Westgate Resorts レビュー 677

Deceptive Practices and High-Pressure Sales at Westgate Resorts

Westgate Resorts misled my family and me with false promises of free meals, accommodations, and discounts to lure us into a sales presentation. Instead, we were subjected to over seven hours of relentless pressure to buy a timeshare we clearly didn’t want. The representatives used manipulative tactics, including withholding the contract, changing terms, and claiming the offer was “once-in-a-lifetime.”

After signing under extreme duress, we discovered the benefits they promised—such as lifetime discounts—were entirely fabricated. The true costs are astronomical, with no value in return.

This was a classic example of timeshare fraud, and I wouldn’t recommend Westgate Resorts to anyone. Be cautious, ask for written terms upfront, and don’t let them pressure you into making a hasty decision.

The pitch is all a lie. Don’t be fooled by the cruise and travel offer. I extremely hate I wasted my time and money. I really wish they stop this scam.

We went for the Westgate time share presentation when we told them we didn't want to purchase one the representative called me cheap when I verbally responded to his rude comment two of the representatives escorted us to the door

Mi esposa, Maribel Sandoval, y yo, José Pimentel, visitamos Las Vegas el 3 de julio de 2024 para unas breves vacaciones después de nuestra boda el 1 de julio de 2024. El 4 de julio, fuimos abordados por un representante de Westgate que nos invitó a una presentación, prometiendo un recorrido por las instalaciones, comidas de cortesía y un posible regalo de una futura estadía si asistíamos a una corta presentación. Lo que se presentó como una sesión informativa de 90 minutos se convirtió en una agotadora presentación de ventas de 7 horas bajo alta presión. Al registrarnos, nos quitaron nuestros documentos de identificación. Cuando intentamos irnos después de la hora prometida, se nos dijo que la presentación no había terminado, reteniéndonos efectivamente durante siete horas. Se siente peligrosamente cercana a una detención ilegal. Fuimos sometidos a tácticas manipuladoras, información engañosa y persuasión implacable por parte de múltiples representantes de ventas, incluidos una llamada Gaby y un supervisor llamado Eric. Estuvimos presionados, eventualmente agotándonos hasta el punto en que nos sentimos obligados a firmar solo para terminar con la agotadora reunión. Todos los documentos estaban en inglés, un idioma en el que no somos fluentes. No se nos explicó adecuadamente critica información financiera del contrato. No se nos informó que los cargos financieros efectivamente duplicarían la cantidad adeudada. No se nos informó que podíamos cancelar el contrato durante los primeros 5 días después de firmar el contrato. No se nos explicó los documentos del contrato y no mencionaron que el interés seria 18.99%. Creemos que las prácticas de venta empleadas por su personal son poco éticas y potencialmente ilegales. Intentamos cancelar el contrato tan pronto como nos dimos cuenta de todas las mentiras.

My husband & i attempted to attend a timeshare pitch and in appreciation was to receive a $75 credit card and a 3-7 day cruise. After waiting over an hour from our scheduled appointment and complaining a lady came out and said that we can get our gifts without listening to the pitch, There were no apologies for a time/gas wasted. The 3-7 day cruise was a hoax!
We were told we would only be out of pocket for a day port charge, where in fact, just to apply was $95 and then several hundred (up to $800 pp per day). Please don't waste your time in hopes of getting these incentives!

Cuidado con ellos, son una estafa silenciosa. Usé el programa de referidos para hacer una reserva y antes de iniciar mis vacaciones me indicaron que obligatoriamente debía darles fotocopias de mis tarjetas de crédito y débito y mi ID cuando asistiera a la famosa charla obligatoria. como me negué a dar copias de mis tarjetas, me dijeron que me pasarían una multa superior al valor que pagué por la estadía. Intenté cancelar la reserva el mismo día que la realicé y los días posteriores pero siempre inventaron problemas absurdos y no me realizaron la cancelación ni la devolución del dinero (solo por no querer darles las fotocopias de mis tarjetas).
Ni siquiera intenten nada con ellos, te piden absolutamente toda tu información muy personal, bancaria (por teléfono) y además te obligan a entregarla por escrito para ellos quedarse con ella. (Y adicional a todo no devuelven el dinero)

Smh.. cons, scam, as majority of time shares. Pitch all nice until not interested then high pressure, some manager wanna be gets on trying to get the kill sale on a way over price setup! Make it hard for your family to leave trying to kill sale you into a scam!
Avoid any and all these places even if getting free stuff, tickets or whatever! It's a racket.

I am writing this review for Westgate to express our disappointment with the deceptive sales tactics, misinformation, and extremely high pressure that we were subjected to by their sales reps. They took advantage of us and as retirees in our 70s, we simply cannot manage to keep up with the rising cost of the maintenance fees.



This all started when we agreed to attend a 1-hour presentation that ended up with us being stuck in a room with salesmen for over two hours! After declining several offers, they continued to pour on the pressure and wouldn’t take NO for an answer.



They claimed that this was a lucrative investment in real estate due to the resort’s proximity to Disney World. He said that the value of the timeshare will increase over time and that it would be highly marketable to resell or to rent out. That was a lie. They wouldn’t give us time to think things over. Instead, we were told that we needed to make an immediate decision or no deal.



After we had paid off our Westgate Orlando mortgage we traveled to Gatlinburg, TN for vacation. Upon our arrival we were encouraged to attend another sales presentation where, after significant coercion, we ended up purchasing another three-bedroom unit. This presentation was also full of pressure and false claims.



In addition to the falsified claims, there is also an element of cost that was never properly disclosed to us. We were not told about the maintenance fees that we were responsible for. We also were never told that this contract would last in perpetuity and would transfer to our heirs. Had we known these two details then we never would have agreed to purchase anything!



We were told that our timeshare would appreciate in value and could be sold for a profit. If it weren’t for the lies and misrepresentations from their sales reps, we wouldn’t be in this situation. To anyone reading this, let this be a warning to stay away from Westgate, they do not have your best interest in mind.

Our experience with Westgate Resorts has been nothing short of a financial and emotional nightmare. From the moment we stepped into their Branson location, we were subjected to manipulative tactics that should be illegal. They literally held our driver's licenses hostage to force us through a grueling "one-hour" presentation that dragged on for over two hours.

The salespeople are masters of psychological manipulation, deliberately trying to create tension between spouses and preying on emotions to close deals. They dangle "special offers" like bait, pushing half-timeshares that magically become available when you express budget concerns. The promises they make are pure fiction – priority booking? More like priority disappointment. Maintenance costs skyrocketed 20% in just two years.

Adding insult to injury, we can't even escape this financial trap until we pay off the loan completely, with no guarantee they'll buy it back. After a year on the market, there hasn't been a single interested buyer. The deception was at their Park City location, where we met "Rick" – a supposed non-salesman who pushed us to upgrade while making outrageous claims about property values and rental income potential. The reality? We've barely used two weeks of travel, making our $9,000 investment feel like highway robbery. Their promises of rental assistance vanished into thin air, and no one at Westgate seems to know anything about the services they supposedly offer.

Save yourself the headache and stay far away from Westgate Resorts – unless you enjoy being misled, manipulated, and milked for every penny while getting nothing in return.

To say that Westgate Resorts are unprofessional, unethical con artists, would be kind. Their stories are constantly changing but always end their pitch with the ONLY TIME you will get this opportunity is right now!

Our experiences with Westgate Resorts started with an offering for a gift card to listen to an offer for Westgate’s Vacation Club. We were informed that we would have the same travel and vacation benefits as Westgate owners. We were told that if we left prior to us making a final decision, Westgate Resorts would never present any offers to us.

On another visit a young man then started explaining how people rent out their properties, purchase additional weeks and that the properties are deeded, so we own the units for a part of the year and can pass these on to our heirs. The supervisor came back and informed us that the Vacation Club was slated to be done away with, but the good news was that all the money we had paid to Westgate Resorts to date would be used as part of the down payment. My wife Kim even purchased an additional real estate license through Westgate which entitled her to rent out our units in the state of Florida.

Now, my wife is battling a horrible disease, and we are buried in ongoing deed associated complaints with the lies that were feed to us by Westgate employees. The people at Westgate Resorts were not sympathetic to my wife’s medical issues, nor were they willing to discuss or help us with our attempts to rent out the timeshares, the whole premise under which these units were all sold to us. The only communication from them is past due statements and threats.

My wife and I booked a weeklong stay at Westgate in Florida, and they invited us to attend a breakfast presentation where someone talked about us potentially purchasing property. This was the beginning of our unfortunate relationship with Westgate. Although we were adamant that we could not afford what they were selling the salesman wouldn’t take no for an answer and brought his manager to put more pressure on us to purchase. My wife and I are elderly and everything that was being thrown at us really frustrated us to the point of accepting an offer just to get them to stop and let us be on our way.
We had an incident when we booked another stay with them only to discover that our reservation was actually in Kissimmee Florida. When we finally arrived, our room to our door wouldn’t open. Instead of giving us a different room we had to wait an entire 3 hours before they could fix the door. My wife at the time just had surgery and could not really put strain on it so the door handle not working as it should have been didn’t help my wife’s situation. Westgate doesn’t care for their customers, and they definitely don’t care that their elder customers are subjected to elder abuse and pressured into buying with them. These people have no moral compass and should be avoided. Do not do business with these people.

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

Mis preocupaciones surgen de una serie de eventos que comenzaron el 8 de abril del 2024, cuando se nos acercaron en Universal Studios un representante de Westgate que ofreció lo que describió como una presentación con desayuno y una bonificación de $100 por atender una de sus presentaciones. La verdadera naturaleza de esta presentación como venta de tiempo compartido no fue revelada hasta que fuimos transportados a sus instalaciones a la mañana siguiente y se nos exigió proporcionar una tarjeta de crédito para participar en ella.

Durante la presentación de ventas, el representante, Siro, nos involucró en un extenso proceso de 2.5 horas. Al proceder con el proceso notarial, se nos instruyó específicamente que no hiciéramos preguntas, a pesar de que toda la documentación estaba en inglés, que no es nuestro idioma principal. Desde la compra, hemos encontrado numerosos problemas que contradicen las representaciones hechas durante la presentación de ventas. Información crítica sobre las cuotas de mantenimiento vitalicias y las obligaciones de deuda heredables no fueron expuestas durante el proceso de venta. La combinación de tácticas de venta bajo presión, tergiversación del producto, barreras del idioma y falta de divulgación de términos materiales nos ha causado un estrés significativo, manifestándose en angustia emocional, alteración del sueño, problemas de desempeño laboral y dificultades financieras. Este contrato se realizó bajo falsos pretextos y sin la divulgación completa de términos materiales.

Por estas razones y muchas más, le advertimos a quien quiera desenvolverse con esta compañía que se abstengan de esto y más bien corran en el sentido contrario, se van a arrepentir si le abren la puerta a una compañía codiciosa y sucia como esta.

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.

En nuestra experiencia
con Westgate aceptamos una
oferta que no queríamos aceptar en primer lugar. Westgate se aprovechó
deliberadamente de nosotros porque nos puso en una mala situación cuando aceptamos entradas gratuitas para los parques de Disney a cambio de asistir a una presentación de ventas. No pensamos en ello y asistimos solo para que nos amenazaran con una multa de
$300 por no ser considerados pareja (para calificar para su presentación debíamos ser una pareja “calificada”). Por presión y
cansancio aceptamos su oferta de compra y venta. Nos enfrentamos a múltiples problemas, como la imposibilidad de utilizar las
semanas de escapes prometidas y las restricciones en el uso de los billetes gratuitos del resort. Vale
la pena mencionar que debido
a una enfermedad reciente de un familiar cercano, se nos ha hecho imposible continuar realizando los pagos de su membresía. Silvia DiMarco se
aprovechó de nuestra posición vulnerable y ahora estamos atrapados en algo que no queríamos en primer lugar. No acepte obsequios de Westgate,
es todo una estafa para llevarlo a sus puertas y poder presionarlo
para que compre una membresía que resultará costosa. No vale la pena y al final, literalmente, estás pagando de más por el llamado obsequio. Esta gente es una mafia corporative legalizada quien
sabe por quien.
Pero nada más.

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.