GHA Discovery - New Program 2021
Oct 19, 2021, 9:21 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: GHA Titanium, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 19
During a stay at a Kempinski, I was chatting with staff and they seemed to have a bit more information regarding the new program than what is publicly available. It sounds like elite tier qualification will be via spend OR nights, similar to Hyatt and Hilton. They mentioned 30 nights for top tier, or $15k USD. It seems $15k is very steep but anyway the current route of 30 nights would remain so it does not make qualification more difficult than it is now, it simply provides an additional route for high spenders. They also mentioned that there might be a third route to quality, which is via the number of brands stayed in a year. They said 3 brands would get top tier which is hard for me to believe because it would be infinitely easier that way, than qualifying via $15k spend.
Another interesting tidbit is that one of the new elite tier perks would be having access to GHA hotel facilities even if not staying at the hotel.
Another interesting tidbit is that one of the new elite tier perks would be having access to GHA hotel facilities even if not staying at the hotel.
. For the three-brand stay, I think they might offer some kind of challenge maybe?, ex. stay three brands for XX nights within XX months. Similar to the acceralate mission from IHG? If it's simply only stay a night at each brand, that would be veryyyyyyyy easy for me. Thailand has 6-7 domestically.The new perk of accessing the facility when not staying is such a ++++. Love it.
Current unused local experience awards will be eliminated next month, and to be converted to points as compensation. The conversion ratio and/or the value of points is still unknown.
In the future hotels might continue to have some kind of local experiences but they will be provided at a charge for guests, so for me that's no different than any other hotel where you can pay to go to the spa or book excursions if you wish. So that's not really an elite guest perk, just a standard offering that hotels do.
In the future hotels might continue to have some kind of local experiences but they will be provided at a charge for guests, so for me that's no different than any other hotel where you can pay to go to the spa or book excursions if you wish. So that's not really an elite guest perk, just a standard offering that hotels do.
. But we'll see.I think I will use some of them, and let the remaining be converted to points. I currently have 6, saving for international trip but they decided to eliminate it
.
Last edited by Rambluesky; Oct 19, 2021 at 9:28 pm
Nov 1, 2021, 9:27 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: GHA Titanium, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 19
During a stay at a Kempinski, I was chatting with staff and they seemed to have a bit more information regarding the new program than what is publicly available. It sounds like elite tier qualification will be via spend OR nights, similar to Hyatt and Hilton. They mentioned 30 nights for top tier, or $15k USD. It seems $15k is very steep but anyway the current route of 30 nights would remain so it does not make qualification more difficult than it is now, it simply provides an additional route for high spenders. They also mentioned that there might be a third route to quality, which is via the number of brands stayed in a year. They said 3 brands would get top tier which is hard for me to believe because it would be infinitely easier that way, than qualifying via $15k spend.
Another interesting tidbit is that one of the new elite tier perks would be having access to GHA hotel facilities even if not staying at the hotel.
Another interesting tidbit is that one of the new elite tier perks would be having access to GHA hotel facilities even if not staying at the hotel.
New updates from their website. So that 3-brand thing seems to be true. It would be very easy to reach
Nov 1, 2021, 12:46 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: NYC
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, GHA Titanium, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 283
https://visit.discoveryloyalty.com/g...und-the-world/
New updates from their website. So that 3-brand thing seems to be true. It would be very easy to reachBlackTitanium then.
New updates from their website. So that 3-brand thing seems to be true. It would be very easy to reach
Last edited by onetouchpass; Nov 1, 2021 at 12:54 pm
Nov 1, 2021, 1:11 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
https://visit.discoveryloyalty.com/g...und-the-world/
New updates from their website. So that 3-brand thing seems to be true. It would be very easy to reachBlackTitanium then.
New updates from their website. So that 3-brand thing seems to be true. It would be very easy to reach
Nov 1, 2021, 4:51 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: GHA Titanium, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 19
Yes, I agree that if it is only 3 one-night stays, it will be very easy for Bangkok-based member (like me) and some selected cities. But if the status is easy to get, I wonder that the elite status recognition and experience will go downhill or not, since there will be too much elites member in those cities.
Nov 4, 2021, 9:23 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,808
The 3 brands stay requirements will be way much easier to achieve compare to the spends or nights requirements.
The spends qualification also good for encourage members trying their higher priced brands or booked higher type rooms.
The spends qualification also good for encourage members trying their higher priced brands or booked higher type rooms.
Nov 6, 2021, 5:40 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: NZ
Posts: 1,549
Achieving Titanium via 3 brands is great for me as there are numerous brands in NZ and all fairly cheap. However I don't think Titanium itself will come with too many real benefits (room upgrades, late check-out "subject to availability") though I like the idea of using a hotel's facilitites even if you are not staying there.
I suspect that Discovery Dollars (D$) is where the real benefits will lie, and that will require $$ spend. I am thinking they will give you D$5 for every $100 spend, with uplifts for elite status (maybe, 25% Gold, 50% Paltinum, 75% Titanium), but that is just a pure guess. Also, I wonder if they will do regular promotions for extra D$ like Marriott, Hilton and IHG?
Local experiences may stay, but I suspect they will have a $ cost attached to them which you can use your D$ to pay for.
I suspect that Discovery Dollars (D$) is where the real benefits will lie, and that will require $$ spend. I am thinking they will give you D$5 for every $100 spend, with uplifts for elite status (maybe, 25% Gold, 50% Paltinum, 75% Titanium), but that is just a pure guess. Also, I wonder if they will do regular promotions for extra D$ like Marriott, Hilton and IHG?
Local experiences may stay, but I suspect they will have a $ cost attached to them which you can use your D$ to pay for.
Nov 6, 2021, 9:41 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
Regarding promotions, all hotel chain has promotions once in a while but GHA by virtue of not having points, they were limited in what they could do besides double night qualification credits. So going forward I am sure there will be promos.
If they retain +2 room category upgrade for Titatinium it will have value at some hotels which do not have too many room categories.
Also, the early check-in and late check-out has historically also been very competitive versus other hotel chains - this is another area of value.
Nov 6, 2021, 9:46 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
If you have a guest spending $20-30k per year in a single expensive vacation of 7-14 days, realistically it makes business sense to give top tier to that guest despite the low night count. Most hotel chains have a spend-related path to top tier even if very few nights per year (Hyatt, Hilton, Accor, IHG) and it was missing from GHA. It's definitely a decent option to add for some travellers.
Nov 7, 2021, 10:22 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: GHA Titanium, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 19
I suspect that Discovery Dollars (D$) is where the real benefits will lie, and that will require $$ spend. I am thinking they will give you D$5 for every $100 spend, with uplifts for elite status (maybe, 25% Gold, 50% Paltinum, 75% Titanium), but that is just a pure guess. Also, I wonder if they will do regular promotions for extra D$ like Marriott, Hilton and IHG?
Historically for 80%+ of my stay, I am granted with late check-out at 3pm as Platinum and 5-6pm as Black. But early check-in is quite subject to availability. So I agree that this benefit is valuable.
Nov 8, 2021, 12:06 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: NZ
Posts: 1,549
Nov 9, 2021, 8:53 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: GHA Titanium, IHG Platinum Ambassador
Posts: 19
I always get upgraded when I’m staying in Thailand — except the New Year’s stays. Maybe because I’m a local, or maybe that’s not a reason.
For other countries (I only stayed in Asia anyway) — I was Platinum pre-covid, but I usually (meaning, more than 80%) got one-category upgrade. If not available, they will try to get me the high-floor or better room, that kinda thing.
one-cat upgrade for many properties did not make that much difference if you book a lower room type. But at some hotel, if you booked a room below the room+club access level and got upgrade, that upgrade will come with club benefit as well (namely, Anantara Chiang Mai and Siam Kempinski Bangkok)
For other countries (I only stayed in Asia anyway) — I was Platinum pre-covid, but I usually (meaning, more than 80%) got one-category upgrade. If not available, they will try to get me the high-floor or better room, that kinda thing.
one-cat upgrade for many properties did not make that much difference if you book a lower room type. But at some hotel, if you booked a room below the room+club access level and got upgrade, that upgrade will come with club benefit as well (namely, Anantara Chiang Mai and Siam Kempinski Bangkok)
Nov 14, 2021, 7:08 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
I usually get +2 upgrade, sometimes even better. There are a handful of hotels which will not upgrade +2 depending on the room type booked, for example if +2 would end up being a villa or a 2-bdr suite then it might be out of bounds. It does require checking in advance with some properties to make sure, but for the most part upgrades are given proactively.