# Overview Article 4 of 6 - RCI, SFX & HHONORS RESERVATIONS



## alwysonvac (Mar 9, 2014)

RCI RESERVATIONS

RCI is a timeshare exchange company. All HGVC developer resorts are affiliated with RCI. 

RCI has two exchange systems – RCI Weeks and RCI Points. Resorts affiliated with RCI can participate in RCI Weeks or RCI Points or both. HGVC members have access to both exchange systems.

*RCI Directory of Resorts *– {add link here}

*For RCI Weeks inventory* 
o	Weeks can be booked as early as two years in advance and as late as two (2) days prior to check-in (however actual week availability varies by resort).
o	It's best to place an ongoing search request. What’s normally seen online are the leftovers after all ongoing request have been satisfied.

*For RCI Points inventory*
o	Weeks and/or nights can be available as early as 10 months in advance and as late as the day of check-in.(however actual availability varies by resort).
o	RCI Points does not support ongoing search requests. It requires a manual search.  Based on the resort, availability can change constantly.
o	It is best to start searching online as soon as the 10 month window begins to increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates (especially during peak travel dates)

RCI membership is included in the HGVC Club Dues. HGVC member use Club Points for RCI exchanges (not RCI Points or TPU values). HGVC has a set exchange rate for RCI exchanges (see table below). HGVC deducts Club points from member’s account upon confirmation. Deposits are required to book a stay. Simply make the reservation or place an ongoing search request.  
_NOTE: HGVC members have access to RCI through the HGVC member website (not directly via an individual RCI account)_ 

*Number of Club Points Required for RCI exchanges*






_NOTE: Some areas are have Red Season year round (such as Hawaii, Florida, Nevada) while other areas support all three seasons (such as the Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Tennessee) _

For example
RCI Resort: Vacation Club II (RCI Code #5424) in northern Michigan has the following RCI Seasons 
BLUE - Mar 15, 2014 thru Apr 26, 2014 
BLUE - Nov 01, 2014 thru Dec 13, 2014 
RED - Jan 04, 2014 thru Mar 15, 2014 
RED - May 31, 2014 thru Oct 25, 2014 
RED - Dec 13, 2014 thru Dec 31, 2014 
WHITE - Apr 26, 2014 thru May 31, 2014 
WHITE - Oct 25, 2014 thru Nov 01, 2014


*Cancellation Policy:*
Cancellation of a RCI reservation will result in forfeiture of the Reservation Fee. 
In addition, cancellation made with the timeframes list below will results in the loss of points used to confirm the reservation:
	30 to 15 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 25% of the points. 
	14 to 6 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 50% of the points 
	5 days or less in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 100% of the points 

ClubPoints from a current or future use year will be returned to the Club Member’s HGVC account. 
ClubPoints from previous or or expired use years may be deposited to RCI for a fee.


*RCI Cash Rental options* 
There is no exchange fee required.
(1) RCI Extra Vacation - available by phone only (HGVC’s web portal doesn’t support this online feature) 
(2) RCI Last Call - available online or by phone (this as a subset of RCI Extra Vacations starting 45 days out)
(3) RCI Open Season - available by phone only (RCI Nightly Rentals can be paid for with cash starting 90 days out. It's my understanding that RCI's Cash Rental Rates are the same prices as HGVC Open Season rates but call HGVC Member Services to confirm.)  

_NOTE: 
1)	There are other two major exchange companies (Interval International and RCI). Both require resort affiliation in order to participate. HGVC Developer Resorts are only affiliated with RCI. 
2)	Some of the affiliated HGVC resorts are also affiliated with Interval International.
3)	HGVC members can also exchange their timeshare week with some of the smaller timeshare exchange companies (such as SFX, Trading Place International, Dial an Exchange, Platinum Interchange, etc) which don’t require resort affiliation_


SFX RESERVATIONS

Similar to RCI, the San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts is a timeshare exchange company.

The following SFX member resorts may be booked for a week using ClubPoints via a phone called to HGVC Member Services:

	Club Donatello - http://www.clubdonatello.org/
o	Thursday check-in required
o	2,400 points (studio)​	Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta - http://www.grandluxxe.com/nuevo-vallarta
o	Friday check-in required
o	7,200 points (studio)
o	12,600 points (1 bedroom)
o	14,400 points (2 bedroom)​	Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya - http://www.grandluxxe.com/riviera-maya
o	Friday check-in required
o	7,200 points (studio)
o	12,600 points (1 bedroom)
o	14,400 points (2 bedroom)​_NOTE: Availability may be limited during certain times._

For the above resorts, 
	Reservations must be made by phone via HGVC Club Counselor
	Reservations fee is $76 and non-changeable. 
	Elite Members have a priority reservation window of 365 to 276 days prior to check-in. 
	General Club Members can make reservations starting 276 days prior to check-in. 

Separately, all HGVC members can apply for SFX membership to gain access to additional resorts that trade through SFX.
SFX Directory of Resorts - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/directory/
SFX Membership Information - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/membership.aspx
SFX Timeshare Exchange Process - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/timeshare-exchange.aspx
SFX Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/faq.aspx


HHONORS RESERVATIONS

*HGVC AND HILTON HONORS *
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) and Hilton HHonors are two separate programs.

Club Members have two options to use HGVC points with HHonors.
(1) *Transfer your points from one program to another (HGVC points to HHonors points)* 
PROs: All Club Members receive 25 HHonors points for each HGVC point.(except for the following units at West 57th Street only – penthouse units receive 30 HHonors points, One Bedroom and studio premier receive 40 HHonors points and studio plus receive 50 HHonors points).
CONS: Regular Club Members cannot transfer/convert HGVC points to HHonors points in the current year (only Elite Plus and Premier members).   Everyone else must plan ahead and request conversion before Dec 31 of the current year, for the following year's allocation of HGVC points. HGVC points are not deposited into a Club Member’s HHonors account until the first week of January of the following year.
NOTE: Conversion may be for less than the entire annual allotment of points. Converted HHonors points may not be converted back to HGVC points. 

(2) *Make Hotel Reservations using HGVC points*
PROs: Club Members can use a combination of HHonor points and HGVC Club Points (from the current year and/or borrow from next year) to make your hotel reservations
CONs: Club Members receive 20 HHonors points for each HGVC point (5 points less per HGVC point for not planning in advance)
NOTE: HGVC points can not be returned to into a Club Member’s HGVC account. It a hotel reservation is cancelled, the Club Member will be credited with HHonors points into their HHonors account.

_TIP: Do not hoard HHonors Points - Plan any hotel reward trips sooner rather than later. 
A great hotel exchange deal today may not be a great deal tomorrow due to the following
(a) Maintenance Fees will continue to increase over time decreasing the exchange value
(b) HHONOR reward point requirement will continue to increase over time which will eventually impact the number of hotel reward nights 
(c) Per the HGVC Member Guide, the HGVC to HHonors conversion rate is subject to change without notice and the benefits available through these programs are subject to change, suspension or discontinuation at any time without prior notice. _

*For HHonors discussions visit the Hilton HHonors Flyertalk board* - http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=417

THE HILTON HHONORS PROGRAM:
Hilton HHonors determines point requirement for each of their hotels - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/index.html
HGVC determines the conversion rate for the number of HHonors Points per HGVC point.

As HGVC Club Members, we are automatically given Silver VIP HHonor status.  
HHonors Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members receive every 5th night free on Standard Reward Stays of five consecutive nights or more (up to four free nights on a stay of 20 consecutive nights.). Any qualifying HHonors booking receives the discount automatically. The Fifth Night Free benefit applies only to standard rooms.
_NOTE:  The 5th night free reward replaces the old VIP/GLON rewards. _

There's also an exclusive 4-night stays rewards at hotels in categories 5 through 10 (aka AXON reward), available only to US-based Hilton American Express credit cards (both the regular and Surpass versions). 

Additional information about HHonors
Hilton HHonors Membership Levels - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/benefits/index.html
Additional ways to earn HHonors points and use HHonors points - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/overview/index.html
Standard Hotel Rewards Chart - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/hotel/using/index.html
Hotel Reward Lookup tool by destination - http://hhonorspointssearchtool.com/
HHonors Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/support/faq/index.html#hotelrewards
HHonors Credit Cards - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/credit-cards/index.html
Flyertalk’s HHonors Reward Options Summary - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...ilton-reward-options-updated-june-2013-a.html


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## GregT (Mar 11, 2014)

alwysonvac said:


> RCI RESERVATIONS
> 
> RCI is a timeshare exchange company. All HGVC developer resorts are affiliated with RCI.
> 
> ...



These are going to end up as Stickies right (but without our responses?).  This is excellent material.


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## alwysonvac (Mar 12, 2014)

GregT said:


> These are going to end up as Stickies right (but without our responses?).  This is excellent material.



I'm planning to combine all sections and post a final version.
What happens after that is up to TUGBrian.


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## alwysonvac (Mar 13, 2014)

presley said:


> 4.)  don't know if you want to add that individual SFX accounts can deposit their home week (no charge) or a 7 night club reservation by paying the guest certificate and reservation fee.



Thanks Presley
I've decided to pull out the specific SFX information. I'm simply going to add a generic statement under Independent Timeshare Companies and refer folks to the TUG forum for more details.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RCI RESERVATIONS

RCI is a timeshare exchange company. All HGVC developer resorts are affiliated with RCI. 

RCI is a timeshare exchange company. RCI has two exchange systems – RCI Weeks and RCI Points. Resorts affiliated with RCI can participate in RCI Weeks or RCI Points or both. HGVC members have access to both exchange systems.

*RCI Directory of Resorts *– {add link here}

*For RCI Weeks inventory* 
o	Weeks can be booked as early as two years in advance and as late as two (2) days prior to check-in (however actual week availability varies by resort).
o	It's best to place an ongoing search request as early as possible to get in the queue.  What’s normally seen online are the leftovers after all ongoing request have been satisfied.

*For RCI Points inventory*
o	Weeks and/or nights can be available as early as 10 months in advance and as late as the day of check-in.(however actual availability varies by resort).
o	RCI Points does not support ongoing search requests. It requires a manual search.  Based on the resort, availability can change constantly.
o	To increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates it It is best to start searching online as soon as the 10 month window begins to increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates (especially forduring peak travel dates)

RCI membership is included in the HGVC Club Dues. HGVC members use Club Points for RCI exchanges (not RCI Points or TPU values). HGVC has a set exchange rate for RCI exchanges (see table below). HGVC deducts Club points from member’s account upon confirmation. Deposits are not requiredto book a stay. Simply make the reservation or place an ongoing search request.  
_NOTE: HGVC members have access to RCI through the HGVC member website (not directly via an individual RCI account). Therefore, standard RCI currencies normally associated with individual RCI accounts such as RCI Points or TPU values do not apply to HGVC members._

*Number of Club Points Required for RCI exchanges*






_NOTE: Some areas are have Red Season only year round (such as Hawaii, Florida, Nevada) while other areas support all three seasons (such as the Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Tennessee) _

For example
RCI Resort: Vacation Club II (RCI Code #5424) in northern Michigan has the following RCI Seasons 
BLUE - Mar 15, 2014 thru Apr 26, 2014 
BLUE - Nov 01, 2014 thru Dec 13, 2014 
RED - Jan 04, 2014 thru Mar 15, 2014 
RED - May 31, 2014 thru Oct 25, 2014 
RED - Dec 13, 2014 thru Dec 31, 2014 
WHITE - Apr 26, 2014 thru May 31, 2014 
WHITE - Oct 25, 2014 thru Nov 01, 2014


*Cancellation Policy:*
Cancellation of a RCI reservation will result in forfeiture of the Reservation Fee. 
In addition, cancellation made with the timeframes list below will results in the loss of points used to confirm the reservation:
	30 to 15 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 25% of the points. 
	14 to 6 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 50% of the points 
	5 days or less in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 100% of the points 

ClubPoints from a current or future use year will be returned to the Club Member’s HGVC account. 
ClubPoints from previous or or expired use years may be deposited to RCI for a fee.


*RCI Cash Rental options* 
There is no exchange fee required.
(1) RCI Extra Vacation - available by phone only (HGVC’s web portal doesn’t support this online feature) 
(2) RCI Last Call - available online or by phone (this as a subset of RCI Extra Vacations starting 45 days out)
(3) RCI Open Season - available by phone only (RCI Nightly Rentals can be paid for with cash starting 90 days out. It's my understanding from TUG threads that RCI's Cash Rental Rates are the same prices as HGVC Open Season rates but I have not confirmed this.call HGVC Member Services to confirm.)  

_NOTE: 
1)	There are other two major exchange companies (Interval International and RCI). Both require resort affiliation in order to participate. HGVC Developer Resorts are only affiliated with RCI. 
2)	Some of the affiliated HGVC resorts are also affiliated with Interval International.
3)	HGVC members can also exchange their timeshare week with some of the smaller timeshare exchange companies (such as SFX, Trading Place International, Dial An Exchange, Platinum Interchange, etc) which don’t require resort affiliation_

_NOTE: There are two major exchange companies (Interval International and RCI). Both require resort affiliation in order to participate. HGVC Developer Resorts are only affiliated with RCI. However some of the affiliated HGVC resorts are also affiliated with Interval International. _

Independent Timeshare Exchange Companies 
HGVC members can also exchange their timeshare week directly with several smaller independent timeshare exchange companies (such as SFX, Trading Place International, Dial an Exchange, Platinum Interchange, etc). These companies don’t require HGVC affiliation in order to join. Members can independently deposit a week into these timeshare exchange companies by simply making a reservation, obtaining the appropriate guest certificate and provding the information to the exchange company. The rules vary by exchange company but some may offer free and/or discounted membership fees, bonus weeks, cash rentals and/or lower exchange fees. More information can be found on the TUG forums for each of the independent timeshare exchange companies.

Here are links to some of the independent exchange companies:
The San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts https://www.sfx-resorts.com/about.aspx
Platinum Interchange http://www.platinuminterchange.com/website/about.asp
Trading Places International http://www.tradingplaces.com/about-us 
Dial An Exchange (DAE) http://www.daelive.com/helpdesk/aboutus.aspx
Hawaii Time Share Exchange http://www.htse.net/



SFX RESERVATIONS

Similar to RCI, the San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts is a timeshare exchange company.

The following SFX member resorts may be booked for a week using ClubPoints via a phone called to HGVC Member Services:
SFX & HGVC have an arrangement that allow members to make reservations at three specific resorts direct via HGVC (similar to the way we book some of our other affiliated resorts)

For these three resorts: 
	Reservations must be made by phone via a HGVC Club Counselor
	The 2014 Reservations fee is $76 and non-changeable. 
	Elite Members have a priority reservation window of 365 to 276 days prior to check-in. 
	General Club Members can make reservations starting 276 days prior to check-in. 

(1)	Club Donatello - http://www.clubdonatello.org/
o	Thursday check-in required
o	2,400 points (studio)​(2)	Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta - http://www.grandluxxe.com/nuevo-vallarta
o	Friday check-in required
o	7,200 points (studio)
o	12,600 points (1 bedroom)
o	14,400 points (2 bedroom)​(3)	Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya - http://www.grandluxxe.com/riviera-maya
o	Friday check-in required
o	7,200 points (studio)
o	12,600 points (1 bedroom)
o	14,400 points (2 bedroom)​_NOTE: Availability may be limited during certain times._

For the above resorts, 
	Reservations must be made by phone via HGVC Club Counselor
	Reservations fee is $76 and non-changeable. 
	Elite Members have a priority reservation window of 365 to 276 days prior to check-in. 
	General Club Members can make reservations starting 276 days prior to check-in. 

Separately, all HGVC members can apply for SFX membership to gain access to additional resorts that trade through SFX.
SFX Directory of Resorts - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/directory/
SFX Membership Information - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/membership.aspx
SFX Timeshare Exchange Process - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/timeshare-exchange.aspx
SFX Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) - https://www.sfx-resorts.com/faq.aspx

HHONORS RESERVATIONS

*HGVC AND HILTON HONORS *
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) and Hilton HHonors are two separate programs.

Club Members have two options to use HGVC points with HHonors.
(1) *Transfer your points from one program to another (HGVC points to HHonors points)* 
PROs: All Club Members receive 25 HHonors points for each HGVC point. (except for the following units at West 57th Street only – penthouse units receive 30 HHonors points, One Bedroom and studio premier receive 40 HHonors points and studio plus receive 50 HHonors points).
CONS: Regular Club Members cannot transfer/convert HGVC points to HHonors points in the current year (only Only Elite Plus and Premier members } can convert points in the current year.  Everyone else must plan ahead and request conversion before Dec 31 of the current year, for the following year's allocation of HGVC points. HGVC points are not deposited into a Club Member’s HHonors account until the first week of January of the following year.
NOTE: Conversion may be for less than the entire annual allotment of points. Converted HHonors points may not be converted back to HGVC points. 

(2) *Make Hotel Reservations using HGVC points*
PROs: Club Members can use a combination of HHonor points and HGVC Club Points (from the current year and/or borrow from next year) to make your hotel reservations
CONs: Club Members receive 20 HHonors points for each HGVC point (5 points less per HGVC point for not planning in advance)
NOTE: HGVC points can not be returned to into a Club Member’s HGVC account. ItIf a hotel reservation is cancelled, the Club Member will be credited with HHonors points into their HHonors account.

_TIP: Do not hoard HHonors Points - Plan any hotel reward trips sooner rather than later. 
A great hotel exchange deal today may not be a great deal tomorrow due to the following
(a) Maintenance Fees will continue to increase over time decreasing the exchange value
(b) HHONOR reward point requirement will continue to increase over time which will eventually impact the number of hotel reward nights 
(c) Per the HGVC Member Guide, the HGVC to HHonors conversion rate is subject to change without notice and the benefits available through these programs are subject to change, suspension or discontinuation at any time without prior notice. _

*For HHonors discussions visit the Hilton HHonors Flyertalk board* - http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=417

THE HILTON HHONORS PROGRAM:
Hilton HHonors determines point requirement for each of their hotels - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/index.html
HGVC determines the conversion rate for the number of HHonors Points per HGVC point.

As HGVC Club Members, we are automatically given Silver VIP HHonors Silver Elite status.  
HHonors Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members receive every 5th night free on Standard Reward Stays of five consecutive nights or more (up to four free nights on a stay of 20 consecutive nights.). Any qualifying HHonors booking receives the discount automatically. The Fifth Night Free benefit applies only to standard rooms.
_NOTE:  The 5th night free reward replaces the old VIP/GLON rewards. _

There's also an exclusive 4-night stays rewards at hotels in categories 5 through 10 (aka AXON reward), available only to US-based Hilton American Express credit cards (both the regular and Surpass versions). 

Additional information about HHonors
Hilton HHonors Membership Levels - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/benefits/index.html
Additional ways to earn HHonors points and use HHonors points - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/overview/index.html
Standard Hotel Rewards Chart - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/hotel/using/index.html
Hotel Reward Lookup tool by destination - http://hhonorspointssearchtool.com/
HHonors Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/support/faq/index.html#hotelrewards
HHonors Credit Cards - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/credit-cards/index.html
Flyertalk’s HHonors Reward Options Summary - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...ilton-reward-options-updated-june-2013-a.html


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## alwysonvac (Mar 22, 2014)

*Final draft version*

Section 4: RCI RESERVATIONS

All HGVC developer resorts are affiliated with RCI. 

RCI is a timeshare exchange company. RCI offers two exchange programs – RCI Weeks and RCI Points. Resorts affiliated with RCI can participate in RCI Weeks or RCI Points or both. HGVC members have access to both exchange programs.

*RCI Directory of Resorts *– http://www.rci.com/resort-directory/landing

*For RCI Weeks inventory* 
o	Weeks can be booked as early as two years in advance and as late as two (2) days prior to check-in (however actual week availability varies by resort).
o	It's best to place an ongoing search request as early as possible to get in the queue. What’s normally seen online are the leftovers after all ongoing requests have been satisfied.

*For RCI Points inventory*
o	Weeks and/or nights can be available as early as 10 months in advance and as late as the day of check-in (however actual availability varies by resort).
o	RCI Points does not support ongoing search requests. It requires a manual search.  Based on the resort, availability can change constantly.
o	To increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates it is best to start searching online as soon as the 10 month window begins to increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates (especially for peak travel dates)

RCI membership is included in the HGVC Club Dues. HGVC members use ClubPoints for RCI exchanges. HGVC has a set exchange rate for RCI exchanges (see table below). HGVC deducts ClubPoints from member’s account upon confirmation. Deposits are not required. Simply make the reservation or place an ongoing search request.  
_NOTE: HGVC members have access to RCI through the HGVC member website (not directly via an individual RCI account). As a result, standard RCI currencies normally associated with individual RCI accounts such as RCI Points or TPU values do not apply to HGVC members._

*Number of ClubPoints Required for RCI exchanges*






_NOTE: Some areas are Red Season only year round (such as Hawaii, Florida, Nevada) while other areas support all three seasons (such as the Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Tennessee) _

For example
RCI Resort: Vacation Club II (RCI Code #5424) in northern Michigan has the following RCI Seasons 
BLUE - Mar 15, 2014 thru Apr 26, 2014 
BLUE - Nov 01, 2014 thru Dec 13, 2014 
RED - Jan 04, 2014 thru Mar 15, 2014 
RED - May 31, 2014 thru Oct 25, 2014 
RED - Dec 13, 2014 thru Dec 31, 2014 
WHITE - Apr 26, 2014 thru May 31, 2014 
WHITE - Oct 25, 2014 thru Nov 01, 2014


*Cancellation Policy:*
Cancellation of a RCI reservation will result in forfeiture of the Reservation Fee. 
In addition, cancellation made with the timeframes listed below will results in the loss of ClubPoints used to confirm the reservation:
	30 to 15 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 25% of the ClubPoints. 
	14 to 6 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 50% of the ClubPoints 
	5 days or less in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 100% of the ClubPoints 

ClubPoints from a current or future use year will be returned to the Club Member’s HGVC account. 
ClubPoints from previous use years may be deposited to RCI for a fee.


*RCI Cash Rental options* 
There is no exchange fee required.
(1) RCI Extra Vacation - available by phone only (HGVC’s web portal doesn’t support this online feature offered to all RCI members) 
(2) RCI Last Call - available online or by phone (less than 6 weeks before check-in)
(3) RCI Open Season - available by phone only (RCI Nightly Rentals can be paid for with cash starting 90 days out. It's my understanding from TUG threads that RCI's Cash Rental Rates are the same prices as HGVC Open Season rates but I have not confirmed this.)  

_NOTE: There are two major exchange companies (Interval International and RCI). Both require resort affiliation in order to participate. HGVC Developer Resorts are only affiliated with RCI. However some of the affiliated HGVC resorts are also affiliated with Interval International. _

Independent Timeshare Exchange Companies 
HGVC members can also exchange their timeshare week directly with several smaller independent timeshare exchange companies (such as SFX, Trading Place International, Dial an Exchange, Platinum Interchange, etc). These companies don’t require HGVC affiliation in order to join. Members can independently deposit a week into these timeshare exchange companies by simply making a reservation, obtaining the appropriate guest certificate and provding the information to the exchange company. The rules vary by exchange company but some may offer free and/or discounted membership fees, bonus weeks, cash rentals and/or lower exchange fees. More information can be found on the TUG forums for each of the independent timeshare exchange companies.

Here are links to some of the independent exchange companies:
The San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts https://www.sfx-resorts.com/about.aspx
Platinum Interchange http://www.platinuminterchange.com/website/about.asp
Trading Places International http://www.tradingplaces.com/about-us 
Dial An Exchange (DAE) http://www.daelive.com/helpdesk/aboutus.aspx
Hawaii Time Share Exchange http://www.htse.net/


SFX RESERVATIONS

Similar to RCI, the San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts is a timeshare exchange company.

SFX & HGVC have an arrangement that allow members to make reservations at three specific resorts direct via HGVC (similar to the way we book some of our other affiliated resorts)

For these three resorts: 
	Reservations must be made by phone via a HGVC Club Counselor
	The 2014 Reservations fee is $76 and non-changeable. 
	Elite Members have a priority reservation window of 365 to 276 days prior to check-in. 
	General Club Members can make reservations starting 276 days prior to check-in. 

(1)	Club Donatello - http://www.clubdonatello.org/
o	Thursday check-in required
o	2,400 ClubPoints (studio)​(2)	Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta - http://www.grandluxxe.com/nuevo-vallarta
o	Friday check-in required
o	7,200 ClubPoints (studio)
o	12,600 ClubPoints (1 bedroom)
o	14,400 ClubPoints (2 bedroom)​(3)	Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya - http://www.grandluxxe.com/riviera-maya
o	Friday check-in required
o	7,200 ClubPoints (studio)
o	12,600 ClubPoints (1 bedroom)
o	14,400 ClubPoints (2 bedroom)​_NOTE: Availability may be limited during certain times._


HHONORS RESERVATIONS

*HGVC AND HILTON HONORS *
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) and Hilton HHonors are two separate programs.

Club Members have two options to use HGVC ClubPoints with HHonors.

(1) *Transfer your points from one program to another (HGVC ClubPoints to HHonors points)* 
PROs: All Club Members receive 25 HHonors points for each HGVC ClubPoint. (except for the following units at West 57th Street only – penthouse units receive 30 HHonors points, One Bedroom and studio premier receive 40 HHonors points and studio plus receive 50 HHonors points).
CONS: Regular Club Members cannot transfer/convert HGVC ClubPoints to HHonors points in the current year. Only Elite Plus and Premier members can convert HGVC ClubPoints in the current year.  Everyone else must plan ahead and request conversion before Dec 31 of the current year, for the following year's allocation of HGVC ClubPoints. HGVC ClubPoints are not deposited into a Club Member’s HHonors account until the first week of January of the following year.
_NOTE: Conversion may be for less than the entire annual allotment of ClubPoints. Converted HHonors points may not be converted back to HGVC ClubPoints._ 

(2) *Make Hotel Reservations using HGVC ClubPoints*
PROs: Club Members can use a combination of HHonor points and HGVC ClubPoints (from the current year and/or borrow from next year) to make their hotel reservations
CONs: Club Members receive 20 HHonors points for each HGVC ClubPoint (5 points less per HGVC ClubPoint for not planning in advance)
_NOTE: HGVC ClubPoints can not be returned to into a Club Member’s HGVC account. If a hotel reservation is cancelled, the Club Member will be credited with HHonors points into their HHonors account._

_TIP: Do not hoard HHonors Points - Plan any hotel reward trips sooner rather than later. 
A great hotel exchange deal today may not be a great deal tomorrow due to the following
(a) Maintenance Fees will continue to increase over time decreasing the exchange value
(b) HHONOR reward point requirement will continue to increase over time which will eventually impact the number of hotel reward nights 
(c) Per the HGVC Member Guide, the HGVC to HHonors conversion rate is subject to change without notice and the benefits available through these programs are subject to change, suspension or discontinuation at any time without prior notice. _

*For HHonors discussions visit the Hilton HHonors Flyertalk board* - http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=417

THE HILTON HHONORS PROGRAM:
Hilton HHonors determines point requirement for each of their hotels - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/index.html

As HGVC Club Members, we are automatically given HHonors Silver Elite  status.  
HHonors Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members receive every 5th night free on Standard Reward Stays of five consecutive nights or more (up to four free nights on a stay of 20 consecutive nights.). Any qualifying HHonors booking receives the discount automatically. The Fifth Night Free benefit applies only to standard rooms.
_NOTE:  The 5th night free reward replaces the old VIP/GLON rewards. _

There's also an exclusive 4-night stays rewards at hotels in categories 5 through 10 (aka AXON reward), available only to US-based Hilton American Express credit cards (both the regular and Surpass versions). 

Additional information about HHonors
Hilton HHonors Membership Levels - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/benefits/index.html
Additional ways to earn and use HHonors points - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/overview/index.html
Standard Hotel Rewards Chart - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/hotel/using/index.html
Hotel Reward Lookup tool by destination - http://hhonorspointssearchtool.com/
HHonors Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/support/faq/index.html#hotelrewards
HHonors Credit Cards - http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/credit-cards/index.html
Flyertalk’s HHonors Reward Options Summary - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...ilton-reward-options-updated-june-2013-a.html[/QUOTE]


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## HatTrick (Oct 31, 2014)

alwysonvac said:


> PROs: All Club Members receive 25 HHonors points for each HGVC point. (except for the following units at West 57th Street only – penthouse units receive 30 HHonors points, One Bedroom and studio premier receive 40 HHonors points and studio plus receive 50 HHonors points).



Per the 2014 Club Reference, the increased conversion rates quoted above for West 57th Street are valid only when converting the entire allotment of ClubPoints. Otherwise, the rate is the standard 25-to-1.

The 50-to-1 rate also applies to conversion of the entire allotment of ClubPoints for Grand Waikikian penthouse units.


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## hurnik (Oct 31, 2014)

Sorry to ask the dumb question, but is this new?  I mean the clubpoints to SFX?  Anyway, I'm not sure if the Grand Luxxe resorts are easier to get into via this method, but:

IF one is wanting to get in, it's easier to exchange your 1 bedroom week (3400 points or less) into SFX and THEN use that exchange to get into Grand Luxxe (plus the $149-189 exchange fee depending upon membership level) vs. the 12,600 points or whatever.

But it's interesting to note that it seems like HGVC now lets you book directly into SFX, albeit at a hideous amount of points, IMO.


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## alwysonvac (Oct 31, 2014)

HatTrick said:


> Per the 2014 Club Reference, the increased conversion rates quoted above for West 57th Street are valid only when converting the entire allotment of ClubPoints. Otherwise, the rate is the standard 25-to-1.
> 
> The 50-to-1 rate also applies to conversion of the entire allotment of ClubPoints for Grand Waikikian penthouse units.



Thanks for catching that


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## alwysonvac (Nov 1, 2014)

hurnik said:


> Sorry to ask the dumb question, but is this new?  I mean the clubpoints to SFX?  Anyway, I'm not sure if the Grand Luxxe resorts are easier to get into via this method, but:
> 
> IF one is wanting to get in, it's easier to exchange your 1 bedroom week (3400 points or less) into SFX and THEN use that exchange to get into Grand Luxxe (plus the $149-189 exchange fee depending upon membership level) vs. the 12,600 points or whatever.
> 
> But it's interesting to note that it seems like HGVC now lets you book directly into SFX, albeit at a hideous amount of points, IMO.



I don't know when they started offering clubpoints for Grand Luxxe via SFX. 
I recently found it on the HGVC website - http://www.hgvclubprogram.com/sfx-preferred-resorts/

Yeah, some of the options that HGVC offers is not always the best use of points. I really don't go into that for each of the various HGVC options. I just tried to present what HGVC offers its members. The various TUG threads go into more details about specific PROs and CONs.

NOTE: Another TUG voiced a similar concern as well - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1599806&postcount=12


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## buzglyd (Nov 1, 2014)

hurnik said:


> Sorry to ask the dumb question, but is this new?  I mean the clubpoints to SFX?  Anyway, I'm not sure if the Grand Luxxe resorts are easier to get into via this method, but:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




SFX also charges a $298 Residence Club fee for Grand Luxxe.


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## hurnik (Nov 1, 2014)

buzglyd said:


> SFX also charges a $298 Residence Club fee for Grand Luxxe.



Yes, I forgot to mention that.

Anyway, thanks to the OP for the efforts to compile a rather nice and complete list, IMHO, of how HGVC works.

Excellent job on the sticky!!!


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