When considering hotel loyalty schemes, it’s likely that Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and similar programs spring to mind first. Nonetheless, GHA Discovery is a program that many overlook but definitely deserves greater recognition.
Surprisingly, I haven’t given this program much consideration until lately, despite the fact that I could have reaped its benefits. In short, GHA Discovery provides you with points that can be easily redeemed at certain hotels that are not part of major loyalty schemes, and the limitations are quite minimal.
Overview of the GHA Discovery loyalty program
The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) consists of an association of primarily smaller hotel groups that do not align with major hotel loyalty schemes. GHA Discovery serves as the loyalty program for these hotels, offering considerable benefits for its members.
I will discuss the brands involved in GHA Discovery, how to accumulate and use points, details about elite benefits, and more.
Which brands are included in GHA Discovery?
A multitude of hotel groups are part of GHA Discovery, encompassing approximately 1,000 hotels and resorts spread across 100 countries. Most of these are luxury hotel brands, as well as some mid-tier options. This includes names like Anantara, Capella, Corinthia, Kempinski, Nikki Beach, Pan Pacific, Patina, Regal Hotels, The Sukothai, and Viceroy.
I’d like to highlight a few specific points. For instance, Capella is renowned as one of the top boutique hotel collections, and it’s impressive that it offers a proper loyalty scheme, even if it’s not widely known.
It’s important to note that even though GHA serves primarily as a marketing agency, you can participate in GHA Discovery while booking through platforms like Virtuoso, allowing you to effectively “double dip” and enjoy the benefits of special travel agency offers while also accumulating and redeeming points.
Another noteworthy aspect is that I have unknowingly stayed at numerous properties participating in GHA Discovery. This includes establishments like the Regal Airport Hotel in Hong Kong and Hotel Villa Fontaine at Tokyo Haneda Airport.
How to earn & redeem GHA Discovery rewards?
Earning and redeeming rewards through GHA Discovery is incredibly simple. Normally, I prefer programs that offer gamification elements for greater value, but I appreciate the straightforward nature of GHA Discovery since I don’t intend for it to be my main hotel loyalty program.
The rewards currency for GHA is Discovery Dollars (D$), where each D$ corresponds to a dollar discount on an eligible hotel stay:
- Members earn between 4-7% back on their hotel stays in D$; Silver members earn 4% back,