For more than eight decades, the Catskills landmark has welcomed generations of families for vacations, reunions, weddings, anniversaries, conferences, and holiday celebrations. Parents who first visited as children have returned with their own children and grandchildren, creating traditions that span generations.
That legacy is what attracted Sandeep Wadhwa, Chairman of FAY Investment Group, when the company acquired the historic resort.
“The Villa Roma Resort represents something that has become increasingly rare in hospitality,” Wadhwa said during a recent interview with Vision Times. “It is far more than a hotel. It is a place where generations of families have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, reunions, and holidays.”
He said many hospitality properties can offer beautiful buildings, but few can offer decades of shared memories.
“Very few hospitality assets enjoy that kind of emotional connection,” he said.
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A legacy worth preserving
Founded in 1944, The Villa Roma has long been one of the Catskills’ signature destinations. Wadhwa said FAY Investment Group viewed the acquisition not simply as a real estate investment, but as an opportunity to protect a community treasure.
“It was never about acquiring a property,” he said. “It was about becoming the steward of a legacy.”
That philosophy has guided the company’s vision for the future.
“Buildings can always be renovated,” Wadhwa explained. “But traditions, trust, and family memories are earned over decades.”
Rather than replacing the resort’s identity, the goal is to preserve the warmth, familiarity, and character that generations of guests have loved while improving the experience for today’s travelers.
The resort is undergoing improvements that include upgraded accommodations, refreshed dining concepts, enhanced wellness facilities, modern event spaces, and expanded recreational amenities. Future plans include wellness programming, premium chalet-style accommodations, cultural tourism, and experiences that encourage visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the Catskills.
“The objective is not to add attractions for the sake of expansion,” Wadhwa said. “Every initiative must strengthen the identity of The Villa Roma Resort as an integrated destination where guests can experience nature, wellness, recreation, culture, family time, and community within one property.”
Growing together with the community
For Wadhwa, the future of Villa Roma is closely connected to the future of Sullivan County.
“Hospitality succeeds when the surrounding community succeeds,” he said. “A resort should never operate in isolation. It should create opportunities that extend well beyond its own boundaries.”
The redevelopment is expected to create hundreds of jobs while generating new opportunities for local restaurants, farms, artisans, musicians, outdoor recreation providers, wellness practitioners, photographers, and other small businesses throughout the region.
Wadhwa hopes visitors will discover not only The Villa Roma Resort but also the people and businesses that make the Catskills unique.
“We want visitors to experience far more than the property itself,” he said. “That means working closely with local producers, artists, wellness practitioners, chefs, outdoor guides, and tourism partners so that every stay creates value across the region.”
Looking ahead to the next generation
This year, as America commemorates its 250th anniversary, The Villa Roma celebrated with a special “America’s 250 Years Celebration Getaway” package, themed events, live entertainment, family activities, and commemorative programming designed to bring families together.
For Wadhwa, the celebration reflected something larger than a milestone anniversary.
“It reinforced The Villa Roma Resort’s place within American hospitality while demonstrating that heritage and innovation can evolve together,” he said.
Looking ahead, Wadhwa hopes Villa Roma will become an example of how a historic destination can continue evolving without losing the qualities that made it special.
“The ambition is not simply to renovate buildings,” he said. “It is to create one of the most compelling experience-led integrated resorts in the Northeastern United States while preserving the heritage that has made the property special for more than eighty years.”
Ultimately, he believes success will be measured not only by new facilities, but by the memories families continue to create.
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