SFX has anyone any experience of using them.

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

My last exchanges with SFX were two weeks at Hacienda del Mar Jan 28 to Feb 11 and before that two weeks at Marriott Desert Springs Villas 1 last Nov including Thanksgiving week. When I looked back I have done 16 exchanges with them.

Lynn

[daileyad Member Find all posts View Profile Close daileyad]

I've had success with SFX in the past but i'm currently frustrated. We have a deposit i want to use before it expires so we submitted a request for orlando a year ahead of time. Its for a specific check in day but still - its orlando! Nothing yet. I thought maybe their hgvc connection would help, but no. Units that would work perfect for us are sitting in rci and ii but i don't have any other deposits now.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

We've used them several times and have had good success. We've deposited and gotten three-for-ones, which invariably is more time than we can use. We've used them for trades in Hawaii, in Mexico, and on Grand Cayman. We haven't used them too much recently because VRI*ety has worked out much better for filling in around the edges of our minis.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

I just got back from an exchange with SFX from the Morritt's Tortuga club where they had gotten me an ocean front unit. I have also been on 1 previous, and have another booked for Greensprings Resort in Williamsburg for October which seems to be a very difficult find.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

I am considering using SFX and recommending them. Has anyone any experience of SFX? Does anyone find any benefit from their bonus weeks?

We used them twice now. The people there seem really nice and really willing to work with you but you have to do your research. We traded our unit in San Francisco for a unit on Maui and weren't too happy with the unit itself because of the layout. We had another couple with us and because of the type of unit we had no privacy. We told them about this and then we booked another unit with them for Sunriver, Oregon. It turned out the exact same type of unit. When we let them know about it they gave us a free week which we won't be using. The units we had each were sort of loft units with another bedroom but if anyone was in the kitchen or living room it woke you up and it just wasn't comfortable.
Bart

[hurnik Member Find all posts View Profile Close hurnik]

I am considering using SFX and recommending them. Has anyone any experience of SFX? Does anyone find any benefit from their bonus weeks?

A little background:

I own Hilton Grand Vacations Club which can exchange into RCI. Supposedly Hilton has good trading power with RCI. However, I decided to add SFX into my "portfolio" rather than buy another timeshare to get Interval Access.

1) I am a Diamond Rewards Lifetime member with SFX, so I figured I'd pay the lifetime fee and get a bunch of stuff.
2) I have made many exchanges into SFX and I find them very useful because:

a) I like to go to Mexico and SFX doesn't have any 4-1 or 5-1 rules like RCI does (even through Hilton)
b) I REALLY wanted the Grand Luxxe and RCI doesn't have access there
c) RCI's availability of non-AI resorts in Mexico is rather limited (IMO) compared to SFX

I now find myself using SFX almost exclusively for exchanges because I think their pricing better fits my needs. Plus their bonus weeks for promo deposits are a nice addition.

Note also:
I make sure I always use my benefits fully. So I can fully justify/benefit from my lifetime membership and it works out very good for me. There's a forum here, and their rep (Mark) is VERY helpful. Also the SFX customer reps have always been very courteous and kind.

I'm not poo-pooing RCI, just that for *me* it works out better with SFX.

Also there is a 60 day free trial (Platinum I think) with SFX that you can try with.

As with ANY exchange you have to be flexible depending on WHERE you want to go and WHEN. I've had RCI exchanges ongoing for months with nothing as well as SFX, so it just depends.

[hurnik Member Find all posts View Profile Close hurnik]

We used them twice now. The people there seem really nice and really willing to work with you but you have to do your research. We traded our unit in San Francisco for a unit on Maui and weren't too happy with the unit itself because of the layout. We had another couple with us and because of the type of unit we had no privacy. We told them about this and then we booked another unit with them for Sunriver, Oregon. It turned out the exact same type of unit. When we let them know about it they gave us a free week which we won't be using. The units we had each were sort of loft units with another bedroom but if anyone was in the kitchen or living room it woke you up and it just wasn't comfortable.
Bart

One thing I do, if they find a matching place (at the time I call or something) is look up the resort/floor plan online. If you can. Although I've had Hilton (Hawaiin Village) have issues with certain rooms, so even if you use your own Timeshare you can have problems.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

One thing I do, if they find a matching place (at the time I call or something) is look up the resort/floor plan online. If you can. Although I've had Hilton (Hawaiin Village) have issues with certain rooms, so even if you use your own Timeshare you can have problems.

The only problem was the typed of room. Why would anyone have a two bedroom without a full wall seperating the room and where any noise would disrupt. If one of us was in bed and the TV was on (low) you heard it as if you were right there. When the coffee maker came on you heard it. Didn't make sense to us.

[hurnik Member Find all posts View Profile Close hurnik]

The only problem was the typed of room. Why would anyone have a two bedroom without a full wall seperating the room and where any noise would disrupt. If one of us was in bed and the TV was on (low) you heard it as if you were right there. When the coffee maker came on you heard it. Didn't make sense to us.

That's why the floor plan (if available) is helpful as are the online photos, etc.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I just got back from an exchange with SFX from the Morritt's Tortuga club where they had gotten me an ocean front unit. I have also been on 1 previous, and have another booked for Greensprings Resort in Williamsburg for October which seems to be a very difficult find.

It is hard to go back after you have stayed oceanfront

I have a 10 year Platinum Membership.
I have had several exchanges into the Grand Mayan Mexico Resorts.
I have had several exchanges into NYC - my dates for this are VERY flexible.
I have had a bonus week exchange into San Francisco and Anaheim Disneyland.
I have friends that have been very successful with SFX but they have also been flexible.
When I need a specific resort/time, I use RCI and II...when I want a location and can be flexible, that is when I am most successful with SFX.
Great customer service reps - Elaina/Elaini(sp?) and Marcy are wonderful!

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

It is hard to go back after you have stayed oceanfront

I have a 10 year Platinum Membership.
I have had several exchanges into the Grand Mayan Mexico Resorts.
I have had several exchanges into NYC - my dates for this are VERY flexible.
I have had a bonus week exchange into San Francisco and Anaheim Disneyland.
I have friends that have been very successful with SFX but they have also been flexible.
When I need a specific resort/time, I use RCI and II...when I want a location and can be flexible, that is when I am most successful with SFX.
Great customer service reps - Elaina/Elaini(sp?) and Marcy are wonderful!

I almost always request particular resorts with SFX. In fact that was the reason I switched to SFX 15 years ago and have used them ever since. I wanted a particular HGVC resort and only SFX could get it for me. Since then I usually specify the resort I want in my request. and pretty well always get it. We don't travel in off-season but do give a range of dates within the season

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

It was a wonderful surprise, given how many poolside units their are. Not sure how I'll do when there is an ocean nearby and I am not staring at it!

My platinum membership is for 3 years, and if all goes well and as planned they will probably have me for another 10 years after that.

Elaina has always been great, and is really the only person I have dealt with.

It is hard to go back after you have stayed oceanfront

Great customer service reps - Elaina/Elaini(sp?) and Marcy are wonderful!

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

There are other advantages to using SFX. One big advantage that I like is NOT having to pay the user fees that are often charged to RCI exchangers. For example, RCI exchangers to NYC pay outrageous user fees whereas SFX exchangers don't pay any. Also not having the 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 restrictions are a big advantage.

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

It was a wonderful surprise, given how many poolside units their are. Not sure how I'll do when there is an ocean nearby and I am not staring at it!

My platinum membership is for 3 years, and if all goes well and as planned they will probably have me for another 10 years after that.

Elaina has always been great, and is really the only person I have dealt with.

I agree that Elena is great.