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GHA Discovery Guide

by Neil McPherson

First published 13 December 2021 Last updated 26 August 2023

This GHA Discovery program guide is based upon GHA Discovery Terms & Conditions dated 28 June 2022

Summary / Overview

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) had flagged for a couple of months that it was revamping its Discovery loyalty program. Then, early in December 2021 it launched the updated -  GHA Discovery. The new GHA Discovery is quite different to the old Discovery, reflecting a significant change in philosophy.  

Key points are that members:

• Earn DISCOVERY Dollars (D$) rewards currency
• Level up faster with an additional membership level
• Can choose from three different ways to upgrade status
• Enjoy room upgrades and other new stay benefits
• Have access to Local Experiences (now called Experiences) that are more authentic
• New Local Offers give you access to hotel facilities without a stay
• All GHA Discovery members can purchase Local Offers and Experiences
• Can share status benefits with family and friends
• Continue to receive member-only Promotions.

Let's take a closer look at the new GHA Discovery.

Contents - GHA Discovery

Gha brands & their positioning.

Global Hotel Alliance (or GHA) was founded in 2004 with the goal of helping independent, upscale and luxury hotel brands to compete with the global majors, while retaining their individuality.

Today, GHA has a range of 32 independent hotel brands (including NH Hotels, the most recent brand of Minor Hotels to join the GHA family), covering the range from midscale to luxury.  

The range includes both city hotels and a collection of resorts.  GHA also has a strategic partnership with Aimbridge Hospitality where the 100 properties managed by its independent, lifestyle division, Evolution Hospitality participate in the GHA Discovery program.

The latter is interesting, as the Evolution-managed properties consist of 100 hotel and resort properties in major metropolitan markets across the United States, including some Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt properties.

Table 1  - GHA brands and approximate alignment with some competitor brands

Source: extract from  wikipedia.org

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GHA's Geographic Spread

Following the departure of Omni Hotels early in 2021, there were approx 500 hotels.  However, from early 2022, there are 950 properties (including the Evolution-managed ones) around the world, making it a medium size hotel loyalty program. In terms of number of properties participating, it sits roughly mid-way between Preferred Hotels and IHG.

Europe has the greatest proportion of properties to choose from. The US options were quite limited prior to the marketing partnership that added the Evolution-managed properties.

Chart 1: GHA hotels & resorts by region

While the property locations appear to be fairly well spread, in practice the GHA portfolio consists of a collection of regionally based smaller hotel chains. So this is something to consider, as unlike other chains (especially the larger ones) you will not find a range of properties located throughout a region.  Rather there are clusters of properties, which can vary from one regional brand to another.  

At least you won't wake-up in the morning and think to yourself  "I know I am in a BigBrand Hotel room, but which city is it today?"

This concentration is illustrated by Table 2.

Table 2 - Participants in GHA Discovery by region

(as at January 2022)

This is great for variety, but means consistency has to be managed across the broader group under the GHA umbrella.

Nevertheless, there are particularly attractive hotels and resorts within the portfolio (especially the luxury ones in Asia and Europe), making this definitely a program to consider should the locations suit you.

Popular Searches for GHA Discovery Hotels

• Corinthia London
• Capella Ubud  
• Capella Sydney
• Anantara Dubai
• Anantara Maldives
• Avani Deira Dubai
• Pan Pacific Whistler
• Avani Ibn Battuta Dubai hotel
• Anantara Bangkok
• Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras
• Anantara Bali
• Tivoli Algarve
• NH Collection Amalfi

Capella Ubud, Bali - a luxury tented camp nestled in the lush rainforest of Bali, Indonesia. It was  named #1 in Top 15 Asia Resort Hotels and #5 in Top 100 Hotels in the World by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2021

How the new GHA Discovery Program Works 

Each GHA Discovery member must be a natural person over the age of 18 and may only hold one account. (T&C 2.1, 2.2)

Like most programs, points or in this case Discovery Dollars or D$ are earned from hotel stays at qualifying properties (for up to 2 rooms at a time per member - T&C 3.15 ). Unlike some other programs, you also earn D$ from spending on dining (with or without a stay) and other items associated with a GHA property.

Eligible Spend excludes taxes, tips, fees, and redeemed Discovery Dollars (D$).

Members earn a set amount of D$ based on their spending, which is available to be redeemed or offset against future spending on items or activities within the GHA world.

So, similar to Accor's ALL program, it is in essence a "cashback" program for spending within the GHA eco-system.

As you earn more points, you progress through the elite tiers and qualify for additional benefits (including faster earning rates through tier bonuses ). The tier-based earning rates apply to all eligible spending.

Note that GHA may terminate any inactive membership . This can result in forfeiture and cancellation of any and all accrued benefits, including Discovery Dollars (D$) and tier status credits. which cannot be reinstated or transferred.

A member’s account may be deemed inactive if such Member has:

• not stayed an Eligible Night at a participating Member Brand Hotel during the previous twenty-four (24) months,
• no Net Eligible Spend during the previous twenty-four (24) months, and
• not redeemed D$ during the previous twenty-four (24) months.

Only one GHA Discovery membership may be registered per person . If GHA discovers that an individual has more than one membership, GHA may terminate any and all of those memberships

GHA Discovery Elite Tiers & Benefits

Gha discovery tiers.

There are 4 membership levels within the program - one base level and 3 elite tiers (T&C 3.16).

* This rate is applied to the amount of your eligible spending in USD to determine the D$ you will receive. Source: GHA Discovery (T&C 4, 5) **  48-Hour Reservations Guarantee does not apply during Extraordinary Demand Dates, which vary by brand. (T&C 4, 8) :

• Lungarno Collection
• Kempinski Hotels
• Marco Polo Hotels
• The SET Collection

Status-matching

Status-matching from another program was offered under the superseded Discovery program. However, it is specifically excluded under the new program (T&C 3.16 ).

Earning & Maintaining GHA Discovery Tier Status

The only way to earn status tier points is through paid stays (or events).  There is  no status-matching  offer available.

To receive Net Eligible Spend credit towards GHA Discovery program tier status, a member must make purchases that are eligible transactions at a participating Member Brand Hotel. The Net Eligible Spend excludes taxes, tips & fees.   (T&C's 3.3 )

Key points for tier qualification include:

• Room nights which were paid for prior to enrolling in the program cannot be claimed retroactively.   (T&C's 3.6 )
• The qualification criteria are assessed based on your activity during the prior calendar year.  (T&C's 3.6 )
• Stays are credited based on the check-out (not check-in) date.  (T&C's 3.7 )
• Credit for Eligible Nights, Net Eligible Spend, and Eligible Brand Stay will only be applied on a Member’s membership account once full payment has been received for that transaction.  Accordingly, a member's tier level will not be upgraded during a stay.
• Tier benefits will commence as soon as a member meets the relevant tier qualification requirements in any calendar year, and will continue through the remainder of that qualifying year and the following calendar year . So if you qualify in January, you will have 23+ months of benefits at your new tier.

Once you have attained elite tier status (Gold or higher), should you not satisfy the tier qualification requirements in the following year, then you will be downgraded to the immediate tier below that tier, effective from the end of that calendar year. The demotion by only 1 tier is an attractive feature.

Nights and Brand Stays counters are then reset to zero (effective 1st January of each year).

Earning Discovery Dollars - D$

To earn D$ for eligible room rate spend, the Member must reserve the room in their name and must provide their GHA DISCOVERY Programme membership number when making the reservation or upon check-in or check-out. When a member books multiple rooms under the same name, then up to a maximum of two rooms will be counted toward earning D$ , as long as the member is staying overnight in one of them.   (T&C 3.12, 5.6 ).

If two members are sharing the reservation (Sharer status at time of check-in) and paying separately, they will both be eligible to earn D$ for the portion of the bill they pay. Note that not every hotel offers the "Sharer status" option.

Multiple room bookings under the same name at different hotels during the same stay dates will not be eligible for room night or brand stay credit.  (T&C 3.14 ). So if you are staying with another member (perhaps your partner is also a member), ensure that you split the cost of the stay. You'll spend the same combined amount, but both progress up to higher tiers sooner, based on the number of nights or stays at different brands.

Day use rooms booked on an eligible rate will be eligible for earning D$.

No credit toward tier status will be awarded for "no show" (T&C 3.13) - so no "mattress runs".

When you book on GHA's direct channels (either the hotels themselves or the GHA Discovery portal) with an eligible rate, then you will be entitled to the full % earn for your tier. If you are booking on a non-direct channel (such as OTA's like Expedia), you may receive fewer D$ (or none at all) than what you would have received by booking direct. The discounted % earn will be calculated at GHA's discretion. (T&C 5.8 ).

A member will earn D$ at a percentage that shall correspond to the level of their membership tier status at the time of check-in or eligible purchase .  (T&C 5.4 ). So if during a stay you qualify to move to a higher tier, you will not receive the higher tier's benefits until your next stay.

Buying Discovery Dollars - D$

You cannot purchase, sell, or transfer Discovery Dollars. 

Consequently there can be no family points pooling either.

D$ Expiration - Better Use Your Discovery Dollars!

Unlike most other programs, the Discovery Dollars you earn have differing expiration, based on your tier status at the time they were earned (T&C 5.1) :

• 6 months for Silver Tier
• 18 months for Gold Tier
• 24 months for Platinum Tier
• 24 months for Titanium Tier

When a member is upgraded or downgraded, the D$ they have already earned will maintain their original expiration date(s).  

Using Discovery Dollars - D$

D$ can only be redeemed for eligible transactions paid by the member on folio at time of checkout at the hotel and only in increments of whole amounts of D$ 10 or more.  D$ can be combined with cash (including where the amount on your folio has a few cents on it).

D$ will be redeemed in order of expiration, with the D$ with the earliest expiration date on a member's account being redeemed first.

Items that are eligible to have their cost offset by D$ are generally the same as would earn D$, such as (T&C 7 ):

• room and room charges (excluding bookings made through OTA's) including day use rates
• room-service
• use of in-room media
• room upgrades
• early check-in or late check-out
• extra beds or cots.
• restaurants
• bars & pool bars
• lobby cafes
• Spa - Service, Treatments, Packages
• Golf & Sports - Usage fees
• Live Local Experiences - activities created for GHA DISCOVERY members.

Items that are not eligible to have their cost offset with D$ include rooms booked at employee, industry or airline rates, voucher bookings, OTA bookings, and consumption at properties not associated with the hotel/resort.

All GHA Discovery members will be able to use D$ to purchase unique. locally curated experiences, including some provided through ASmallWorld. 

In addition to this, elite members will receive complimentary access to ASmallWorld's social network.

Alliance with ASmallWorld

ASMALLWORLD is a leading travel & lifestyle community, focusing on experiences: the modern-day definition of luxury.

ASmallWorld AG and GHA have taken shareholdings in each other and forged a strategic alliance starting March 2022.   ASmallWorld will be bringing a collection of individual, independent hotels to GHA and GHA Discovery under a soft-brand of ASmallWorld Hotels. 

Elite members of GHA Discovery will receive complimentary access to the ASMALLWORLD social network, a digital travel & lifestyle ecosystem which enables and inspires members to travel better, experience more and make new connections with like-minded people.

Together with online discussions, ASMALLWORLD members also meet in person at  events, ranging from casual get-togethers in major cities around the world, access to exclusive launches, shows, galas, soirees, exhibitions, major global sporting events, and larger flagship weekend experiences hosted in iconic destinations such as Saint-Tropez and Gstaad.

Special features of the GHA Discovery program

Sharer status .

A unique feature of GHA Discovery is the Sharer Status (T&C 3.12), which must be advised at the time of check-in. This option varies by hotel and may not always be accommodated

Where applicable, if members elect to earn on a split basis under “Sharer status”, each member will earn Net Eligible Spend and D$ based on the portion of the bill each member pays, but both receive full credit for the number of eligible nights and eligible brand stays.  

This is quite generous and will help members (say in the same family) attain tier status faster. Not quite family points pooling, but in many ways a nicer benefit.

Status-sharing for Titanium members

Status-sharing is a valuable benefit for Titanium Tier members.

Once a year, a Titanium Member can elect to share their tier status with another member, which will last until the end of the following calendar year! (T&C 4.9 ).

Tier Qualification Based on Stays with Multiple Brands

Another unique feature is tier qualification by stays with different brands within GHA.

I suspect this partly aims to address the regional concentration of brands, encouraging members to try an unfamiliar GHA brand in a new location, rather than a more familiar brand with a larger chain (like the ubiquitous Marriott and Hiltons). This would make members feel more like part of a larger chain.  It will also provide more variety for members as the different GHA brands have more diverse personalities than the sometimes "cookie-cutter" feel of some other brands/chains.

GHA Platinum tier status is attained after stays with (only) 2 different brands in a single calendar year. Top tier status, Titanium is attained after only 3 such stays.  Note that the 3 NH brands count as a single brand for the purpose of this benefit.

This must be the easiest path to elite tier status of any hotel loyalty program !  

It may be modified or even removed in the future, once greater member familiarity/awareness of all the GHA brands is achieved, so jump on soon,

GHA Discovery Platinum Status from Business Traveller Magazine Subscription 

Some subscriptions to Business Traveller (a program partner of GHA Discovery) include FREE one year Platinum Discovery membership.

Join The Business Traveller Club with a 12 month (or longer) subscription to Business Traveller magazine and you receive (among other benefits), FREE Platinum Tier membership of GHA Discovery for 12 months .

An Indian edition of the magazine is available, but does not include the GHA Discovery benefit.  Otherwise, subscription rates vary by region and sometimes by country:

• APAC region, the annual subscription cost varies (USD 39.50 in Malaysia, but USD 85 in Singapore).
• UK & Ireland - GBP 43
• Europe - GBP 65.65 
• ROW - GBP 78.75

Note that the introductory offer of 5 issues for USD 18 / GBP 16 does not include the the GHA Discovery status upgrade.

Column Three

GHA Discovery Platinum or Titanium Status for Elite MasterCards in APAC

Mastercard is one of GHA Discovery's partners and offers generous upgrades for World and World Elite cardholders . The offer is available to cardholders in APAC and varies slightly by jurisdiction. In Australia, the offer is for:

• Mastercard World Elite cardholders (uncommon in Australia) - Complimentary fast-track to GHA DISCOVERY Titanium
• Mastercard World cardholders - Complimentary fast-track to GHA DISCOVERY Platinum
• Mastercard Platinum & Titanium cardholders - Complimentary fast-track to GHA DISCOVERY Gold

Note however that there is no need to re-qualify for the following year's tier status, as it is a benefit of MasterCard's membership, so lasts as long as you retain the MasterCard account.

How To Easily Maintain Elite Tier Status

At the time of writing, some subscriptions to Business Traveller (a program partner of GHA Discovery) include FREE one year Platinum Discovery membership.

• Subscribe to Business Traveller - note this is only valid once per member. If your partner is also a member, they can do this in the year your tier benefits expire. (eg) In January 2022 you subscribe and receive complimentary Platinum tier status. You fail to meet the qualification criteria during 2022 and your tier status will be demoted. Your partner subscribes in January 2023 and receives Platinum tier status that year.
• Complete 2 (Platinum) or 3 (Titanium) stays at different brands of as little as 1 night each, within January. This feature may not last forever, so I would target this option first.
• An elite Mastercard could get you Platinum or even Titanium tier status . Consider which Mastercard you may be eligible for and/or seek advice - rewards are not the only consideration when it comes to creditcards.
• Once you have attained Titanium Status, elect to share that tier status with your partner. They will hold this status until the end of the following calendar year.

If staying with your partner, you both use the Sharer Status option where possible, splitting the costs, but both receiving full credits (stays and nights.) towards tier status.

If you attained Platinum tier status via options 1 or 3, you could contribute, say 90% of the folio cost (and receive your Platinum tier bonus rate) and your partner would earn 10% of the D$. You both earn full tier status credits, bringing your partner up through the tiers, while maximising your overall D$ earned.

This makes it invaluable to have your partner join GHA Discovery as well as yourself.

Observations - GHA Discovery

The base tier points earning rate of 4% of your US$ spend is a little stingy. For every USD 100 spent, you earn D$ 4 with a redemption value of USD 4. By comparison, with Accor's ALL program (which shares many similarities), spending EUR 100 earns you 250 ALL points with a redemption value of EUR 5 - an earning rate of 5%. The tier bonuses are identical (25%, 50%, 75% although ALL has an additional tier at 100%), so the earning rate will always be higher under Accor's ALL. On the other hand, Accor's ALL has some higher qualification criteria too -

• 10 nights / EUR 800 spend for Elite Tier 1,
• 30 nights / EUR 2,800 spend for Elite Tier 2 and
• 60 nights / EUR 5,600 spend for Elite Tier 3

For GHA Discovery the criteria are:

• 2 nights / USD 1,000 spend for Elite Tier 1,
• 10 nights / USD 5,000 spend for Elite Tier 2 and
• 30 nights / USD 15,000 spend for Elite Tier 3.

Spending for ALL members is more likely to help gain tier status, while for GHA Discovery members, stays  are more helpful. GHA Discovery members should view stays as being for Tier Status while D$ are purely for spending and this needs planning ahead, given their fixed expiration.

Compared to other major chains though, the net redemption rates are far more transparent. You will know exactly how much you will earn from a stay and how much discount or offset you will receive against your next stay. If you book during a promotion, you receive the same offset against the lower price.  Far simpler than needing to consider peak/off-peak pricing (where the same room can be categorised 3 different ways in the same week) and dynamic pricing where the offset you receive is less in % terms at peak periods and more (in theory) when there is less demand for the room.

The gifting of your tier status is a nice feature and similar to Accor's "gift gold status" (only available at their top tier, but lasts for the duration of the donor's Diamond tier status) and Hyatt's Guest of Honor (where the member must pay for their guest's stay) .  

Compared to the earlier Discovery program, Experiences that were previously an elite tier benefit can now be purchased by any member of the new GHA Discovery. So the "new" program requires payment, but all members can access them.  As tier status was earned by spend and stays, this looks to me to be a bit "swings and roundabouts" while more open at the same time. Also more flexible as higher tier members can purchase a lesser tier experience and keep the savings.

You need to re-qualify for tier status on an annual basis. However should you fail to qualify, your tier status drops only 1 tier.  Other loyalty programs have you drop back to the level at which you did satisfy the criteria.

Attaining fast-tracked elite tier status from a Mastercard World or World Elite membership is an exception to re-qualifying and a valuable benefit (if it applies to you).

GHA Discovery program Pro's:

• The ability to attain top-tier elite status just by staying at 3 different brands in a single calendar year !
• Double upgrades for rooms at the top-tier.
• The ability to automatically be upgraded to elite tiers by holding particular Mastercard credit cards.  In Australia, this is especially rare.
• If you split the cost of a stay with a second member (eg family) the members share the D$ proportionally, but both receive full credit for the number of eligible nights and eligible brand stays - this will accelerate people into higher tier levels.
• If  you fail to re-qualify for your current tier, you are demoted a single tier rather than back to the tier aligned to your status points earned..
• The earning rates are totally transparent. You will know exactly how much you will earn from a stay and how much discount or offset you will receive against your next stay.
• The properties at the upper-end brands are diverse and, boutique in style and have a "sense of place", which is different to some of the larger multi-national chains.

GHA Discovery program Con's:

• The limited footprint - properties are concentrated in Europe, which may not suit everyone. Nevertheless, where there are fewer properties, they tend to be higher end ones.
• Complimentary breakfast for yourself isn’t available at any tier. Other programs offer this to their upper-tier members.
• The fixed expiration period for points earned, which is particularly harsh for points earned at the 2 lowest status tiers. 

Conclusions - GHA Discovery

Simplistically, it looks to me as though GHA has tried to take the best ideas of other programs and incorporate them into the new GHA Discovery.

There is a lot to like about the program and only a few disappointments.

The criticisms I have of the program are that:

• the fixed expiration of D$ earned while a Silver Tier member is too short at only 6 months. While this doesn't affect the assessment for tier status (which is based on eligible spend in a calendar year, not D$), I think a minimum period of 12 months to earn and redeem a program's currency is much fairer, given the "hard" expiry term. 
• the limited number of different brands at GHA participant locations. The concentration makes GHA Discovery a little less appealing than Accor's ALL.  But if the locations suit you, this may not be an issue.
• no tier offers breakfast as a benefit (at least none is listed in the current T&C's)

Overall, I like this program.  Its rewards structure is simple and transparent.

The benefits are very good at all levels.

Just note that your path to higher tier status will most likely be based on your number of stays rather than spending.

Although there are a couple of "smarter" pathways to elite GHA Discovery tiers.

How to Join GHA Discovery

It is easy to open a GHA Discovery account and it's free.

You can also apply at any participating property.

Unfortunately, GHA Discovery does not status-match from any other programs (T&C 3.16).

Appendix 1 - Tier Requirements and Benefits of "Old" Discovery

Timeline - GHA Discovery

Updated 16 December 2021 to include benefits for GHA Discovery hotels from the Mastercard partnership with Global Hotel Alliance

Updated 21 January 2022 to include strategic alliance with ASMALLWORLD AG.

FAQ - GHA Discovery

What is gha.

GHA is an abbreviation of Global Hotel Alliance, which is a marketing alliance of hotels from 35 independent hotel brands in 85+ countries.

What is GHA Discovery?

GHA Discovery is the loyalty program of Global Hotel Alliance, which is a marketing alliance of hotels from 35 independent hotel brands in 85+ countries.

What does it cost to join GHA Discovery?

Nothing. GHA Discovery membership is free.

Does GHA Discovery status-match?

No. GHA will not grant tier status based on status in any non GHA Discovery loyalty programme. (T&C 3.16)

What changes have been made to Discovery ?

From 7 December 2021:

• introduction of Discovery Dollars or D$ that can be earned from stays and used to offset spending or purchase experiences
• loss of selection of newspaper and complimentary bottle of water for all members
• "experiences" must now be paid for with D$, rather than being a complimentary tier benefit of the top 2 tiers
• late check-out remains at 3pm for Platinum tier but has been changed from 6pm to 4pm for the top tier
• the early check-in benefit for top-tier members has changed from 9am to 11am
• Top tier (Titanium) members can elect to share their tier status with 1 other member once per calendar year. Their status lasts until the end of the following calendar year . (so potentially almost 24 months)

What is Discovery membership?

GHA Discovery membership is membership of a hotel loyalty program. Members are entitled to select free benefits and amenities based on their usage of GHA hotels.

What are the key benefits offered to the members of Discovery?

Following the changes made in December 2021, for members of GHA's Discovery loyalty program, the key benefits include:

• up to 10% member discount for stays
• ability to purchase Local Offers and Experiences using D$ (Discovery Dollars)
• the earning rate of D$ increases with the status tier and the expiration of those D$ is longer
• members of the top 2 tiers enjoy late check-out
• top tier members enjoy early check-in, guaranteed room with at least 48 hours notice and the ability to share their tier status & associated benefits with another member once every year.

See GHA Discovery Elite Tiers and Benefits for more details.

What is Discovery Black?

Discovery Black was the top tier membership of GHA's earlier loyalty program - Discovery. It no longer exists under the new GHA Discovery program, having been replaced by the new "Titanium" tier.

What is Discovery Platinum?

Discovery Platinum is the 2nd top level of membership under the new GHA Discovery program.

Can you buy GHA Discovery points?

Can you buy gha d$, what is a discovery dollar or d$ worth.

Each D$ has a rewards benefit of USD 1

When do Discovery Dollars expire?

D$ expire after a fixed period from when they were earned. The fixed term depends on the member's tier status at the time they were earned   (T&C 5.1) & is:

• 18 months for Gold Tier
• 24 months for Platinum Tier
• 24 months for Titanium Tier;

Promotional D$ are an exception. Each promotion may offer a different amount of D$.  The amount and the expiration of Promotional D$ will be stated for each promotion (T&C 5.2)

Activity does not "refresh" any D$.

How do I contact GHA Discovery customer service?

Should you wish to contact customer service, you can email GHA Discovery Customer Care at [email protected]

Their address is:

GHA DISCOVERY Customer Care 21st Floor - JBC 5 Tower - Jumeirah Lakes Towers Dubai - United Arab Emirates - PO Box 487771

Does GHA offer a program for business owners ?

Does gha offer a program for mice.

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GHA Discovery

Best Ways to Earn

Best ways to redeem.

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. Founded in 2004, the group now encompasses 40 brands and 800 properties in 100 countries.

Its loyalty program, GHA Discovery allows members to earn and redeem Discovery Dollars, as well as receive VIP recognition and benefits across all GHA brands.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything there is to know about GHA Discovery, including how to optimize your earning and redeeming within the program.

Earning GHA Discovery Dollars

GHA Discovery operates on a different earning and redemption model than other loyalty programs. Foremost, instead of earning points, you’ll earn Discovery Dollars (D$), which are at-par with US dollars.

With no credit card transfer partner in Canada or the US, you can earn Discovery Dollars mostly through stays with its 40 brands worldwide.

Stays at Global Hotel Alliance Partners

You’ll earn between 4–7% Discovery Dollars on eligible spend . The Discovery Dollars you’ll earn depends mainly on your GHA Discovery membership level:

• Silver : 4% of net eligible spend; Discovery Dollars earned expire after 6 months
• Gold : 5% of net eligible spend; Discovery Dollars earned expire after 18 months
• Platinum : 6% of net eligible spend; Discovery Dollars earned expire after 24 months
• Titanium : 7% of net eligible spend; Discovery Dollars earned expire after 24 months

Net eligible spend includes eligible room rates, dining, and other on-property spend, while it excludes the following:

• Third-party rates (e.g. online travel agencies)
• Taxes, tips, and fees
• Purchases made with gift cards and vouchers
• Banquet, catering, and events (depending on the hotel)
• Retail products
• Laundry and dry cleaning
• Vehicle transfers

From time to time, GHA runs promotions, which allow you to earn more Discovery Dollars. A recent example is the Double D$ promotion, which bumps earnings to 8–14% in Discovery Dollars. Ongoing promotions can be found on GHA Discovery website .

Regent Seven Sea Cruises was recently added as a GHA Discovery partner. With the partnership, GHA Discovery members who book a cruise with Regent receive the following benefits:

• 750–2,500 Discovery Dollars per cruise booked
• Fast-track upgrade to GHA Discovery Titanium status, valid for 12 months
• On-board gift of chocolates and Champagne

Redeeming GHA Discovery Dollars

Redeeming Discovery Dollars is straightforward, since they are at-par with US dollars or the equivalent in the local currency.

During check-out, you may redeem your Discovery Dollars as a rebate against your bill at participating properties. You must redeem a minimum of 10 D$; then, after the first 10 D$, you may redeem in increments of 1 D$.

Similar to earning, you can not redeem Discovery Dollars for ineligible spend, including taxes, tips, fees, third-party bookings, and other expenses at each hotel’s discretion.

Experiences at Global Hotel Alliance Partners

You may also use your Discovery Dollars on local experiences offered by various GHA partners. On offer are city tours, cooking classes, and other travel activities.

You may redeem your Discovery Dollars against the cash price of each activity, and you may redeem even if you’re not staying with the GHA partner that offers the activity.

GHA Discovery Tips & Tricks

With GHA Discovery, redemptions are tied to the cash price of a stay; thus, you’re not getting as many “sweet spots” as other hotel loyalty programs. Still, there are tips and tricks that can make your GHA Discovery membership worthwhile.

Member Pricing

Merely joining the GHA Discovery program already entitles you to Member Rates, which are at least 10% lower than the best available rates. You can then redeem your Discovery Dollars on these discounted rates to yield better value on your redemption.

Stay Offers

GHA Discovery publishes a page with stay offers across different brands and properties. You can, for example, take advantage of a “Stay Longer Special” with a 25% discount.

Again, you can redeem your Discovery Dollars on these promotional rates for better value on your redemption.

Local Offers

With Local Offers, you can take advantage of discounts and complimentary offers by simply being a GHA Discovery member.

For most of the complimentary experiences, you don’t even have to be staying in the property. For instance, you may book access to the day spa of Kempinski Frutt Mountain Resort in Switzerland for free without booking a stay.

Booking with Virtuoso

To get even better value for your stays at GHA properties, you should consider booking through Virtuoso , which is the world’s largest independent network of luxury travel advisors and properties.

Even if you don’t hold status with GHA Discovery, booking through Virtuoso provides you with extra benefits, such as:

• Daily breakfast for two guests
• Room upgrade, subject to availability at check-in
• Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
• $100 (USD) property credit (benefit may vary)
• Other amenities and experiences at select properties

Note that stays booked through Virtuoso function as if you were booking directly with the hotel; thus, you’ll still be eligible to earn Discovery Dollars.

Book a hotel stay with Prince of Travel through Virtuoso and enjoy exclusive additional benefits at no cost to you, including:

• Third, Fourth, or Fifth Night Free at select properties

Transferring Discovery Dollars

You can transfer Discovery Dollars to another member to pool them for larger redemptions. There’s no cost to transfer, but you must transfer a minimum of 10 D$, up to a maximum of 500 D$ in a single transaction.

Transferred Discovery Dollars will retain the same expiry date. You may perform up to two transfers per day.

GHA Discovery Elite Status

GHA Discovery has four membership levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium. You may progress to the next level with nights stayed, eligible spend, or stays at multiple brands.

Eligible nights, spend, and stays may only be earned on paid eligible rates. To earn the credits you’re due, make sure to quote your membership number at the time of booking, check-in, or check-out.

Silver or Gold status doesn’t provide much by way of hotel benefits, other than free wi-fi. However, if you’re at least a Platinum member, you’ll be eligible to receive a room upgrade, a welcome amenity, and late check-out.

Additionally, as a Titanium member, you’ll receive early check-in, brand-specific benefits, as well as the ability to share your status to friends and family.

Status Match Opportunity

If you’re an elite member with a competing hotel program, you may be eligible for a status match with GHA Discovery.

To see if you qualify, simply email [email protected] with a screenshot or a photo of your card that includes your membership number, status level, and expiry date.

GHA Discovery is the loyalty program of the largest alliance of independent hotels, Global Hotel Alliance. The program covers 40 brands and 800 properties in 100 countries — there’s no reason for you to not join for free.

As you stay at GHA properties, you can earn and redeem Discovery Dollars, which are at-par with the US Dollar.

With redemptions tied to their cost in cash, you’d be hard-pressed to get outsized value through GHA Discovery. However, being a member provides you access to member rates, stay offers, and local offers that make your membership worthwhile.

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GHA DISCOVERY

DISCOVERY  is the loyalty program of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. With recognition across 34 luxury hotel brands – all with their own unique character – and more than 500 hotels spread around the globe, DISCOVERY members can experience a property that truly reflects the culture and traditions of its location, while enjoying all the benefits of loyalty, including room upgrades and comfort-enhancing perks.

Some of the more famous hotel brands that are covered by the DISCOVERY loyalty program are Alila , Kempinski , Viceroy , and Anantara .

In this overview, I explain GHA’s DISCOVERY loyalty program:

• Membership tiers & benefits
• Pros & things I like about DISCOVERY
• Cons & things I don’t like about DISCOVERY
• My reviews of luxury hotels covered by DISCOVERY
• Poll: what’s the best hotel loyalty program?

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DISCOVERY  : MEMBERSHIP TIERS & BENEFITS

DISCOVERY has three membership levels. When you stay more frequently within the program’s hotel portfolio, you move up in status. You can mix and match brands and hotels as desired – each qualifying stay counts equally towards elite qualification.

• Complimentary bottle of water
• Complimentary internet access
• Choice of newspaper
• Exclusive member-only offers
• Local amenity upon check-in
• One local experience per calendar year
• One local experience when staying at a new DISCOVERY brand for the first time
• Guaranteed room availability at least 48 hours prior to arrival
• Upgrade to the next room category at check-in
• Late check-out privileges until 3pm
• Guaranteed room availability at least 24 hours prior to arrival
• Double room upgrade at check-in
• Late check-out privileges until 6pm
• Early check-in privileges starting at 9am

Membership level is determined based upon a rolling year for new members, then on the calendar year thereafter. Once achieved, elite status remains in effect through February of the following calendar year.

PROS & THINGS I LIKE ABOUT DISCOVERY

• As a DISCOVERY member, you can enjoy benefits across 34 independent luxury hotel brands , which include some of my favorite brands in the world, such as  Alila ,  Kempinski ,  Viceroy , Per Aquum , Avani , Corinthia , Grace Hotels , and  Anantara . You can access the full list of 34 brands here . So when you consider a stay at one of the properties of these brands, it’s wort signing up for the program.
• DISCOVERY guests can build status at a more than 500   destination-appropriate properties  across 76 countries in its portfolio, from overwater villas in the Maldives and historic Turkish palaces on Istanbul’s Bosphorus, to city-chic properties in New York and design-heavy boutique hotels in London, Sydney, and beyond. Some of the DISCOVERY properties are among the best hotels in the world, such as Naladhu (Maldives), Kempinski Barbaros Bay (Turkey),  Alila Jabal Akhdar  (Oman), Alila Villas Uluwatu  (Bali), and Grace Santorini  (Greece).
• DISCOVERY members receive a 10% discount on the Best Available Rate when they book participating hotels direct online. Simply search hotels and rates, then sign-in as a DISCOVERY member to book the 10% discounted rate.
• DISCOVERY members have access to flash sales with 20% to 40% off of Best Available Rates , making stays at some ultraluxe properties affordable. Note that these rates are prepaid, non-refunable and non-cancelable.
• DISCOVERY elite members receive a “ complimentary, local experience awards ” which are rewarded based upon membership level and activity in the DISCOVERY program. These awards vary by membership level – the higher the membership level, the more exciting and exclusive the experience. The type of experience depends on the hotel & location and you can look them up on the DISCOVERY website (click “search local experiences”). They vary from spa treatments, airport transfers and dinners, to sunset boat trips in the Maldives, helicopter rides in New York and an Opera House backstage tour in Sydney.
• DISCOVERY is one of the very few programs that rewards loyalty for stays at luxury hotels . Brands using the program make efforts to reward their most loyal guests. For example, hotel chains such as Four Seasons, Rosewood, Aman, Banyan Tree, and Mandarin Oriental do not offer a loyalty program.
• The program is  uncomplicated  and thus very easy to understand. You don’t collect points (as compared to the other, better known hotel loyalty programs) but you are rewarded with benefits based on your loyalty status.
• All American Express (AMEX) Platinum members are offered an immediate upgrade to Platinum Level when joining DISCOVERY, while all AMEX Centurion members are offered an immediate upgrade to Black level when joining DISCOVERY.
• All Business Traveller subscribers are offered an immediate upgrade to Platinum when joining DISCOVERY.
• All Morgan Stanley Reserved members are offered an immediate upgrade to Platinum level when joining DISCOVERY.
• First Class & More is a Travel Service Provider offering seminars and newsletters. Seminar attendees are now offered an immediate upgrade to Black Level when joining DISCOVERY. Newsletter subscribers are now offered an immediate upgrade to Platinum Level when joining DISCOVERY

CONS & THINGS I DON’T LIKE ABOUT  DISCOVERY

• Contrary to most hotel loyalty programs, DISCOVERY members  do not earn hotel points  for their expenses at hotels, and as such cannot save credits towards a free hotel night.
• The  benefits for the top-tier members are disappointing  in comparison to other hotel programs. For example, complimentary breakfast is not offered.
• DISCOVERY is one of the few hotel loyalty schemes that does not earn you frequent flyer miles .
• When you find a lower rate than the one listed in the official Alila website, Alila will  refund the difference as a credit to your room account during your stay.
• Kempinksi has a very generous BRG program. Should you find a lower rate on another website, within 24 hours of completing a reservation at Kempinski.com, Kempinski will match the lower rate found and will discount it even further by an additional 25%. In addition to that, you’ll be upgraded to the next higher room category, subject to availability at the time of check in at the hotel.

MY REVIEWS OF LUXURY HOTELS COVERED BY DISCOVERY

• GHA is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, and has some terrific hotels in its portfolio, so be sure to subscribe (for free) to their DISCOVERY loyalty program when you stay at one of their hotels. It will get you access to a few complimentary benefits, such as free high-speed WiFi.
• Is you subscribe to the newsletter of First Class & More (for free), you will get fast-track elite status, and enjoy additional benefits, such as room upgrade, late check-out, and a local experience.

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New GHA DISCOVERY Loyalty Programme: Q&A with the CEO

GHA's overhaul of DISCOVERY raises questions for new and existing members. Here's the rationale behind the changes, and what else we can expect.

Last week, GHA revealed the biggest shake up to its DISCOVERY Loyalty programme since its inception in 2010. 

Among the changes are revised tiers and benefits, new elite qualification criteria, and a completely revamped rewards scheme. Needless to say, there’ll be winners and losers, and I’ve analysed the changes in full detail over here.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to speak with GHA’s CEO Chris Hartley about the rationale behind the changes, and their expected impact on new and existing DISCOVERY members. 

Among the questions I had:

• How will DISCOVERY ensure consistent delivery of elite benefits, given the inevitable growth in the number of Titanium members?
• What kind of brand-specific benefits can Titanium members expect to receive?
• What’s the rationale for replacing Local Experiences with Discovery Dollars (D$)?
• Can D$ be earned and burned outside of stays?
• Will D$ be usable for prepaid bookings online?

Here’s Chris’ responses, and my thoughts. 

On the new elite qualification criteria and the “Titanium apocalypse”

One of the most remarkable things about the revised DISCOVERY is how easy it is to qualify for top-tier Titanium status.

In the old DISCOVERY, top-tier status required 30 nights. Now, it can be earned through 30 nights, US$15,000 or three brands.

Yes, three brands. This means you could requalify with as little as three nights, spread across different brands. 

Titanium members will also be able to share status with a nominated member, basically a “supplementary card” arrangement which doubles the number of Titaniums out there. As if that wasn’t enough, Mastercard recently extended its tie-up with DISCOVERY till November 2022, offering instant Titanium status to World Elite Mastercard cardholders- no stays required. 

All this means we can expect the ranks of Titanium members to grow considerably, and the concern is that this will lead to a massive devaluation of benefits, if not on paper then in practice.

After all, hotels only have so many rooms and suites. They can’t give everyone 11 a.m early check-in, or a two category upgrade, or 4 p.m check-out. What’s that old chestnut about “when everyone’s super, no one is?”

So I put this question to Chris: how will GHA hotels ensure consistent delivery of elite benefits with the influx of new Titanium members?

Chris responded first with the rationale behind the revised qualification thresholds: DISCOVERY isn’t one of the big boys, like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. Consequently, the priority is to get their name out there, and this is one of the ways to do it.

With regards to the “too many Titaniums” concern:

• It’s true that some properties may get a surfeit of Titaniums, but if you look at the bigger picture, fewer than 1% of GHA members have Titanium status
• As for the three brands route, not everyone lives in a city with three brands easily accessible. They’ll need to travel internationally to do that, and not everyone is travelling yet
• The Mastercard partnership for instant Titanium status is a legacy thing, and going forward, he doesn’t expect GHA to offer instant top-tier status the way it did before

GHA Insider , GHA’s company representative on Flyertalk, added this:

I can’t share the inside data with you and the other thread participants directly but I can assure you that almost everyone qualifying for Titanium status in 2022 will be doing so because of their nights or their spending. Adding the 3 brands rule as another way of reaching that status is not likely to make a material difference to the numbers who will reach Titanium, based on historic stay behaviour patterns before the pandemic and over the last two years.

The majority of our members live in locations where there is only 1 brand or maybe 2 brands available, so they would need to travel internationally to qualify for Titanium under the brand criterion. That has been difficult for them, especially over the last couple of years. They can still earn elite status through nights or spend criteria under the new programme. This will be the main way that most members qualify for Titanium tier.

Titanium will continue to be an exclusive tier for the top 1% (or fewer) of members.

So it seems like GHA does not expect the number of Titanium members to balloon overnight, even with the reduced qualification, status sharing, and Mastercard offer. 

Regardless of how that plays out, we need to remember that the most optimal situation for DISCOVERY may not be the most optimal situation for an individual member.

Would I love it if I were the only Titanium in the whole wide world? Sure. But from DISCOVERY’s point of view, their ideal scenario is to have more Titaniums , because if Titanium status is what tips the balance for someone on the fence between staying in a GHA property or somewhere else, it’s pure incremental revenue for them. 

Of course they can’t take that too far- if Titanium members consistently don’t receive their benefits, it’s only a matter of time before Titanium status ceases to be a meaningful determinant of whether or not a guest picks GHA. 

But to the extent that GHA can afford to have more Titanium members, it’s in their interest to do it. And it sounds like in the near term, their sums tell them they can. Chris took pains to emphasise that DISCOVERY isn’t undertaking to maintain qualification at the current thresholds forever;  they just feel that it makes sense for the current place and time. 

The other thing I suppose I should consider is whether the “Titanium apocalypse” is a real thing, or just paranoia on my part. Talking to Chris made me wonder whether as a loyalty fanatic, I’d developed a kind of myopia that convinces me everyone’s going to be a Titanium soon, because it appears so darn easy. 

I mean, it’s child’s play for you and me to rack up three different brands because we’re aware of the criteria, we care about status, and we don’t mind going out of our way to achieve it. 

But the vast majority of people aren’t like that. You know it, I know it. Most people couldn’t give a toss about elite status, and of the remainder, a good number are clueless (if I had a penny for every email I get asking how to transfer Lifemiles to KrisFlyer…). 

So it could very well be the case that despite DISCOVERY lowering the threshold for Titanium and giving out status Oprah style, the elite ranks don’t swell at the rate we fear. I don’t know, but I have to at least acknowledge that possibility.

Per GHA Insider:

If member stay behaviour changes significantly, to the point where there are too many people reaching the top tier under any criteria, then it is possible that the rules would be tweaked to keep the numbers manageable and the tier status sufficiently exclusive. For the time being, we are encouraging members to benefit from the new qualification path and to experience staying with as many brands as they can across the alliance.

The jury’s still out on this, and the ultimate proof will come over the next 6-12 months. 

On new benefits for Titanium members

If you look at the benefits for Titaniums on the DISCOVERY website, you’ll notice something called “Brand Benefits”. 

These are additional perks that Titaniums can expect to receive when staying at specific brands. GHA has yet to provide further information, but:

• If you believe this post on Flyertalk (which correctly predicted three of the programme changes back in November), Brand Benefits include two breakfasts at Niccolo and one breakfast at Marco Polo
• Based on VFTW’s interview with GHA’s VP and Head of Transformation, Brand Benefits include breakfast, airport transfer or complimentary laundry. 
• On Flyertalk, GHA Insider says that Brand Benefits “range from gifts reflecting the local culture to services such as free laundry . At several brands they will offer you a choice of benefits from a small “menu” when you check in.”

Chris mentioned on the call that he’d send over some specific examples of Brand Benefits for Titanium members. Unfortunately, the response I eventually received wasn’t very illuminating:

Our brands are encouraged to offer brand-specific benefits for Titanium level members from 2022. We know that they are currently building these benefits and we will share more information in the beginning of next year

Another thing Chris mentioned regarding Brand Benefits was that “brands will have a surprise and delight component to elite tiers that will not necessarily be published or guaranteed”.

I asked Chris if that meant we shouldn’t expect a list on the GHA website that says “Titanium members will get Amenity X at Brand Y”. His response was non-committal- brands might  do that on their own sites, but there was no mandate that they do so. 

The problem with this approach is that unpublished, non-guaranteed benefits aren’t a good way of encouraging stays. 

I mean, if GHA offered Titanium members guaranteed free breakfast, that’d be a major filip and a strong reason for me to favor the chain when planning my stays. As it is, most Titanium benefits are non-guaranteed, making DISCOVERY benefits more Russian Roulette than anything else. 

These could very well be a compelling reason to stick with DISCOVERY, but we’ll need to peg this as TBC until they’re ready to provide further details.

On why D$ have replaced Local Experiences

Under the previous DISCOVERY, Platinum and Black members earned a Local Experience every time they stayed at a new brand. These comprised of unique dining and culture events, wellness packages and tours.

The new DISCOVERY rewards members with Discovery Dollars (D$), basically a rebate on room and ancillary spending. All members will earn these according to the table below.

Chris offered some insights as to the reasons behind the switch:

• Local Experiences have been a feature of DISCOVERY since it launched in 2010, but not everyone had the opportunity to earn or time to enjoy them (e.g. a business traveller won’t have time for a leisurely dinner or spa treatment)        
• Points were considered too confusing (how many people know how much a Hilton or Marriott point is worth, anyway?), and customers would have to worry about devaluations
• A rebates programme like D$ is more equitable, because it rewards those who spend more
• D$ also helps brings more members into the fold, since they can be earned by all tiers

These sentiments are echoed by GHA Insider on Flyertalk:

The cash value of D$ is generally much more generous than the previous system, depending on your average room rate paid and the number of brands you regularly stay across. It gives members the option of incremental earning rather than having to reach thresholds to be awarded Local Experience certificates: so we believe it is both generous and more immediate . It’s also more  democratic , since non-elite tier members can now earn rewards from their very first stay rather than having to make it to 10 nights in a year to earn a reward. We think that’s a good thing too.

I see two problems with this.

(1) No incentive to pick GHA beyond three brands

The problem with the new system is it eliminates any incentive to stay once you’ve hit three brands.

I’ll give you a simple example. Suppose I’m travelling to Bangkok and deciding on hotels. I’m open to all options- Hiltons, Hyatts, Marriotts etc. But then I spot this rate at the Avani Atrium Bangkok of THB1,355 (S$56) per night. 

Now, under the old DISCOVERY there’d be every reason to book this. Spending S$56 gets me accommodation plus a Local Experience, the value of which is likely to be significantly more than the room rate. 

But with the new DISCOVERY, it’s highly unlikely I’ll consider this hotel. A 7% rebate on a $56 stay? Hardly anything to get excited about (assuming I’ve already requalified for Titanium this year). As a result of this, GHA is likely to lose my business to a competing chain, where I know that incremental stays will count towards some other goal like milestone rewards. 

You see what I mean? Despite all the rhetoric about nudging members to explore new brands, the new DISCOVERY doesn’t actually encourage exploration beyond three. 

Milestone rewards (e.g. an additional Local Experience upon hitting three, six, nine brands ala World of Hyatt’s Brand Explorer ) would go a long way to addressing this, but they’re not part of the programme as of now. 

(2) D$ have no aspirational value

Another problem I see with a fixed rebates system like D$ is that they lack aspirational value (this isn’t a criticism of GHA per se, mind you, Accor has exactly the same problem).

In a points-based system, there’ll always be sweet spots. I’m happy to grind out nights at lesser lights like the Hyatt Place Jacksonville Airport and Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta because I know there’s a stay at the Park Hyatt Maldives waiting at the end of the rainbow. The presence of the big reward benefits the chain as a whole. 

But a rebates system is significantly less aspirational, because it sets a hard and fast relationship between spending and rewards. Want to redeem a $1,000 uberlux hotel? Sure- spend $14,286 with us first. 

This is basically the miles versus cashback argument, phrased differently. Points-based rewards systems are like miles. You don’t earn a reward immediately, but for those who do their homework, there’s a big payday lurking in the future. D$ is like cashback. You get an instant reward, but there’s no opportunity to score outsized value. 

For sure, the cashback system is simpler for most people, even preferable to some. But a fixed rebate is never going to make me go out of my way to patronise a particular property. Why should it? 

Moreover, fixed rebates schemes are not necessarily cheaper to operate either, because value is often asymmetrical. The cost to a hotel of providing a free night can be virtually zero (i.e. when it’s not at full occupancy), but the value to the traveller can be significant.

If I can save $800 a night by redeeming points at a half-full luxury resort, I’m happy, the resort is happy (they get some reimbursement which won’t be the full $800, but better than zero), the loyalty programme is happy. 

I put forward to Chris that the adoption of a fixed rebates system like D$ removes the aspirational aspect from the programme, and he sees it quite differently than I do. He said, and I quote, “My argument is this programme is aspirational because it properly rewards leisure travellers.”

He gave the example of a couple who visit the Maldives and plonk down $10,000 on room and board. Under the old DISCOVERY, they’d earn the same reward as someone who paid a sub-$100 rate at a cheaper hotel. Under the new DISCOVERY, they’d receive a much bigger reward, commensurate with the amount they spent. 

That argument seems intuitive, but I don’t think it’s correct. We need to remember that for many big spenders, loyalty programmes aren’t even a consideration. I hardly think that Kim Kardashian cares about earning Bonvoy points when choosing where to party. 

But even if they are, they’re unlikely to be the sole determining factor. Put it another way: if I’m going to blow $10,000 on this trip, it’s important to me that everything goes perfect. If resort A has good reviews and resort B has great reviews, I’m probably going with resort B. At this level, loyalty programmes become more of a tie-breaker than anything else.

We need to remember that loyalty programmes are not about rewarding your highest spending customers. They’re about ensuring you don’t lose spend, and incentivising incremental spend. 

There’s little point in DISCOVERY rewarding people for doing something they would have already done anyway. I’d argue that DISCOVERY is better off wooing the traveller with a $200 per night hotel budget, for whom the opportunity to earn a Local Experience would be a bigger enticement than a 7% rebate. 

After all, a customer who pays expensive room rates is not the same thing as a profitable customer, assuming there’s high demand for a given hotel and many others who would be willing to pay. 

Likewise, a customer who pays lower room rates may not necessarily be less profitable. In fact, they can be pure profit, should they occupy a room otherwise have remained empty. 

Or consider this: who should you reward more? The business traveller who pays a last-minute $600 rate for a room at the Pan Pacific because it’s the closest to his office? Or the leisure traveller who, having examined a range of options, settles on a $150 advance purchase rate at a PARKROYAL? 

It’s the latter whose business you really need to win- the former may be a bigger spender, but rewarding him/her is pure cost to the extent he/she would have stayed with you anyway. Loyalty programmes should reward choice, not compulsion. 

On earning and burning D$ outside of stays

Currently, D$ can only be earned and burned during stays. 

According to Chris, GHA is working to add the ability to earn and burn D$ outside of stays. However, it won’t be a short term introduction- late 2022 or early 2023 was the timeline he offered. 

I see no reason why they’ll tarry on this though. It’s very much in GHA’s interest to get the system up and running so that members have additional reasons to patronise hotels outside of stays. 

On burning D$ online

Currently, D$ can only be redeemed at the front desk of a hotel; there’s no ability to redeem them online. 

This does diminish the value of D$ somewhat, because you won’t be able to use D$ to book discounted, non-refundable rates online. For example, if I were looking at the Capella Singapore, I wouldn’t be able to book the Advance Purchase 30 Days rate, since it’s paid at the time of booking. 

According to a GHA spokesperson, the timeline for adding online redemption functionality for D$ is Q2 2022. 

Other odds and ends

Two random bits of information that didn’t fit anywhere else. 

• You can qualify for Titanium/Platinum by staying at the same brands every year; there’s no need to clock new ones each time

PARKROYAL and PARKROYAL COLLECTION are currently not treated as separate brands. This might change in the future when PARKROYAL COLLECTION will add additional hotels to their portfolio.

My analysis of the new DISCOVERY programme is that it certainly has more mass appeal, but won’t be as attractive to people like you and me who live for the sweet spots and outsized value.

While I dislike that DISCOVERY has gone from “stay-one-earn-one” to a glorified cashback programme, a shift to revenue-based earn and burn is just par the course for the market, as we’ve seen with Marriott Bonvoy.

GHA has given reassurances that we’re unlikely to have a “Titanium apocalypse” on our hands anytime soon, but the true test will come from stays over the next 6-12 months. Will upgrades, early check-in and late check-out still be honored? Will Titaniums still feel like valued guests, or is dilution inevitable? Time will tell. 

What other questions do you have for GHA?

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Review: regal airport hotel hong kong, hilton honors status match: instant gold, fast-track to diamond- now valid till 2026.

The new program strikes me as similar to IC Ambassador which manages to guarantee one category upgrades and 4pm late checkout despite what I would imagine as a lot of ambassadors. The fixed category upgrades at IC often seem to lead to many many room categories though. Benefits are not as generous as Marriott Platinum/Hyatt Globalist but qualification is also much easier so seems a reasonable tradeoff for many customers. The GHA chain footprint is also quite different than Hyatt I could imagine GHA and Hyatt programs being complimentary rather than just competitors.

I totally agree with your point on big spenders, no point trying to incentivise or reward them more, ultimately these people have so much liquidity that their priority isn’t rewards or layalty programmes anymore. Frankly it’s the other way round, they want exclusivity and tranquillity and we all know you hardly get this in a points and rewards brand, regardless of how you put it. These people are all for Amans, Soneva, Como and to a lesser extent Four Seasons where there are no point junkies hogging the lounge and destroying a proper breakfast. Discovery had got it totally wrong …  Read more »

Nice article with insights from the CEO but frankly I don’t know where has GHA been getting the sentiments that the new program is better going forward. I’ve yet to see a single black member satisfied with the change in benefits. Yes it may be better for the new clients, but as you rightly put it, those big spenders wouldn’t be bothered much with the insignificant rebate since loyalty and benefits is never a deciding factor on where they stay in the first place. However for those loyal to the brand, this revised benefits and structure would definitely turn away …  Read more »

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How to Maximize Your Points and Miles Strategy in May 2024

By Ramsey Qubein

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It’s almost summertime, and those family vacations aren’t going to plan themselves. If you are hoping to earn points and miles for upcoming trips to sunnier (or cooler) climes , there are some travel promotions that can double or triple those loyalty program earnings. And for the jetsetters who want to redeem those hard-earned points and miles , now is the time to start looking to find the best deal.

But those deals are often changing. For example, United MileagePlus just quietly implemented a devaluation to their award chart without notice to members: They almost doubled the number of miles necessary to book intra-European business class flights with partner airlines like Lufthansa , and doubled the miles cost of first class flights on partner airlines for travel between the US and parts of Asia . That’s a major blow for those who have been saving miles for an upcoming trip.

To help you keep the flow of points and miles coming to offset devaluations like United’s, these are some of the best deals to keep in mind this spring.

Promotions that increase your points and miles earnings

Hilton Honors members will really rack up points after registering for a summer double points promotion for stays between now and September 2. There’s no limit to the number of points members can earn, and hotels around the world are eligible, including newly opened properties like Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island , which appears on our 2024 Hot List of the best new and reimagined hotels and resorts all over the world.

Marriott Homes & Villas is Marriott’s luxury collection of residences where guests can earn or redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a stay. To celebrate its fifth anniversary, the brand is offering bonus points for Marriott Bonvoy elite status members. Until May 10, elite travelers can earn 50,000 bonus points when booking a two-night stay for rates starting at $2,500 for dates before the end of the year. Be sure to register for the promotion before your stay. Not a Marriott Bonvoy elite member? You can get instant elite status when getting approved for several Marriott co-branded credit cards.

The GHA Discovery loyalty program , which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with its own bonus promotion, includes an array of almost 40 hotel brands like Anantara Resorts and Tivoli Hotels & Resorts —and the goal for travelers is to stay with as many as possible. The program awards “Discovery Dollars” as points, which can be redeemed for future stays. When staying with at least three of the program’s brands on stays valued at $600 or more, members would receive $300 bonus Discovery Dollars. Staying at four brands would yield $400; staying at five brands earns $500—it goes up to $1,000 in bonus dollars for staying at ten brands. All of these can be redeemed at properties like The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara or Tivoli Doelen Hotel Amsterdam among others. The deadline to register and complete this challenge is September 30 .

The GHA Discovery loyalty program is offering promotions for stays across its hotel brands, like Anantara and Tivoli.

Limited-time offers that can save (and get) you money

If you have plans to book a Delta flight soon, the airline wants to treat you to a Starbucks coffee or two. Buy a $300 Delta gift card online between now and May 13 (or while supplies last) to receive a $20 bonus Starbucks gift card as a bonus.

Between now and May 11, Citi credit cards that earn ThankYou Points can take advantage of a 50% bonus when transferring points to the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) program from Accor. All points can be redeemed for discounts at renowned luxury hotels including Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan along the Nile River and the Raffles Singapore .

The Dis-loyalty program from Ennismore , which provides unique member perks like discounts at new hotels and complimentary barista coffee drinks every day of the year at its partner properties, has launched a new promotion: the Friday Fix . On select Fridays, the program will release special deals at its hotels for the coming month including major discounts on stays or food and beverage experiences. Between now and May 24, members can save 50% off stays at Mondrian Doha and SO/ Maldives for dates this month. Another bonus for stays in June includes 50% off stays at Mondrian Hong Kong and SLS Dubai with more to come.

Points and miles news you can use this month

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has just announced its last date as a member of Star Alliance: August 31. It joins SkyTeam the next day, following a significant investment by Air France-KLM . This means that if you are looking to book award travel on SAS by redeeming miles with Star Alliance partners like Aeroplan or United MileagePlus, you need to act fast. Once the carrier joins SkyTeam, your travel with SAS can earn miles on SkyTeam partners like Delta and Air France.

World of Hyatt members can now earn and redeem points with nearly 700 luxury properties around the globe that are part of Mr. & Mrs. Smith when booking through Hyatt channels. Members earn five World of Hyatt points per dollar spent on the room rate, plus bonus points for elite status. The partnership just went live, which gives many travelers even more options for summer vacation stays.

World of Hyatt is also planning to reward loyalty program members who want to exercise while they’re traveling. Through a new partnership , Peloton is adding in-room video content to Hyatt hotel rooms plus equipment at Hyatt destinations where it operates. While the details have yet to be finalized, guests will be able to earn points when using Peloton machines in Hyatt properties. Points for working out to redeem for free stays? That’s reason enough to get on that bike.

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