Westgate Hotel: Complete Guide to History & Locations

The Westgate Hotel name connects two landmark properties — one in Las Vegas that hosted Elvis Presley for 636 shows, another in San Diego that Esquire magazine once ranked among the world’s three greatest hotels — plus a nationwide timeshare portfolio. This guide traces the brand’s history from its 1969 origins as the International Hotel through the 2014 acquisition by Westgate Resorts, and covers what travelers can expect at key locations today. We base our reporting on official property sites, Wikipedia entries, booking platforms, and neutral review sources, confirmed as of July 2025.

Last checked: 2026-06-29

Name: Westgate Hotels & Resorts ·
Flagship property: Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino ·
Notable former name: Las Vegas Hilton ·
Famous resident performer: Elvis Presley ·
Other key location: Westgate Hotel San Diego ·
Owner: David Siegel (Westgate Resorts)

What is the Westgate Hotel famous for?

The Westgate name is most famous for the Las Vegas property that hosted Elvis Presley’s legendary residency. According to Westgate’s official history page, Elvis performed 636 sold-out shows at the hotel — then the International Hotel — beginning July 31, 1969. The run spanned seven years and made the property synonymous with his live performances.

The hotel itself, designed by architect Martin Stern Jr., opened in 1969 as the largest hotel in the world at the time, with a 30-story tower and more than 2,900 rooms. Travel Weekly notes that casino magnate Kirk Kerkorian built it next to the Las Vegas Convention Center (Travel Weekly).

Beyond the Elvis connection, the hotel is known for unusually spacious rooms by Las Vegas standards and for having hosted several presidential visits during the Hilton era.

What the Elvis connection means for today’s guest

The property still markets its Elvis heritage heavily, offering a self-guided Elvis Tour that highlights performance venues, the penthouse where he stayed, and memorabilia displays. Guests can see the same stage where Elvis recorded his “That’s the Way It Is” television special. The bottom line: this is the only Las Vegas hotel where you can stand in the same room where Elvis performed more than 600 shows.

Does the Westgate Hotel still exist?

Yes — multiple Westgate hotels and resorts are operating across the United States. The two most prominent are the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino and The Westgate Hotel in San Diego, both fully open as of 2025. Westgate Resorts also manages more than 60 properties under its timeshare model, according to the company’s history page.

Key active locations include:

• Las Vegas, Nevada — Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (flagship)
• San Diego, California — The Westgate Hotel (boutique luxury)
• New York City, New York — Westgate New York Grand Central (Midtown East)
• Orlando, Florida — Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa, Westgate Palace Resort, Westgate Vacation Villas
• River Ranch, Florida — Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo
• Park City, Utah — Westgate Park City Resort & Spa
• Gatlinburg, Tennessee — Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort

In 2025, Westgate acquired VI Resorts, adding more than 40 destinations to its management portfolio — including its first international properties in Mexico and Canada (Westgate History).

The takeaway: The brand is not only alive but growing, with a portfolio that spans traditional hotels, timeshare resorts, dude ranches, ski lodges, and now international locations.

What did the Westgate Hotel used to be called?

The Las Vegas property has undergone three name changes since it opened. The timeline is:

• 1969: Opened as the International Hotel.
• July 1971: Renamed the Las Vegas Hilton after Hilton Hotels acquired it the previous year.
• 2012: Rebranded as LVH — Las Vegas Hotel and Casino after Hilton’s licensing agreement ended.
• June 30, 2014: Acquired by Westgate Resorts and renamed Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.

The acquisition price was reported between $150 million and $170 million, according to multiple media accounts cited by Wikipedia. Westgate’s careers history page describes the rebranding as a major strategic move into the Las Vegas market.

The San Diego hotel, by contrast, opened as The Westgate Hotel in 1970 and has kept that name continuously. It was originally developed by local businessman C. Arnholt Smith and, as noted by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, ushered in a new era of luxury hospitality for the city.

The bottom line: “Westgate Hotel” can refer to two very different histories depending on which city you mean — one is a rebranded casino with four name changes, the other is a single-identity luxury hotel that has never changed its name.

Did Elvis live in Westgate?

Elvis Presley did not live at the hotel full-time, but he maintained a long-term performance contract that made the property his Las Vegas home base. His residency began with his first performance on July 31, 1969 — the same year the hotel opened — and continued through 1976.

During that period, Elvis performed two shows per night, seven days a week when in residence, typically for four-week engagements. He stayed in a penthouse suite on the 30th floor that became known as the “Elvis Suite.” Westgate’s history notes that his 636 sold-out shows set a record for any performer at a single venue.

After his death in 1977, the hotel preserved memorabilia including costumes, gold records, and photographs. The hotel still offers a self-guided Elvis tour and displays his legacy in a dedicated area of the casino floor. For more information on the Westgate Hotel’s history, you can find Billiga hotell i Ao Nang.

What this means: While Elvis never lived there permanently, he logged more performance hours on that stage than any other headliner in Las Vegas history — the hotel treats that legacy as its defining feature.

“Elvis Presley took the stage at the International Hotel on July 31, 1969, launching the most iconic residency in Las Vegas history. Over the next seven years, he would perform 636 sold-out shows.”

— Westgate Las Vegas, Elvis Presley History page

Westgate brand timeline

• 1968 — Construction begins on The Westgate Hotel, San Diego (January 18).
• 1969 — The International Hotel (later Westgate Las Vegas) opens (July); Elvis Presley begins his residency (July 31).
• 1970 — The Westgate Hotel San Diego opens (August 30).
• 1971 — International Hotel renamed Las Vegas Hilton.
• 1982 — David A. Siegel founds Westgate Resorts with a 16-unit property near Disney World.
• 2001 — Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort opens in Las Vegas, the company’s first property in the city.
• 2002 — Major expansion adds Blue Tree Resort, South Beach Oceanfront Resort, River Ranch, and Park City properties.
• 2008 — Wild Bear Falls indoor water park opens at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort.
• 2012 — Las Vegas Hilton rebranded as LVH — Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.
• 2014 — Westgate Resorts acquires LVH, renaming it Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.
• 2025 — Westgate acquires VI Resorts, adding 40+ destinations including international properties.

The pattern: Westgate Resorts moves in cycles — organic growth in the 1980s and 1990s, aggressive expansion in the 2000s, then a strategy of acquiring heritage hotels in the 2010s and 2020s.

Westgate hotels: pros and cons

Best for different traveler types

Pricing by property

Pricing varies significantly by location, season, and room type. The following bands reflect typical nightly rates based on published aggregator data as of mid-2025:

• Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino: $80–$220 per night (off-Strip location lowers base rates; suites and tower rooms command higher prices).
• The Westgate Hotel San Diego: $200–$450 per night (boutique luxury in a prime downtown location).
• Westgate New York Grand Central: $180–$350 per night (Midtown East business hotel pricing).
• Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park: $120–$280 per night (seasonal pricing driven by ski and summer tourism).
• Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo: $150–$400 per night (glamping and cabin options at the top of the range).

These are qualitative estimates based on available booking data — rates fluctuate. Compare directly on the official site or a booking aggregator at time of travel.

Location and how to get there

Each property requires different logistics. Here are the key transport details for the two flagship locations:

Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino

Located at 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109 — adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center and a 10-minute walk (or short monorail ride) from the Strip. McCarran International Airport is about 3 miles away, a 10-minute taxi or rideshare. The Las Vegas Monorail has a station directly connected to the hotel.

The Westgate Hotel San Diego

Located at 1055 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 — in the Gaslamp Quarter, five blocks from the San Diego Convention Center and a 10-minute walk to Petco Park. San Diego International Airport is about 3 miles away, roughly a 10-minute drive.

Alternatives to Westgate properties

If Westgate does not match your needs, consider these alternatives depending on location and travel style:

• In Las Vegas (off-Strip): The Orleans Hotel & Casino offers a similar mid-range, off-Strip experience with a movie theater and bowling alley. The Palms Casino Resort is a closer alternative to the Convention Center area.
• In San Diego (luxury boutique): The US Grant (a Marriott Luxury Collection property) and the Hotel del Coronado offer comparable historic-luxury stays. The Pendry San Diego is a modern alternative in the Gaslamp Quarter.
• For Elvis history specifically: Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, is the definitive destination — but Westgate Las Vegas is the only place to see the stage where Elvis performed his longest-running residency.

Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino: property details

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Wikipedia – Westgate Resorts
• Wikipedia – Westgate Las Vegas
• Wikipedia – Westgate Hotel San Diego
• Westgate Resorts – Our History
• Westgate Careers – Our History
• Westgate Las Vegas – Elvis Presley History
• Travel Weekly – Westgate buys former Las Vegas Hilton
• PR Newswire – Westgate acquires Midtown Manhattan hotel
• City of San Diego – Westgate Hotel under construction
• San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce – 45 years of Westgate Hotel