SFX won't accept week 22 Hyatt High Sierra?

[Mark @SFX]

Originally Posted by Heathpack

Hi- just found this forum and glad for the opportunity to ask a question to SFX. We are new owners in the Hyatt system and about 6 months ago called SFX to see if they would accept our week- week 22 at Hyatt High Sierra.

The woman I spoke with on the phone said ya'll would not accept that deposit. SFX not interested in Tahoe in May.

Is this correct? Week 22 typically includes Memorial Day weekend and when it does not, the week falls in June.

It surprised me that the agent was so immediately dismissive, but really it was no skin off my nose. At the time, I was looking to exchange into one of the Carribbean catamaran or British narrowboat exchanges, which (I learned in the same call) SFX does not handle. So in the end, accepting our week did not matter, but I have been wondering about this for the future.

Thanks,
H

Heathpack - thank you for your post. You own at a great resort. If your deposit does fall over the Memorial Day Holiday weekend, we most certainly would have accepted it. Unfortunately (other than the Holiday weekend), the month of May and through June 15, there is almost no demand for Lake Tahoe, which means you would not have had enough trading power to exchange for a catamaran or houseboat.

Even if you had deposited a prime time week, it usually is very difficult to get an exchange into these two properties, as their availability is extremely limited, and demand extremely high with all exchange companies.

Sorry we were unable to help you in this particular instance.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Mark @SFX]

Originally Posted by calgal

I think that Hyatt does not permit deposits into SFX, so the actual week you offered is not the issue here. I am also a Hyatt owner, and remember reading this a couple of years ago.

Hi Calgal - thank you for your post. As an individual Owner of your time, you have the "legal right" to request the service of any exchange company you want.

Under the Sherman Act and other various Anti-Monopoly laws, service is "distinct and separate" from product. To force you into being serviced by only one servicing entity violates these laws. Specifically it creates an unlawful "Tying relationship", in addition to a host of other Federal and State anti-competative practices. It's like when you buy a car from a dealership, it is unlawful for them to say, "you can only bring it back to the dealership for service".

When it comes to service of any product, you have the legal right to choose.

Sometimes once in a while we run into resort reservation staff telling their Owners they can only use their affiiated exchange company. We politely send them a legal notification about the breach of certain laws, and what their Owner's Rights are... and they immediately comply. This usually is the result of relatively new employees who really don't know or understand these basic rights.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Mark @SFX]

Originally Posted by Glitter Brunello

I am sure we'll hear from Mark on this. SFX is careful about choosing high demand weeks most likely to meet their members' needs. But I also know they have in the past been staunch advocates of owners' right to choose their own exchange company, something vital to the concept of timeshare as far as I'm concerned. I am curious to know whether it's true that Hyatt has made it difficult for owners to deposit with independent exchange companies. If so, I believe the owners are being deprived of their inherent rights. Maybe it's harder with a points based "club" type system than with outright deeded weeks.

Hopefully Mark will chime in after the weekend.

Hi Glitter.... Mark chiming in here and thank you for your post.

You are absolutely correct. Owners have the right to request the service of any company they want, regardless of the resorts formal affilation agreement.

I have addressed this in a post to Calgal. But the bottom line is "The Sherman Act, and the Clayton Act" These are the Federal Anti-trust laws that protect these rights.

You will also find that each State has it's own Anti-Trust, Anti-Competative Laws that are very aligned with the Federal Statutes.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Mark @SFX]

Originally Posted by Heathpack

Hmm, not sure about "the Hyatt owners can't deposit with SFX part." I never looked into beyond this one call to SFX.

However, I do recall my phone conversation starting with me saying I have a Hyatt to deposit and her asking which week and resort. It seemed pretty clear to me that the "week 22 Tahoe" part was the deal breaker.

I did also ask how it would work with a Hyatt- could you reserve a prime week with points and deposit that with SFX and agent said, "no, you can only deposit your deeded week."

So unless that conversation was completely wonky, it certainly sounded like SFX would take some Hyatt weeks. I'm sure we will hear soon straight from the horse's mouth.

H

Hi Heathpack - thank you for your post. There appears to be somewhat of a misunderstanding. We have many Members who own at Points-Based resorts who use our services. Although technically you cannot deposit your Points, you can reserve a weeks worth of points, and deposit that reservation which would be 7 nights (A week equivalent).

Hope this helps,

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Heathpack]

Originally Posted by Mark @SFX

Hi Heathpack - thank you for your post. There appears to be somewhat of a misunderstanding. We have many Members who own at Points-Based resorts who use our services. Although technically you cannot deposit your Points, you can reserve a weeks worth of points, and deposit that reservation which would be 7 nights (A week equivalent).

Hope this helps,

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

Yes, it does seem like there was some sort of miscommunication. At the time I called SFX, I was holding a 2009 week 51 reservation at Hyatt Highlands Inn in Carmel- although just a 1BR, this was Christmas week. I was told that it could not be deposited with you all, only the deeded week. This was wrong? It could have been deposited?

Hmm, too bad as well about the week 22 miscommunication. I was inquiring about 2010, and week 22 includes Memorial Day in 2010.

However, maybe it was our interest in the boats that got the conversation so off-kilter. But I was also told that you all don't deal with any of the sailboat or narrowboat timeshares- it sounds like maybe this is not the case, either?

H

[Mark @SFX]

Originally Posted by Heathpack

Yes, it does seem like there was some sort of miscommunication. At the time I called SFX, I was holding a 2009 week 51 reservation at Hyatt Highlands Inn in Carmel- although just a 1BR, this was Christmas week. I was told that it could not be deposited with you all, only the deeded week. This was wrong? It could have been deposited?

Hmm, too bad as well about the week 22 miscommunication. I was inquiring about 2010, and week 22 includes Memorial Day in 2010.

However, maybe it was our interest in the boats that got the conversation so off-kilter. But I was also told that you all don't deal with any of the sailboat or narrowboat timeshares- it sounds like maybe this is not the case, either?

H

Heathpack - Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately that wonderful Highlands Inn week could have been deposited. You could have reserved 7 consecutive nights of time, then deposit that into your SFX account for an exchange. Oh well... That certainly was our loss.

Regarding the boats... it's not so much that we don't deal with them, it's more of a very restrictive and limited availability with a huge demand issue.

Knowing how difficult it is for that type of exchange to become available, rather than give false expectations and live through the frustration of waiting and waiting for something with very low proabability for results... we feel it's in our Members best interests for us to redirect towards a land-based vacation experience.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[GrayFal]

Originally Posted by Mark @SFX

Hi Calgal - thank you for your post. As an individual Owner of your time, you have the "legal right" to request the service of any exchange company you want.

Under the Sherman Act and other various Anti-Monopoly laws, service is "distinct and separate" from product. To force you into being serviced by only one servicing entity violates these laws. Specifically it creates an unlawful "Tying relationship", in addition to a host of other Federal and State anti-competative practices. It's like when you buy a car from a dealership, it is unlawful for them to say, "you can only bring it back to the dealership for service".

When it comes to service of any product, you have the legal right to choose.

Sometimes once in a while we run into resort reservation staff telling their Owners they can only use their affiiated exchange company. We politely send them a legal notification about the breach of certain laws, and what their Owner's Rights are... and they immediately comply. This usually is the result of relatively new employees who really don't know or understand these basic rights.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

Holy Cow - if u have been reading TUG - Starwood is forcing the non-Starwood Vacation Network members to accept 'generic deposits' into their personal (not corporate) II accounts rather then allowing the owner to reserve a week and deposit it as that week.
SVN members give up the right to deposit by belonging to SVN but non members have not given up that right.
II is in cahoots with Starwood by enforcing this policy.

This is just the kind of information we need as owners.
At this point we are trying to get a class action law firm to take the case.

I will refer Denise M and gmarine to this thread....ya just never know what u will pick up here.
Thanks....

[chriskre]

Mark,

Are you saying that owners of points like say my DVC points or HGVC or even Wyndham can be deposited with SFX?

How does that work?

Do we have to pay for a guest certificate too?

I wouldn't mind trading a week at DVC for San Francisco if that were possible. I know you have alot of San Fran inventory, right?

[Heathpack]

Originally Posted by Mark @SFX

Heathpack - Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately that wonderful Highlands Inn week could have been deposited. You could have reserved 7 consecutive nights of time, then deposit that into your SFX account for an exchange. Oh well... That certainly was our loss.

Regarding the boats... it's not so much that we don't deal with them, it's more of a very restrictive and limited availability with a huge demand issue.

Knowing how difficult it is for that type of exchange to become available, rather than give false expectations and live through the frustration of waiting and waiting for something with very low proabability for results... we feel it's in our Members best interests for us to redirect towards a land-based vacation experience.

Hope this helps...

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

Yes, that is all good to know. Maybe some other year...

H

[JWC]

Originally Posted by GrayFal

Holy Cow - if u have been reading TUG - Starwood is forcing the non-Starwood Vacation Network members to accept 'generic deposits' into their personal (not corporate) II accounts rather then allowing the owner to reserve a week and deposit it as that week.
SVN members give up the right to deposit by belonging to SVN but non members have not given up that right.
II is in cahoots with Starwood by enforcing this policy.

This is just the kind of information we need as owners.
At this point we are trying to get a class action law firm to take the case.

I will refer Denise M and gmarine to this thread....ya just never know what u will pick up here.
Thanks....

That sounds a lot like bulk space banking with RCI resorts. My resort is a floating weeks resort dual affiliated with RCI and II. When I reserve my week, they ask if I am going to exchange with RCI ( fat chance of that happening ) and if so I can't reserve a particular week as they do bulk space banking for RCI. I tell them that I am going to deposit with SFX and everything is OK and I get the week I want, typically July 4th.

The weeks that are bulk space banked to RCI are not prime weeks. This is typical at resorts exchanging through RCI.