SFX "upgrade" fees for luxury resorts now $299, even for Diamond members, and this is on top of the $149 exchange fee

[rickandcindy23]

I was told by Nathan there is a $75 fee for Vidanta Grand Luxxe properties. He said this back in June. I just helped a TUG member with an exchange into a Vidanta property through her contact at SFX, and the fee was $299 + $149 exchange fees. The guest pays Vidanta $150 in resort fees for a one bedroom as well.

I realize RCI members pay a lot more in fees at the resort, but the fees upfront to SFX? Do they pay that to Vidanta for continuing to give them inventory.

If my resorts and deposits don't meet up with the SFX standard of "excellence," then they need to take my resorts out of their "allowed" deposits. I feel that is what the problem really is with my deposits. Don't take them, if you don't want them.

According to one of the reps at SFX, the $299 fee applies to a few other high-end resort systems as well, like Hilton. Maybe they need to cater to only Hilton and Vidanta members. There are exchange companies that do cater only to members within their own systems, like GPX exchange.

I have eight deposits that will expire. I haven't deposited anything since 2017. I thought I would have to deposit something a year or more ago, but Nathan told me he would extend my deposits. I see some are set to expire again.

Aside from a few deposits of Sheraton Broadway Plantation that were dates in the later summer-early fall (which is all I could get at the time), I have always given them inventory at peak times, according to their own calendar, yet my deposits were not desirable, according to a few of the contacts I have had conversations with.

Two emails to SFX to ask what inventory they have for various areas have gone unanswered. Even Orlando is tough for SFX to get. Think of that.

We will see if they get back to me today on my inventory questions.

Be warned before you even consider SFX:

1. Communication is lacking. Entering exchange requests online seem to be ignored. You pick a deposit, enter requests, and no one contacts you to say they are working on it. You might as well not have even done anything online. It's a total waste of time. Emailing or calling is always better, but they can ignore that too.

2. SFX's calendar is obviously misleading. I picked dates for my Anaheim Peacock Suites deposits right at Thanksgiving, all 7 days fully within the peak season by the calendar, yet I am told my deposits are not high season (nor are they high quality, apparently). To be clear, my Shell points in RCI get me one bedrooms at Disney Vacation Club resorts. That is an equal deposit Shell-RCI.

3. Upgrade fees. $299 to exchange into a Hilton? I can exchange into Hiltons easily through RCI, and I do have to pay Hilton $175 for their "parking" fee, or whatever they call it, but I can get about anything I want and don't have to wait for an answer from SFX if my exchange is going to pull it. I get a credit from my Hilton card for that fee. I think it's a $250 credit, so my net cost for two weeks at Hilton would be $100. And Hilton last-minute seems to always be available because of the extra fees, and discounted points. I can get Orlando much of the year for less than 10 TPU's + exchange fee. It's a bargain compared to the deposits I have at SFX. 10 TPU's is less than $400 in MF's for even my worst deposits.

4. Lack of online search. This was something they were going to add to their website years ago. They had a archaic search system, but it didn't show much of anything.

5. Customer has no idea what is "out there." This is my biggest complaint. We traveled about 16 weeks last year and are set to travel 22 weeks by the end of this year. It's like Go Fish that I play with my grandkids. Do you have any Southern CA inventory at all? Do you have any Orlando inventory for next May? Do you have anything at all in Hawaii for summer of 2022? Do you have anything near Disneyland for this upcoming year, since we have AP's that don't expire until next September? Do you have anything anywhere at all? What do you have? No answer to that one.

6. You don't know what trading power you have or do not have. This is self explanatory after my rant. If my weeks won't pull anything that RCI and II gladly give me, then why would I even bother with SFX. My warning is be prepared to waste your maintenance fees, using this company.

 

[Ken555]

I bought a five year membership and deposited two 1-bed weeks. Then I started experiencing problems with their service, and almost everything required a call during which I was told their website doesn’t have accurate info, repeatedly.

I finally used the deposits (just last month) and am most definitely not renewing. Membership was a total waste of money AND time. Interval may not have everything but at least I don’t normally need to spend time on the phone with them, in part thanks to TUG and our last minute sighting section.


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[CPNY]

I bought a five year membership and deposited two 1-bed weeks. Then I started experiencing problems with their service, and almost everything required a call during which I was told their website doesn’t have accurate info, repeatedly.

I finally used the deposits (just last month) and am most definitely not renewing. Membership was a total waste of money AND time. Interval may not have everything but at least I don’t normally need to spend time on the phone with them, in part thanks to TUG and our last minute sighting section.


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Thanks to TUG I went from thinking Interval was terrible to considering buying another unit just to trade.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I bought a five year membership and deposited two 1-bed weeks. Then I started experiencing problems with their service, and almost everything required a call during which I was told their website doesn’t have accurate info, repeatedly.

I finally used the deposits (just last month) and am most definitely not renewing. Membership was a total waste of money AND time. Interval may not have everything but at least I don’t normally need to spend time on the phone with them, in part thanks to TUG and our last minute sighting section.


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Gotta love TUG and the knowledge imparted to us by the experts here. I do not consider myself to be an expert yet. Maybe in about ten more years.

 

[hurnik]

The $299 luxury upgrade fee has been around for at least 7+ years. It's not new.
For "hilton" it's certain resorts (Manhattan Club in NYC is another in addition to Grand Luxxe). It's not 100% of Hiltons as you claim.
The $150 exchange fee ($149 for diamond) has also been around for eons. Nothing new here.
The Vidanta resort fee was increased recently from $75 to $150. It's been $75 for at least 7+ years.

Still much better than the exorbitant (IMO) fees for RCI/II. $189 exchange fee for II (I think) plus the fees for even basic Grand Mayan, etc. are far more expensive than SFX.

It seems like you have an ax to grind and keep repeating the same things over and over again (not saying your feelings are invalid or that your experiences aren't true) but perhaps you forgot this:?

Their relationship with Hilton can make a difference, if you love the Hilton resorts. With SFX, the HIlton resorts do not have the $30 per day daily fee, at least not for now. I wish all Hilton members would deposit into SFX, but that's not going to happen. SFX does have a lot of inventory with Hilton. We don't go to Mexico so we haven't tried the Vidanta resorts, but our daughter did and loved her week we got with SFX for her.

Once you establish an ongoing email conversation with one rep at SFX, you can get some great exchanges, but if you just put in a search and wait and wait and wait, there is very little chance you will get anything. I don't know why their system does not work like RCI and II, but it doesn't.

Don't think you can deposit anything that is considered still red in II or RCI but is even slightly off-season with SFX. You will be disappointed in everything you get for exchange.

I have many deposits still sitting in SFX, waiting for exchanges. I am talking 8 or 9. So I can enter a request and not get a thing. But the other day, Nathan emailed me and said he could get one of my very recent requests, a 1 bedroom at Hilton Kingsland. I took it, but I told him I still need a 2 bed, 2 bath for our son. I hope to get it, but I would guess my trading power is lacking for that.

I think SFX would love to be done with me. I may request some Hiltons in Orlando for our kids and grandkids in January, which would use up all of my deposits. That would be great to be done with it.

So I am not going to complain about SFX anymore. There is no reason for me to always be negative, when Nathan, in particular, has understood my frustration and definitely sees my posts here. About a year ago, I said something about SFX and don't use them, that I have deposits with them that are going to just expire, and he emailed me and said he would not let my deposits expire. So he saw my post. He is a nice guy, and I appreciate that he got me one more exchange I can use in July, which is a tough month to get, especially with people going to Hawaii this summer. Inventory in all of the exchange companies is limited.

 

[pedro47]

To upgrade an exchange using SFX base upon the OP post will cost you roughly $523.00 dollars. Wow!!!.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The $299 luxury upgrade fee has been around for at least 7+ years. It's not new.
For "hilton" it's certain resorts (Manhattan Club in NYC is another in addition to Grand Luxxe). It's not 100% of Hiltons as you claim.
The $150 exchange fee ($149 for diamond) has also been around for eons. Nothing new here.
The Vidanta resort fee was increased recently from $75 to $150. It's been $75 for at least 7+ years.

Still much better than the exorbitant (IMO) fees for RCI/II. $189 exchange fee for II (I think) plus the fees for even basic Grand Mayan, etc. are far more expensive than SFX.

It seems like you have an ax to grind and keep repeating the same things over and over again (not saying your feelings are invalid or that your experiences aren't true) but perhaps you forgot this:?

I have eight deposits that are going to expire. Not just one deposit. I have eight. I am still going to complain about losing 8 weeks. I thought I would get some continued exchanges.

The upgrade fee to Vidanta was $75 in June, according to Nathan.

I don't trade into Vidanta for us, but our daughter did go, and it was a great exchange. I also got Manhattan Club once.

My understanding is that you can only get Hilton resorts once in four years through SFX. Now RCI has taken that out of the equation.

This post was meant as a warning. Absolutely have to let people know that SFX is not equal to RCI or II at all. They aren't even close.

I still believe that you need to establish a relationship with one SFX person. If you do that, you will do better, but for Orlando exchanges to be just sitting online with II and RCI, I see no reason to use SFX and will let my weeks expire, so I am angry. I just am. I cannot help it.

 

[tschwa2]

I have not even looked at SFX in ages but the last time I did, the $299 upgrade fee only applied to bonus weeks not on the actual 1 for 1 exchange. Hilton Kohoala suites at that time was one of the units that required the upgrade fee which I thought was silly as it was a fairly easy rci exchange and didn't have resort fees at that time.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I have not even looked at SFX in ages but the last time I did, the $299 upgrade fee only applied to bonus weeks not on the actual 1 for 1 exchange. Hilton Kohoala suites at that time was one of the units that required the upgrade fee which I thought was silly as it was a fairly easy rci exchange and didn't have resort fees at that time.

That was my experience. Our kids went to Mexico on a bonus week.

 

[rickandcindy23]

To upgrade an exchange using SFX base upon the OP post will cost you roughly $523.00 dollars. Wow!!!.

It's actually your week + $149 exchange + $299 upgrade fee + $150 to Vidanta at check-in, and it seems that you cannot use one of the pools as an SFX guest. That was according to the TUG member I got the exchange for. She was told by her contact at SFX (Liza) that it is now $150 resort fee. So a little more than I thought.

And really, if you want only Mexico, this is still cheaper than RCI, but I think the RCI trade value is very low, so you have to figure in all costs.

 

[tschwa2]

It's actually your week + $149 exchange + $299 upgrade fee + $150 to Vidanta at check-in, and it seems that you cannot use one of the pools as an SFX guest. That was according to the TUG member I got the exchange for. She was told by her contact at SFX (Liza) that it is now $150 resort fee. So a little more than I thought.

And really, if you want only Mexico, this is still cheaper than RCI, but I think the RCI trade value is very low, so you have to figure in all costs.

It also depends on what size unit you are talking about.
In RM:
Resort amenities fee is 450.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per 1B unit, per reservation.

Resort amenities fee is 700.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per 2B unit, per reservation.

Resort amenities fee is 200.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per Hotel unit, per reservation.

Resort amenities fee is 200.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per Studio unit, per reservation.

In NV:
Resort amenities fee is 600.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per 1B unit, per reservation.

Resort amenities fee is 950.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per 2B unit, per reservation.

Resort amenities fee is 250.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per Hotel unit, per reservation.

Resort amenities fee is 250.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per Studio unit, per reservation.

So you pay more for a studio or hotel unit with grand Luxxe, you just about break even with RCI or II for a 1 br and you do better with SFX for 2 bedroom plus but do they have a lot of those. RCI also has the 1 in 4. I don't think that is a factor with II.

 

[KarenP]

I tried SFX once and won't ever do it again. SLOW, SLOW, SLOW and really no communication to speak of.

 

[pharmacistking]

I have a totally different experience. I find that their service is top notch. Of course you have to phone in which is a bit of a drag. But I deal mostly with Michelle and communication and offers are great. I am Diamond member which gives us a free size upgrade on the exchange. I guess YMMV. I have deposited a Sheraton desert Oasis 1br and GV at Las Vegas 1br units...

 

[Ken555]

I have a totally different experience. I find that their service is top notch. Of course you have to phone in which is a bit of a drag. But I deal mostly with Michelle and communication and offers are great. I am Diamond member which gives us a free size upgrade on the exchange. I guess YMMV. I have deposited a Sheraton desert Oasis 1br and GV at Las Vegas 1br units...

I am Diamond. It got me nothing other than a headache.


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[pharmacistking]

I am Diamond. It got me nothing other than a headache.


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I am sorry to hear that.

 

[pedro47]

It's actually your week + $149 exchange + $299 upgrade fee + $150 to Vidanta at check-in, and it seems that you cannot use one of the pools as an SFX guest. That was according to the TUG member I got the exchange for. She was told by her contact at SFX (Liza) that it is now $150 resort fee. So a little more than I thought.

And really, if you want only Mexico, this is still cheaper than RCI, but I think the RCI trade value is very low, so you have to figure in all costs.

It's actually your week + $149 exchange + $299 upgrade fee + $150 to Vidanta at check-in, and it seems that you cannot use one of the pools as an SFX guest. That was according to the TUG member I got the exchange for. She was told by her contact at SFX (Liza) that it is now $150 resort fee. So a little more than I thought.

And really, if you want only Mexico, this is still cheaper than RCI, but I think the RCI trade value is very low, so you have to figure in all costs.

That is a like for a one week vacation. IMHO
Meals & alochol must be inculded in this week.

 

[Eric B]

The $299 luxury upgrade fee has been around for at least 7+ years. It's not new.
For "hilton" it's certain resorts (Manhattan Club in NYC is another in addition to Grand Luxxe). It's not 100% of Hiltons as you claim.
The $150 exchange fee ($149 for diamond) has also been around for eons. Nothing new here.
The Vidanta resort fee was increased recently from $75 to $150. It's been $75 for at least 7+ years.

Still much better than the exorbitant (IMO) fees for RCI/II. $189 exchange fee for II (I think) plus the fees for even basic Grand Mayan, etc. are far more expensive than SFX.

It seems like you have an ax to grind and keep repeating the same things over and over again (not saying your feelings are invalid or that your experiences aren't true) but perhaps you forgot this:?

That's been my understanding on the SFX fees. They have a very tight relationship with Vidanta and probably do give some portion of the luxury upgrade fee back to them for the large number of bulk deposits they get from them. They work with a few of the other Mexican resorts as well; it's pretty easy getting Buganvilias through them.

It's actually your week + $149 exchange + $299 upgrade fee + $150 to Vidanta at check-in, and it seems that you cannot use one of the pools as an SFX guest. That was according to the TUG member I got the exchange for. She was told by her contact at SFX (Liza) that it is now $150 resort fee. So a little more than I thought.

And really, if you want only Mexico, this is still cheaper than RCI, but I think the RCI trade value is very low, so you have to figure in all costs.

On an overall cost for a week at a Vidanta resort, you generally can't beat SFX. They will take a fairly low end deposit from a cost perspective and get you an exchange into a high end resort like Grand Luxxe for a total cost of vacation that is very tough to beat even with Vidanta doubling the resort fee for SFX exchanges. Going through them, you do wind up pretty low on the totem pole for room assignment, but I look at it from the perspective that if I'm using a 1 BR Star Island deposit I got at a discount to exchange into a 2 BR GL for the $149 exchange fee + $299 luxury upgrade fee +$150 resort fee while the fellow that got a better room used a week deposited in Interval that cost them $2K plus the exchange fee plus $950 resort fee can have the better view. When I want to ensure I get good room assignment and top tier treatment there I just use my ownership there, but for an off-season visit I'll go the way that costs my 70% less and suck up an excellent room location with outstanding service rather than on outstanding room location with outstanding service.

The pool restriction has only applied in Riviera Maya to my knowledge and has applied equally to all exchanges into there - I have a 2 BR GL Villa coming up soon there via ThirdHome, which is a bit higher end than the others, so we'll see if that makes any difference. If you can stomach a sales pitch, they'll let you use the pool in any case.

That is a like for a one week vacation. IMHO
Meals & alochol must be inculded in this week.

Nope, the cost doesn't include meals and alcohol. AI costs going through RCI or II are way higher - in Nuevo Vallarta, Vidanta does offer a meal plan, or at least they used to. If you want an all inclusive there are way less expensive ways to go than through a timeshare exchange.

 

[GrayFal]

Not to beat a dead horse but…
They only time I have ever “lost” two deposited Marriott weeks was with SFX. Never again.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Not to beat a dead horse but…
They only time I have ever “lost” two deposited Marriott weeks was with SFX. Never again.

When II gives us such great trades, we don't need anything alternative. It's such a waste to give anything Vistana or Marriott to SFX. SFX calls them off-season, II gives me Westins on Maui with the one bedrooms. I must have been going through a stupid phase back when I deposited the weeks.

My Vistana weeks were completely wasted with SFX. There were quite a few I deposited, too. I did it thinking I could get value for the weeks. I was so mistaken.

I am just done with SFX for good. 8/2023 my membership expires, along with 8 deposits.

 

[Eric B]

Not to beat a dead horse but…
They only time I have ever “lost” two deposited Marriott weeks was with SFX. Never again.

When II gives us such great trades, we don't need anything alternative. It's such a waste to give anything Vistana or Marriott to SFX. SFX calls them off-season, II gives me Westins on Maui with the one bedrooms. I must have been going through a stupid phase back when I deposited the weeks.

My Vistana weeks were completely wasted with SFX. There were quite a few I deposited, too. I did it thinking I could get value for the weeks. I was so mistaken.

I am just done with SFX for good. 8/2023 my membership expires, along with 8 deposits.

I fundamentally agree with both of you and would not ever consider depositing my Vistana weeks in SFX because they cost much more than the ones I do deposit with them. There are just some resorts that are better to exchange into than to exchange out of. I've been quite happy with SFX using the resorts that cost me a lot less and exchanging into resorts that would cost a lot more. YMMV.

 

[GrayFal]

When II gives us such great trades, we don't need anything alternative. It's such a waste to give anything Vistana or Marriott to SFX. SFX calls them off-season, II gives me Westins on Maui with the one bedrooms. I must have been going through a stupid phase back when I deposited the weeks.

My Vistana weeks were completely wasted with SFX. There were quite a few I deposited, too. I did it thinking I could get value for the weeks. I was so mistaken.

I am just done with SFX for good. 8/2023 my membership expires, along with 8 deposits.

While I don't appreciate you calling me "stupid" for depositing Marriott/SBP at one time they made it very attractive to do so with free bonus weeks and unit size upgrades. I was able to turn one 1BR deposit into two two bedroom Morritts Grand units. I upgraded to Diamond which at the time came with much lower fees. But they started restricting any kind of high quality trades and started with upgrade fees and tried to tell me my deposits of Presidents week and July 4th were not high season and then restricted access to The Manhattan Club and the Grand Mayan ( that's how long ago this was) units. What had once been very attractive and cost effective took a major nose dive.
It has been more than 10 years since I have dealt with them.

 

[GrayFal]

I fundamentally agree with both of you and would not ever consider depositing my Vistana weeks in SFX because they cost much more than the ones I do deposit with them. There are just some resorts that are better to exchange into than to exchange out of. I've been quite happy with SFX using the resorts that cost me a lot less and exchanging into resorts that would cost a lot more. YMMV.

At the time I was depositing SBP the maint fee was under $500 for a one bedroom. Marriott probably under $750. But yes, if you can game their system now that is a big plus for you.

 

[Sandy VDH]

If the week has expired, you can pay to activate it again.

I usually use the SFX for Vidanta or for other urban locations. Only the LUXXE has a surcharge for Vidanta, it was only last year the NYC got a surcharge added to it.

 

[rickandcindy23]

While I don't appreciate you calling me "stupid" for depositing Marriott/SBP at one time they made it very attractive to do so with free bonus weeks and unit size upgrades. I was able to turn one 1BR deposit into two two bedroom Morritts Grand units. I upgraded to Diamond which at the time came with much lower fees. But they started restricting any kind of high quality trades and started with upgrade fees and tried to tell me my deposits of Presidents week and July 4th were not high season and then restricted access to The Manhattan Club and the Grand Mayan ( that's how long ago this was) units. What had once been very attractive and cost effective took a major nose dive.
It has been more than 10 years since I have dealt with them.

I called me stupid, not you. That is odd that you would take it that way. I sure didn't mean to put you in the same category as me. I didn't even use the bonus weeks, except the one for our daughter to go to Mexico.

 

[GrayFal]

I called me stupid, not you. That is odd that you would take it that way. I sure didn't mean to put you in the same category as me. I didn't even use the bonus weeks, except the one for our daughter to go to Mexico.

Yes, you did say you were stupid but you compared it to my exact Behaviour. Think about it.