Guide to the GHA Discovery Program (2021)

Hotel Strategies, Hotel Loyalty Program Reference Guide

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Omni Amelia Island Resort, Florida

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Quick Guide
Earning Free Nights
Member Benefits

GHA Discovery is the loyalty program of the Global Hotel Alliance, a collection of a few dozen mostly higher-end hotel brands. The program's benefits are available on stays at any of the hundreds of participating hotels. And stays at any of these hotels contribute to your status level in the cross-brand program.
GHA is just about status benefits. Unlike most other hotel programs, you don't earn points from your stays or redeem points for free nights.
What can be somewhat confusing is that some of these brands also have their own brand-specific loyalty program. If so, you'll get the benefits of (and earn credits with) both programs on your stays and you might earn points with the hotel's own program.
Once you get to mid-level status (Platinum), you’ll get a free “local experience”, such as an interesting free tour or meal. Platinum and higher members also get an additional local experiences every time that they stay in a new brand that is part of the GHA program.
There are a few tricks for easily getting Platinum-level status and receive these extra benefits.

GHA Brands

While the program doesn't have any large global hotel brands, it includes a wide range of brands and some great hotels all around the world.

Member Benefits

While earning free nights is tied to your stays at Omni hotels, member benefits are part of a program called GHA Discovery, which is a shared loyalty program for about three dozen “independent luxury hotel brands”. Your benefits extend to stays at hotels from any of the brands, and your nights at any of the hotels contributes to your status level. For example, if you have Platinum status, you’ll get 3pm late checkout at Omni, as well as Kempinski, Marco Polo, Outrigger, and many other brands. GHA Discovery website.

Boost Your Hotel Status.

Gold (entry level)

Free Wi-Fi.
Free morning beverage delivery. Not available at some resort properties.
Free bottled water. Arrival night only.
Free pressing, shoe shine, and weekday newspaper. Also evening housekeeping services upon request.

Platinum (10 nights)
Adds the following benefits:

Room upgrade. Upon availability.
Free local activity. When you first reach or renew Platinum status, you’ll get a free experience, like a tour or meal, at your next hotel location. You can choose from a small list of options. You’ll get an additional free local activity on your first visit to any GHA brand, where you haven’t stayed before. View activities here.
Welcome gift. Usually some kind of snack.
3pm late checkout. Upon availability.
Bottled water every night. Not just the first. Also, automatic evening housekeeping services.
Double credit towards free nights.
24-hour guaranteed room availability.

Diamond (30 nights)
Adds the following benefits:

Suite upgrade (on award nights). Upon availability, and specifically at Omni, not at other GHA hotels.
Free drink and upgraded welcome gift.
Double room upgrade. Upon availability.
6pm late checkout, and 9am early check-in. Upon availability.
Additional local experiences on your first stay at a GHA brand hotel. Black members get access to a few additional premium local experiences.

Omni does not have formal status match challenge. You might be able to get status matched if you have actual “earned” status from one of the big programs. Boost Your Hotel Status