Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa

Reviews

• MH

  Matt Hickman

  2 days ago
  4.0
  Central Location just a few minutes away from all the parks. 10 minutes to Epic Universe which is where we went. Easy access to I-4 north and south of the resort. Every few buildings have pools. We had fun in the arcade. Located close to a large Wal-mart and restaurants. We were lucky to have enough parking by our building (15) but I could see a few places in the resort where there would be few parking spaces. Our kitchen was modern. Oven fridge and microwave were nice and operated as expected . Clothes washer and dryer worked really well. Chairs and table were nice. Living room furniture was nice leather and the built in cabinetry for the tv was a high end touch. Bed was stiff but comfortable. Master bedroom jacuzzi tub was fun for the whole family but the jets were weak. Shower sinks and private toilet room were very nice. Plenty of storage for clothes. Outdoors, we mostly spent time in the hot tub since the average temperature was 69 while we were here. (Bill and Ted would have been proud) front desk clerk Gabriella was excellent to work with, helpful, informative and explained everything really well. Three complaints - first the room was mostly clean but the corners and areas out of sight were dirty (Like under our bar). The WiFi did not work consistently during our trip. Lastly, this place is large and so expect crowds, landscaping machines starting at 8am, it’s busy.
• MA

  Markes Andre

  3 days ago
  1.0
  I had a very disappointing experience at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa and would not recommend staying here. We originally booked a room that was supposed to accommodate 5 people (2 adults and 3 children), but upon arrival we were placed in a small studio that clearly did not meet our needs. After calling and complaining, we were told the only option was to upgrade—so we ended up paying an additional $339 for a one-bedroom, on top of the $111 plus another $139 just to extend our stay because they didn’t have a proper two-bedroom available. Completely unacceptable and felt like a bait-and-switch. To make things even worse, the front desk representative (Michael) told us we could call and request a cot once we got settled into our room. However, after settling in and calling as instructed, we were then told that they don’t provide cots at all for anyone. That kind of miscommunication is extremely frustrating, especially when you’re traveling with children and relying on what staff tells you. On top of that, the one-bedroom unit we were moved into didn’t even have working hot water. We were told it was “fixed,” but in reality you have to let the shower run for 20–30 minutes just to get it warm. That’s not a fix—that’s a major inconvenience. Parking was another nightmare. Every night we came back, there was little to no parking near our building, forcing us to park far away and walk, which is frustrating when you’re traveling with kids. After looking into other reviews, it’s clear this wasn’t just a one-time issue. Many guests complain about poor room assignments, misleading booking situations, maintenance problems, and overall disappointing service. There are also frequent complaints about outdated rooms, long wait times, and lack of proper upkeep. Overall, this stay was stressful, overpriced, and far below expectations. Between the unexpected charges, poor communication, and inconvenient conditions, this resort completely ruined what should have been a relaxing trip. I would strongly suggest looking elsewhere if you’re visiting Orlando.
• CL

  Candace Lloyd

  3 days ago
  2.0
  Our stay at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa was extremely frustrating from the moment we arrived. We booked two 2 bedroom units, with our family arriving a day earlier than the rest. When we got there around 6pm, we were refused check in because their system showed the second guest’s name on both rooms, even though we had a printed reservation clearly showing my spouse’s name on ours. The front desk staff offered little help and told us we had to contact the booking company to add his name. We did that, and they even called on our behalf, but nothing was resolved. We were then told to have the second guest text their ID, which also didn’t work. This went on for a couple of exhausting hours, going back and forth to the front desk after a full day of travel, with kids and no place to sleep. Eventually, I found an escalation contact and reached out myself. After about 40 more minutes, the issue was finally resolved and we were allowed to check in. To make up for it, we were given four arcade cards and told it would be enough for each child to play every game at least once. That was not true. The kids were only able to play about two games each. On the second day, we received a call offering a “welcome package.” When we went to pick it up, we were offered perks like water park tickets in exchange for attending a 90-minute presentation. We agreed and were sent all the way across the resort. Once we got there, we sat waiting for a long time while staff kept saying “10 more minutes.” After already wasting an hour and not even starting, we got frustrated and left. We then had to walk all the way back toward the lobby, passing the water park, and decided to just purchase tickets ourselves. Only then did we find out that the lazy river and slides were closed. Definitely glad we didn’t sit through a presentation for that. When the rest of our family arrived the next day, despite booking together, they were placed in a completely different building across the resort. This was very inconvenient. We were later offered a move after they had already been there for two days and unpacked, which wasn’t helpful. Other downsides: BBQ areas are very far from some buildings, requiring a long walk The main pool near our room had loud music starting at 9am and continuing until 10pm, making it difficult to relax or enjoy quiet time in the room The rooms themselves were a decent size, but the kitchen was not well stocked for cooking. Overall, this was a disappointing experience due to poor organization, lack of helpful service, and inconvenience throughout our stay. If they had better customer service, we would have come back, but not after our experience.
• DL

  David Lewis

  6 days ago
  2.0
  I’m literally staying here now. Still have about 5 days left. Check in was pretty horrible, I waited an hour to check in. Then at check in, I was told that the amenities wouldn’t be available unless I did a tour of the resort. I figured no big deal… turned out it was a presentation to buy a timeshare. We did that, and I told them, zero chance I would buy a timeshare, I had to wait an hour to check in. They acted like it was an isolated event. I thought “BS.” Two days later, I left the gym and passed the check in counter on a Monday… sure enough, they have less than half the check in area staffed, forcing a long line. I would guess… still would take an hour (see pics). So… not so isolated and not very honest to act like it was isolated. I’ll be working out again tomorrow… I’m willing to bet, they have the same setup. The waterpark is only available per day you pay and apparently no rain checks as they closed everything by due to weather and never issued rain checks for hopping in another day. Room seemed clean, place is a little crowded, but should be as they have a lot of buildings and rooms here and it is spring break. They do have activities for kids. Location is legit in Orlando and close to whatever you’d want to go to in Orlando. I can see icon park from the resort. Grounds look well kept. During the tour of the resort (which is actually a time share presentation) they show us what the rooms look like… which are very nice renovated rooms… but I’m like… you realize I’m staying here right? I know what the room looks like we are staying in and it isn’t like this…. I wasn’t in the market for a time share, so doesn’t matter to me… but I’m like, why would I buy it from a company that tries to act like their operations and management of checking in is usually better than my experience… and the rooms are nicer than what I’m experiencing while staying in the exact same resort? Nevertheless, it must work as it seemed like they were getting a lot of timeshare sales in the short time I was there. The staff, 100% friendly everywhere. The staff in the waterpark, crazy nice to families and kids. WiFi, sucks. Constantly drops. Also, something that should be noted is the fact that of the week we have been here, the big water slides, I have only seen open once. They send out a message that says it is due to unforeseen maintenance… but when you ask the people that actually work in the waterpark, they say it is a staffing issue. This makes total sense because all the pool bars they have are not open, just empty. Also, the last full day we are here, they delayed opening the waterpark due to “staffing issues.” Then they did finally open it up, but blocked off the lazy river and the big slides because they didn’t have enough staff on hand to man those attractions. Obviously this sucks for the kids, but would really suck if you bought the timeshare with the waterpark being a perk… then find out they don’t plan to have it staffed during spring break…. If you’re an owner paying “maintenance fee” each year and you find out they are not using that fee to keep amenities open and staffed, you’d really have buyers remorse. My wife and I consistently would look at each other and say, “wow… such a good thing we didn’t buy…” As it stands now, I wouldn’t go back to a westgate. We stayed at another resort last year in Orlando that had just a standard resort fee and the family liked that better. Another plus is their txt msg service where I can ask anything and someone from the resort immediately replies. Also, I did use the grill on the grounds, they were clean and worked. Some people say they don’t work in reviews but they may not understand you have to turn the “timer” on, then light the grill like a normal grill. Just an extra level of fail safe so someone doesn’t leave the gas on (they are natural gas grills - so there isn’t any tank to run out).
• KG

  Kailie Green

  6 days ago
  1.0
  Absolutely disappointed with our stay at Westgate. We usually stay at The Grove Resort & Water Park, but booked Westgate Resorts because we were interested in their timeshare. Big mistake. The property is poorly maintained. Hallway carpets are heavily stained and so dirty they leave your feet black if you walk barefoot. Stairwells smelled so bad my kids held their breath and ran through them. Outside our room there was an active roof leak with a sagging, water damaged ceiling dripping in front of our door. The exterior may look decent from a distance, but up close the gutters are rotting with holes and missing pieces. There are also visible cracks throughout the buildings that have been poorly patched. Inside the room, the toilet constantly clogged and the sink didn’t work properly. The toilet was clearly a known issue since they were kind enough to leave a plunger already in the room. We reported it and nothing was handled in a timely manner. The timeshare presentation was worse. Our 11:00 tour didn’t start until 11:40 after being bounced around the property. They advertise 90 minutes, but claim the clock starts when the salesperson grabs you, so the 40 minute wait “doesn’t count.” The presentation itself was repetitive, drawn out, and they couldn’t even provide pricing. Everything was “custom” and required speaking to a manager, so you sit there all that time and still don’t get basic numbers. They advertise food with the presentation, but it’s either breakfast or lunch depending on your time slot. Ours overlapped, so we saw and tried both. Both were terrible. Undercooked eggs for breakfast, and hotdogs and nachos for lunch. Very low quality and not worth it. When we tried to leave, they told us we “technically” still had 5 minutes left and would be charged if we left early. Even after showing them photos of the issues we were dealing with, they made us sit there just to run out the clock. After wasting nearly 3 hours on the tour, we finally got to the pool with our kids and were immediately called and told to come back for maintenance. We declined because we had already lost half our day due to their delays and just wanted our kids to enjoy the pool. We asked to switch rooms and were told they needed to “verify” the issues, even with photos and videos. We were called liars. When my husband asked to speak with Sarah in person and show her everything directly, she refused to come down and only handled it over the phone. Maintenance tried to claim the leak was “old” and not active, despite clear proof it was dripping. I have an autoimmune condition that reacts to mold, so this was also a health concern. The water park was also disappointing. Our kids, who usually stay all day, were bored in 40 minutes. The lazy river was overcrowded, most slides were closed, and it wasn’t worth it. After everything, they tried to charge us $40 just to enter and watch our kids because only two tickets were included. Sarah said she would add extra tickets, but nothing was actually added. Amenities are very limited for a “resort.” Pool bars close by 7 PM, and the only place to get a drink after that doesn’t allow you to take it outside. Arcade, bowling, and most activities close by 10 PM, pools at 11. We ended up leaving the property just to continue having fun. They advertise 7 pools, but even with that, everything was overcrowded. Hot tubs were shoulder to shoulder with people just standing in them. The only resolution offered was a $50 voucher that had to be used within 3 hours. This place does not respect your time, your experience, or basic upkeep. Management was dismissive and unprofessional. Avoid at all costs.

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