Vacation exchanges as a Westgate owner

[stevelarsen]

Even though I am reading a lot of negatives about Westgate resorts, I am considering buying one through the resale market with the main goal of exchanging for other Westgate locations. I am wondering if the Westgate owners on this site would comment on how easy or difficult it is to do that. Can you exchange in at the best locations and prime weeks, or is that very difficult to do. Thanks, steve

 

[gmarine]

It is not easy to trade internally to high demand weeks and if you trade outside the season you own there are high fees. Stay away from Westgate. There are much better places to buy for the purpose of trading.

 

[LINAND]

As a former Westgate owner, I had no problem trading back into other Westgate resorts. but could never get a trade to non Westgate resorts without at least a years notice.

I finally got out from under my timeshare at Westgate. Thank God.

I highly recommend staying away from Westgate Resorts. you will forever be going to sales pitches. they call them "maintenance reports" and they force you into going. if you don't, they will threaten to charge your credit card for any scratch they may find in your unit. I know because they did it to me every single time I stayed with them.

too bad we can't just give our timeshares at Westgate away. I tried for years and nobody would take it. Westgate gets them back first.(ROFR) then charges you $150 to transfer the title back to them.

they are a crooked bunch of thieves. they will drain your wallet for all kinds of fees and when you get sick of it you have to pay Westgate to take it back from you.

look at their better business reports which is UN-satisfactory

693 complaints in the last 36 months.
http://www.orlando.bbb.org/newsearch2.asp?ComID=073300101774

 

[saltlakeskier]

Westgate trading

we bought westergate town center 4 yrs ago, were told "no problem" trading to westgate salt lake city, the canyons, red for red, first time we traded got almost the week we wanted, 1br for 1br sleeps 4 adults. brought friends so 4 adults, you could not open the door to the unit with the "sleeper" pulled out, demanded a change told me it would be $2500 extra, nice way to treat a new owner, tried to go back the last two years just me and the wife, zip, wen to breck and beaver creak, thru interval international nowhere as nice not westgate props, moral here is buy what you want to use or have very good flexibility in your schedule. I am starting today to book mid jan in SLC wish me luck. FYI the canyons prop is gorgeious we should have bought there instead of playing the trading game

 

[jjlovecub]

I trade into Westgates and anywhere else no problem. I do own a fixed holiday week which helps. Otherwise, Westgate (if you trade internally) charges a ridiculous fee to upgrade seasons. I am one of the few that am happy with my Westgate unit BUT if you really want to trade there are better options.