foods like burgers, fries, soups, salads, etc. There are also computers, printers, reading material, televisions and various areas to relax or converse.

The Concierge Lounge works much like high-roller lounges at MGM and Caesars properties, but doesn’t require heavy-duty gambling to qualify for access. Although mine was comped, I found myself visiting the Concierge Lounge several times throughout the day and considered it to be a very attractive option.

Of course, no Vegas resort would be complete without high-roller suites. There are two floors of them at Westgate, also recently renovated and dripping with excess. I got to spend my final night in the “Hollywood Suite” and…well, I’ll just let the pictures do the talking.

Westgate’s “Hollywood Suite”

There’s a certain irony in discovering so much luxury at what I once perceived as a bargain-basement destination. I initially stayed at Westgate back in early 2015 because of the ridiculously low hotel rates. It wasn’t unusual to find third-party sites listing basic rooms at $19 on weeknights (plus taxes/fees).

As a result, Westgate attracted an uncomfortable mixture of demographics. Business professionals, extremely vulgar partiers and the most disruptive child-heavy families I’d ever seen in Las Vegas, all mixed together into one toxic spill. There were several unpleasant confrontations around me during that stay, and it was a big turnoff.

This time, there was a more respectful and refined clientele, presumably what the Siegels were accustomed to encountering in the past. That’s not being snobby…it’s just being honest.

Edge Steakhouse, one of the newest offerings at Westgate Las Vegas

Westgate Las Vegas did itself no favors in the beginning by appealing to the bargain traveler.  The addition of classier amenities and the opening of high-end restaurants like Fresco Italiano and the award-winning Edge Steakhouse have helped to carve out a much-needed identity of refinement. By appealing to the upscale client, Westgate version 2016 has positioned itself nicely for the years ahead.

It would be easy to dismiss my recent experiences as a case of “putting on their best face”. But I’ve stayed in Vegas resorts dozens upon dozens of times, especially those of the two key players in town. There’s a noticeable contrast between being waited on…and being welcomed as a valued guest. The difference comes from a team that enjoys what they do.

The management and staff of Westgate Las Vegas have learned that the hard way…and it’s made for a world of improvement.

All photos: Sammasseur