GHA- Rewards Program - Is it totally worthless !!
Jul 5, 2015 | 3:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: GHA, Emirates
Posts: 1
GHA- Rewards Program - Is it totally worthless !!
I would like to get some feedback on the GHA rewards program. I enjoy staying at Kempinski hotels as I travel for work often. The reward program is as follows:
Benefits
[QUOTE]
The problem is, I stay more the 30 nights per year, About 75 and you do not get any additional reward for loyalty. In fact, you are actually rewarded for staying at a NEW brand and new hotel.
The black rewards I have seen are terrible and are items like 30 min rub downs or dinner for 1 person. etc.... I think you need to win the lottery to be at a hotel that has a decent gift and during the right time.
Most hotels give on average 5-10 USD per 100 USD spent. This is in addition to upgrades and other perks ( gold,platinum) the GHA brand gives about .10 cents per guest per 100$ ( math $350 per night x 30= 10,500 you get 100 USD
If anyone can give me some feedback on the GHA brand program I would be most grateful.
Benefits
[QUOTE]
Here are the benefits at each level:
Gold Level: From their first stay, GHA hotel guests can be enrolled at the Gold level, which entitles them to a choice of complimentary daily newspaper, internet access, bottled water and a membership preference profile accessible globally.
Platinum Level: After ten eligible nights at GHA hotels, members are upgraded to Platinum Level, which in addition to all the benefits of Gold Level, guarantees room availability up to 48 hours prior to arrival (except on black-out dates), and, based on availability, grants late check-out until 3 pm and a one room category upgrade. Platinum Level members also receive a local amenity, a gift representative of the destination with each stay. Most importantly members receive a Platinum Level Local Experience award upon membership level upgrade, retention of their Platinum Level membership (in further calendar years) and each time they stay at a different GHA brand for the first time.
Black Level: After 30 eligible nights across GHA hotels in a calendar year, members are upgraded to Black Level membership. Black Level members enjoy all the Platinum Level benefits as well as early check-in starting at 9 a.m. and late check-out up until 6 p.m., when available, and guaranteed room availability up to 24 hours prior to arrival, except on black-out dates. Black Level members also receive a two-category room upgrade when available at check-in as well as a local amenity gift and a Black Level Local Experience award upon membership level upgrade, retention of Black Level membership and each time they stay a new GHA brand for the first time.
Gold Level: From their first stay, GHA hotel guests can be enrolled at the Gold level, which entitles them to a choice of complimentary daily newspaper, internet access, bottled water and a membership preference profile accessible globally.
Platinum Level: After ten eligible nights at GHA hotels, members are upgraded to Platinum Level, which in addition to all the benefits of Gold Level, guarantees room availability up to 48 hours prior to arrival (except on black-out dates), and, based on availability, grants late check-out until 3 pm and a one room category upgrade. Platinum Level members also receive a local amenity, a gift representative of the destination with each stay. Most importantly members receive a Platinum Level Local Experience award upon membership level upgrade, retention of their Platinum Level membership (in further calendar years) and each time they stay at a different GHA brand for the first time.
Black Level: After 30 eligible nights across GHA hotels in a calendar year, members are upgraded to Black Level membership. Black Level members enjoy all the Platinum Level benefits as well as early check-in starting at 9 a.m. and late check-out up until 6 p.m., when available, and guaranteed room availability up to 24 hours prior to arrival, except on black-out dates. Black Level members also receive a two-category room upgrade when available at check-in as well as a local amenity gift and a Black Level Local Experience award upon membership level upgrade, retention of Black Level membership and each time they stay a new GHA brand for the first time.
The problem is, I stay more the 30 nights per year, About 75 and you do not get any additional reward for loyalty. In fact, you are actually rewarded for staying at a NEW brand and new hotel.
The black rewards I have seen are terrible and are items like 30 min rub downs or dinner for 1 person. etc.... I think you need to win the lottery to be at a hotel that has a decent gift and during the right time.
Most hotels give on average 5-10 USD per 100 USD spent. This is in addition to upgrades and other perks ( gold,platinum) the GHA brand gives about .10 cents per guest per 100$ ( math $350 per night x 30= 10,500 you get 100 USD
If anyone can give me some feedback on the GHA brand program I would be most grateful.
Aug 20, 2015 | 3:04 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: Globalist, Titanium, *G, OWE
Posts: 321
I have been GHA Black this year too and the only real tangible benefit for me is just the late check-out at 6pm and the double upgrade. Some hotels do it right but some hotels in the Asia-Pacific region has been nothing but a disappointment. I do share your frustrations with the difficulty in earning local experiences but unfortunately, that's the way the program has been structured. 
Oct 7, 2015 | 5:24 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HHonors Diamond, IHG Uninspired, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, UK AMEX Plat
Posts: 2,218
I had a stay at a GHA hotel last week, for a conference, so I decided to give the program a try. I signed up for a Business Traveller subscription, which I'd been meaning to do for a while anyway, which went well - they respond to emails quickly and are very helpful! They got me a GHA membership setup at the Platinum level within a few hours once I'd contacted them to ask for it to be done quickly, as the stay was coming up, so BT get good marks 
I then needed to set some more details on my GHA account, one of which I needed to email them about. That went well, and GHA got the details set within about an hour, and the email confirming it was friendly and helpful. So, the GHA customer services part seems good too
Hotel - less so. Well, that's not quite fair. On the whole, the hotel in question was excellent. About the only bit they did badly on was anything GHA related... No upgrade, no water until I complained, no local amenity until I both complained and showed the person on the front desk the GHA website showing I was supposed to get it(!), and no newspaper. So, pretty much complete fail there... They did manage a 3pm late checkout despite being busy, after I reminded them of the GHA Platinum status, which they hadn't seen when saying "sorry we're too full" on the initial late checkout request.
It has taken 5 days for the website to show the stay as "Eligibility: Yes", but the nights tracker hasn't updated
Mixed, would be my review
I then needed to set some more details on my GHA account, one of which I needed to email them about. That went well, and GHA got the details set within about an hour, and the email confirming it was friendly and helpful. So, the GHA customer services part seems good too
Hotel - less so. Well, that's not quite fair. On the whole, the hotel in question was excellent. About the only bit they did badly on was anything GHA related... No upgrade, no water until I complained, no local amenity until I both complained and showed the person on the front desk the GHA website showing I was supposed to get it(!), and no newspaper. So, pretty much complete fail there... They did manage a 3pm late checkout despite being busy, after I reminded them of the GHA Platinum status, which they hadn't seen when saying "sorry we're too full" on the initial late checkout request.
It has taken 5 days for the website to show the stay as "Eligibility: Yes", but the nights tracker hasn't updated
Mixed, would be my review
Nov 5, 2015 | 11:38 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: IHG Plat Amb, Accor Plat, Hilton HHonors Gold, Best Western Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, GHA Black
Posts: 278
only good side was the 9am check in and 6pm check out and the 2 cat upgrade for suites. 2 of the properties I stayed in told me that orchid club upgrade and suites upgrade is not part of the upgrade policy, im like, excuse me? I've book the club room and you are telling me im not being upgraded to a suite? Im just given a high floor club room thats all. An email or 2 to the GM kinda settled the issue with the promise of a suite upgrade in my return stay.
For those visiting singapore, may check out my reviews of the GHA properties at my blog, may help you in your decision making in deciding which property to stay.
http://www.jltravellounge.com/Travel.../Hotel-Reviews
For those visiting singapore, may check out my reviews of the GHA properties at my blog, may help you in your decision making in deciding which property to stay.
http://www.jltravellounge.com/Travel.../Hotel-Reviews