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Global Hotel Alliance DISCOVERY Loyalty Program Q+A Thread (ARCHIVE)

Old Feb 28, 2019, 5:51 pm
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Global Hotel Alliance DISCOVERY Loyalty Program Q+A Thread (ARCHIVE)

Old Apr 7, 2018, 3:38 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: London, UK
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Global Hotel Alliance DISCOVERY Loyalty Program Q+A Thread (ARCHIVE)

Just wanted to add my experience with GHA Discovery!

Had a stay coming up at the Anantara Al Jabal resort in Oman (which was AMAZING by the way) so I did a bit of digging.

Found out that I could get GHA Platinum level membership by signing up for a Business Traveller magazine subscription (20 for a year). Did that in Feb 2018, and got GHA Platinum membership within 3 weeks, valid till Feb 2020.

My stay was great - got a free room upgrade (one level up), as well as a free soft drinks and snacks basket as a welcome amenity. I also got a late checkout at 2pm instead of 12pm, which came in very handy. Unfortunately, as I'd gotten Platinum not through the usual route, I didn't get any free Local Experiences to use during my stay.

I totally recommend getting GHA Platinum membership, as if you're going to be staying at some of the high end luxury resorts, as the free room upgrade pays for itself several times over by itself.
boonkoh is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2018, 3:48 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Originally Posted by boonkoh
Found out that I could get GHA Platinum level membership by signing up for a Business Traveller magazine subscription (20 for a year). Did that in Feb 2018, and got GHA Platinum membership within 3 weeks, valid till Feb 2020.
Sounds good, though it's supposedly possible to match directly and even up to Black.

Can anyone confirm if they honor status benefits on third-party bookings? Thought to book a night in Avani Pattaya via Kaligo, and now suddenly discovered they are part of GHA.
barracuda93 is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2018, 9:02 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 19
Barracuda93-- I am the new head of marketing for GHA --- wanted to set the record straight on 3rd party bookings...unfortunately, DISCOVERY hotels do not honor benefits on 3rd party bookings... We prefer our members experience our website, discoveryloyalty.com or use one of our 35 brands' websites to make a booking ... that way, we have complete information on you (many 3rd parties do not send us complete details such as address, phone and email address) so we cannot always recognize your status when you arrive... we think you will find booking direct a good experience and the in-hotel recognition we offer worth booking direct. We will also apply the nights you stay through direct bookings toward elite status and you can earn Local Experience awards. Please let us know if you have additional questions.. we look forward to welcoming you to one of our 500 hotels soon!
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Old Apr 25, 2018, 11:34 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Thanks for reply. Well, that's understandable, most of chains do not offer status benefits on 3rd party bookings, at least officially.
I could still try few properties in Thailand, directly booking via GHA.

Do you match though from Marriott Platinum? I have sent an inquiry over e-mail and it went unanswered.
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Old Apr 25, 2018, 11:20 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
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Barracuda98 -- Please submit your request to [email protected] -- I have spoken to our Membership Services team about your request -- they will look out for your email...please put From "Barracuda98" in the subject line as well as "Status match Follow-up". please submit your proof of Marriott elite membership. We will status match you one level up from your current status and give you a fast-track to Black level if you are moving from Gold to Platinum with the status match. Please let me know if you have additional questions and enjoy our fabulous 500 hotels!
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Old Apr 26, 2018, 3:59 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by barracuda93
Sounds good, though it's supposedly possible to match directly and even up to Black.

Can anyone confirm if they honor status benefits on third-party bookings? Thought to book a night in Avani Pattaya via Kaligo, and now suddenly discovered they are part of GHA.
How do you get a match to Black ?

GHA Hotels dont provide the status benefits unless you book on GHA website or Hotels own site
Originally Posted by barracuda93
I could still try few properties in Thailand, directly booking via GHA..
Suggest you check both GHA website & Hotel site, some hotels offer additional perks for booking on their website like upgrades at check in & breakfast included that are not available on the GHA website

Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Apr 26, 2018 at 4:59 am Reason: consecutive posts merged
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Old Apr 27, 2018, 7:39 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Originally Posted by DISCOVERYLady
Barracuda98 -- Please submit your request to [email protected] -- I have spoken to our Membership Services team about your request -- they will look out for your email...please put From "Barracuda98" in the subject line as well as "Status match Follow-up". please submit your proof of Marriott elite membership. We will status match you one level up from your current status and give you a fast-track to Black level if you are moving from Gold to Platinum with the status match. Please let me know if you have additional questions and enjoy our fabulous 500 hotels!
Thank you!

It seems that there is a direct match offer to Black for MC World Elite cardholders; I have sent an inquiry to GHA about that and they suggested me to contact MasterCard first. Will try that first.
If MasterCard ignores me, gonna return to match from Marriott then, following your advice.
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Old Apr 27, 2018, 8:01 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by barracuda93
Thank you!

It seems that there is a direct match offer to Black for MC World Elite cardholders; I have sent an inquiry to GHA about that and they suggested me to contact MasterCard first. Will try that first.
If MasterCard ignores me, gonna return to match from Marriott then, following your advice.
Yes. The Mastercard World Elite concierge should be able to enroll you. If you have any additional questions, please post!
DISCOVERYLady is offline  
Old May 20, 2018, 8:44 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 117
Please could you clarify regarding the third-party reservations?

I always make travel arrangements through AMEX FHR Centurion or Virtuoso, and I have always received by Discovery Black benefits while staying in the past. Please could you re-confirm that this is not the case going forward, and that AMEX and Virtuoso will be treated as third-party reservations, therefore ineligible?

Thank you.
Aquitania is offline  
Old May 20, 2018, 1:04 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 19
Aguitania --Bookings through AMEX FHR and Virtuoso are rate eligible for DISCOVERY benefits. Ineligible rates would include bookings through sites such as Expedia, Booking.com, etc but bookings through travel agents such as AMEX FHR and Virtuoso are eligible so you can book and get any benefits they offer as well as take advantage of your DISCOVERY Black level perks. Best wishes!
DISCOVERYLady is offline  
Old May 20, 2018, 1:05 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
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Barracuda-- were you able to get a Black level status match through Mastercard World Elite?
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Old May 20, 2018, 1:19 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 117
Originally Posted by DISCOVERYLady
Aguitania --Bookings through AMEX FHR and Virtuoso are rate eligible for DISCOVERY benefits. Ineligible rates would include bookings through sites such as Expedia, Booking.com, etc but bookings through travel agents such as AMEX FHR and Virtuoso are eligible so you can book and get any benefits they offer as well as take advantage of your DISCOVERY Black level perks. Best wishes!
Thank you!
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Old May 21, 2018, 12:52 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Taiwan
Programs: IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, oneworld Emerald
Posts: 1,164
Originally Posted by DISCOVERYLady
Barracuda-- were you able to get a Black level status match through Mastercard World Elite?
Will make a call to them when I am in Hong Kong soon, since my card is HK-issued.
barracuda93 is offline  
Old May 29, 2018, 2:01 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: POLAND
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum AMB, PrivilegeClub Gold
Posts: 96
I have an existing Discovery account and I'm a member of "A small world". Can I get upgraded to Platinum? The only option I see on ASW website is to open a new account at Platinum level.
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Old Jun 4, 2018, 6:14 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: UA 1K (plus a few others)
Posts: 84
Originally Posted by DISCOVERYLady
Aguitania --Bookings through AMEX FHR and Virtuoso are rate eligible for DISCOVERY benefits. Ineligible rates would include bookings through sites such as Expedia, Booking.com, etc but bookings through travel agents such as AMEX FHR and Virtuoso are eligible so you can book and get any benefits they offer as well as take advantage of your DISCOVERY Black level perks. Best wishes!
Hi there --

sorry if this was answered already -- am bad at searching this forum! Was trying to find out about the red membership level -- I've been GHA Black for five years running now, and half-way through this year have about 60 nights in my account. Does the red level still exist, and if so, anything I can do to prompt an invitation?
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