Give me SFX or give me (exchange) Death!

[scootr5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scootr5]

Try spring break sometime.

I haven't had to do that yet, since they haven't had the same week off and the end of March is a tough time for me to get time off.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I purchased Platinum level, but my first exchange was during my free Platinum trial. For the 2 bedroom in Hawaii, I paid around $150. for the exchange and that included me paying extra for insurance. The cash card credits that they give make a pretty big difference. So, my room upgrade was free and I had cash card credit for the exchange fee and the insurance.

Presley, can you explain how all this works?
I had a platinum for one year but since I didn't have anything deposited I never got to see any of the "benefits". Now I'm back to gold level and not sure it's worth depositing if you're only a gold. It seems a little confusing to me even though Mark has tried to explain it in the past. I guess maybe I'd be more excited if I lived on the west coast but on the east coast I don't see the value just yet. Maybe next year when I plan my Hawaii trip I'll be up to speed by then.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Presley, can you explain how all this works?
I had a platinum for one year but since I didn't have anything deposited I never got to see any of the "benefits". Now I'm back to gold level and not sure it's worth depositing if you're only a gold. It seems a little confusing to me even though Mark has tried to explain it in the past. I guess maybe I'd be more excited if I lived on the west coast but on the east coast I don't see the value just yet. Maybe next year when I plan my Hawaii trip I'll be up to speed by then.

I snagged a 2BR in London and am only a gold, so you don't have to be plat for SFX to work.

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

Presley, can you explain how all this works?
I had a platinum for one year but since I didn't have anything deposited I never got to see any of the "benefits". Now I'm back to gold level and not sure it's worth depositing if you're only a gold. It seems a little confusing to me even though Mark has tried to explain it in the past. I guess maybe I'd be more excited if I lived on the west coast but on the east coast I don't see the value just yet. Maybe next year when I plan my Hawaii trip I'll be up to speed by then.

If you want to use them for Hawaii, you will be a happy girl.
Look at their deposit grid and deposit a Prime week. SFX Preferred Resorts - Season Grid

You can stay with gold membership and pay $189.00 for the exchange.

If you pay for Platinum, the exchange would cost $159.00.

Either of those situations could end right there. However, they give you a cash card with your deposit. $20. comes off of any exchange fee, so you could deduct $20. off of the gold or platinum price.

When you make a deposit, they may give you Lifestyle weeks in addition to your exchange. If they do, those are like cheap rental weeks, but they have extra fees for Hawaii. Regular exchanges do not.

If you plan on using SFX for London, Hawaii, NYC, or San Francisco, you save money by using the exchange week vs using a lifestyle or bonus week. Even if you do decide to use the Lifestyle weeks for those areas, you still get an overall good price. For example, Manhattan Club cost me $598. for a full week in a one bedroom and that included the extra fee of $299. for it being a high demand area.

It took me a while to figure out how it all worked, also. I thought they made a mistake when my Hawaiin exchange with an upgraded room and insurance was approx. $150. total. I thought there would be an upgrade fee and a high demand fee and I didn't realize that I would get $40. off for the cash card that I didn't really know that i had.

[scootr5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scootr5]

That sounds great! I asked on another board about using SFX or HTSE for Hawaii, and was told "you don't want to do that, you wouldn't get the Starwood preference". I don't care about the preference if it doesn't get me the exchange I want in the season I need...

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I purchased Platinum level, but my first exchange was during my free Platinum trial. For the 2 bedroom in Hawaii, I paid around $150. for the exchange and that included me paying extra for insurance. The cash card credits that they give make a pretty big difference. So, my room upgrade was free and I had cash card credit for the exchange fee and the insurance.

Is there an upgrade fee for Hawaii? I don't remember if there is or not. I have gotten several free upgrades to 2BR units and I am Platinum member. We usually only request a 1BR as there are just the 2 of us normally. We preferred the 1BR unit to the 2BR at the TS we stayed at in Waikiki.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I had a week confirmed at Marriott Desert Springs Villas Thanksgiving week and this week I got the second week I wanted as well. I also confirmed two back to back weeks at Hacienda del Mar in Cabo for Jan/Feb 2013. I am happy with SFX as well.

Lynn

For some reason Thanksgiving is a tough week to get for Palm Springs. Normally the Thanksgiving week is not that tough an exchange for most locales. I live just an hour away from Palm Springs and spend a lot of time there. I could never get bonus time for the Thanksgiving week.

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

Is there an upgrade fee for Hawaii? I don't remember if there is or not.

There isn't for an exchange. There is a additional fee if you book for Hawaii for Lifestyle/bonus weeks.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

There isn't for an exchange. There is a additional fee if you book for Hawaii for Lifestyle/bonus weeks.

Thanks, that is good to know. I haven't used any lifestyle weeks yet as I have so many banked use weeks. As I said, we normally just get a 1BR as there are usually just the 2 of us. However we have done several exchanges for 2BR when we took other family members. I will probably just use a lifestyle week for a quick getaway if the location and resort are something we would want. We do far more non-timeshare vacations than timeshare.