• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

taterhed

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
4,536
Reaction score
1,901
Points
399
Location
Virginia
Resorts Owned
Westin WKORV OFD
Marriott's Grande Vista
Worldmark x2
SVV Bella 81k
yeah.

I don't think I would drop a Maui, Kauai or even Oahu week on SFX hoping to get 'like for like.' Maybe get the BI, but not Kingsland I think.
I dropped a descent holiday Worldmark on them. Didn't get any results on the first OGS. Maybe I'll try again.
I believe the Vidanta/GL connection, but DW isn't feeling the call to Mexico right now.

I'll try them with an OGS again....see what I can 'pry loose' from my deposit.
If I get any results, I'll report back.

Until then, no cheerleading from this camper. :eek::cheer:
 

JuliGee

newbie
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
171
Reaction score
24
Points
178
Location
California
No exchange companies match 100% of exchange requests. What was the location of your Worldmark deposit, and what were you requesting for your exchange with your OGS?

Juli
 

jackio

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,046
Reaction score
1,064
Points
524
Location
Long Island, NY
Resorts Owned
Sand Pebbles, Sheraton Broadway Plantation, Hawaiian Sun Holidays
I have deposited 2 weeks in to SFX in the past. The first one expired. I never requested anything and just looked online, not knowing that they work primarily to match searches. I decided to try them again a few years later and deposited my Las Vegas week. I asked for New York City the following summer (about 8 months out). That spring, they called and gave me a 1 BR Manhattan Club for the week of July 4th. There were no extra fees like in RCI and I was thrilled with that exchange. I recently acquired a Quarter House unit and I will try them again. I am waiting for their next promotion where they give you back an unused deposit, $ off on an exchange and a bonus week. Right now they are only giving a bonus week.
 

rickandcindy23

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,892
Reaction score
8,998
Points
1,049
Location
The Centennial State
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge,Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau;Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms; WKORV-OF (2),Westin Desert Willow.
I have requested Manhattan Club, any size unit, for spring break of 2018. I hope they can get it for me, but I already got one, and because I got one two years ago, I doubt they will let me have another one. But you never know.
 

klpca

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
8,273
Reaction score
7,280
Points
749
Location
CA
Resorts Owned
SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
I like II the best by far, but I haven't been disappointed with SFX. I double checked my exchanges and I received Wyndham Kona, Kona Coast, Kingsland, Manhattan Club and Club Donatello (all between 2012 and 2017). Most of the exchanges were made 12 - 24 months out. Other than the Manhattan Club, I was usually looking for a specific week. I used my Desert Springs week for a couple of the exchanges, Club Donatello a few times, and Coronado Beach once. Most were 1 bedroom units, although both Kona exchanges were 2 bedroom units. Would they be my first choice for most exchanges, no - but mostly because I like looking online, but for HGVC units, or NYC or San Francisco, they would be my first choice.

Jackio, Quarter House is a nice trader in II and at least for this year, my week 8 received an AC, so you may do better with Interval for that deposit. YMMV though.
 

JuliGee

newbie
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
171
Reaction score
24
Points
178
Location
California
I have requested Manhattan Club, any size unit, for spring break of 2018. I hope they can get it for me, but I already got one, and because I got one two years ago, I doubt they will let me have another one. But you never know.

Spring break only, in the Manhattan Club would be an extremely difficult exchange. If you don't mind me asking, what are you trading with to try and get that kind of exchange?

Juli
 

rickandcindy23

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,892
Reaction score
8,998
Points
1,049
Location
The Centennial State
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge,Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau;Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms; WKORV-OF (2),Westin Desert Willow.
Spring break only, in the Manhattan Club would be an extremely difficult exchange. If you don't mind me asking, what are you trading with to try and get that kind of exchange?

Juli
I have Sheraton Broadway Plantation high season units on deposit with SFX. I have many deposits with SFX. I would think one of them would have enough trading power.
 

JuliGee

newbie
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
171
Reaction score
24
Points
178
Location
California
I have Sheraton Broadway Plantation high season units on deposit with SFX. I have many deposits with SFX. I would think one of them would have enough trading power.

Sheraton is a nice resort. I would guess that any holiday week availability for exchangers into the Manhattan Club would be extremely difficult. I wonder how many of their owners trade out each year? If I was paying $2500 for maintenance fee, I would be using it, and not be trading out.

Juli
 

cgeidl

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2005
Messages
1,081
Reaction score
124
Points
273
Location
Fairfield,CA
We deposited a two bedroom California May southern coast week three years ago. We have made several attempts to trade for Hawaii,Hilton Head and the Oregon Coast in trading this week with no success. We have gotten what we desired through II and Tradingplaces. We are about to lose the week next month unless the week is extended. The employees seem on the telephone to try to be helpful. Guess we just had poor luck compared to many others.
 

klpca

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
8,273
Reaction score
7,280
Points
749
Location
CA
Resorts Owned
SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
We deposited a two bedroom California May southern coast week three years ago. We have made several attempts to trade for Hawaii,Hilton Head and the Oregon Coast in trading this week with no success. We have gotten what we desired through II and Tradingplaces. We are about to lose the week next month unless the week is extended. The employees seem on the telephone to try to be helpful. Guess we just had poor luck compared to many others.
I was trying to figure out why it has worked for me and not for others. We almost always travel off season - the two Kona weeks were mid June (the same week), the Manhattan Club was in May, Kingsland was in May, and the Donatello exchange was in early December. Were you looking for higher demand weeks? So odd to have such differing results from the same company. It wasn't like I was depositing super trading weeks or that your weeks were lower demand. My Desert Springs weeks were Thanksgiving weeks, My Coronado week was mid-September (the absolute best time to visit imho but certainly not summer demand), and my Donatello week wasn't anything special date-wise.
 

hurnik

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,937
Reaction score
667
Points
473
Location
Albany, NY
We deposited a two bedroom California May southern coast week three years ago. We have made several attempts to trade for Hawaii,Hilton Head and the Oregon Coast in trading this week with no success. We have gotten what we desired through II and Tradingplaces. We are about to lose the week next month unless the week is extended. The employees seem on the telephone to try to be helpful. Guess we just had poor luck compared to many others.

Which part of Hawaii? If the Big Island, I'm a bit surprised as SFX usually has HGVC Waikaloa or something. If, on the other hand, you're looking at Maui or Kaui, then I can see why. Same for Oahu. Even owning with Hilton, it's VERY difficult to get into Oahu with the 9-month booking window, so it doesn't surprise me on that. Hilton rarely releases inventory to RCI but if they do for their Oahu resorts, it'll be like 2-3 months out at best (I've had an OGS with RCI going on over a year without a single hit).

Dunno about the other two places.

One thing I've suggested that SFX implement is some sort of proactive request. In other words, let's say you wanted Honolulu, HI. SFX knows I own with HGVC and I could be "enticed" to get a unit there if maybe SFX gave me say, 2 exchanges or something.

But no exchange company (AFAIK) has a feature like that. You can try the TUG marketplace, but the posting/searching isn't very intuitive or easy, IMO, when trying to do direct exchanges. You have to post what *you* have, and then inside the ad, what you want. And others cannot search what you want, just what you have.
 

JuliGee

newbie
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
171
Reaction score
24
Points
178
Location
California
I was trying to figure out why it has worked for me and not for others. We almost always travel off season - the two Kona weeks were mid June (the same week), the Manhattan Club was in May, Kingsland was in May, and the Donatello exchange was in early December. Were you looking for higher demand weeks? So odd to have such differing results from the same company. It wasn't like I was depositing super trading weeks or that your weeks were lower demand. My Desert Springs weeks were Thanksgiving weeks, My Coronado week was mid-September (the absolute best time to visit imho but certainly not summer demand), and my Donatello week wasn't anything special date-wise.

One of the places we own at, is Club Donatello. I can tell you that December is the most demanded month of the year in San Francisco, and extremely difficult to get in as an owner, let alone for an exchange. Once the Thanksgiving weekend is over, there is huge demand for the Xmas season to visit the city for the shopping, theatre, symphony, ballet, dining with family and friends, and those end of year company parties at the restaurants.

Juli
 

Vacationsarefun

TUG Member
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
399
Reaction score
33
Points
238
I have been fairly happy with SFX so far as I got a two bedroom in London (which incurred a lot of extra fees though) and Coronado Beach Resort, both in August. We are fairly limited in when we can travel as we are tied to school vacations so my requests were pretty specific.

I do still have this year's deposit and am not quite sure what to do with it as we might want to stay in Europe. I am planning on putting in a request soon and will see if something turns up before depositing next year's week.
 

rickandcindy23

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,892
Reaction score
8,998
Points
1,049
Location
The Centennial State
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge,Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau;Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms; WKORV-OF (2),Westin Desert Willow.
Spring break only, in the Manhattan Club would be an extremely difficult exchange. If you don't mind me asking, what are you trading with to try and get that kind of exchange?

Juli
It's not a holiday week, and spring break is still pretty cool weather in NYC, especially the week of 24th of March. Easter falls the Sunday after. I would take Fri-Fri even.

SFX is not even on the radar for me as a company I would recommend to anyone I care about.
 

heathpack

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
4,651
Reaction score
3,750
Points
598
Location
Los Angeles
Resorts Owned
Hyatt High Sierra and Highland Inn
Disney’s Grand Californian and Hilton Head Island
Marriott Barony Beach and Mountainside
MVC Points
Sheraton Broadway Plantation
I have had two SFX deposits that I've not gotten any matches for despite a few searches, I had to extend my membership to keep them active.

I've been thinking about going to Sedona over Thanksgiving to mountain bike. Almost booked 11 days in a studio this morning at Hyatt Piñon Pointe but I preferred a larger unit and 9-10 nights.

Airbnb type rentals were crazy expensive.

Called SFX this morning to see if they might perchance have something. I got a 2 BR week at Sedona Summit. We've stayed there before and it's pretty nice. There's a few MTB trails that are literally across the street.

So I'm pretty happy with it, the Hyatt week I used was pretty low season. Good value exchange for me, nice holiday week and an upgrade from a 1BR to a 2BR.

:)
 

ronandjoan

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
2,398
Reaction score
405
Points
443
Location
Seattle area
Resorts Owned
Telemark, Townhouses at St Augustine Beach and Tennis Club, Stoneridge Resort (ID)
We've had good luck always with SFX. Similarly with Platinum Interchange and DAE. PI and DAE both offer searching prior to depositing. Yes, they have smaller inventories but not only can you look at the usual resorts they have available, very often, last minute resorts will pop up - for example, I have gotten WA and Oregon coasts from them both and it's pretty seldom RCI has them.

In the July/August 2017 Timesharing Today magazine, my article "Winning the Timeshare Game" charted our "Frequency of Use over Time per Exchange Company." Through 2003-2010, we used RCI 49 times, II, 13 times, Platinum Interchange, 4 ,DAE 7, and SFX 10. After 2010, RCI Weeks changed their procedures, adding the TPU system and charging more for Wyndham exchanges, so since then, we have exchanged with them only 12 times, dropped II, exchanged with Platinum Interchange 25 times and DAE 9 times. We learned which resorts we liked that were available with PI, as well as their great bonus program, and therefore used them so much more.

The editors requested how often proposed writers would exchange or use their own resorts. From the article:
"Winning: Make a Match.

A week you like when and where becomes available and you grab it. You have won the game!

With 388 timeshare stays, we have exchanged 35% of the time, stayed in Wyndham resorts 33% and our owned resorts 32%. Our favorite exchange resort, hands-down, is Sea Mountain on the Big Island of Hawaii close to the volcano, with ocean views and a five-minute walk to the Black Sand Beach. Our favorite Mexican exchange destination is Puerto Vallarta and the favorite resort is Los Tules, with twenty oceanfront landscaped acres, ocean views and seven swimming pools. We exchange into both of these with PI.

Our favorite Wyndham is Fairfield Plantation at Villa Rica, GA near Atlanta. We go there several times a year as our friend near Atlanta keeps our vehicle for us so we fly from Seattle to pick it up to either drive to Florida and St Augustine or north to Midwest relatives and Telemark in WI. Fairfield Plantation is difficult to reserve, but I wait and watch and then WIN!

It is challenging to exchange into the Pacific Northwest but I wait and watch and have won with Newport OR, Ocean Shores, Port Townsend, Union and Glacier, WA, all with either PI or DAE. "
 

echino

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
2,220
Reaction score
1,837
Points
524
Location
Vancouver
Resorts Owned
HYN HCC HWP HYP
HRA KAN WSJ WKV WLR SVV
MCV MKO MM1 MPU MSK
GP7
Valdoro
HHV Lagoon
I recently signed up with their Diamond "free trial". Just booked an "escape" with SFX. A mid-December week in Worldmark Leavenworth WA, 2br, $199 (!). Will probably just spend the weekend there, for Christmas lights and alpine skiing at the two nearby mountains.
 

klpca

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
8,273
Reaction score
7,280
Points
749
Location
CA
Resorts Owned
SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
I recently signed up with their Diamond "free trial". Just booked an "escape" with SFX. A mid-December week in Worldmark Leavenworth WA, 2br, $199 (!). Will probably just spend the weekend there, for Christmas lights and alpine skiing at the two nearby mountains.
Can anyone get the free Diamond offer or is it a targeted offer?
 

NiteMaire

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
1,471
Reaction score
1,286
Points
374
Location
Living Aloha in Kaneohe, HI
Resorts Owned
Marriott G. Château
HVC Sedona Summit
VVR The Colonies

ronandjoan

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
2,398
Reaction score
405
Points
443
Location
Seattle area
Resorts Owned
Telemark, Townhouses at St Augustine Beach and Tennis Club, Stoneridge Resort (ID)
yeah.

I don't think I would drop a Maui, Kauai or even Oahu week on SFX hoping to get 'like for like.' Maybe get the BI, but not Kingsland I think.
I dropped a descent holiday Worldmark on them. Didn't get any results on the first OGS. Maybe I'll try again.
I believe the Vidanta/GL connection, but DW isn't feeling the call to Mexico right now.

I'll try them with an OGS again....see what I can 'pry loose' from my deposit.
If I get any results, I'll report back.

Until then, no cheerleading from this camper. :eek::cheer:
I got kingsland with a Wyndham deposit
 

taterhed

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
4,536
Reaction score
1,901
Points
399
Location
Virginia
Resorts Owned
Westin WKORV OFD
Marriott's Grande Vista
Worldmark x2
SVV Bella 81k
Wow. Beat that. Kingsland is nice.

Maybe I should try and leverage my SFX a bit more.
 

klpca

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
8,273
Reaction score
7,280
Points
749
Location
CA
Resorts Owned
SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
Wow. Beat that. Kingsland is nice.

Maybe I should try and leverage my SFX a bit more.
I think that Joan and I snagged units during the same bulk deposit by hgvc, iirc. I just happened to call them to set up an OGS for a specific week, and the person who I spoke with said that I could get a week at Kingsland if I wanted. Um, yes. We were placed in a one bedroom in the newest phase which isn't quite as plush as the original phase, but no complaints from us. It's always a crapshoot with exchanging, but so far (after 6+ years and over 25 exchanges), we have yet to be disappointed. Some are better than others, but so far, so good. SFX isn't my first choice because you can't search online (something I enjoy), but I cannot complain about the results.
 

taterhed

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
4,536
Reaction score
1,901
Points
399
Location
Virginia
Resorts Owned
Westin WKORV OFD
Marriott's Grande Vista
Worldmark x2
SVV Bella 81k
You know...

The real reason I haven't set up elaborate exchange requests with SFX is exactly what @klpca said: no online exchange system. The terms of the exchange request with SFX and inability to cancel/monitor/search the request electronically are exactly what scares me.
I guess I'll try again. The last time I tried, the CS rep with SFX was very helpful, but also very discouraging about my request due to the specificity and restrictions. My reply was 'well, your terms require me to accept any match that meets my criteria, so here are the only resorts/dates I'll actually accept without question...."

sounds like I need to place a request for something good.
 

hurnik

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,937
Reaction score
667
Points
473
Location
Albany, NY
You know...

The real reason I haven't set up elaborate exchange requests with SFX is exactly what @klpca said: no online exchange system. The terms of the exchange request with SFX and inability to cancel/monitor/search the request electronically are exactly what scares me.
I guess I'll try again. The last time I tried, the CS rep with SFX was very helpful, but also very discouraging about my request due to the specificity and restrictions. My reply was 'well, your terms require me to accept any match that meets my criteria, so here are the only resorts/dates I'll actually accept without question...."

sounds like I need to place a request for something good.

I'm fairly certain you can monitor and cancel the search once you place it. You can even put the search request online. Although I always prefer to call.

The online search is only for active inventory they may have, just like RCI (at least my RCI via HGVC works the same. You search Key West and it comes back with nothing. that's because there's nothing in inventory at the time of the search). Just like with RCI, I have to put an OGS in.

I'd say typically SFX only gets bulk deposits from Vidanta and Hilton. Given that their actual "inventory" is quite small, (compared to say, II or RCI) it makes sense that online searching is going to come up empty and you'll need to put an OGS in.

Having searched RCI for friends/family I'd say it's about the same. Try finding something in Maui at 9 months out during peak season. RCI will come up with zilch as well. Especially if you have a specific date in mind.

Although RCI's "inventory" is much larger than SFX, you might have a better probability of getting a match if someone deposits, or something.

But I've had many times where RCI has nothing for Riviera Maya at Vidanta (or Nuevo Vallarta) while SFX has plenty.
 

klpca

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Messages
8,273
Reaction score
7,280
Points
749
Location
CA
Resorts Owned
SDO, Quarter House, Seapointe, Coronado Beach, Carlsbad Inn, Worldmark
You know...

The real reason I haven't set up elaborate exchange requests with SFX is exactly what @klpca said: no online exchange system. The terms of the exchange request with SFX and inability to cancel/monitor/search the request electronically are exactly what scares me.
I guess I'll try again. The last time I tried, the CS rep with SFX was very helpful, but also very discouraging about my request due to the specificity and restrictions. My reply was 'well, your terms require me to accept any match that meets my criteria, so here are the only resorts/dates I'll actually accept without question...."

sounds like I need to place a request for something good.
If I recall correctly, my New York City search was for a broad range of dates from April through June. I believe that there is a little bit of wiggle room once they find a match for you, so that you can check on airfare etc. You may want to call them and confirm this, but my recollection is that I had a day to double-check my other plans.

Perhaps this is because New York City is such a high demand location, and they knew they would be able to fill an exchange request with this week, no matter what.
 
Top