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My HGVC Family and the SFX resort exchange?

elleny76

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1.) Do we get discounts to join SFX?
2.) Do I join SFX for free like RCI? I don't see any link like the RCI page
3.) What is the best way to use SFX to exchange properties ?

4.) Feel free to post comment here or PM with ideas and advices.

Thanks
 

silentg

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
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Location
Central Florida
Resorts Owned
Fitzpatrick's Castle Holiday Homes,
Enchanted Isle.
RCI isn’t free membership. Some resorts include RCI membership fee in your maintenance fee.
I have always had my own membership to RCI, not tied to any resort. I don’t know about SFX.
Silentg
 

Talent312

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Resorts Owned
HGVC & GTS
HGVC owners get "free" RCI access based on HGVC's b2b contract w-RCI.
If the cost is hidden anywhere, it's in our $170 annual membership dues.

Typically, HGVC'ers make a home/week booking and deposit that to SFX.
See: https://www.sfxresorts.com/
 

PigsDad

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Colorado and SW Florida
Resorts Owned
HGVC Elite: SeaWorld, Surf Club, Charter Club, Valdoro
The basic SFX membership is free. You can try them out, and then if you think the extra benefits of a paid membership are worth it to you, you can go that direction.

Kurt
 

SmithOp

TUG Review Crew
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Resorts Owned
HGVC King's Land 2BR Premier 23.040K Points.
There are a few resorts you can book direct with your HGVC points. This is from the HGVC web site under Club Membership -> Resort Vacation Exchange.

SFX Preferred Resorts

Did you know you can use your points to expand your vacation options through SFX Preferred Resorts?

Expand your horizons with an extraordinary Mexico vacation or explore the beauty of eclectic San Francisco through SFX using ClubPoints, Saved ClubPoints or Bonus Points. Reservations for seven-night stays are available at select resorts in world-class destinations.

Mexico

Acapulco
The Grand Mayan Acapulco
Nueva Vallarta
The Grand Mayan Nueva Vallarta
Grand Luxxe Nueva Vallarta
Riviera Maya
The Grand Mayan Riviera Maya
Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya
California

San Francisco
Club Donatello
Availability may be limited during certain times, and the resort's standard check-in date applies. Elite Members enjoy a priority reservation window of 365 to 276 days prior to check-in. All other Club Members may access remaining availability starting 276 days prior to check-in. To check availability and confirm reservations at any of these resorts, contact a Club Counselor. Club reservation fee and cancellation policy applies.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 

presley

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If you want to join SFX, you'll pay the same fee as anyone else. You can use points to directly book the resorts in SmithOps post, but if you want to do exchanges anywhere else, you'll join SFX and pay exchange fees. I believe they have a lower level free membership - at least they used to. You can also join for a trial period for free.
 

buzglyd

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Carlsbad, CA
Resorts Owned
HGV Lagoon Tower
HGV Carlsbad Seapointe
Gaslamp Plaza Suites
SVV Bella
If you think you want to use SFX, take advantage of the free trial Platinum.

I used my 1br Gaslamp to get a 2BR Grand Luxxe and got two bonus weeks to boot!
 

hurnik

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1.) Do we get discounts to join SFX?
2.) Do I join SFX for free like RCI? I don't see any link like the RCI page
3.) What is the best way to use SFX to exchange properties ?

4.) Feel free to post comment here or PM with ideas and advices.

Thanks

HGVC has an affiliation of sorts with SFX already.
Login to the HGVC website, and click Club Membership -> Resort Vacation Exchange
Scroll down. There's two links.
One for RCI and one for SFX.

You can use your HGVC points to book *certain* SFX resorts (the Vidanta resorts), but you have to call in. The points fees are higher (a lot, IMO) vs. doing option #2;

#2:
Go directly to SFX website (someone's already posted the link). They have a free trial membership where you can deposit a week (doesn't have to be your home week, BTW). The way that works is basically you'll deposit a week, and then put your request in. Sometimes they have immediately availability, and sometimes you'll have to put a search on and wait and see what happens.

I have excellent customer service with Nathan Reynolds @ x1113
(tell him Kevin says hi). haha

Full disclosure:
I'm an SFX Diamond Member (Lifetime) (not sure they still have this option, this was like 10+ years ago). I have excellent success with SFX, but I'm very flexible with my dates, I book 1+ years in advance (or put my OGS in very early) and we usually stay at the Vidanta resorts with SFX (Riviera Maya, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, etc.). So for *me*, it's $150 for the exchange fee, I get free 1 size upgrades (if available) so I deposit a 1 BR week and usually can get a 2 BR unit. Upgrade fee for Grand Luxxe is $299. They also run deposit promos sometimes where you get some bonus weeks, etc.

But I'd strongly advise to TRY before you BUY.
 

rickandcindy23

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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.
If you want Mexico, SFX can get it. If you want anything else, it's tougher.
 

Tamaradarann

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HGVC South Beach, HGVC Las Vegas, HGVC Las Vegas on the Strip, HGVC Sea World, Misner Place
If you want Mexico, SFX can get it. If you want anything else, it's tougher.

If you want Mexico RCI can get it very easily. What if you want Hawaii in the winter trading in a non Hawaiian non HGVC resort?
 

rickandcindy23

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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.
Whale season is tough with SFX. I should enter a search for our friends because they love whale season on Maui and wouldn't mind staying in Kihei. I think they get some Maui Schooner, once in a while. I was offered a Maui Schooner once, I couldn't use it.
 

hurnik

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If you want Mexico RCI can get it very easily. What if you want Hawaii in the winter trading in a non Hawaiian non HGVC resort?

Whale season period is tough. RCI's choices for Maui aren't very good, IMO. the only one I'd even consider (Ka'anapali beach club?) is the same one that SFX can usually get, but the TA reviews (and the folks on the TA forum) are not very good at all (smelly nasty musty rooms, etc.)

I was able to do a direct exchange with an owner for Marriott's Maui Ocean Club (again, wishing I had access to II). To be honest, almost nobody who owns the Marriott, Westin, or Hyatt there, is going to deposit a prime week for an exchange, IMO. And by exchange i mean not an "internal" one (My understanding with Marriott is that they use II for internal exchanges or something).

RCI for Mexico has very few non-AI resorts, and their Vidanta access is limited up to Grand Bliss level at Nuevo Vallarta. I don't believe they have anything higher than Grand Mayan for Riviera Maya. Plus there's the $239 exchange fee (RCI fee for HGVC owners) and the now, $30/pp/day fee which can add up quite a bit, IMO.
 

elleny76

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HGVC has an affiliation of sorts with SFX already.
Login to the HGVC website, and click Club Membership -> Resort Vacation Exchange
Scroll down. There's two links.
One for RCI and one for SFX.

You can use your HGVC points to book *certain* SFX resorts (the Vidanta resorts), but you have to call in. The points fees are higher (a lot, IMO) vs. doing option #2;

#2:
Go directly to SFX website (someone's already posted the link). They have a free trial membership where you can deposit a week (doesn't have to be your home week, BTW). The way that works is basically you'll deposit a week, and then put your request in. Sometimes they have immediately availability, and sometimes you'll have to put a search on and wait and see what happens.

I have excellent customer service with Nathan Reynolds @ x1113
(tell him Kevin says hi). haha

Full disclosure:
I'm an SFX Diamond Member (Lifetime) (not sure they still have this option, this was like 10+ years ago). I have excellent success with SFX, but I'm very flexible with my dates, I book 1+ years in advance (or put my OGS in very early) and we usually stay at the Vidanta resorts with SFX (Riviera Maya, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, etc.). So for *me*, it's $150 for the exchange fee, I get free 1 size upgrades (if available) so I deposit a 1 BR week and usually can get a 2 BR unit. Upgrade fee for Grand Luxxe is $299. They also run deposit promos sometimes where you get some bonus weeks, etc.

But I'd strongly advise to TRY before you BUY.



THANK YOU!
 
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