Westgate Resorts Reviews 

I was scammed into a timeshare that I paid cash for almost 10 years ago and I have never used it once. I've tried to sell it back to them as low as half the price that I paid for it and they won't take it back. You can never get the dates that you want, this business is a scam. Stay away!!!!!!!!!!

I am writing this review because of the misleading and coercive tactics used by Westgate Sales reps. They got us to sign a contract under false pretense, had they been honest with us, we wouldn’t be in this situation, and I wouldn’t be leaving this negative review.

To start, they held us hostage by taking our ID’s when we checked in at the presentation. Our 1.5 hour presentation stretched out to 5.5 hours dealing with high pressure sales from multiple sales people. The presentation was filled with misrepresentations and falsehoods. During an owner meeting with my mother, who owns shares with Westgate, we were presented with three options. One option was to sell her shares to me at a supposedly reduced value. However, upon careful review at home, it became clear that we were misled about the true cost and financial implications of this purchase.

The sales presentation failed to disclose crucial information such as the actual percentage rate, which is significantly higher than implied and beyond our ability to pay. They failed to mention that maintenance fees increase annually and the potential burden on our children should we pass away.

We are both retired postal carriers living on a fixed income. We are unable to keep up with the payments, which are far more substantial than we were led to believe. We were told that owning a Westgate timeshare would provide significant benefits. In reality, it has only resulted in costly payments and undue stress.

Given these circumstances, we assert that the contract was entered into under false pretenses, misrepresentation, and coercive conditions. We would never have agreed to this purchase had we been provided with accurate and complete information, given adequate time to review the contract, and not been subjected to high-pressure sales tactics. We were completely taken advantage of.

We hope Westgate does the right thing and terminates our contract and release from all future financial obligations related to this

I am writing this review due to the myriad of misrepresentations along with the overwhelming pressure we faced from Westgate salespeople. We were promised benefits that have not materialized, reassurances that turned out to be false, and subjected to relentless tactics that left us feeling taken advantage of.

This all started when we attended a 90-minute sales presentation that turned into over 2 and a half hours. When we showed up for the meeting, we were asked to wait in the lobby while they sized us up and sent over someone they thought we’d relate to.

Someone took us to what they called “breakfast,” which turned out to be prepackaged snacks. From there, we were led to a model room they used to entice potential buyers. It was, of course, stunning, and he went on to explain all the perks of ownership. He claimed we’d have access to rooms whenever we wanted, always stay in upgraded suites, and have the first pick of the best options. He even suggested we could use it as an investment property, earning income by renting it out, and that it could be resold at a higher value. He also pitched the umbrella company, saying we’d get access to fantastic getaway deals beyond our paid-for weeks—but every time we tried to use these deals, there was always a catch: a larger package to buy or a waiting period before we could qualify. It was never as simple as it seemed.

Even after we repeatedly expressed our inability to commit, they continued to sweeten the offer with perks like two free weeks, lower interest rates, additional getaway options, room upgrades, discounts for nearby attractions, and more.

Their constant pressure eventually got to us and we caved. They claimed they never provided such deals to anyone else and assured us they would be right there to ensure we wouldn’t have to pay even close to the original amount. The entire process felt rushed and was steeped in high-pressure tactics. Had they been honest about things, we wouldn’t be in this situation.

I am leaving this review because of the misleading tactics and lack of transparency we encountered from Westgate. The entire experience was riddled with deception, from the bait-and-switch approach of promoting a Super Bowl viewing that turned out to be a mere ruse to get us into a sales presentation, to the shocking revelation of hidden fees and obligations that would burden our children for generations. Now we are trapped in a financial commitment that we were never fully informed about, and we will not allow our family to inherit this unjust burden.

This all started on a trip to Las Vegas to see Kelly Clarkson. It was also Super Bowl weekend. Upon our arrival at the Westgate hotel, a young man approached us, saying, “You both seem like football enthusiasts; come with me.” He led us to a desk where a woman was waiting. He informed her, “Let’s set these football fans up to enjoy the Super Bowl.” She then started asking about our stay and mentioned that we would be treated to breakfast and a show of our choice. She instructed us to come for breakfast the following morning, where we would have a 60-minute presentation before receiving our “gifts.”

The 60-minute presentation turned into a 5-hour ordeal where we felt trapped as we declined various packages they offered. Ultimately, in a bid to escape and catch the Super Bowl, which had already begun, we reluctantly agreed to a more affordable Florida package. We were assured this package would appreciate in value and be easy to sell due to its location near Disney. Additionally, we were told we were not just investing in our future, but also in the futures of our children and grandchildren, as it was framed as a fantastic investment opportunity.

In the end, they lured us in with a fake Superbowl offer. We found ourselves squeezed into a corner of a room where the game was being shown. During halftime, we decided to watch the game from the comfort of our hotel room, which was far more accommodating and enjoyable.

I called Westgate today to schedule a Bank Week at one of its resorts. After providing credit card information, $169.00 for the cost of booking I was as to pay my 2025 maintenance. I informed the representative that the maintenance was not due until January 2025. At which time she informed me that she could not hornor my request to use my banked week until I paid the 2025 maintenance fee. I have decided to retain a lawyer to get out of my timeshare.

Normally l like to end with the good, but in this case there's not much, so let's start with The Good...
My wife and I stayed at WestGate resorts in Gatlinburg between Oct 26 - Oct 30 and the Smoky It's did not disappoint. It was beautiful, Cades Cove was spectacular. Oh, WestGate. The room was nice size, full kitchen, balcony. The views from the top of the property was excellent. We didn't eat at there restaurant but the food smelled good. They did have a free shuttle to take you into Gatlinburg, the wait was a bit long thou.
The Bad...
The reservation said the room had a DVD player, it did not. Just a hole in the wall under the T.V. we had to call maintenance because the refrigerator sounded like a bad engine trying to start. It never got fixed. All the air conditioning and heating units were right outside our bedroom windows. The hot tub at the top of the property was hot, but no jets. So it was a bit like taking a bath. There bar at the same location, which was open closed without notice for the rest of the season. Very disappointing. And now for...The Ugly...
On day two around sunset my wife and I were walking down the road on the way to the resorts market. We crossed the road in front of the security booth and a 10 seat golf cart stop sideways in the road. I noticed the the guy driving was looking over his shoulder. When my wife and I passed in front the dummy stepped on the gas a hit me in the leg. I slammed my hands on the front of the cart and he stopped. His response was "my bad". Which did not sit well with me and then his next comment was most people use the crosswalk, a simple apologie would have taken care of everything. But he felt after hitting me, a "my bad" was a sufficient apology. I went into the lodge, and stepped up to the front desk looking for a manager. His name was David. His response was "we can't make him apologize". and I'm busy" he then commented "you need to go back to the security booth and file a report, and locate his name". He wouldn't do it and would not send anyone down with me. Basically no apology from David as well and I had to do his job. The security booth pulled the video footage found his name and saw the same thing I was reporting. I was told I should hear back with in 24-48 hrs. This never happened. 3 days later we left for home with a piece of paper with the report number and 4 names to call. I called one name "Keith S" no return call. I called and did speak with Waldemar Cantero. Both in the Department of Safety and Security. His response was just as bad. No apology, they cant make the driver apologize and said they will make the guy driving the golf cart take another course in driving after all the double talk Waldemer ended by saying they have done all they will and can do. Westgate should be ashamed of themselves. Lack of effort, and rude. Westgate Resorts is a joke at best, an un safe place to stay. There a so many other choices to stay from 4 start hotels to cabins, b&b, camping. Do yourself a favor and stay away from Westgate. It's not worth it.
Update:
This is to follow up up the first review RE: Westgate properties in Gatlinburg. Customer Care reached out and asked us to respond and leave our email and or our phone number. On the same day my wife and I responded back with the information they requested. It's now going on a week later and NO response from Customer Care. I'm telling you, the whole thing (Westgate) from top to bottom is at best a joke. They talk a big game but they really don't care about you, the guest. As proff of there lack of concern and follow thru. Our advice... stay away. There are many other really nice places to stay in the Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge area.

Absolutely terrible experience with this company. They promise you things for attending their time share presentation and then don't deliver when you attend. Biggest waste of time and complete scam. We didn't stay our full vacation at this location because it just wasn't enjoyable after learning everything they promised was a lie. We bailed and went to another hotel because it was never about the money, but the deceptive tactics they use. Stay far away from this one.

My wife and I are retirees who have been lied to by Westgate salespeople from the very beginning. We were checking in for a vacation at a Westgate Resort in Florida. Before arriving, we were promised that the meeting wouldn’t require us to make any additional purchases which we confirmed on the phone call with their associate. When we checked in and attended the meeting, we were given fruit and small Danishes which we thought would hold us over through a promised 90-minute meeting. The meeting dragged on much longer than expected and my wife started to get back pain. When I tried letting the salespeople know they didn’t seem to care much. They pressured us into staying and told us repeatedly that if we didn’t buy, we would be making a huge mistake. Everything had become so overwhelming, so we just purchased it so we can get out of there and have my wife rest her back. These people are savages and don’t care if you are comfortable or not. I wrote to the President and CEO Mr. David Siegel, and I am hoping to get a response to cancel our membership. If they don’t want to let us out, I will look for an attorney to help us. We are elderly folks who feel that we were targeted. Do not waste your time with these people and be careful or you will certainly lose a substantial amount of money.

I booked a trip with Westgate Resort & Spa in Orlando for November 6-10, 2024. On October 26th and 29th, I received voicemails asking me to call back to confirm my package. On October 30th, I returned the call to 800-218-4363 and was informed I had been upgraded to a VIP package, which included a $500 cruise bonus, 30% off restaurants, 50% off Universal Studios tickets, and two free water park tickets, contingent upon my attendance at a timeshare luncheon.

I attended the luncheon on November 7th as required. However, when I inquired about the discounted Universal tickets, the staff at the resort claimed they knew nothing about the offer. I then met with a manager, Jeff Dietrich, who had me call the same customer service number from my previous conversation. After verifying that the representative I spoke with was a Westgate employee, I was told that the promotion had sold out. This was in direct contradiction to my earlier conversation, where no mention of availability issues had been made, despite them knowing my arrival date.

Jeff spoke to the representative and promised to pull the recording of my October 30th phone call to verify my claims, and he assured me he would contact me once the recording was retrieved. As of now, I have not heard back from Jeff or Westgate.

I believe this situation constitutes a bait-and-switch tactic, and I am seeking the Universal tickets I was promised, not for the money but because of the deceptive practices involved. I even ended up leaving the resort early and booking a different hotel for the remainder of my stay due to the distress this caused me.

I am writing this review because this purchase was based on deceptive sales and significant omissions that influenced my decision.



I was invited to attend a timeshare presentation in Orlando, which I was assured would only take an hour. Instead, it lasted six hours! During the sales presentation, I was convinced that buying this timeshare was a great investment opportunity. The sales team promised that the property, situated in a prime Orlando location, had significant potential for appreciation. They assured me that I could rent it out on Airbnb, generating substantial income, with projections suggesting nightly rates over $500 and even up to $1,000 during peak seasons like Christmas and July 4th. Their claims were backed by detailed Airbnb listings they showed and their promise to assist with setting up the property for rental. This was all a lie.



To date, this “investment” has cost me $25,000, I have never been able to rent my unit, and I have only taken 1 vacation consisting of 7 nights. Their pitch about the investment aspect was pure fiction as there is no rental market to access. I also learned that I can easily go online and book any Westgate resort I want for FAR LESS than what I am paying to be an owner, disproving their salespeople’s claims that being an owner with Westgate I would have exclusive access to their resorts.



The sales presentation was marked by a lack of transparency and aggressive tactics. The Total Interest Percentage was never disclosed, and the sales team used high-pressure strategies, including creating a false sense of urgency about purchasing the second half of the timeshare due to its increased resale value. Their claims about the investment potential were misleading and overly optimistic, failing to reflect the true financial realities. Furthermore, their salespeople omitted information about the right of rescission, leading me to believe the timeshare was a lucrative investment when, in reality, it has been far from it!

Don't get involved with timeshare, in fact, avoid it at all costs. I am a retired veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and my wife and I were taken advantage of by Westgate Resorts. We were approached by a guy who offered us free tickets to SeaWorld and Aquatica if we were to sit through a presentation. My wife and I thought nothing of it and figured why not, if it was for free tickets. The representative used my serving in the Marine Corps to say that he can offer us a discount because I am a veteran. These people were relentless and could not take no for an answer. Their presentation ended up being a relatively high pressure sales pitch to get us to become members. These people really know how to make it out as if what you are purchasing is of any value. We are spending more money on this worthless timeshare contract when booking a room on their website would be a lot cheaper. After our presentation we get endless calls to upgrade and come back for another presentation. We are consistently declining their offers and wish we never made the mistake of allowing them to pressure us into buying a timeshare. These people are relentless, and I strongly recommend staying away from anyone who is trying to get you to attend their presentations. Save your money and save up for a trip instead. Its less expensive and doesn't really matter if you own a timeshare or not because booking is open to everyone, timeshare owner or not. Just trust me and save your money.

During our vacation in Las Vegas in July 2021, my family and I checked into the Westgate resort in Las Vegas, only to be greeted with a barrage of harassing offers—coupons and free lunches—if we agreed to attend a timeshare presentation. The representative insisted this opportunity was exclusively for married couples, making it clear we wouldn’t be eligible since we were traveling with another couple who weren’t married. However, when we expressed our intention to decline, they quickly backtracked, claiming they could make an exception for my cousin and her partner. It felt like a calculated tactic to lure us in, masking the true nature of what we were stepping into. Unfortunately, over time, the payments and maintenance fees became a significant burden, especially after my cousin chose to back out and stopped contributing her share. Another area where we felt misled was the assurance that maintenance fees would remain stable; instead, they began to rise, and we learned that our children would be left holding the bag for these escalating costs. The mounting confusion, pressure, and misinformation made it increasingly clear that we needed to rid ourselves of this timeshare nightmare. All our interactions with Westgate Resorts salespeople have been marked by deception and misinformation. We were given fabricated time constraints to make a purchase, provided a deceptively affordable quote, and then not provided with crucial financial details at the time of signing. This was presented to us as an investment in real estate, but it is clearly not. We are absolutely fed up with the lies, and we have demanded to be released from this contract immediately. Westgate Resorts are void of all professionalism and ethics in our opinion.

WESTGATE RESORTS
Once upon a time I owned a Timeshare with Westgate Resorts. I attended one of their high pressure sales presentations to get Free tickets to Universal Studios. Several hours later I bought a timeshare unit. A few years later I upgraded to all year booking with no black out dates. The promise they made to me was that I could cancel my ownership at anytime through their Westgate Legacy Program. This was a complete LIE. When I tried to cancel my ownership they refused to accept it and they told me I would be paying them for the rest of my life. That included the purchase price of the property Deed ($32K) and yearly Maintenance Fees of $1400 per year. I WAS HORRIFIED BECAUSE THEY LIED TO ME DURING THE CONTRACT SIGNING (32 Pages). Westgate Resorts do not allow you to cancel your ownership even though they say you can.
Being unable to cancel my ownership as promised by WR, I hired a timeshare cancellation Attorney for $4000.00. I cancelled my ownership through a legal process which is on file in the County Comptrollers Office in Orlando, FL. My property Deed was legally returned to Westgate Resorts releasing me of all legal obligations to WR.
The horror didn’t stop there. Westgate Resorts continued to bill me for the property even though I no longer owned it and they had the Deed back. This went on until it went into collections and was reported to the Credit Bureaus. Despite my proof that I no longer owned the property, Experian refused to remove the negative entry from my credit report. This went on until Collections went into Foreclosure which was also listed on my credit report no thanks to Experian. WR was trying to ruin my life because I found a way to legally cancel my ownership despite their LIES.
Even through all of this, hundreds of owner's filed a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against Westgate Resorts for being lied to, unable to book their weeks, and being unable to cancel their ownership through the WR Legacy Program. Westgate Resorts uses high pressure sales tactics to lure unsuspecting victims into buying a Timeshare with them with FREE PARK TICKETS by lying to them about their rights and options and then refusing to allow them to cancel their ownership even though they boast that their Legacy Programs allows them to do so. LIES LIES LIES!
Staying at the Resorts is nice as a NON-OWNER because then it is just a Hotel. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES BUY A TIMESHARE FROM THEM. YOU WILL REGRET IT AND SOON REALIZE IT'S CHEAPER TO JUST STAY THERE AS A NORMAL NIGHTLY GUEST.
The Legacy Program is a SCAM to calm prospective owners into thinking they can cancel their ownership whenever they want. YOU CAN"T !

We initially got roped into our contract with Westgate Resort after being aggressively approached at the Westgate Resort Hotel in Las Vegas on May 9, 2023. While paying our hotel bill, an employee came up and insisted we attend a presentation for purchasing a timeshare. Despite my clear refusal, and after explaining how I was not in a financial position to purchase anything, this employee would not take no for an answer. It felt like our boundaries were disregarded, as they kept pushing and would not let it go. They only backed off once they dangled a free breakfast in front of us as bait to get us to listen, which we reluctantly accepted. This whole experience has felt like one big fraud. From being aggressively pushed into attending the presentation, to being sold on promises of easy access to properties and a so-called "great investment," none of it has held up. We were made to feel special with offers of free breakfast and airport rides, but once we left, everything changed. We could not get reservations when we wanted, the costs were higher than we were told, and trying to get help from anyone has been a nightmare. They conveniently left out key details, like the maintenance fees and the deadline to cancel the contract. If we had known how hard it would be to use the timeshare or how much of a financial burden it would become, we would have never signed up in the first place. It is clear now that this was never about helping us, it was about making a sale. We have complained to the company; we will see what happens.

I am writing this review to warn others about Westgate. With deceptions and failures, I’ve experienced, it’s clear they misrepresented the value and benefits of their timeshare. The promise of passing the timeshare on to our children without disclosing the inheritance of maintenance fees, coupled with the false assurances that upgrading our unit would increase its value and sale ability, demonstrates a flagrant disregard for honesty and transparency. The constant harassment to purchase additional timeshares, the exorbitant maintenance fees, and the inability to use the timeshare have resulted in nothing but frustration and financial strain. Westgate's portrayal of their timeshare as a prime investment for family vacations has proven to be nothing more than a misleading sales pitch.
When we bought the timeshare, we envisioned using it with our family to create amazing memories. However, we quickly realized we weren’t able to use it the way we were told. Vacation dates were rarely available, with most openings falling during the winter months.
Westgate presented itself as an investment for family vacations and creating joyful memories, but for my wife and I, it hasn’t lived up to that promise. The constant pressure to buy more timeshares, the difficulty in reselling, the financial strain of maintenance fees, and the inability to use the timeshare have made it clear that it’s better to cut our losses and remove this financial burden rather than pass it on to our kids.
When we purchased the timeshare, we were told we could rent it out to help cover this cost, and Westgate would even assist with the process. When we called to inquire about renting it, they informed us that they don’t rent out units or help with the process. It turns out owners are entirely on their own when it comes to renting, with no support or advertising from Westgate. I quickly discovered that renting out a timeshare is far more difficult than they explained during the sales presentation.

We just checked and they gave us a broom closet- not all what we booked. When we called management to speak to them about it, they just tried to ram this room down our throats. Customer service they ain’t. Maybe we should have been rude and pushy about it, but we just left instead. Their management was arrogant, rude, and unhelpful. I despise West Gate properties.

This place is a scam and a waste of money with promises of time share ownership with half off trips come to find out it was a scam with fake promises and monthly fees and yearly tax payments not worth the money

I would give negative stars if that were possible. We were tired when a friend suggested one night at Westgate Branson Woods. The required attendance at a sales pitch played on that cleverly! When we left, we had bought an every other year membership, and immediately after, our work schedule changed.

No longer were we traveling near Branson, and there is NO Westgate near our home. We have had this albatross about 7 years and NEVER used it. We just paid the HOA and pleaded with them to get out of the contract.

NO, they always say, to turn it back to them, we must pay them a few thousand dollars! Worst decision ever to buy something you have no way to be rid of. I will be the anti-Westgate ad forever.
BTW, the latest brochure from Westgate says, "Your voice matters". It's a lie, or Westgate would work with people who want out! Recently I offered to pay $500 to get out of the contract, (all I could scrape together), and they turned me down and sent it to a collection agency.

The lack of communication from Westgate when issues arose was astounding. We had an infestation of biting ants inside the property that was half heartedly and inneffectively dealt with so they remained there. We also had cockroaches. There was no in-lodge info on emergency contact numbers, how the lodge phones worked etc or what to do in a hurricane situation, which would have been really useful as Helene blew into town. Our personal concierge failed to show up for 2 pre arranged appointments so we could get no information from him either. All we got were excuses from the front desk regarding all of these issues and the promises of management reaching out to us, which surprise surprise they never did!! Once they have your money, they really arent interested in their guests, or their wellbeing. I could not recommend Westgate River Ranch to anyone !!

Where to start. This company is the worst hotel & resort company I ever dealt with. They pressure you to buy a timeshare with them, promise you the world. When it comes to deliver on their promises they fall short. Their resorts are disgusting, their customer service is terrible, and they trap you with a contract, high mortgage rates, and lifetime increasing maintenance fees. RUN, don't even give them the time and day.