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SFX BONUS WEEK

simon63

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Hi, I called to SFX about to deposit my Fiesta Americana week, but they told me that they don´t work with FAVC. They offer me to buy 3 years of Diamond membership for $299 and buy bonus weeks. I asked them how often is possible to get inventory in Vidanta and they said that they usually have.
I will apreciate any information of somebody who has experience with Bonus Weeks, thanks.
 

T-Dot-Traveller

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Hi, I called to SFX about to deposit my Fiesta Americana week, but they told me that they don´t work with FAVC. They offer me to buy 3 years of Diamond membership for $299 and buy bonus weeks. I asked them how often is possible to get inventory in Vidanta and they said that they usually have.
I will apreciate any information of somebody who has experience with Bonus Weeks, thanks.

Hi Simon63,
I do not have direct experience with SFX .

However - since you are looking for summer weeks I would think your chances are good of getting access to Vidanta between May and November.

[ Vidanta has lots of members from cold winter places - Canada -Minnesota - Wisconsin etc.
We want Jan -April; so if you were looking for Feb 2022 you might not get it. / summer is likely has more availability through SFX ]
 

simon63

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Thanks Tom, yes I´m looking more for summer, but I don´t know if is the same inventory with bonus week than interchange. For me that´s ok 1or 2br at Grand Bliss or Grand Mayan.
 
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NiteMaire

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I don´t know if is the same inventory with bonus week than interchange.
While I haven't used a bonus week yet, my understanding is that you have access to the same inventory. The price is dependent on unit size and check-in date (fees are reduced as it gets closer to check-in). There may be an additional cost for high quality resorts and certain locations. When I've been offered an exchange, I've asked for the price if I were to use a bonus week. I've not elected to use the bonus week since it was always a higher cost. However, I could have used a bonus week for each of the exchanges. I didn't realize there was an option to purchase bonus weeks (without depositing a unit).

They also have some great deals that pop up in Resort Escapes, especially so if you are a diamond-level member. The discount on one week could net you savings greater than the cost of the 3-year membership.

@Eric B or @rickandcindy23 may be able to provide additional insight.
 

hurnik

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I use bonus weeks all the time with SFX. As previously mentioned, the pricing depends on the unit size (Studio/1BR/2BR/3BR) and how far in advance the check-in date is. Typically things that are 6+ months away are $899/week for a 2 BR. there's a $200 upcharge I believe for Grand Luxxe. there's also the $75 resort fee (Vidanta charge when you check out). Depending on one's MF/deposit, it can be higiher/lower to use a bonus week vs. an exchange week. For me, it's about a break even.

If I deposit my 2400 point Hilton week, pay the $59 booking fee and the $64 or whatever Guest Certificate, plus my MF/point, and use it to exchange into a 2 BR Grand Bliss, it will cost me (plus the $149 SFX exchange fee): $680

Obviously if I have to deposit my 3400 point week it's a bit more at around $980.

If I use a bonus week, and it's more than 6 months out it's $799 (I'm a diamond member so I get the $100 discount off of bonus week and reduced exchange fee)

But if I can get the bonus week in under 90 days (again, for summer you're probably OK, but I wouldn't count on this during high season) it's $699, which is almost the same as my exchange week.

Bonus weeks expire in 1 year. Exchange/deposited weeks expire depending upon membership level and future deposits.
 

SmithOp

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You can sign up for the free membership and look at the 60 day inventory, then decide if its worth upgrading to platinum.
 

simon63

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I signed up free daimond membership, but only see a few escapes, no one in Mexico, is there any other way to see more inventory on line or I have to call, thanks
 
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NiteMaire

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I signed up free daimond membership, but only see a few escapes, no one in Mexico, is there any other way to see more inventory on line or I have to call, thanks
You have to call; the online exchange system is non-existent at the moment (and different than the resort escapes). They're supposedly working on a new online exchange system; the previous one was atrocious and virtually useless.
 

hurnik

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I signed up free daimond membership, but only see a few escapes, no one in Mexico, is there any other way to see more inventory on line or I have to call, thanks

Generally their resort escapes are short-term (ie, 3-months or less, but not always) and are usually (again not always) deposits that folks have made that nobody has taken yet. Given that travel demand is picking up AND resorts are still limiting capacity (even for Mexico I think they're anywhere between 40-60% capacity limited depending on what zone they're in), I anticipate there's going to be not a lot of excess inventory anywhere. But I could be wrong.
 

limitless

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For my bonus week Grand Luxxe was $300 for the 1 bedroom or $400 for the 2 bedroom. There is a $75 fee but that includes transportation to the resort. I booked yesterday for this month. That doesn't include the $299 booking fee.
 

limitless

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Also they said I'll have access to the grand luxxe pools and the beach club.
 

hurnik

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I didn't have any issues going to the beach club or the GL pool when I went.

Thanks! They must've temporarily changed things for COVID. It used to be only during high season (11/25 - March) that only owners, staying on an owners week, could use the Grand Luxxe (or Grand Bliss) amenities.

Then they extended it year round (I had some friends staying in low season in October and weren't allowed to use the pool/beach club/spa or burger place).

Riviera Maya location only. We'll see if they continue to allow non-owner weeks usage of the amenities.
 

Sandy VDH

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I have used SFX for Vidanta exclusively. I have booked 2 Luxxe units, about 5 Grand Units and a Bliss unit.

SFX has decent access to Vidanta inventory. Luxxe units are a surcharge on exchanges, but all other weeks are not and at last check the fee to Vidanta is only $75 for the week, not the nightly charge they rip you off with on RCI inbounds.
 
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