Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa Reviews

I used a week from another timeshare I own to visit Orlando. Loved the resort so much I bought a 2 bedroom unit during my stay. A lot of recent upgrades and fun activities made it a vacation to remember. Proximity to EVERYTHING Orlando has to offer is excellent!

IT WAS A GREAT WEEK!! Last 4th of July I stayed at the resort. It was fabulous. I was able to sit on the balcony and watch the fire works without having to leave the unit. It was a week to remember.

I do not like this Westgate Lakes Resort,I will sell this 3 bedroom 3 bath lockoff unit for a loss just to get out of here.Once you have owned here and they have your money you are in trouble when you try for a exchange.Terrible management!!!!!!

We have stayed here several times, and the quality seems to be going downhill. The first time we stayed, everything was perfect--beautiful pools, beautiful unit, no problems. Another time we visited, we walked into a dirty unit with a broken couch. Since we arrived so late, we then had to call housekeeping at 10:30 pm, and they inferred that maybe we had really dirtied the unit ourselves--the kitchen floor looked like it hadn't been mopped in a month. We called maintenance when we discovered the couch was broken, and they initially tried to argue that it wasn't broken because it looked okay. After considerable persuasion, they sat on it and sank nearly to the floor. One man conceded something was wrong; the other sat, sunken lopsidedly down to the floor, and said the couch seemed fine to him. They eventually fixed it. On this visit, the grandson gave up on the pools because they weren't being cleaned very well and were so full of bugs that he was disgusted.

Last year, we arrived for a late check-in, and knew something was wrong when another person asked our check-in person, "Why are you putting them in THAT building?" We proceeded with check-in, but could not receive our keycards until we agreed, after a very hard sell, to a 90-minute "owner inventory survey." We also had to put up twenty dollars for it. We then were finally able to progress to our beautiful unit, which was clean--but there was no water pressure, no air conditioning, and the outlets in the bedroom and bathroom didn't work. By this time, it was midnight and we were exhausted, and thought surely the air conditioning wasn't really broken. It was broken, and inside our unit was as hot as outside.

The next morning, we told the rep about it at our "inventory survey." During the meeting, they did secure us a working unit that was very nice, but they tried to hard-pressure us into buying a unit there (we are indeed Westgate owners, but not there), and actually called us crazy and closed-minded and berated us for not buying.

We used to love it there, but we went another way for this year.

We have owned a 4 bed. lockout here for 10 years. Perfect place for the kids during Christmas break. Looked forward to a 5 star vacation every year. Kids grown so we travel here less. But have NO difficulty exchanging the unit.

Resort is very busy this time of year, as is all of Orlando. But, the staff has always handled any situation in a timely manner. ex: lightbulb, extra fry pan, early check-in.

And as for Gators in the Lake...as hard as we have tried to see one...in 10 years it hasn't happened yet. If I must tell a negative, we've had to hunt down a luggage carrier to get luggage up to 5th floor almost everytime.

We have since purchased a southern home so if YOU'RE LOOKING TO BUY A FANTABULOUS holiday vacation, we're selling. 440-823-8228

This place is fab ! Super loaded with amenities a Five Star Resort for good reason! Close proximity to all Orlando attractions. Please contact me for a 3 bedroom / 3 bath Lockout /below market fixed / annual / week 26 / 4th of July, for rent or for sale 2008. 2 full kitchens !

Contact Nancy Thomas 800-256-3219

We are owners of a three bedroom lock-out unit at Westgate Lakes, purchased in 1994. We were recently there from Dec. 23 - Dec 30. 2007. Not long after we checked in and were unpacking, our door opened and there was another guest ready to be checked into the same unit. The biggest surprise was that he was accompanied by a very large dog. I didn't think pets were allowed at Westgate Lakes. This was disappointing.

Also, for the amount of maintenance fees we pay - the sectional couch in our unit was horrendous. You couldn't even sit on it without sinking to the floor. No excuse for this.

Unless you speak fluent Spanish - request for maintenance rarely gets taken care of.

When we bought here - it was a five star resort - but things are going down hill.

We just returned Nov 10, 2007 from a weeks stay at Westgate Lakes. This was our third time at the resort. All previous stays were wonderful experiences and we have never had any problems. There were three couples that stayed in a three-bedroom unit.

Based on a few previous negative comments about the resort, I went this time with the specific objective of observing the staff and seeing how they treat guests and members, looking for things that were not being maintained and the general cleanliness of the facility. I was concerned the resort may not be keeping up to previous standards.

Just like the previous two visits I was not disappointed. We had an excellent vacation and the three bedroom unit was wonderful.

We had a problem with the big screen TV in the main living area. We called maintenance and they were there in less than 30 minutes and resolved the problem. They repair things faster than I do at my own home!

I would avoid the sales pitch if possible. I realize they are in the business to sell timeshares but their sales pitch takes too much time in my opinion.

I am in the process of purchasing a three bedroom unit from an owner who advertised on this web site. It is a lot less expensive buying from an owner than from the resort. The resort must build into their price the marketing costs for all the promotions, give-a-ways and commissions for the sales people.

I look forward to many pleasant returns to Florida and to Westgate Lakes Resort.

Just returned from our vacation at Westgate Resorts. This was an exchange thru II. We had a 3 bedroom unit for 6 adults, 1 child. The unit was very nice and clean, also spacious enough for all of us. You can have a lot of fun here, there are lots of amenities. Front desk friendly and very helpful with our accomodations and honored all our requests. We loved the view of the lake. Everything is very close by. Loved the Publix on Sand Lake Dr and the WalMart. It gets very noisy and crowded on the weekends, they must be offering some kind of special to entice the party crowd.I kept wondering where all the owners of this resort are. We made the big mistake of taking the timeshare tour, enough said .

JUST RETURNED 4-15 THRU 4-22,WE WERE GREETED SHOWN TO ARE CONDO.EVERYONE WAS HELPFUL WITH ANY QUESTIONS. THE AMENITIES WERE FUN, PUTT-PUTT GOLF. PADDLE BOATS,FOOD AND DRINKS ETC, WERE GREAT. ARE 3 BEDROOM CONDO WAS CLEAN AND NO PROBLEMS. GREAT VACATION EXPERIENCE.

Awesome vacation experience!!

We just returned from our vacation (Thanksgiving week). We had a great time. There are many things for kids to do. Make sure you look at daily activities schedule. We planned our week so we were at the resort Saturday and Sunday. They have a DJ and a pool party. Our kids (7 & 4) enjoyed all the activities at the pool party. We had a 3- bedroom unit that was nice. It's not perfect, but it definitely was more than satisfactory. At check-in they had someone come with us to the room to make sure it was clean and satisfactory. We have no complaints regarding cleanliness. I could probably pick out some minor negatives, but we aren't the type to let minor details ruin a vacation. My only major complaint is that everything at the resort was expensive. We rented a DVD for one night ($6), drinks at the pool were around $7. Dinner at the steakhouse was also high. They did have $2 tap beer during the pool party.

There are water activities (fishing and paddle boats), mini-golf, bike rentals, shuffleboard, and a dive-in movie. The kids loved hanging out in the pool while watching a big screen movie.

Check-in took about five minutes and check- out took less than that. Although it was busy, they took extra effort to make sure owners were checked in easily.

We definitely would return here. It's minutes from the parks, airport, and grocery store.

I am owner since 2004. I purchased a 3 bedroom unit week 27. I was never satisfied. I expected it to be a 5 star resort with the price that I am paying now plus the yearly maintenance and taxes. First time to use it was in summer of 2006. Our check in was not a delight at all. 1st 5 mins of our stay in the room, we heard people screaming next door. I have my 2 kids with me who were scared to death and my husband had to call the security and front desk to get us another unit which they did. We ended up getting a unit near the pool which was too noisy especially at night. The room was dirty, carpet was wet and smelly, furniture was very old , the bed was too hard. Not comfortable at all. And the beddings felt like paper, they could at least use cotton sheets not hospital sheets and blankets. Seriously, I work in a hospital and the sheets, blankets and towels they provide were just like the ones we use in the hospital. We can hear the upstairs toilet flushing, and can see water backing up from the tub. The a/c was not working, had to call maintenance in the middle of the night but was not able to fix it till the morning. The staff were not friendly. They always look very busy. There was no wireless internet but they could at least have high speed internet in the rooms. I was disappointed. Good thing we didnt have to spend our time in the resort. we were always out to the parks from morning till night. I will not come back to this resort , though Im an owner. I will take advantage of the benefit to exchange my week in other resorts instead. I am also planning to sell my timeshare.

Stayed her in July of 2006 and found it to be a wonderfull experience. We had one housekeeping issue, but it was tended to immediatly. And we did have to dodge the sales staff, but that was really not that hard. The units are large and open and the furniture in ours was in great condition. We loved the large jacuzzi tub and widescreen TV. There was everything for our children to do and all was withing walking distance. The really loved the live anmimal show at the clubhouse. Not enought green space to pavement, makes the resort seem crowded, but that was pretty much the only drawback. We had a wonderfull view of the lake and a fun time.

I absolutely love this place...........

Stayed for a week in July in one of the provately owned villas. Not bad, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with a nice sitting area overlooking the lake. Complex is nice overall, not on the same caliber as Marriott's GV or CH. Did not have anyone attempt to sell timeshare, though salespeople were out in droves and presentations were escorted by our pool area every 5 minutes.

Again, not bad, but a little too commercial for our taste. Though security was not a concern, it could be more adequate. I joked with my kids that anyone could use the facilities regarding of whether they were staying at Westgate Lakes or not, something that would be a bit harder to pull off in other resorts.

Location was good, pretty close to International, Universal, Sea World. For the money, a good buy. But next time, we'll spring for a bit extra, and stay somewhere nicer.

We usually visit at the beginning of November. I have never seen alligators and am surprised that some reviewers have seen them. Never seen cockroaches either, just lots of little geckos.

The units are spacious and usually very clean. They are not perfect, but to be fair the company works its way round the resort, upgrading furniture as necessary. The huge TV had a much better picture last time we visited so that must have been replaced. After five years' of visits, only one thing went wrong and that was the safe, which was fixed later in the day we reported it. We once complained about noise from building work nearby and were moved straight away.

The view from the balcony was lovely - straight across the lake and you can see the Disney fireworks in the distance.

The pools are quiet in the evening if you like to swim and use the hot tub in peace. Restaurant not too good for vegetarians but ok for everyone else.

Top tip: unless you know you want to buy at this resort, stay away from the reps or an invitation called a 'maintenance report'.

We just returned from another great week at Westgate Lakes. They added minature golf this year that our grandchildren loved. The pool entertainment was lively with games and dancing at some pools and others being quiet and fun. The 3 bedroom unit was clean when we arrived and they had an additional midweek cleaning. No sales people talked to us as we made it clear in the past that we were not interested--you just need to be assertive. Check in was a breeze and our room was ready immediately at 12pm. Cant wait to go again!

We stayed in a studio unit in 2005 during week 23 on a guest exchange. The lobby was busy but the check-in went well and we were driven by golf cart to our unit. The studio unit is part of a larger lock-out unit which looks nice. For our purposes, the studio unit was too small for 2 adults and 2 small children to stay in. It was like staying in a hotel suite.

The unit was clean but we did notice some cockroaches and reported this to the management. They responded promptly to this request and other requests for add'l towels, etc. The Resort has a small General Store and decent pool areas but they were very busy.

Unfortunately, we did get roped into a timeshare presentation. They promise you tickets to a water park or other attraction for attending. It's a high pressure pitch in a large room with hundreds of people. If they ask you, don't do it! You'll regret the 2 hours that you spent and they don't take "no" for an answer.

The Resort is centrally located to Sea World and Universal Studios, which is probably the best part about this place. Disney is further by highway so you can't come back to the unit for lunch without wasting a lot of time.

I have owned my 3 bedroom unit since 1996 and have returned each year since. We have had no problems with the unit itself or with the staff. While check-in may take some time, it does so in all time-share facilities. I can attest to this as I am an owner in several resorts worldwide. Remember that Orlando is a top vacation destination....there will be traffic and lines everywhere. Bugs will always be a part of Florida living. If you are greeted by rudeness with the staff, you need to go to a higher authority (resort manager). Ignore sales calls if you do not want them. Enjoy your vacation!

Not a good stay, dirty, no what I expected. No service, unit very worn, mildew, beds very hard. Gators in the lake, walking on property, children were not allowed outside after our experience. Sales people rude, no help from front desk. service did not exsist. Would never go back. Be careful if booking here, you will be less than happy.

We traded thru II for a 2 bedroom in May. Sales pressure from staff started immediately upon arrival and didn't stop until we were driving out of the parking lot to the airport to come home! They were RELENTLESS!

Unit was very worn and needed refurbishing. Mold in the bathrooms, cigarette burns in the carpeting and on the countertops (NO smoling unit!), ROACHES and ants EVERYWHERE. The dryer in the units made so much racket, we only turned it on as we were leaving.

By the way, staff could have cared less about any of the problems, including the roaches and ants! They refused to move us into a different unit, saying they were full.

VERY SCARY: We were told by several other guests at the property to stay away from the water's edge as they had seen numerous gators in the lake and close to the shoreline. We were NEVER warned by the staff and there were no warning signs.... after just a few hours post check-in, saw 3 gators lurking right in front of our unit and continued to see them the entire week. We usually stay at Marriott's Cypress Harbor but thought we'd try something different.

DO NOT STAY HERE! It's not worth it, on any level. We'll be back at MCH next year!

We took some friends with us over Spring Break in March. They haven't stopped talking about the beautiful rooms and how close we were to so many different attractions. The housekeeping staff was great; they provided more towels for our multiple-family group. Definitely a vacation to remember!

WE REVEIWED THIS RESORT LAST MONTH WHILE ON VACATION...NOT IMPRESSED. THE RESORT ITSELF IS OKAY BUT THE WORKERS ARE VERY RUDE. THE TIMESHARE PRESENTATION WAS SUPPOSE TO BE 90 MINUTES TURNED OUT TO BE 3 HOURS. THEY PUT MANY PEOPLE IN ONE ROOM LIKE A HEARD OF CATTLE (FIRE HAZZARD) AND MAKE YOU WAIT FOREVER. THE SALES PEOPLE ARE OKAY UNTIL YOU SAY YOUR NOT INTERESTED, THEN THEY BECOME VERY RUDE. WE FINALLY SPOKE TO A "MANAGER" AFTER BEING THERE FOR THREE HOURS AND TOLD HIM WE FULFILLED OUR PART OF THE CONTRACT BUT THEY HADN'T FULFILLED THERES. THEY HAD KEPT US THERE WAY OVER THE TIME IN THE CONTRACT AND I WANTED COMPENSATION FOR MY TIME...HE SHRUGGED ME OFF AND BY THEN I JUST WANTED TO GET OUT OF THERE. I TOLD THEM I WOULD NEVER STAY OR OWN THERE EVEN IF THEY GAVE IT TO ME FOR FREE. I WOULD NEVER STAY AT A WESTGATE RESORT. I 'VE HAD ONE OTHER EXPERIENCE WITH ONE OF THEIR PROPERTIES AND IT WAS NOT A GOOD ONE...THIS COMPANY IS HORRIBLE!

In response to renondad : high speed internet is not offered nor advertised at Westgate Lakes. We really enjoyed our stay at Westgate lakes and purchased a unit that we have either used or traded for other locations without a problem.

We stayed at Westgate June 15 2005-June 20, 2005 and we did not have a good experience. We rented the one bedroom studio and the carpet was worn, the shower ceramic tile did not look clean and the bed felt as if we were sleeping on a board. They did not have high speed internet. If you wanted to get on to the internet they charge you by the hour at their welcome center. Also, I did not have a chance to speak with any of the employees. No one called and welcomed us. We did not even know how to find the fitness center. Because we were not members we had to pay $5 to workout at the fitnesss center.

We love Westgate Lakes also!!! Beautiful grounds and very friendly staff! Not a better resort out there!! We've owned there since 1997.

We stayed there February 19-26. Building 1300 is great because we faced the lake. A pool was nearby which we used daily. Another amenity we heavily used was the whirlpool. We also availed ourselves of the tennis courts and marina, which were a short walk away. We enjoyed playing shuffleboard. Finally, I recommend a paddleboat ride on the lake. We also got to see the Disney fireworks at night.

If you want to avail yourself of the spa services, reserve ahead as they book up very fast. My husband had brought his laptop and found a local number to hook-up to the internet. He incurred no additional phone charges.

We stocked up on food at the Publix supermarket which is less than 2 miles away. The children enjoyed visiting Wet and Wild and Ripley's Believe it or not.

Housekeeping brought us more than enough clean towels, fresh soap, and linens.

Stayed there during the Thanksgiving holiday and stayed in a studio unit. Could not control the tempurature it was freezing. Not enough utensils and could not clean the dishes easily. IT TOOK FOREVER FOR THE HOT WATER TO COME OUT! The staff did not enform us of anything that the facility had to offer so we had to fend for ourselves. Housekeeping was great! And the grounds are kept up very well.

I am writing this at the airport after leaving Westgate Lakes Resort. I am rating this one right in the middle, a solid "3".

We had a 1 bedroom unit on the first floor backing to a pool. Overall the unit was in average condition but the bed was horrible. Also, as has been indicated before, there were enough noises from the walls to disturb us. Every time a door closed we heard it and there was a lot of noise from the pool at all hours. Maid service tended to check in on us between 7:30 and 8:00, which I consider too early.

The main restraunt was just passable but the deli was very good and the spa was certainly worth visiting. However, we were sitting in the seating area outside the deli and there was a LOT of sales traffic.

To cap things off, our final night we returned to the room to find a $5.00 charge for the Westgate Foundation. When I called to find out about this charge, I was informed that it is a charitable fund and that I could have the charge removed at the front desk on checkout. This prohibited us from using their "quick checkout" option and so we had to stand in line again to checkout. Completely unacceptable!!!

Not the place for peace and quiet but not a bad family vacation site...hence my "3 star" rating.

I own week 11 which is from March 14th through the 21st which is spring break week. But can be used other weeks except summer months and holidays. Everyone looks for those weeks to rent. My problem is, if everyone states this resort is so great, then how come I have posted a listing for only $450 for the studio for the week, with no one interest in renting? The only reason I come up with is that others are staying as guests and not paying for their stay there, or they have come on a "free presentation visit"which gives them 4 days 3 nights for less than $200 plus your own airfare. So many all these "positive ratings" may be because they only paid $129 to stay for 4 days, but at the same time went through a grueling sales presentation. Look at my listing R5398 and see for yourself that it is the cheapest. The entire 3 bdr 3 bath unit is available for sale also, for only $12,000 plus maintenance and taxes for 2005 which have been paid already. Westgate charges about $5000 or more for same unit, and I have not even gotten one interested party. I am not very happy about the fact that renting, and not even the thought of selling, cannot even be achieved. Something in wrong with this picture. My deal on both rental and sale are fair and below market listings, and no bites!

Arrived and searched for a parking place outside the club house where you register. Almost all parking places were taken. Once I walked inside I waited in line over 1 hour before I finally got to the reservation desk. This place was packed. I am not sure if they had some promotion going on to try to sell timeshares with nights free or a discount, or if this is usual, taking into consideration the large amount of units this resorts has. Once I received my room a member of the staff was called and he introduced himself and told me that he would be taking us over to our unit and to follow him and he would show us our room. This was a first for me, at other resorts they verbally give me directions or a map. We were escorted to our unit, and he opened it up and began to tell us about the room and the many amenities available. He gave us his card and told us that they would be having a free breakfast for their guest and if we would like to attend. We gave him a date and time we could go. He then gave us his card and told us if there was anything we needed to please give him a call anytime. He said even call him at home. With this much personalized service I wouldn't of minded waiting 2 hours. I was actually beginning to think they had me mixed up with some VIP or something. He then left and I started to look around.

We had a 2 bedroom unit on the ground floor. It did not have a lake view but the balcony did have a swimming pool view. The rooms were big and very clean. A large leather couch where you can relax and watch a movie on the large screen TV. The master bedroom had a king bed, and to the left was a large whirlpool tub. The unit was very clean.

After a trip to Disney we returned and there was a block party across the street from our unit, in a parking lot. Trying to find a parking place around our unit was hard. We had to park down the street. Groups of people were everywhere, walking in the streets, in the block party's parking lot, and around the units. Looked like fun so we went in our unit and freshened up a spell and joined in, but then the expected happened, it rained. They have many activities for the family (all ages) layed out each day that you can participate in.

The stay there was excellent and I wouldn't mind going back when I go to Orlando, but I would pass on the breakfast since this was really a timeshare presentation and the salesman didn't like the word "No" and didn't really want to hear about being able to buy a unit on some websites for a fraction of what they charge. The staff themselves were professional and friendly through my stay.

This resort is extremely beautiful and centrally located among the major amusement parks. I would recommend it to anyone that is tired of typical hotel units with little or no amenities.

We are British owners at the resort and purchased in 2000. We have now spent a fortnight there every year. We looked at many other timeshare resorts in Orlando and choose Westgate Lakes because of four reasons, the location which is ideal - the excellent facilities, the wonderful views of the lake and and most importantly for us the fact that we could buy one week and actually get two weeks holiday from it. (this meant buying a 3 bedroomed and exchanging each year for a 1 bed for the first week and a 2 bed for the second week) Coming from the UK it would be a long way to travel for just one week's holiday.

We have never regretted our decision to buy at Westgate but did have a problem at our most recent visit.

We originally purchased a 3 bed, alternative year apartment overlooking the lake. When we paid our first visit in 2001 we decided to buy the "inbetween" year as well so that we could visit every year. We were sold an apartment which did not overlook the lake but were assured by the sales guy that this was no problem as all we needed to do was to request a lake view when we contacted Westgate to reserve our 2 weeks. This worked fine in 2002. However when we visited in December 2003 we did not get a lake view, and when we questioned this at reception the reception staff were extremely rude to us- something we had never come across at the Lakes before. We were later told that "the rules had been changed and if the apartment you had bought did not have a lake view then you didn't get a lake view when you exchanged" . No one had told us about this new rule.

We had been planning to upgrade to a 4 bedroomed and because of the rudeness of the reception staff nearly changed our minds. However because we love the resort we did upgrade, made sure we got an apartment with a lake view and hopefully will have no more problems. Incidentally we got a lake view for our second week- after we had purchased the 4 bedroomed!

What a wonderful location!! In addition, what a wonderful pool area, by building # 900. You don't have to even leave the resort!! The kids will swim themselves happy!! Lots of organized kids activites.

The units have everything that you may need. full kitchen, washer and dryer!! WOW!! I can't rave enough about this resort!! I've stayed here about 4 times over the last 6 years and will again. You won't be disappointed!!

Cleanliness, facilities, and amenities abound. We used this for my sons honeymoon and they were treated excellently.

Everything was taken care of within minutes of notifying the resort. This was from needing towels at 11pm to getting Disney tickets. We used the shopping nearby and both thempark groups.

The maintenance meeting at the end was a sales upgrade pitch with no pressure from the resort. We ended up getting a discount above owners discount for the spa.

I will stay again and will recommend this resort again and again. I now have a 3-BR LO and couldn't be happier.

I have owned a 3/3 lockoff (sleeps 8-12) since 1999. I couldn't be happier with the resort or the trade out with Interval International.

The location for traveling in Florida is excellent. Easy access to the theme parks, beaches (east & west), the airports and most anything you might want to do while sightseeing in FL.

I have had my parents (65+) stay with us in the studio as well as many friends throughout the years. EVERYONE has commented on how fabulous the units are (and I have some very, very picky friends.)

The studios are amble for a couple or a couple with children, featuring a king bed + queen sleeper. Also has mini-fridge, microwave, dishes for 4, breakfast bar, whirlpool tub, and private screened in patio.

The 2 bedroom units have a "great room" which combines kitchen with breakfast bar, closet laundry with full washer & dryer, dining room seating for 6+, wet bar, leather sectionals, opening out to a screened in porch.

Master bedroom has desk area, LARGE whirlpool tub, access to porch. 2nd Bedroom has pocket doors to full bath & 2 double beds.

TVs in every room, swimming pools at almost every building (my unit has 6 within a block).

All the buildings have elevator access, our unit happens to be on the 5th floor with a great lake view.

The resort has onsite full service restaurant, Pizza Hut, Papillion Spa, etc.

We have banked and exchanged out our unit (can be one big unit or studio + 2 bedroom) and also enjoy the Getaways offered through Interval International which units are offered to rent without exchange for a fraction of the retail "street" price.

I can't say enough about Westgate. We weren't pressured into buying.

In fact, I stayed there for work-related business, booking via the Internet and was so PLEASANTLY surprised at the resort - WE ASKED THEM ABOUT BUYING! When I reserved the condo, I didn't even know it was a timeshare.

I considered putting our unit up for sale since my kids are college age now, but with the trade-out value and the Getaway deals, we are at a clear advantage to keep it.

Btw, I happen to be in the real estate business and used to develop property and build houses, therefore I am not too easily impressed or swayed.

Westgate Lakes impressed me!

Excellent resort with all amenities & very good service

Beautiful resort and accomodations. Best vacation we have had in our lives. Excellent service. Excelent location. It took us 5 minutes to drive to Universal.

I found this resort very clean and well maintained with lots of activities. I do not own at this resort but had traded into it. I was very happy about the large villas offered and would definitely stay there again. It it very close to all activities

My family just got back from our vacation at Westgate Lakes. We rented the unit from an individual and were very impressed by the resorts amentities. We have 4 children and finding a hotel to accomodate us without being ontop of each other is difficult.

We rented a 2br/2ba and it was very spacious. Check-in was a breeze. I was a little concerned when I first arrived as there were long lines of people checking in. However, they had ample resources of friendly staff to minimize the wait. I have spent more time checking into a hotel that wasn't crowed than I did at this resort.

We did have to participate in a brief presentation. The Sales rep was very friendly and not real pushy. We did not buy at the time but are considering it in the next year or so (building a new home at this time). We didn't spend much time at the resort as we were on the theme park vacation this year. However, both my husband and I want to revisit for strictly a relaxing resort vacation. There are plenty of activities for all ages and the pools were conveniently located to any unit.

Oh yes, we visited another time share on our way of of town. Just wanted to compare what they had to what we stayed in. There was no comparison!!! Their prices were twice as high as Westgate and their facilities were lacking in many ways.

Very nice resort. I had a studio with a lakeside view. It was on the 1st floor so you could walk out from your patio down to the lake. I wish that the sales people weren't so pushy. Jacuzzi tub button stuck in my unit, though. I had to work to get it unstuck. Other than that, I liked my unit. It was spacious enough for the two of us, although I wouldn't try to squeeze four people into a studio.

A top notch resort!! 1. Location- right next to 1-4 and International Drive- took us 5 minutes to get to Universal Studios!We stayed in my sister-in-law's timeshare and our jaws dropped to the ground when we saw how beautiful and spacious the unit was. The kids have their own room which included their own tv and bathroom. My husband and I had a luxurious bath tub in our room and a big screen tv in the living room. Our sales representative, Jennifer was great and she made us feel right at home. We were so impressed that we bought a 2 bedroom and cant wait to go back next year.

We found this timeshare spectacular!! The rooms were spacious and the staff helpful. The screened in deck was exceptionally nice when we wanted to have cocktails outside without being bothered by the bugs. The jacuzzi tub was by far my favorite. A beautiful roman style tub complete with white pillars. Location of resort is excellent... Extremely easy access to the freeway.

2/23/03 - Date of Visit: Jan/Feb 2003 Resort Owner: Yes We visited Westgate lakes weeks 4 thru 6 in 2003. Our annual family reunion was week 5. We had guests over every week.

As far as unit & kitchen features, the only thing my wife found lacking was a rolling pin. Every unit has a King size bed, TV, tel, VCR and large bathroom with a large shower. The furnishings were either new looking or extremely well kept up. The resort's amenities are typical 5*/GC resort amenities and can been seen at Westgate Resorts homepage under the Westgate Lakes section. Too many to mention but the $2million Papillon health center is worth mentioning individually.

The 1BR (with mini-kitchen)is about 500 sq ft & the 2BR (which has a fully equipped kitchen & washer/dryer)about 1500 sq ft. The 3BR is a combo of the 1BR & 2BR (2000 sq ft)with the 4BR being a combo of two 1BR units & 1 2BR unit (2500 sq ft). We own 4BR/4BA units so you can see why when we have a family reunion being 12 to 16 people is no problem as the 4BR unit adequately & easily sleeps 16.

Our 4BR unit was clean, well furnished and the carpeting in the LR had been removed and replaced with tile (they are planning on doing this to all units). The 4BR units have a cathedral ceiling and end windows which other 2BR units do not have. The bldgs are in a perpetual upgrading system. They were painting all over the place. The maint fees see to that even though MF&Taxes are $694 for 2003.

The staff was friendly and courteous. My only complaint about the staff is more of them could be more proficient in the use of English. Many are Latinos who have a rudementary handle of the English language. They all smile and great you well.

Westgate Lakes' location is EXCELLENT. It is located geographically in the middle of the 3 main theme parks---Disney, Sea World and Universal. From our lanai in bldg 600 we viewed Disney's Magic Kingdom fireworks every night at 7pm. That was a treat for all and a reminder of how centrally located we were to everything.

As in any building ever built we encountered some minor maintenance problems. They were addressed promptly and courteously within an hour of their having been called in. When one considers there are over 20 bldgs 6 stories high with 8 units per floor making the total units there over 900+, responding and fixing maintenance problems in such a complex under 1 hour is short of phenomenal. The only really large maintenance problem we encountered was bldg 600 losing its hot water heater and not having water for 4 hours while it was being replaced.

They have 7 large outdoor heated pools with accompaning kiddie pools and hot tubs. These pools have an outdoor bar for adults and also have bathroom facilities next to the bar. There are kid and adult activities planned daily. There are 2 arcades for kids and adults alike. They hand out a weekly planner for those who wish to avail themselves of the activities. Owners (& their guests) are fed 4 continental breakfasts. It seems everybody there is an owner from the amount of people who show up for breakfast. I did not see them checking too agressively. Owners have a Bar-b-Q every Thurs noon for lunch.

Westgate Lakes is suitable for couples with and/or without kids. Some pool areas tend to be louder than others but I think that is mostly determined by when you are there and who is there at that time. Our weeks 4 & 5 were quieter than week 6 which was the Daytona 500 trials weeks leading into the Daytona 500. We had no trouble finding relaxful pools while my son & grand-son had no trouble finding one which was kid oriented.

Checking in was a breeze as well as the express check out. Delta was our CSR when we checked in. She was so helpful overall we had to buy her a box of truffle chocolates and some Gheradelli chocolate. No charge for local calls for owners. There are several freebies for owners such as use of a 2 wheel bicycle, a large water trike on the lake, 15% discount at the restaurant, etc...

I had guests over all 3 weeks and I also met many owners from other resorts. All concured the Lakes was a really well kept place and secret. My hometown guests had nothing but high praise for this place. I don't know how many times we have been thanked for having them over. They have said time and again how they enjoyed their R&R.

I have read prior reviews of the Lakes and find them to be antiquated. Of the problems mentioned in them I have failed to encounter any of them in our last three years stay there. They are presently finishing bldg 300 which will consist only of 4BR/4BA units. At the writing of this review I was told they were 1/2 sold at a going price of over $50,000 per week. Unbelievable!!!

While in Orlando we visited several other resorts. They were nice but I like where we own. Based on the enjoyment, entertainment, R&R and all we have experienced at Westgate Lakes during weeks 4, 5 & 6 of 2003 we would have to rate it a 9.5 on a scale of 10.

Very spacious rooms. We were amazed with the tub and shower in the master bedroom. HOWEVER, we love people and the people here were not lovable! After it was clear that we weren't ready to purchase a unit, we were made to walk back to our rental (after being driven over in a nice van!). Attitudes did a 180 when they saw they weren't getting anymore money out of us. It's a great property if you don't plan to talk to any of the staff!

the most beautiful experience summer 2001 except the pressure from the salesperson at the presentation. arrived with my family for sales presentation at 7AM and was not "RELEASED OR FREE TO LEAVE" until after 12:30. that dampered my spirit for that day. i was leaving the next morning so the bitter taste did not stay for long. i would like to visit again and spend my vacation at westgate again, without the sale presentation.

very satisfied with the whole resort.I own a three bedroom lockout on the ground floor next to the lake.have been here 5 years and love every minute of our stays

I have had a great time aug. 2002. Beautiful and unforgetable.

great family resort

We stayed at West Gate, Orlando Last March and thought we were treated excellent. The staff was very helpful and the resort was perfect. Cant wait to come down again. (next April) Thank you for such a wonderful time.

Awesome, GREAT service HUGE space lovely view

We stayed in march 2002 and are comeing in march 2003 again, great place, great rates, lots of stuff to do

My family and I stayed at Westgate Lakes this past October. We were renting the unit for the week, we didn't purchase at Westgate Lakes. In fact, we thought we were renting a unit at a totally different location, similar to the one showed to us at the time of the timeshare presentation. We were led to believe that we would be staying in a ground floor unit, instead, we were assigned a unit on the 4th floor of a high rise and at a location different from the one that was showed to us. From the start there were problems. The room had worn and ripped carpeting, had not been cleaned properly, and when I tried to voice an opinion at a sales meeting, I was escorted out by security! With all the options in the Orlando area for timeshares, put Westgate at the bottom of your list! Either that, or beware of the doubletalk and promises that are made at these presentations! I am currently in the process of reporting Westgate to the Dept of Business and Professional Regulation Division of Florida land Sales.

We enjoyed every minute of our stay! I'll be going back for the fourth of July and can't wait. The property is beautifully landscaped and has activities for all ages. The kids love the Aqua Park on the lake and the heated pools throughout. I like that it's close to the theme parks and International Drive. I would recommend this resort. Have fun.

I do not like having salesmen bothering me on my vacation - until Westgate stops this policy - I can't separate that from the resort - this resort is beautiful - I also always find something wrong with the room - Westgate really needs to better maintenance.

Had a good experience here (except that the sales presentation is at 7AM!) :) All of the staff is courteous and professional at the resort - only ever had issues with the phone reps (not the brightest folks on the planet).

I've rented to friends and they've had nothing but good things to say about it. Excellent location for theme parks and close to most restaurants (I recommend FishBones).

Not a positive experience at all. Had top floor studio

unit.Walls/ceiling creaked like there were things living

in them.It was constant and no one was above us.The

air conditioning/heating unit was broken, controlled

by the unit next door.Whatever the temperature was

in that unit-was the temperature that the studio unit

had. The were not enough dishes/untensils to

complete a meal. The ice maker in the refrigerator did

not work.It was a large uninviting place.Although the

front desk staff was friendly and helpful.

Positive: We stayed at this resort in June 2002. Our sales person was wonderful and the accommodations were excellent. I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone. We especially appreciated how the entire process was so well organized. Not so positive: on the day of our tour/presentation we were kept waiting 1 hour past our scheduled appointment.