Germany, Switzerland & Italy

[rentaweek Posting Member Find all posts View Profile Close rentaweek]

Mark,

Can we submit requests for Germany, Switzerland & Italy? The SFX directory does not list any resorts in Germany, Switzerland & Italy.

Also, do you get deposits for resorts other than the hotels listed in your directory in Austria? What is the chance to trade into a 1-bedroom unit in the summer?

Thanks!

[silly_stitcher Member Find all posts View Profile Close silly_stitcher]

Bump! I'm about to deposit my 2008 week and I'd love to learn the answer to this question, as we're quite keen on going to Italy too.

Virginia

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark,

Can we submit requests for Germany, Switzerland & Italy? The SFX directory does not list any resorts in Germany, Switzerland & Italy.

Also, do you get deposits for resorts other than the hotels listed in your directory in Austria? What is the chance to trade into a 1-bedroom unit in the summer?

Thanks!

Rentaweek - thank you for your post. Although you can request any resort you see in any exchange system with us, to put it professionally bluntly... for Germany, Switzerland and Italy... we recommend staying in hotels !! and use your timeshare in a place where a certain level of quality can be assured, and where it may make more sense to stay at a timeshare rather than a hotel.

Allow me to explain...

There is a good reason why you do not see certain European countries in our directory. From what we know, and from consumer experiences there are two areas of concern.

1. Quality issues of the resorts.

2. Compatability issues with the vacation

Number one speaks for itself. How often are you going to travel to Europe for a vacation? Once, twice... three times? Not that often. Point being for such a special trip, investing all that money on the whole trip, and investing the time... do it right and stay in a decent hotel and use your timeshare where the return on your invested vacation dollar is a "good quality" property.

One of the main reasons people like to use SFX is because we tend to be more particular and picky than other exchange companies when it comes to quality. We have found members prefer we be direct about quality and use. If we feel you are better off using hotels instead of timeshares, we have no problem saying so.

Number two... When you go to great places like Italy and many other parts of Europe, after spending all that money and time, why would you want to be anchored down to one place, when to see the country you should be touring the different regions, spending maybe two or three days in different places. Take in the culture, the beauty, the history, the people etc.

Location is also very important. If you look at "other" timeshare directories, most of the timeshares in Italy, Austria, Germany are up in the ski resorts !!! Very few of them are in prime locations where as a visitor you want to be. The others are mostly in rural areas that may be pleasing for locals or regional vacationing nationals, but certainly not meeting the needs of the visitor from across the world. Of course, there are very few exceptions.

There are certain regions in the world where it makes a lot of sense to use your timeshares, and there are other where it just makes more sense to stay in a pleasant /nice hotel, get the service and ambience and tour the regions.

These are just my opinions, and do not necessarily reflect those of SFX.

Hope this helps...

[Kola Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kola]

There is a good reason why you do not see certain European countries in our directory. From what we know, and from consumer experiences there are two areas of concern.

1. Quality issues of the resorts.

2. Compatability issues with the vacation

Number one speaks for itself. How often are you going to travel to Europe for a vacation? Once, twice... three times? Not that often. Point being for such a special trip, investing all that money on the whole trip, and investing the time... do it right and stay in a decent hotel and use your timeshare where the return on your invested vacation dollar is a "good quality" property.

One of the main reasons people like to use SFX is because we tend to be more particular and picky than other exchange companies when it comes to quality. We have found members prefer we be direct about quality and use. If we feel you are better off using hotels instead of timeshares, we have no problem saying so.

Number two... When you go to great places like Italy and many other parts of Europe, after spending all that money and time, why would you want to be anchored down to one place, when to see the country you should be touring the different regions, spending maybe two or three days in different places. Take in the culture, the beauty, the history, the people etc.

Location is also very important. If you look at "other" timeshare directories, most of the timeshares in Italy, Austria, Germany are up in the ski resorts !!! Very few of them are in prime locations where as a visitor you want to be. The others are mostly in rural areas that may be pleasing for locals or regional vacationing nationals, but certainly not meeting the needs of the visitor from across the world. Of course, there are very few exceptions.

There are certain regions in the world where it makes a lot of sense to use your timeshares, and there are other where it just makes more sense to stay in a pleasant /nice hotel, get the service and ambience and tour the regions.

These are just my opinions, and do not necessarily reflect those of SFX.

Hope this helps...

Mark,
I understand that these are your views and you are entitled to voice them. At the same time, having been to practically all European contries, including to timeshares in Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal and the UK, I would tend to view your objections as highly questionable. Sure, there are good resorts and there are substandard resorts everywhere, including in Germany and Italy and Spain, but also in Florida and Hawaii and in California, in close proximity to the SFX location. Some people visiting Europe would compromise on hotel comfort to be in interesting/desirable locations. Visitors to European countries are motivated by a variety of reasons, which are not the same as those visiting Las Vegas or Orlando, Cancun or Nassau. I know very well that many timeshares in Europe don't meet the highest standards but one should not forget the fact that US chains like HGVC and Marriott's have long ago invested hundreds millions of $$$ or that timeshares in London or Paris are always in high demand. That's because most visitors are not "vacationing nationals" but are going there, as you stated, for "the culture, the beauty, the history, the people etc." The bottom line is that SFX should do much more to provide some European timeshare opportunities otherwise you are simply missing the boat.

Kola

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark,
At the same time, having been to practically all European contries, including to timeshares in Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal and the UK, I would tend to view your objections as highly questionable. Sure, there are good resorts and there are substandard resorts everywhere, including in Germany and Italy and Spain, but also in Florida and Hawaii and in California, in close proximity to the SFX location.

Some people visiting Europe would compromise on hotel comfort to be in interesting/desirable locations.

Visitors to European countries are motivated by a variety of reasons, which are not the same as those visiting Las Vegas or Orlando, Cancun or Nassau. I know very well that many timeshares in Europe don't meet the highest standards but one should not forget the fact that US chains like HGVC and Marriott's have long ago invested hundreds millions of $$$ or that timeshares in London or Paris are always in high demand. That's because most visitors are not "vacationing nationals" but are going there, as you stated, for "the culture, the beauty, the history, the people etc." The bottom line is that SFX should do much more to provide some European timeshare opportunities otherwise you are simply missing the boat.

Kola

Kola - thank you for sharing your point of view, it is appreciated.

In better understanding the SFX business model, although there is a very small handful of Members who may compromise quality of property to visit certain countries in Europe, an overwhelming majority of our Member base use SFX because we would not book them into the majority of these properties you see listed in "other" directories in certain countries.

Our model is to a demographic profile that mostly would rather pay for a hotel experience, and be exactly where they wanted to be, perhaps in Rome or Tuscany, and not a minimal quality timeshare resort in the Alps or in a rural area of minimal importance to their vacation needs and expectations.

We do book a number of Members into Europe, but only focus on properties that are a certain level of quality, and are in high demand good locations. We will not depart from or dilute our business model which is to provide our Members with better quality resorts and experiences in sought after locations.