In March of this year, Westgate timeshare founder and CEO, David Siegel, put a number of the company’s assets up for sale. Knowing that he and his wife Jacqueline have suspended construction on the mansion they were building in Windermere, just outside of Orlando, Florida, many speculated that the home might be the next asset to go.

Listed at 66,800 square feet in size, the Siegel’s uber-mansion was intended to be the largest private residence in the United States. Occupying roughly 10 acres of real estate on pristine Lake Butler, the home was planned to include 13 bedrooms, 10 satellite kitchens, 23 bathrooms (each with spa tub), 7 half-baths, a ballroom, an indoor roller-skating rink, a bowling alley, and a movie theater patterned after the Paris Opera House with a second theater in the children’s wing of the home. On the grounds, which include a quarter mile of private beach, there is a large gatehouse with residence apartment, a baseball field, three swimming pools, two tennis courts, a boathouse, a two-story wine cellar, and a rock grotto with three spas located behind an 80-foot waterfall. The master bedroom alone is planned to be some 8000 square feet in size.

Although the house is not completed, it has been under construction for three years. The Siegels are asking $100 million for the house “as is” or $75 million and they will complete the construction for the buyer, which implies that the house is approximately three-quarters completed.

Yes, I know what you must be thinking. It’s a shame this mindboggling house is located within residential-only zoning, because it sounds like it would make an incredible Westgate Florida timeshare resort!

Click here to see the real estate ad as featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Other Westgate timeshare developer news from The Timeshare Authority:
Westgate Timeshare Lightens the Load, Selling Select Assets
Westgate Timeshare Founder’s Spouse Joins in the Buzz about Elin and Tiger Woods
Orlando Timeshare Developer Played Landlord to Michael Jackson

Photo credit: Perspective Magazine Blog for Saturday May 8, 2010

Interval International timeshare exchange has added the Mayhills Resort in the Gangwon Province of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to its inventory of timeshare exchange properties.

The timeshare resort, located approximately three hours from Seoul in a forested setting in Taebaek, includes 357 timeshare units, from studios, to one, and two-bedroom timeshares. Most of the timeshare units have a kitchen, balcony with mountain views, and cable or satellite television. The Mayhills Resorts timeshare also includes a fitness center, family steam room, sauna, two on-site restaurants, a game room, and a convenience store.

Near to this Korea timeshare resort, vacationers can enjoy cross-country and downhill skiing, tennis, golf, bike trails, water sports on the beautiful lakes, several theme parks, and a children’s playground. All of these attractions are easily accessible from National Highway 38.

Joe Hickman, Interval International’s executive director for Asia Pacific, describes the resort as, “…close to Kangwon Land Casino, Korea’s largest with more than 100 game tables and 960 slot machines and video games.” Hickman explains, “We are delighted to welcome Mayhills Resort to Interval’s vacation exchange network.”

The Timeshare Authority blog gives you many updates on events at the bigger and oftentimes better-known theme parks because so many timeshare vacations include activities at the parks and attractions. But we shouldn’t overlook some of the great fun at parks that many not be Disney-sized but are loaded with fun and entertainment while also offering easy access from nearby timeshare resorts.

The Suites at Hershey Timeshare are located within a mile of two of Hershey, Pennsylvania’s favorite (and most fragrant) attractions, HERSHEYPARK® and HERSHEY’S® CHOCOLATE WORLD®. This Bluegreen Resort timeshare property is Interval International Premier rated and is an RCI Gold Crown Rated timeshare resort. With plenty of opportunities to vacation in Suites at Hershey timeshare resales or Suites at Hershey timeshare rentals, you and your family could be savoring the fun and the chocolate in time for this summer’s vacation plans.

Here’s some great tips from the theme park experts at Theme Park Insider blog, a favorite on The Timeshare Authority blogroll, for enjoying your HERSHEYPARK vacation time:

• If you arrive early in the morning, either head for the Boardwalk water park or Fahrenheit to be beat the crowds. Enjoy these two popular activities early in the day and then enjoy the rest of the park at your leisure as most park goers do this in reverse.
• If you enter the park after 5:30 pm (you will be paying full price), your park entry for the second day is free, giving you a full day plus an evening to enjoy HERSHEYPARK while paying for only one day.
• Cubbies are available on the rides, so store your gear before you take on the thrill rides.
• Sit in the front on Great Bear. It is a must if you want to get the full experience.

Thanks and a hat tip to Theme Park Insider, one of the best resources ever for helping you get the most out of your theme park experience!

Marriott timeshares announces the final phase opening of their Myrtle Beach, South Carolina timeshare, the OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes.

With this opening, Marriott timeshares adds 75 more two bedroom, two-bath timeshare villas to the resort’s existing 286 two-bedroom villas. Each of the 361 Marriott timeshare villas offers roughly 1100 square feet of vacation living, many with dramatic ocean views or peaceful garden vistas.

Michael Reilly, general manager of Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes says, “We are excited to open the final phase of villas at this fabulous resort, offering more luxurious accommodations for more families to enjoy in beautiful Myrtle Beach.”

The resort offers three outdoor pools, a slide pool, four whirlpool spas, and a children’s pool. Timeshare owners can also enjoy both a children’s and an adult’s indoor pool; the MarketPlace convenience store and grille; resort activities; and, of course, the beautiful, large, private beachfront.

Marriott OceanWatch at Grande Dunes timeshare owners will appreciate the many activities of the Myrtle Beach vacation area, plus access to the full-service Hibiscus Spa and the restaurants at the nearby Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.

The Timeshare Authority blog continues in efforts to spread the word about the changing situation at David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort and Spa Timeshare, brought about by the bankruptcy of Celebrity Resorts timeshare earlier this year.

On March 30, 2010, the Property Owners Association (POA) for Walley’s sent a letter to timeshare owners telling them that a proposed $900 special assessment was “dead” and that an emergency special assessment of 5% of the annual dues would be as follows, with the greater amount for each timeshare unit being identified as for “whole” and the lesser amount being for “alt.”:

Last week the POA posted an acknowledgement that is great timeshare news to hear. As of that point, the Timeshare Resort Assistant Manager had received some 2,000 letters from timeshare owners at David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort, most reportedly including checks for the special assessment fee. Equally good to hear is that many of them contained words of encouragement and support.

This is a great reminder that the majority of timeshare owners are highly satisfied with their ownership, enjoy their timeshare vacations, and are committed to stepping up in tough times if necessary.

Here’s more news from The Timeshare Authority blog on David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort and Spa Timeshare:

• Updates for Timeshare Owners at David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort and Spa Timeshare (April)
• David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort and Spa Timeshare Updates to Timeshare Owners (March)

Trading Places International (TPI) timeshare exchange and timeshare services has received the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) top ranking of A+ national accreditation.

Award of this ranking is a tribute to the timeshare services and timeshare exchange company’s commitment to honest and reputable service for more than 36 years.

RJ Jackson, TPI President, says, “We’re pleased to join such an elite group of hospitality service businesses in the BBB accreditation system. We will strive to meet the BBB’s high expectations, and continue to exceed those of our customers.”

Trading Places International describes itself as the only vertically-integrated, independent timeshare company providing full service resort/association management, timeshare rentals and exchanges, and travel agency services. At the present time the company oversees the timeshare and vacation needs of more than 71,000 timeshare owners at over 30 timeshare resorts including the US and Hawaii, Mexico, and South America.

Sell My Timeshare NOW Working Together with Trading Places International

Sell My Timeshare NOW is proud to be a preferred partner with Trading Places International. With TPI timeshare exchange there is no mandatory membership fee and you can search available exchanges before depositing your own timeshare.

Timeshare exchange services are available 24/7 with a low exchange fee and extra discounts available to Trading Places’ Vacation Exchange Club members.

When it comes to vacation planning, do we really want to know what the experts say? If you are like most people, apparently the advice of travel ‘experts’ does not rank very high on your list.

Most of us, it seems, put more stock in the opinions of complete strangers when it comes to travel and vacationing. And when viewed in comparison to the combined opinions of our friends, family, and travelers we’ve never met, travel experts fall far to the bottom of the list as influencers.

According to The Social Travel Report prepared by the independent media agency, Total Media, most consumers (based on a sample of 1,375 people) select hotels, timeshare, or other vacation lodging based on the feedback and recommendations of other consumers. The study reveals that nearly 70 percent of consumers use the internet to book vacations and that roughly 25 percent are influenced by the comments voiced online by other travelers and vacationers. In other words, consumers aren’t reading travel magazines, brochures, or consulting travel agents nearly as much as they are reading the online comments and testimonials of other consumers.

Testimonials at Sell My Timeshare NOW

Sell My Timeshare NOW has always appreciated the positive feedback the company receives from consumers who buy timeshare, sell timeshare, or rent timeshare online at www.sellmytimesharenow.com.

Follow this link to read some of the many glowing comments Sell My Timeshare NOW has earned from its timeshare buyers, renters and sellers … but here’s a word of warning, take along a cup of coffee, because this is a very, very long list!

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find:

“Just wanted to thank you for the wonderful service we received during the process of renting our Aruba timeshare this year. We received a promp phone call with assistance to writing an ad and it was advertised on your web site the next day. We were contacted 2 months later with an offer and received the check by the following week. What great service!!” J. and A.

“I would not hesitate to recommend your company to friends looking to sell or purchase timeshares.” Arthur Budge Jr (Ad 6954)

“I have used sellmytimesharenow.com the past two years for renting our condos in Cabo San Lucas at the Pueblo Bonito Rose and Sunset Beach. We have 4 weeks that we rent every year and always have a huge amount of inquires and rent them for our asking price. The investment to post these units on sellmytimesharenow.com is well worth the money. The staff is very professional and any website updates are handled immediately and accurately. We have used other websites and received no responses and were unable to rent our units. I highly recommend using Sellmytimesharenow.com for renting your units!” Brenda T. (Ad 204083)