Most Westgate resorts allow dogs, but only dogs, and only small ones. You can bring up to two dogs per room or suite, with a combined weight of no more than 60 pounds. Westgate charges a non refundable $150 pet fee, and several of its resorts also take a $150 refundable deposit. Cats, birds and other animals aren't allowed at all. Westgate also bans 16 dog breeds and their mixes, including German Shepherds, Huskies and Great Danes. These rules come from Westgate's own terms and conditions and its resort pet pages, read in November 2026.
That makes Westgate unusual. Many timeshare brands ban pets entirely, so a dog friendly Westgate in Orlando, Gatlinburg, Branson or Las Vegas can be a real find. But the limits are tight, and a lot of family dogs are too heavy or on the banned list. Check both before you book.
Westgate dog rules at a glance
| Rule | What Westgate says |
|---|---|
| Animals allowed | Dogs only, plus service animals |
| Number | Up to 2 dogs per room or suite |
| Weight | 60 lb for one dog, or 60 lb combined for two |
| Size | No dog longer or taller than 36 inches |
| Pet fee | $150 plus tax, non refundable, charged at check in |
| Deposit | $150 refundable at the resorts we checked |
| Unreported dog | Extra $150 plus tax penalty |
| Banned breeds | 16 breeds and any mix of them |
| No dogs at | Harbour Beach Resort and all VI Resorts by Westgate |
The weight and size limits
Westgate allows two dogs, but the 60 pound cap is for both of them together. Two 25 pound dogs are fine. Two 35 pound dogs are not, even though each one is small. A single 65 pound Labrador is also over the limit.
There is a size rule too. Each dog can be no longer and no taller than 36 inches. Most dogs under 60 pounds will fit that, but a long, lean breed can get close. Weigh your dogs before the trip, ideally at the vet so you have a written figure, and be honest at the front desk. Puppies are worth a thought too. A young dog that is 45 pounds when you book could be well over 60 by the time a holiday booked a year ahead comes round. If staff think a dog is over the limit, they can ask you to move it off site.
What it costs
Westgate's terms and conditions list a non refundable Pet Dog Fee of $150 plus tax, per reservation, charged at check in. That is per stay, not per night, which makes Westgate cheaper than most hotels for a long visit. A week at a hotel that charges $50 a night would cost $350 in pet fees. At Westgate, it's $150.
Several Westgate resort pages also ask for a refundable $150 pet deposit, returned if there is no damage. We saw that on the pet pages for Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, Westgate Vacation Villas in Orlando and Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg. Those pages describe the $150 as a cleaning fee. Budget for $300 at check in, with $150 back after you leave if the room is fine.
If a dog is found in a room and wasn't reported, Westgate adds an unauthorized pet penalty of $150 plus tax on top of the normal fee. Damage to floors, carpet or fabric is charged at up to 120 percent of what it costs to replace.
The banned breed list
Westgate doesn't allow these breeds, or any mix of them:
- Akita
- Alaskan Malamute
- American Bulldog
- Beauceron
- Caucasian Mountain Dog
- Chow Chow
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Great Dane
- Husky
- Keeshond
- Pit Bull
- Presa Canario
- Rottweiler
- Shar Pei
- Staffordshire Terrier
Westgate says management may add other breeds. Most of these dogs are over 60 pounds anyway, but a few, such as the Keeshond, Shar Pei and Staffordshire Terrier, often weigh less. If you have a mixed breed dog that looks like one of these, expect questions. The phrase "any mix thereof" gives staff room to say no.
Which Westgate resorts allow dogs
Westgate says most of its resorts are dog friendly unless stated otherwise. It runs pet friendly pages for places such as Florida, Myrtle Beach, Branson, Williamsburg, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Las Vegas, which covers most of its big destinations.
Two groups are excluded. Harbour Beach Resort doesn't allow pet dogs, only service animals. And none of the VI Resorts by Westgate allow pets of any kind. Westgate lists those as Pinnacle Lodge, Rosedale Condominiums, Royal Kuhio, Sea Mountain, Sea Village, Kingsbury of Tahoe, Tahoe Trail, The Cove at Yarmouth, The Oasis, The Pines at Sunriver, The Village at Steamboat, Torres Mazatlan and VI at Homestead. Bringing a pet to a VI resort can cost a $350 penalty and get you asked to leave.
Westgate's reservations line, 800-811-8760, can confirm a specific resort.
Where your dog can and can't go
Outside your room, the dog has to be on a leash and under your control. Westgate keeps dogs out of restaurants, the spa and salon, pool areas, showrooms, convention spaces, the casino and shared retail spaces. Some resorts have dog relief areas. Where they don't, walk the dog away from public areas and always pick up after it.
Inside the room, the dog must be supervised or crated. Housekeeping won't clean a room with a dog left alone outside a crate. So if you plan a day at the parks, bring a crate your dog is used to, or book a sitter or day boarding nearby.
Westgate can also ask you to move a dog that is aggressive, disruptive or barks a lot. If you don't, it can remove the dog, cancel the reservation and keep the security deposit.
Service animals and emotional support animals
Service animals don't pay the pet fee or the unreported pet penalty, though you can still be charged for damage. Westgate defines a service animal as a dog, or in some cases a miniature horse, that is individually trained to do tasks for a person with a disability. Staff can only ask whether the animal is needed because of a disability and what task it is trained to do. They can't ask for paperwork or a demonstration. Service animals can go where the public goes, such as dining rooms.
Emotional support animals don't count. Westgate says they have to follow the dog policy and pay the fees. So an emotional support cat can't stay, and an emotional support dog over 60 pounds can't either. Our guide to service dog hotel rights explains how the law draws that line.
Planning a dog trip to Orlando
Westgate has several resorts near Walt Disney World, which is one reason so many people search for its pet rules. The parks themselves don't take pets. Disney has four resort hotels that accept dogs, and on site day care for dogs, which our Disney World pet policy guide covers. A Westgate villa with a $150 one time fee can be much cheaper than paying a nightly pet fee for a week, as long as your dog meets the rules and you have somewhere for it during the day.
Planning a dog trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge
The Smokies are one of the most popular dog friendly road trips in the US, and Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort is a big name there. Note that most trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park don't allow dogs, as our dog friendly national parks guide explains, and Dollywood only takes dogs in its paid Doggywood kennels. Plan your days around what your dog can actually join.
Other Las Vegas options
Westgate Las Vegas sits off the Strip, and its 60 pound combined limit is lower than most of the big Strip hotels. MGM's hotels allow two dogs up to 100 pounds combined, and The Cosmopolitan has no size limit, though both charge by the night. Our Las Vegas hotel pet policy guide compares them.
Westgate compared with other timeshares
Westgate stands out in its own category. Club Wyndham, WorldMark, Hilton Grand Vacations, Bluegreen, Marriott Vacation Club and most Holiday Inn Club Vacations resorts don't allow pets at all, only service animals. Our Club Wyndham pet policy guide runs through those brands and the cleaning penalties they charge if a pet turns up anyway. If you own points with one of them and want to bring a dog, a Westgate stay booked separately is often the easiest fix.
Myrtle Beach and Williamsburg
Westgate has pet friendly pages for both. In Myrtle Beach, the bigger question is the beach itself. The city limits dogs on the sand for much of the year, and the rules change by season and time of day, as our guide to whether dogs are allowed on the beach explains. Check those hours before you pick a resort for the view. Williamsburg is easier, with plenty of outdoor space and walking, though most attractions in the area keep dogs outside.
Tips for a villa stay with a dog
Westgate villas often have kitchens, sofas, carpets and balconies, which is great for a family and a little risky with a dog. A few things help:
- Bring a washable throw for the sofa and a bed cover if your dog sleeps with you. Damage to fabric can cost up to 120 percent of replacement.
- Don't leave the dog alone on a balcony, and keep balcony doors shut when you are out.
- Bring the crate. You need it any time you leave the room, and housekeeping skips rooms with a loose dog.
- Walk the dog well away from pool and restaurant areas, which are off limits, and carry bags.
- Keep the front desk informed if you add a dog mid stay, so you pay the fee and not the penalty.
If your dog is over the limit
The 60 pound cap and the breed list rule out a lot of family dogs. If yours is one of them, you have three options. You can stay somewhere with a higher limit, such as a chain that allows dogs up to 80 or 100 pounds. You can leave the dog at home with a pet sitter. Or you can book dog boarding near the resort and visit during the day. Don't try to sneak a bigger dog in. The penalty is small, but staff can make you remove the dog, cancel the reservation and keep the deposit, which can wreck a trip.
Booking through a third party
If you book a Westgate room through a travel site or a rental listing, the Westgate pet rules still apply, and the pet fee is still charged at check in. The listing may not mention them. Call the resort or the reservations line to confirm the room type you booked allows dogs, and get the answer in writing if you can.
Checking in with a dog
Tell the front desk about the dog as soon as you arrive. That is when Westgate charges the $150 fee and, where it applies, takes the deposit, so have a card ready that can hold the extra amount. Staff may ask the dog's weight and breed, so bring the number from a recent vet visit if your dog is close to the limit. Ask where the nearest relief area is, which doors and paths the dog should use, and whether the resort has any rules of its own, such as dogs only in certain buildings. Keep your receipt. If there is a question about damage after you leave, it shows you reported the dog and when.
Before you book
Weigh your dogs and add the numbers. Check the breed list, including any mix. Confirm the resort isn't Harbour Beach or a VI property. Then tell Westgate at booking that you are bringing a dog, and again at the front desk, so you don't pay the penalty. If the 60 pound cap rules you out, our list of hotels with no pet fee includes chains with higher limits.