New Westin Diplomat Boasts 100% Occupancy

HOLLYWOOD, FL— The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa has garnered 98% to 100% occupancy levels since its opening Jan. 31, according to Gary Sims, GM of the newly opened, 1,000-room property. “There have been dates weve completely sold out the 1,000 rooms,” Sims said about the convention and leisure hotel. “Thats very unusual for a hotel to do in the first couple of months of being open.” The propertys occupancy levels “have exceeded everyones expectations, and we are surprised how fast the hotel has picked up business,” the GM said. And while “booking pace for future bookings dramatically slowed for 60 days after Sept. 11, in November, bookings picked up, and now we are booking at a faster pace. We are currently booking at a pace that is substantially higher than pre-Sept. 11,” said Sims, who noted that the hotel has various groups booked right through to 2010 “We have about 50 groups that booked this year that have never met in South Florida because they never found a hotel they liked in this area before,” added Sims. — Barbara Capella Loehr