GHS Discovery is the loyalty program of GHA – an alliance program that consists of a number of rather independent brands. The loyalty ‘currency’ of the program is Discovery Dollars (D$). This has a fixed value and is currently set to one D$ = one US Dollar.
Since the launch of the current version of the program, you have been able to use your D$ to pay for your room. However, you have only been able to do this at the hotel. You have not been able to use it when booking rates that had to be paid at the time of booking.
Over the last year or so, GHA Discovery have been rolling out the ability to use D$ during the booking process. They have been rolling this feature out brand by brand, and it is now possible for most brands.
How to book with your GHA Discovery D$
This feature is available when booking through the website, or GHA Discovery APP. If i is available for the brand that you are booking, it is basically a three step process:
- Begin by Making the booking as usual
- At checkout tick a box to indicate that you wish to redeem D$
- Apply D$ – you can choose how many D$ you wish to use, starting from 10D$
Make you booking as usual
You start off by making the booking as usual. Select the city, hotel and dates you wish to stay. From the rate options shown, choose the rate you wish to book.
Checkout
If the booking can be made using Discovery D$, you can select a checkbox at checkout.
Apply D$
Once you have checked the box, you will get an option to choose how many D$ you wish to apply. This option appears in the Price Details section, where you can choose how many D$ you wish to apply. In this case, I have chosen to use all my D$, which are converted to AUD on the screen.
However, you can choose to apply any number of D$ from 10 D$.
Participating Brands
The following brands allowing you to pay while booking
- Andronis*
- ASMALLWORLD*
- Avani Hotels & Resorts*
- Capella Hotels & Resorts
- The Residence by Cenizaro*
- Cheval Collection
- Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts
- Divani Collection
- The Doyle Collection*
- JA Resorts & Hotels
- Kempinski*
- The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts
- Lore Group
- Lungarno Collection
- Maqo
- Marco Polo Hotels
- Mysk by Shaza
- Niccolo Hotels
- Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts*
- Oaks Hotels, Resorts and Suites*
- Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts*
- Paramount Hotels
- PARKROYAL COLLECTION Hotels & Resorts
- PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts*
- SAii Hotels & Resorts
- Shaza Hotels
- The Set*
- The Sukhothai
- Sun International
- Sunway Hotels & Resorts
- Viceroy Hotel and Resorts
Note that not all hotels in the listed brands are currently participating
Final Words
It is good to see the improvement that have been made to the GHA Discovery program over the last year. The addition of breakfasts for Titanium members, and the ability to use D$ during booking are helping to make it a more compelling program.
