A Great Stay At Westgate Resorts

a short testimonial !

We visited Westgate resorts and spa during the week of March 10-17, 2013. It was a beautiful week with cool nights and warm, sunny days, so I cannot comment on the A/C. We left the windows open and enjoyed the fresh air. The 2 BR condo was spacious, easily accommodations a family of 4-6, but rated for 8-10!. We were only 2! The 2nd BR had 2 true double beds (not twins). The sleeper sofa in the LR could sleep another 2 but this arrangement would ruin the spacious, open feel of the condo, which I loved.

Our Westgate resorts unit was located in Building 6 which was easily accessed from either entrance to the property. Parking (free) was never a problem during our week. I liked that Building 6 had easy access to the biggest of the many pools and we overlooked this pool from our balcony on the top floor.

We faced west and enjoyed sunset views from our screened and furnished balcony. A great treat. We could not see the Big Sand Lake from Building 6 but the pool view after dark was very pleasant with lots of landscape lighting. The master bath was great, and special, with a shower and separate Jacuzzi that had a 2 step surround and was at least 6 ft x 6 ft.

More on the room

There was a private room for the toilet. The king bed was comfortable. The upholstered easy chair was also comfortable. There was plenty of natural light from the balcony which you could enter privately. There was also access to the balcony from the LR. The balcony was spacious. Easily enough room for the padded recliner that you could extend in either direction. The room was equipped with a dining table and 4 chairs that were standard issue. The 5 paddle ceiling fan was never needed. We ate late dinners and early breakfasts out on the balcony every day. Loved it (and the wonderful weather that we were blessed with). March weather in Orlando can be nasty.

I liked the design of the Westgate resorts condo that allowed the 2nd bath to be accessed from either the 2nd BR or from the hall (yes, 2 entrance doors). It was a full bath too, with a shower/bathtub combination. Nice size sink/vanity area too, with good lighting and ventilation.

The Kitchen

The kitchen was fully equipped and we put it to the test, cooking every night. The laundry was located in a convenient closet behind the kitchen with shelving and full size washer and dryer. The condition of all appliances in our condo was near new. The full size refrigerator included an efficient ice making freezer. The oven, microwave, and garbage disposal all worked properly. The base cabinets were cheap plywood and the doors didn’t align. No big deal to me.

Our only maintenance call while on vacation at Westgate Resorts involved the electric stove top element which was quickly replaced. I asked for a roasting tray and received a brand new one still in the shrink wrap within 20 minutes of my phone call. The 50 inch TV in the LR was a great treat. There were smaller TVs in each bedroom. I cannot recall if any of them were flat screen.

Summary- Westgate Resorts have a winner in this property. The location is convenient to everything and especially to the I-4 in both directions. There is a Super Walmart only a few minutes away. Many restaurants are in the area too and lots of shopping. We had rented a car so I have no comment about the free shuttle services that are provided.

You cannot easily walk to anything that is off the Westgate Property so keep this in mind in case you intend to not rent a car. I found the Westgate Resorts Staff at this location to be very friendly, even cheerful. The many high rise buildings looked to be in good shape. The lobby area was tastefully set up. I visited many of the pools and each was clean and there were plenty of recliners and chairs and umbrellas.

The Grounds

Landscaping was mature and tasteful. The hardscape was very well maintained, showing lots of update activity. The walkways along the lake was a great treat for early morning walks, and the grill areas looked to be in good shape too, although I did not use any, as they were located far away from our building. The location of a grill located at lakeside in a beautiful wooded setting was a destination that I added to my "next time" to do list!

At our Westgate resorts there was a weekly calendar of activities provided that included many pool games, exercise classes, kids stuff, etc. We did not use the spa so we cannot comment on that. Also did not use the tennis courts, miniature golf course, fishing rods, paddle boats, jet skies, wave runners, and canoes that are free if you are an owner but a good value otherwise. We did take advantage of the early AM breakfast buffet deal held at the Smokehouse Grill on campus. An excellent value.

I enjoyed our week at Westgate Resorts Lakes and hope to return. I traded using DRI points and now we are heading for Virginia Beach.

Thanks for reading my review. Hope it helps you plan your next vacation.