Originally Posted by
jpdx
I completed 7 brands for the promo. Thankfully, no major hiccups with posting. Two stays were incorrect, but fixed quickly, and the exchange rate conversion was fair, with base, elite, and promo D$ showing up immediately. I'm surprised the allotted D$ 1M hasn't run out, but maybe not many people are interested in GHA. Certainly didn't see a lot of advertizing in hotels, so maybe people just aren't aware of the promo.
GHA has no chance of becoming my top program, even if they gave me Red for hitting 10 (or whatever) brands. Like lost_in_translation I stayed at Anantara and Tivoli Algarve, and it was a sad joke. Divani in Athens, OMG. Mediocre hotels, no benefits. Avani and NH were poor, basically like old Holiday Inns. Nobody knows or cares about status. Grand Hotel Heiligendamm was the only reasonably memorable one (D$ bonus posted fine, even though strangely it's not part of any brand). I suspect some of the Capellas are better, and places like Lutetia or Cafe Royal look spectacular, but really, GHA is an odd program with its poor benefits and mish-mash of 80% bad-mediocre hotels, 15% decent ones, and 5% top notch. I'm gonna do three more brands in the next couple weeks to make sure I get my stays in before the D$ 1M runs out -- specifically at some better hotels like Murray HK, Capella SG, and maybe Pan Pacific SG (which allegedly grants club access to elites, how amazingly generous). I doubt I'm gonna go much further than 10 brands, because even though I believe that the D$ 200k is in reach, I have no interest in spending time at the various garbage brands like Parkroyal, Marco Polo, etc.
Originally Posted by
jpdx
GHA communicated to one of the major promo-focused bloggers (LL?) that they would immediately announce when the promo D$ ran out. And my promo D$ have been posting just fine. Now, you are right, it is possible that the allotted D$ ran out last night, and tonight's stays earn nothing. That's why I don't want to wait until September to get stays 8, 9, and 10 in -- after all, those are basically free or better than free if one spends $600-ish and earns D$800, 900 and 1000, respectively.
jpdx Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback and experiences with the GHA DISCOVERY program. We're glad you successfully completed the 7 brands for the promo and that the D$ postings were handled promptly.We apologize for the disappointing experiences at some of our properties, such as Anantara, Tivoli Algarve, Divani in Athens, Avani, and NH. Your insights are invaluable, and we'll address these issues to improve our service and consistency across all hotels.
It's great to hear you had a positive experience at the Grand Hotel Heiligendamm, and we hope your upcoming stays at Murray HK, Capella SG, and Pan Pacific SG will be more in line with your expectations. We're continuously working to enhance our program benefits and ensure a rewarding experience for all members.
Additionally, we'd like to confirm that the D$1 Million promotion is still actively ongoing. We appreciate your commitment and valuable feedback, and we aim to create a more cohesive and satisfying experience for all GHA
DISCOVERY members.
Originally Posted by
escape4
That is a scathing review from someone who has bothered to stay at many GHA hotels rather than merely a handful of random experiences, so we cannot say that
jpdx does not know what he's talking about. Unfortunately it sort of matches my experience. I love Capella for example the Bangkok property is lovely, but they know me already so I don't even need to book via GHA platform to get benefits. My upcoming stay has been booked via Mr & Mrs Smith. I could have booked via LHW also or Amex FHR. For a lot of the brands at a level below Kempinski, for the most part the benefits are too weak for those hotels to be competitive and I stay only if there is no alternative in town, which is not often.
Only exception of my view versus yours, if I was given Red I would stay more to give them a chance and see how it goes. GHA would most likely not become my top loyalty program, but it would have a chance to be on par with some of my tier 2 or tier 3 programs like IHG and Accor, rather than being a complete afterthought.
I am not sure why you say the promo has not run out yet. Maybe it has, but we have not been informed?
escape4 Thank you for your honest and detailed feedback. We truly appreciate hearing from members like you who have extensive experience with GHA hotels.We are continuously working to improve our program and understand that consistency in benefits across all properties is crucial. Your positive remarks about Capella Bangkok are encouraging, and we are striving to ensure similar experiences across all our brands.
Regarding the D$1 Million promotion, we can confirm that it is still actively ongoing. We apologize for any confusion and will communicate any changes promptly.
We value your insights and are committed to enhancing the GHA DISCOVERY experience. Thank you for your continued support and feedback.
Originally Posted by
Compliment
Just got a mail that Discovery now sells their D$ at a rate of 0.85$ per Dollar. (For titanium)
Wouldn't that be overall just a great thing?
Except you have to book the flex rates to use your DS and that might make the savings obsolete.
Other than this, I don't see a downside
Compliment Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the Buy D$ promotion. We're glad you find the discounted rate appealing! Regarding your concern about booking flexible rates, we appreciate your feedback and are reviewing this to see how we can provide more flexibility in the future.
Originally Posted by
DuMaInSin
If you pay the full rate with D$ (at 15% discount), you won't get D$ for the net eligible spend (7%). So in reality you will only earn approx. 8%:
"On transactions with D$ redemption, Net Eligible Spend pertains to the net amount after redemption."
DuMaInSin You’re right that D$ used for stays does not earn additional D$. The Buy D$ promotion is meant to provide an immediate discount benefit within our overall loyalty rewards structure. We appreciate your detailed insights and are taking them into account for future program improvements.
Originally Posted by
escape4
Correct me if I am wrong, but when we pay with D$ then we don't earn D$ on the stay. So for Titanium it's a "loss" of 7% therefore in effect the discount we get is 8% not 15%. If there is a promo 2x D$ then the savings would be essentially wiped out. But if there is no promo at the time of the stay AND if you prefer to book the flexible rate, then yes I think it's worth buy D$ with the discount, assuming you will be able to burn quite quickly rather than sit on it for one year (for example) and lose 12 months worth of interest income (5%) which would erode more than half of what's left of the value.
escape4 You’re correct that using D$ for stays does not earn additional D$. The Buy D$ promotion is designed to provide an immediate discount benefit within our loyalty rewards structure. It's important to note that while the Buy D$ promotion may not align with every scenario, it offers flexibility and convenience with a two-year D$ validity period. Members can choose to use their purchased D$ at their convenience, especially during periods without Double D$ promotions. This allows them to optimize their savings based on their travel plans and preferences.
Originally Posted by
lost_in_translation
All correct on my understanding. This also assumes GHA don't eventually devalue D$s during the two year life of the purchase D$s!
I am somewhat tempted by this given I always book flex rates but already starting to be swimming in D$ as the bonuses for the current GHA offer are posting to my account so will leave it for now. I wonder if Red gets a better discount or the same as Titanium.
lost_in_translation We understand concerns about the potential devaluation of D$, but unlike traditional hotel loyalty points, D$ cannot be devalued. D$1 is always worth USD 1 as a credit against your bill.
Unlike other loyalty programs that frequently change the value of their points overnight by requiring more points for a stay of the same value, the DISCOVERY Dollar system is designed to be transparent and fair for members. We encourage you to use your D$ to maximize benefits, and the Buy D$ promotion, with its two-year validity, offers great flexibility and convenience to optimize your savings based on your travel plans and preferences.