Anybody get Westgate on Skyauction?

[LauraR]

I was thinking of bidding on a 1 or 2 bedroom villa bid per night on Skyauction, but thought I'd see if anybody here had some experience with that. It's not a timeshare presentation, and the choices are Westgate Blue Tree Resort, Towers or Vacation Villas, and Westgate Lake Resort.
I'm also wondering about the possibility they won't have villas available on my dates. Has anyone had that happen, and was it hard getting a refund?
Thanks for any input!

 

[spiceycat]

Westgate will have availability.

the resorts is very nice - sometimes the rooms needs some upkept - they need upkept so you will be tempted to go the 'maintence meeting' - it is not!!!

It is a sales scam....

as long as Westgate lies to people - I would stay some place else.

 

[gallaj0]

I've stayed at Westgate Blue Tree (just before it became a Westgate), Town Center, and Vacation Villas. I'd stay away from Blue Tree, it was pretty run down, and I've seen some bad reviews around lately. Town Center was great, I'd go there in a heartbeat. Vacation Villas was also very nice, more townhouse style than the high rise Town Center.

And there was no pressure for the "maintenance meeting"; they didn't even ask at VV, they did ask at TC, adn I just said no.

 

[DianeV]

I also would stay away from Westgate...

 

[spiceycat]

Laura if you have already done the skyauction and have gotten Westlake - I would also go with the Town Center - villas (if they offer you a recondition one - ASK), lakes also if they offer you a rehab one.

the villas are being rehab.

 

[LauraR]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I appreciate being directed away from Blue Tree and toward Town Center if I do decide to bid. Pat, I haven't bid yet, so might not end up doing it. Sounds like not the best company. Our trip isn't until Feb. so I think I'll explore other options before I jump in. (Of course, that's the beauty of these boards!)

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

If you don't have to go to the "maintenance"/timeshare sale meeting there is nothing wrong with staying at Westgate...Villas, Towncenter or Lakes. I've had the best front desk experience with the Lakes...plus there is an onsite restaurant and a lovely walk along Turkey Lake (?). I've never gotten Towncenter but its constructed in the same style as the lakes. Please bear in mind that Westgate Smokey Mountains is an exchange for DVC so what the company does with its property isn't the same as the sales presentation.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

Please bear in mind that Westgate Smokey Mountains is an exchange for DVC so what the company does with its property isn't the same as the sales presentation.[/QUOTE]

Not to hijack this thread, but what do you mean by that? (I don't know if I did this quote right!)

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Please bear in mind that Westgate Smokey Mountains is an exchange for DVC so what the company does with its property isn't the same as the sales presentation.

Not to hijack this thread, but what do you mean by that? (I don't know if I did this quote right!)[/QUOTE]

Doubletrouble......do you mean if you own at Westgate SMokey Mountains, you can exchange for DVC (Disney Vacation Club) which means that it must be a nice resort to be able to have that kind of buying power? So.............the resorts can be really nice while the sales presentations are, well, not so nice?

 

[spiceycat]

No - someone who owns DVC traded into Westgate - they didn't like it - so I expect it to off the list by next year.

there are not any real nice timeshares in Gatlinburg - like Myrtle beach - or Panhandle - Marriott has moved into the last two places - so who knows they may be doing one in Gatlinburg shortly.

 

[boucheresq]

I stayed at Westgate Lake Resort last December and loved it. Make sure to ask for a lake view.

 

[iluvflorida]

Skyauction is not a scam. A very reliable company. You do not have to attend any type of meeting unless you chose to. (unless you specifically buy one that requires on skyauction--stats in description). If they do not have availablility your credit card will not be charged so no refund required. Have booked many trips this way.

 

[lawgs]

iluvflorida

we should all enjoy skyauctions offerings while we can.....they seem to be getting less and less of the good timeshares now ( orange lake has not been offered in a long time and no HGVC either )....the inventory may be drying up...owners are not happy that the general public can make use of accomodations that cost them $$$$ each year in maintenance and taxes in addition to the initial investment.....those offerings on skyauction often go for $

come to think of it .....the ability to exchange through RCI is not as good as it used to be either...

 

[HappyLawyer]

i just used them and we stayed at the summer bay villas, i went online to view the property and inside, we had a good time,

 

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

Westgate Vacation Villas is a very nice resort!! As for customer service..... they don't match up to the resort! Great resort, just terrible customer service!

As for the others, can't say I have been!

Hope you enjoy your vacation! No matter where you end up sleeping at night!

 

[disneymom3]

I am always surprised to hear so many people say that WVV is a nice resort. The area we stayed in was not. That was two years ago and while we are not willing to stay there again, I am hoping it is because they have rehabbed the area we were staying in. Suffice it to say that my now 4 yo who was two at the time still refers to Westgate Vacation Villas as "the Stinky Florida House."

The pool was ucky too and I wouldn't let my kids go in the kiddie pool because it looked so disgusting.

 

[poohangel]

No - someone who owns DVC traded into Westgate - they didn't like it - so I expect it to off the list by next year.

there are not any real nice timeshares in Gatlinburg - like Myrtle beach - or Panhandle - Marriott has moved into the last two places - so who knows they may be doing one in Gatlinburg shortly.

We just bought a timeshare, with Westgate in Gatlinburg, on Wednesday and thought it was beautiful. They are currantly building an indoor water park with slides and a lazy river. It will have a retracting glass roof. If you would like some pics go to westgateresorts.com.

I have the 2005-2006 II book and it listed Saratoga Springs, Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk villas, Old Key West, and Wilderness lodge, so I am guessing if I do an exchange I can use one of these resorts.

 

[Beiji]

Well, this is off topic, but... When I bought a timeshare from the developer in 1997 they told me all kinds of sweet sounding stories about renting my week, and they showed me the beautiful exchange company book and told me I could trade my week for *any* of those great resorts in the book. It was only later that I discovered Timeshare Users Groups at tug2.net and found out that many timeshare salespeople will tell you anything to get you to buy.

Poohangel, your timeshare purchase may be perfect for you. Perhaps you've already done all the research you need to do. But, if you're having second thoughts, check out TUG. It's not too late, I think. And please pardon me if I'm overstepping here.

Lisa G

 

[mickeymom923]

I wouldn't stay at Westgate in Orlando if you gave me a free timeshare. They used to be part of RCI and RCI is no longer affiliated with them. But people bought there thru RCI many years ago and RCI still honors it. I stayed there a few years ago. The first night there were baby spiders between the headboard and mattress. I called the front desk about 4pm and at midnight they finally came to move us to a different unit. THe unit sucked big time. Totally run down. Rusty oven and refrigerator. Giant spider walking along the tub in the bathroom. They told me that's the units they give for RCI exchanges. I complained and they moved us into a II (Interval International) unit which they tried to sell us. The unit was beautiful. We finally started to enjoy our vacation even though we lost three days and went to that day. Came back around 10pm. Was locked out of our unit. Called security and they got us in. I was walking around the unit and noticed food from McDonald's on our counter and the phone in our bedroom was used and a sandwich was in our bedroom. I called the front desk and security to find out who was in our room. After security took fingerprints etc they came back to us at 1 am laughing and said someone at the front desk re-assigned our unit to another family while we were out. I can't tell you how nervous and upset I was thinking that other people could have been going through our stuff etc. My children started packing and I didn't feel safe there. I went to the front desk and they laughed when I told them what happened. I wrote a letter to Westgate upon my return home the next day and never received any response or apology from them. I spent the first 3 days moving from unit to unit. Had one almost good day and left on my fifth day at 5am. It was the resort from hell for us. No one cared.
Bev

 

[fac]

I won a timeshare stay at Westgate Town Center from skyauction in April.
It was about $230 for a week's stay in a Studio. When I called they offered me Westgate Lakes and Spa, but after reviewing the reviews, I asked for
Westgate Town Center. As part of the skyauction package, we are required to attend a timeshare presentation, it also came with 2 tickets to either Universal or WDW.

As far as the timeshare presentation was concerned, it was not bad. We (or at least I did) really want to convince ourselves that we should buy into timeshare (not necessarily at Westgate though), therefore it was an educational experience for me. We did not try to put down anyone. When the sales person realized that he could not convince us, the second person just came and asked whether we planned to return to Westgate again, we told him we could not make up our mind yet, he would just let us leave. The process took exactly 90 minutes without us reminding them.

As far as Westgate Town Center is concerned, I cannot recommend it though even I do not consider it as bad, I cannot really understand why. The room was not dirty. Last year we stayed in a studio in a Broadwalk, I think Westage studio is larger, we had a bedroom and a living room even with a studio. I suspected it was because

a. we did not spend too much time in the Resort. Our girls liked the slides in WDW, and DH had the water sports, but at Westgate, the pool is just a too plain.
b. I had the feeling of staying in a hotel room. I am not a big fan of arguing to stay on-site, but when we stepped into Broadwalk lobby, it was different from entering Westgate property.

I probably would not stay in Westgate Town Center even with the same offere, mainly because I want to try something different, say a rental house and other resort.