Westgate Resorts

This will be my final post on this site seeing as though its not getting the attention from Westgate that I intended it to have. Ill continue to explore my options and get their attention in other ways but I wanted to update everyone to share that after months of waiting on them to notice me, respond to me, and help me, I have once again not received anything.

I still strongly encourage anyone who is considering a timeshare with this business to do your research, read reviews, do all of the things I wish I would have done. I had no idea that being an owner with this business would be like this. That theyd allow people to place a legal document in front of you, lie about the contents of that document, and then refuse any options of assistance when you reach out and explain how you were lied to. I know people are wondering why I didnt read the document for myself and I hate that I didnt push harder on it but I had already been there for hours.

I thought the hours that I had already spent there talking about what an ownership would be like everything would have been covered. Never in a million years did I expect them to lie to me. Never in a million years did I expect them not to do anything about it. In hindsight everything was done meticulously.

They told me everything I needed to hear, never mentioning what the actual meeting was about, and never wrote down a single lie they told so it couldnt be traced back to them. They lied to me about the cost of the timeshare and how much the maintenance on it would be, never mentioned that I would have to pay that whether I used the timeshare or not, which I have not, and although Ive explained that I have no intention of ever using it, they wont do whats right and take it back.

You would be tied to a business just like I am that does not care about you. I hope you learn from my experience.

My reservation for my stay at Orlando's Westgate was made through the Vacation Traveler's Club for Saturday, September 2 - Saturday, September 9. We received this booking because we were not ready to purchase a time share from Westgate and wanted additional time and experiences before making such a big decision.

Through the booking process my husband spoke to numerous people about the check in time as well as any further responsibilities required of us, such as another presentation, a sales pitch, etc. We were told every time check in is at 4:00 pm Eastern Standard Time and there are no further requirements.

I live in TN and I planned my morning and drive time around check in. I woke up Saturday morning at 3:00 to leave my home at 4:00 am. This would put my family in Orlando around 1:00 to enjoy lunch together at Tijuana Flats, pick up the groceries we'd need for our stay and check in.

We arrived at Westgate at 3:30.

A little early; however, many people were already checking in with us. A young man helped my husband (We didn't get his name). He was kind and explained that our room is not ready yet but it is before 4:00. We'll let the staff know you're here, and you'll get a text when your room is ready.

At that time you can pick up your keys from our concierge desk. He did say the room should be ready by 4:00 as that is check in and if we would like any updates to come see him directly. (Wish I got his name - wonderful customer service).

We hadn't received a text message by 4:00 so we returned. The line to check in was even longer, and we didn't want to wait in that line or cut ahead of another family.

We approached Guest Services where we were told we can't help you, we only schedule tours here. I thought that was extremely odd as directly across the lobby there's a desk/area for tours. Maybe Westgate should correct their signs or help their employees know what they do. Nonetheless, she told us to go stand behind the family he was currently helping.

The same gentleman wasn't able to help us, but a lady by the name of Genesis did.

She pulled up our reservation and said housekeeping is done but the room needs to be inspected now. It should be done within the hour. Do you not trust your housekeeping staff or why are we inspecting the room? She apologized and sent us on our way.

I found that to be extremely poor customer service but let it go.

With groceries in the car (in Orlando in 90 degree heat, my child, and my sister - which if you're wondering after this experience she won't purchase a time share either) we decided it was best to drive around. It's either waste gas or waste food. We drove around Westgate property for an hour. Found our building.

Found numerous staff members standing outside of the building every time we drove by.

5:00 rolls around and we haven't heard an update. I am furious. I feel like I've been getting the run around and lies for the last hour and a half and I'm done. My husband and I walked into the lobby and were immediately asked what we needed.

My husband responded, we're still waiting on our room, we really need to know what's goin on and when we'll be able to get into it. She directs us to a young lady at the concierge desk. I don't remember her name but she is from Puerto Rico. She was struggling to find our reservation and asked another woman to come help her.

Unfortunately, I don't remember her name either but she's from Colombia. The woman from Colombia was able to find our reservation and said "yea your room is not ready yet" Callous, cold, unprofessional.. ..I said okay. What time is your check in?

She first ignored the question and spoke to my husband. I asked again. She then looked at me and said 4:00. I agreed, yes the website says 4:00 and what time is it now?

Again, she ignored the question and spoke to my husband. I asked again. She simply looked at me. No response.

I told her what time it was. It was shortly after 5:00 (exactly what time I do not remember now). I proceeded to explain the situation we were in and my frustration. This employee from Colombia continued to interrupt me and speak over me.

I asked her to not interrupt me. She continued. I slammed my hand down, open palm, on the counter and said do not interrupt me! At that she walked away!!

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! Not only did she leave a co-worker who needed her help she walked away from a customer. Had she stopped talking for one minute and listened to me, I would have asked for a manager. She didn't even come back with a manager or anything!

She completely walked away. No resolution. No communication. Nothing.

Terrible. I cannot believe Westgate allows their employees to treat people that way. The young lady from Puerto Rico listened, showed empathy, did not interrupt, had a caring tone, and pointed me in the direction of a manager. She took the time to listen!

That's all the woman from Colombia needed to do.

Jeffery was the manager we spoke to. I realized when speaking to Jeffrey that Genesis, the lady from earlier, is also a supervisor. Genesis leaned over and asked their room still isn't ready?! Jeffrey looked at her and asked in return, why wasn't this room given to them?

I'm sorry, what!? Genesis, a supervisor, could have done what Jeffrey just did for me AN HOUR AGO! I said all of that to say worst check in experience ever and ultimately it was because of the woman from Colombia and Genesis why I will not be purchasing a time share. I understand I shouldn't have responded the way I did, and I own that; however the nonsense from Genesis and then the unprofessionalism from the concierge desk is unacceptable from an employee representing a business - and Westgate allows it!

This experience was shared with Westgate while we were there. All they did was lower the price of a timeshare to try to get me to buy. Pathetic. They don't care how you're treated.

Moving forward with that, on Sunday my husband received a call confirming our appointment for Tuesday.

The appointment we were assured wouldn't happen. My husband explained Tuesday will not work and we're pretty upset, we won't be purchasing. At that time he was told we just need to come in, share our experience, sign some paperwork declining, and the paperwork has to be notarized. The appointment was moved to Monday at noon with Gamma.

That was all lies, too. We did have to sit through an hour long sales pitch, after explaining multiple times we are not interested. Gamma pulled in a second person to try to sell to us. It didn't work.

She didn't ask about our experience at all. We had to remind her we've had an awful experience with Westgate already. If you're told I've had a terrible experience already (in one day) that should be the first thing you ask about. Not showing me all your properties and benefits.

Again, not actively listening to your customer. I see where the front line customer service representatives get it if the upper management can't figure it out. To top it off, Gamma insulted my husband! He is a writer, and one of the top writers and sought after writers in his topic and what he does..

she had the audacity to ask how it is living with him because writers are kind of psychotic and coo coo. Are you kidding me?! This isn't Secret Window with Johnny Depp its real life and my husband! Furthermore, the gentleman she brought over said Westgate doesn't partner with the Vacation Traveler's Club anymore ..but wait, there's more!

The third person that came to my table (yes they are that pushy and really don't listen) offered me another week through the Vacation Traveler's Club! Comical. Listen fellas, if you're going to be dishonest, at least collaborate better. By the way, when that entire charade was done, the only document signed was one stating we took a tour.

Nothing was signed saying we declined and nothing was notarized. Sketchy? Lies? Ehh I think so.

So now, to the room.

We stayed in room 5551-A in the 5500 building. A two bedroom condo with a view of Disney. First thing we noticed was the air conditioning unit and the hot water. Every time the unit came on there was a loud pop or thud kind of noise.

It was difficult to ignore and if you're a light sleeper.. ..well you can only imagine. I'm guessing the hot water heater is tankless as it took 10 - 15 minutes to get any hot water. I was shocked to not have a smart TV in an updated room..

and the guide situation was a mess. Along with that, the coffee maker. In an updated room I would expect to find a newer coffee maker. Not one that makes the fire alarm go off!

Yes this old janky coffee maker set off the fire alarm. That was the only thing in use at the time it went off and I stopped using it after that. The dishwasher filter was absolutely disgusting. I thought the rooms had to be cleaned and inspected?

This filter hadn't been cleaned in months. There was a white slimy film on it, food and hair stuck in it. Mold growing.. and yes all of that spraying on your dishes.

Yummy! I cleaned it. If you can look passed all of that, yes the room was nice. The large whirlpool tub was wonderful.

The amenities are okay.

Multiple pools. It'd be nice if the water park stayed open later. It's nice to have the variety of restaurants; however, don't advertise room service and delivery because that isn't true. Also, the restaurants may want to update their menus.

We tried to order pizza and couldn't call to order it, we had to go down there. What we wanted (based on their menu online) was no longer available, their menu changed. They had printed menus but nothing updated online. It's easier to update online than print all those.

The grills were great but a little sketchy. The knobs were so loose and falling off you couldn't tell if the grill was actually on or not. Not safe, especially for a gas grill.

I hate to reach out in this way but no one at Westgate took our experience seriously or showed any care at all. All they did was nonchalantly apologize and tried to sell us at a lower price.

That's terrible service. Even at hotels they reimburse some of your stay, offer you a free meal to the restaurant on-site, offer free tickets to area attractions.. something to take ownership of the poor experience and try to keep you as a customer. Westgate only cares about sales.

That's all. This was supposed to be their attempt to show me what it's like to be an owner .. ..

I understand now why so many people are selling.

I understand Westgate has tried to contact me; however, they are not calling the number provided and they are not calling during the time frames given. They are not calling to try to have a conversation to find a resolution, they are calling to simply say "Well, we tried to contact you to resolve this" Will Westgate do anything about this experience or just say another apology and use this for training?

I am writing this follow-up review to share my continued frustration with Westgate Resorts and their complete disregard for their customers. It has been several months since I initially shared my terrible experience with this company, and unfortunately, I have not received any feedback.

This lack of response from Westgate only reinforces my belief that they do not care about their customers or their satisfaction. After realizing the mistake I made in purchasing a timeshare from Westgate, I immediately contacted them to cancel the contract. However, they refused to let me out of the agreement, claiming that I needed proof that I was lied to. Despite providing evidence of their false promises and deceptive tactics, Westgate still refused to cancel the contract.

This has left me with the burden of paying for a timeshare that I never wanted or needed. To make matters worse, Westgate has now ignored me once again. I have tried numerous times to contact their executives to address my concerns and find a solution, but they havent responded to any of my messages. This lack of communication is unacceptable and only adds to the problems Ive already experienced with this company.

It is clear to me that Westgate is not interested in providing quality customer service or in addressing the concerns of their customers. They are only focused on making a profit and taking advantage of unsuspecting individuals.

I urge anyone considering purchasing a timeshare from Westgate to think twice and avoid them at all costs. I hope that this review serves as a warning to others and encourages them to choose a company that values their customers and their satisfaction.

I was invited to a travel club meeting with the promise of the famous words of "THIS IS NOT A TIMESHARE!" I purchased a trip through the travel club to think if I wanted to join. Once I arrived, a sales rep contacted me and said they wanted to meet with me in reference to a timeshare.

I advised her at the time, I am here with the travel club and have no interest in talking about a timeshare. She insisted that I agreed to meet with them once I purchased a trip and that the travel club is no longer offered (which was also a lie). I met with her and they lied and told me if I sign up I will have unlimited short stays through Interval at $99 anywhere and I could trade through them. I fell for the trick and waited on my Interval package that I never received.

I contacted Interval and they had no knowledge of my membership. Westgate advised that it wasn't apart of my contract and I would have to pay for it even though they told me they would. Then they told me I had a westgate travel cub platinum membership and a representative told me I had to purchase additional features because I had the bare minimum features after I was told something else. I purchased additional membership as requested with the optional of canceling with three days.

I called back once I spoke to another representative which insisted that I didn't need the additional feature. The phone kept hanging up as if I was blocked from calling the number. I called from my work cell number and the number ringed and was able to cancel that before it got started. That was an additional $3000.

The maintenance fees was told to me to be around $1100 but instead was almost $1300 and increased since the last time. I have tried to talk to these people to get out of this lousy contract. I am a disabled veteran and they don't care how much you show them their mistakes but want you to own it regardless. PLEASE DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Please do not do business with these people. They lie like you can sell it and its still on you.

They tell you that you can rent it but its a lot of people trying to get rid of this for a dollar and thats how bad it is. Do your research and dont fall for the cunning lies.

I bought the timeshare and never used it after I discovered the lies.

I had a terrible experience with Westgate and I feel compelled to share it with others. They lied to me, damaged my credit, and refused to let me out of the contract when I first requested it back in 2021.

This was after they had tricked me into attending a sales pitch under false pretenses, only to pressure me into purchasing a timeshare I never wanted or needed. When I was dropped off by their personnel, I was told that I had won a prize and that the meeting would last for 90 minutes. But as soon as I got there, I realized that it was a sales pitch for a timeshare. I was coerced into paying a $40 refundable fee for a prize I had won and then was repeatedly lied to about the goal of the meeting.

Even after declining the timeshare several times, they refused to take me back to my hotel. The sales rep told me that I could be an owner of a property, how I could make a lot of money from it, and pass it on to my children and grandchildren. She went on to state the benefits of having one and how I could earn referral rewards. After a lengthy tour of the hotel rooms, I was finally told about the price of owning a timeshare in Miami, which was a whopping $33,000 for a vacation for one week per year.

When I declined, they pressured me into accepting an offer for a timeshare at Palace Resort in Orlando for $9,000, with no clear explanation of the terms and conditions. After signing the paperwork, I realized that there were some issues with the contract that were not explained properly, such as the maintenance fee of almost $1,000 every two years and the monthly mortgage payments. I was paying all this ridiculous maintenance fee just to use a property for a week while paying a monthly mortgage on the property. I could simply save my money and take a well-deserved vacation.

I contacted Westgate to let them know that I wanted to cancel the contract, but they refused to let me out. They claimed that I needed proof that I was lied to and that they did nothing wrong. They even damaged my credit by reporting me as delinquent on payments that I never should have been responsible for. It's been a nightmare trying to deal with them, and they've completely ignored me.

When they dont ignore me, they ignore my concerns. Overall, I regret ever getting involved with Westgate.

They took advantage of me and lied to me every step of the way. I urge anyone thinking about purchasing a timeshare from Westgate to reconsider and avoid them at all costs.

My husband and I reserved a room with a queen size bed this past September for a trip we just got back from. When we arrived we registered with the desk only to be told they couldn't give us thr room we originally reserved only a smaller room with two twin size beds.

My husband said we reserved a room with a queen size bed over two months ago and this was unacceptable. They said they could give us a room with a king size bed for an extra $30 a night!! Not much we could do but take it. An interesting scam to get extra money from guests.

We were shocked to find that this was an adjoined room on both sides. We were quite angry at that. The ultimate in this room was how thin the walls were in this adjoined room. Let me just say that at least 4 times a day (middle of the night included) for 7 days we heard absolutely "everything" a couple in the room connected to ours were engaging in.

Very loudly also. It was rather disconcerting. Especially at 2 am in the morning to be awakened by this. No one on our floor, 25 north was considerate either.

We got more sleep on the plane home.
Another major annoyance was every single time we left and came back from the hotel we were harshly approached about the "freebies" we were entitled to. An obvious ploy to purchase a timeshare, which is exactly what was being done. The first couple of days I kept politely declining. Until it got to a point where my husband and myself were beyond angry.

I yelled at these people to stop approaching me and being so insistent about purchasing a damn timeshare. Several people thanked me for letting them know that's what those "freebies" were all about.
Also, people from the various shops do the same thing. We couldn't walk from the elevator to get an uber without being coerced into buying something every single time we walked by. They wouldn't take no for answer until I gave them my "New York" attitude.

It takes a lot for me to get to that point.
Now, on to the so called "amenities". No room service, no laundry services, no dry cleaning services. I was told any guest laundry is given to a third party to take care of and they charge for each individual piece. We ended up having to take our clothes to a local laundromat.

This was a first in all my traveling have my husband and I had to do this!
The food is another issue. We tried Bennihanna. Made me sick. On our last day we decided to go to Sids for breakfast.

I ordered what I thought was French toast. It was overcooked on the outside, dry and ice cold and stale on the inside. It originally was frozen, left out to defrost and placed in a microwave. I told the Maitre de that the Chef Gordon Ramsey would have been disgusted.

She said she had worked with him and agreed. I didn't want anything else The item was removed from the bill.

We thankfully didn't fall for it. We are well aware of timeshares and their tactics thanks to Dave Ramsay but we got our stay 60% off so we just knew we had to be tough.

Our initial sales rep was a very nice young lady and obviously new to the job because she was so nice. I knew they wouldn't stick to the 90 minutes so I pushed her to go through the tour fast. 3 hours later we were done only because I moved her along. At the end of the presentation I asked how we get out if we don't want it.

She got another extremely rude high pressure sales guy over who wouldn't answer my question until I got rude with him. Then he bald faced lied and said they are in high demand so it wouldn't be a problem. He also dropped the price in half. If they are so in demand why are you giving it to us so cheap.

We finally left. I decided to look up reviews. Yikes!!! Everything they promise is a bold faced lie.

She even told me they had a #1 rating from BBB. Check out BBBs website and you will see that they don't. I am not sure how these people sleep at night.

If you work for Westgate, Diamond or Wyndham you really need to find more reputable work. If you want to get out call Timeshare Exit.

We would like to warn anyone considering booking at a Westgate Resort. Stay.Anywhere.Else!

We thought staying in Westgate Smokey Mountain Resort would be a nice vacation.

It has

turned into the biggest regret of our lives. It has also landed us in several lifetimes of debt.

Because we believed the sales representatives lies. When we reached out to Westgate Resorts

about the lies they had told us, we were told we couldnt prove what was said and all that

mattered was the contract we signed. We were held in high pressure sales meetings for almost

an entire day of our vacation, we would have signed away our souls to get out of there.

If you

arent vacationing with a lawyer, you are going to wind up in a horrible situation. Dont believe

anything they say. Dont buy anything with them. You can book a room at any of their locations

for less than you will pay for ownership.

By the way, you dont own anything except the right to

pay them increasing amounts each year. There is no truth in their salespitch. You cannot rent

the timeshare out. It is not ownership of property, you cannot claim it on taxes.

We did discover

there is a state mandated recall period, so if you do get tricked into signing, find the post office

pronto because you have to send a certified letter within a few days of signing. You can't even give these "ownerships" away.

It is easier to dispute lies with the devil than it is with Westgate Lakes! They will spare no expense in continuing to chase after customers they manipulated into signing contracts.

We have paid over $10000 for our mistaken belief that their sales representative was partially honest. In the five years since we were originally lied to, we have taken one 3 day vacation. Westgate Lakes told us we were getting a great deal based on my military career. To have my

veteran status used against me is an extra slap in the face.

The sales representatives will act like this is a good thing for your family.

They will tell you all sorts of stories about being able to travel anywhere as part of your ownership. What they dont

tell you is that travel will cost extra and you probably wont even get to stay for the time you pay for.

What they wont tell you is that the costs will continue to rise tremendously and there is no way out. Be forewarned, this is a financial burden on your family for the rest of your and your childrens lives.

On a family vacation we were scammed by Westgate Resorts salespersons. We were told that we were not allowed to think about the purchase because if we did that the price would be higher.

We had agreed to the presentation based on the promise of tickets to a pirate show and dinner. By the time they finished pressuring us and coming back with a better deal there were no tickets left. We have since discovered that was just the first lie. We have tried reaching out to Westgate Resorts because this is a huge expense, and will get more costly as time goes on.

(another lie-by omission). When we reached out we were told they would not take the property back. We were told we cant even resell it because the deed hasnt been filed. How is that possible, a year after that vacation?

We recommend you stay anywhere but a Westgate Resort, if you do get tricked into one of their free gift for listening presentation, just know that it is worse than a shady used car lot!

They will fail to tell you important information, and upsell their lemon like it is the best deal ever. It isnt.

Complete scam start to finish! Westgate resorts has taken our money for SIXTEEN years for something we never used.

They lied about what we were getting in order to get us to sign contracts that are polar opposite of what they said. Then you call them to return this valuable property and they say no. In fact, they tell you to sell it yourself and they will decide if they would rather buy it once you find a buyer and pay them more money for the privilege!! Westgate
Resorts is all about profit, they dont care who they lie to or what stories they tell.

Since they dont allow you to record the meeting, or even have your phone out they know you cant prove anything.

Then they just keep pointing back to their contract. Save yourself a lifetime of regret and stay somewhere else.

Stay somewhere else, unless you want a lifetime of debt with nothing to show for it. After being held against our will for hours and being told this is an investment and would be easy to to sell as a high demand elite property, we we fell for the lies.

If you do actually get to vacation at the property you supposedly own, you will find it is not the unit you were initially shown.

They are always

broken, dirty units-being an owner and paying thousands of dollars does not get you anywhere

with Westgate Resorts.

If you try to reach out to the corporate office you will get a a politely worded cut and paste

response that basically says, "sorry you believed the lies and didn't have an attorney with you on vacation, but the contract stands." There is no way to sell this, because no one wants to own a Westgate timeshare and everyone is S desperate to get out from under the financial burden. Do

yourself a favor and stay somewhere where the sales reps are honest, or there aren't any sales dreps at all-in the long run, you will be glad you did!

We vacationed here in March 2023 and it is the biggest regret of our lives! We were held for an entire day in a sales meeting.

When we finally signed out of pure exhaustion and to salvage some type of vacation, we made a deal with the devil. We were lied to over and over by the sales representative, Jonathan Manfrinato. He told us this was an investment property and that we could rent it out, lie. He told us we could use this timeshare anywhere in the world, when we wanted, lie.

He told us that when we no longer found ownership a benefit, Westgate Resorts would buy it back, lie. When we reached out to the company to return this property we found out the extent of the lies and that Westgate supports this as a "sales-driven company." Do yourselves a favor, save a lifetime of debt because you believed the lies. If they say the meeting is for 90 minutes, set a timer and get up and walk out. They will send other people to talk to you, but just keep walking.

Also, we found out too late, but everyone should know-Florida has a safety net to get out of a contract like this.

Find the closest post office, because you will have to send the retraction by certified mail. No one at Westgate Resorts will give this information to you until it is too late.

Highly recommend you find different vacation accommodations. After paying for their sales pitch, when you discover it definitely is too good to be true, they will ruin you financially!

If you try to use your purchased vacation they will make you go to another meeting where they insult

you if you say no. Our location wasnt available, so we ended up at a different spot and the room was in horrible condition. We found out we had no owner perks and had to pay to go to the pool in FLORIDA. Then they wont even do what is right and buy the valuable property back, like we were told by the sales representative.

Staying at a Westgate Resort will cause you to miss at

least a day of your vacation for their high-pressure lies that they call a sales presentation. Then you will find yourself trapped in a lifetime of bills and misery.

Three years ago we were trapped by a Westgate Smoky Mountain sales presentation. These sales presentations are more like hostage situations!

The sales representatives wont let you go until you sign, every time you say no-they send someone else. We know now that this is intended to confuse the customers. It becomes hard to remember who said what. Since Westgate Resorts has the upper hand, the sales representatives will just lie and lie.

No one can PROVE what was said to them, so Westgates sales representatives are free to lie and the company falls back on the signed contract as the only proof. Never mind that you can find thousands of reports online that other customers were told the same lies as us.

Westgate Smoky Mountain is NOT an investment, it does NOT increase in value.

The representatives will NOT help you rent or sell your timeshare. Westgate Resorts are NOT a cheaper way to vacation, you can NOT vacation anywhere, anytime.