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Sea Containers and 100 Shoreditch join Global Hotel Alliance

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Global Hotel Alliance, the largest marketing group for independent luxury hotels, has signed up Lore Group.

You may not know the Lore Group name, but you have probably heard of their hotels. These include:

Lore Group also owns Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam but this is remaining with IHG.

How does the GHA Discovery loyalty programme work?

GHA Discovery is a decent loyalty programme which we covered here. Instead of points, you earn DISCOVERY Dollars. 1 DISCOVERY Dollar is worth $1 off a future stay.

Here is the full list of benefits online but in summary:

  • Silver is the entry level, given to you immediately when you sign-up.  This is well worth doing because it gets you access to member-only rates, free internet and 4% back in DISCOVERY Dollars.
  • Gold requires just two stays or $1,000 of spending but has no real additional benefits, except that your cashback increases to 5%
  • Platinum is their mid-tier status given after 10 nights in a year or $5,000 of spending or, more easily, staying at two different brands.  Platinum gives you extra benefits on top – an upgrade to the next room category, a local amenity, 3pm late check-out and 6% back in DISCOVERY Dollars.
  • Titanium status requires 30 nights, $15,000 of spending or, more easily, staying at three different brands. You receive an 11am check-in, 4pm late check-out, a double upgrade, a welcome amenity and 7% back in DISCOVERY Dollars.
Sea Containers and 100 Shoreditch join Global Hotel Alliance

The ability to reach Titanium and Platinum status by staying at just two or three brands is very interesting. If you were travelling in Asia, where GHA is strongest, you could achieve it relatively cheaply.

Once you’ve hit Titanium you are picking up 7% cashback per stay, and this is often doubled to 14% during short-term promotions. Throw in a double upgrade, early check-in and late check-out (not 100% guaranteed, admittedly, but rarely an issue) and you’re in a good place.

I was given Titanium status at a GHA media event last year and have used it twice so far with good success (these were both cash stays):

  • at the Kempinski Palace Portoroz in Slovenia last summer, we got a lovely suite upgrade. This is a fascinating hotel – a 19th century spa hotel, converted and extended into a luxury hotel with a beach club, in a small coastal town. The reason to stay here is that it is a very short bus or taxi ride, or even walk, to the Dubrovnik-style historical city of Piran which doesn’t have any large hotels of its own. The hotel website is here.
  • for World Aviation Festival in Lisbon last November, I stayed at the Corinthia. Whilst nothing like the astonishing Corinthia in London, it was convenient for the trains to the convention centre and I got a high floor junior suite with great views over Lisbon. A 4pm check-out was granted without issue. The hotel is also walkable to the Gulbenkian museum, which is a trip through global art history – from Roman remains to impressionist painting – from a single owner collection. The hotel website is here.

The Lore Group hotels will be integrated into Global Hotel Alliance one by one, with all available by May.

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Comments (28)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • newbz says:
    16 Feb16 February 03:20

    Rob, knowing how focused you are on guaranteed hotel benefits vs “subject to availability”, let me correct you. Early check-in and late check-out are not guaranteed at GHA.

    According to the website, this is what a Titanium gets:
    •Check-in as early as 11am**
    •Check-out as late as 4pm**
    **Subject to Availability

    • Mhughes says:
      16 Feb16 February 09:24

      The upgrades are also “subject to availability “, so not a guaranteed benefit either

      • Rob says:
        16 Feb16 February 09:33

        There is a huge gap between GHAs definition of ‘if available’ (basically ‘we will do all in our power to do it but if we’re full we’re full’) and the Hilton / Marriott definition of ‘if available’.

        • Mhughes says:
          16 Feb16 February 09:45

          However it does clearly suggest that they do not automatically upgrade you at time of booking, which is what a guaranteed upgrade would do. So no matter how better their “if available” is (and how is a punter suppose to quantify that ?), you can end up in the room that you booked.

          • Rob says:
            16 Feb16 February 10:13

            But on the same basis you would discount the Hyatt upgrade for Globalists (‘best room in the hotel, including standard suites, at the time you arrive’) and treat it the same as the Hilton / Marriott policy, which it clearly isn’t.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          16 Feb16 February 10:37

          GHA is a mixed bag but generally I’ve done quite well including a lovely suite at the Bloomsbury.

  • Mike says:
    16 Feb16 February 04:13

    Any update on the Amex > Club Eurostar transfer issue?

  • Andrew J says:
    16 Feb16 February 06:42

    Amex transfers to Eurostar still not fixed I assume?

  • Sideshowbob says:
    16 Feb16 February 07:34

    I’m staying at the Lisbon Corinthia next month. Whilst you say it’s nothing like the one in London, is it still half-decent?

    • Rob says:
      16 Feb16 February 08:16

      Yes. Rubbish for tourists (albeit you can go anywhere by Uber for under €5) but a solid business hotel.

    • executiveclubber says:
      16 Feb16 February 16:23

      Their Executive Lounge is worth a visit. Rooms were all spacious with very nice bathrooms (including bluetooth speakers). I enjoyed a junior suite. Turndown service with chocolates included. Above average, I’d say!

  • meta says:
    16 Feb16 February 08:00

    In the absence of Amex transfers which at this points is ridiculous, I transferred points from Accor to top up for a redemption last week on Wednesday and they arrived to my Eurostar yesterday.

    Accor page stated six weeks, so it was risky, but I thought in the worst case scenario I’d get £30 discount on Eurostar for the 2000 Accor points.

  • Supersub says:
    16 Feb16 February 10:02

    Well done to anyone getting a suite as GHA upgrades are definitely not guaranteed.
    Just back from Kempinski Berchtesgaden where, despite having GHA Titanium status and paid for top room category, was refused upgrade into one of the vacant suites as it’s not “hotel policy”. Management eventually agreed to discount the room rate but were firm on the no-suites policy – this really needs to be made clear on GHA website to avoid embarrassing guests at check-in.

    • Rob says:
      16 Feb16 February 10:11

      A Kempinski gave me a top suite in Slovenia in August so it’s certainly not a chain-wide policy.

  • Cat says:
    16 Feb16 February 11:48

    I’m guessing the odds of getting them to add my GHA Discovery membership number to an existing Anantara and an Avani+ stay (booked through Hotels.com) are slim to none – can anyone confirm?

    • Rob says:
      16 Feb16 February 12:07

      Don’t ask, don’t get!

      • Cat says:
        16 Feb16 February 12:22

        How was Iceland?

        • Rob says:
          16 Feb16 February 12:40

          Lots of driving but very impressive. Even got to see the Northern lights in downtown Reykjavik on the last night.

          • Cat says:
            16 Feb16 February 12:50

            Ooh, now I’m jealous!

          • Cat says:
            16 Feb16 February 19:10

            “Please be informed that we have added your GHA Discovery number to the reservation.

            However, it’s important to note that no benefits or Discovery dollars will be received when the booking is not made directly with the hotel.”

            Now, will they count it as a stay at one of their brands though…?

  • Max says:
    16 Feb16 February 13:10

    Just emptied my Eurostar points balance for a redemption, feels unlikely I’ll ever have enough points to do it again

    • Alex Sm says:
      17 Feb17 February 19:15

      Same feelings! Therefore on Valentines day I booked a trip to Amsterdam for my partners birthday and we are very happy about it! 💝

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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