GHA terrible hotel program

[kiwitripper64]

We gained GHA titanium this year after our holiday. I found the GHA program wording and the way the hotels participate is really poor. At the start I had a few issues with hotels not crediting stays onto the app. I contacted GHA and they flatly refused to act or help. I was told it was my responsibility to contact the hotel and get them to provide proof of stay and then I was to forward this to GHA who would get back to me in 30 days. I was on holiday, I didnt have a computer, I didnt have the time to waste and I rapidly lost faith in the "help "desk.
The delay in getting the booked stays recognized meant we didnt have any status while on holiday. If the trip went to plan we would have had Titanium for Singapore and Melbourne.
We went to Sydney last weekend and stayed at the Parkroyal Darling Harbour. The T&C for GHA state I will get a double room upgrade subject tot availability and complimentary breakfast at participating hotels. There is nothing about who offers free breakfast.
We arrived and were told that we had an upgrade to a club room. Then we were asked if we had booked breakfast. I thought that breakfast was complimentary, but this hotel only offers a discount if pre booked. And I thought the club offered breakfast. It seems that our definition of a club room is different from the hotel and GHA. The club room offers no club benefits at all and they were polite but unyeilding on this point. They have to give an upgrade but they dont have to offer the amenities.
Ok, its their game, their rules, but as far as customer satisfaction goes, we were not impressed. Imagine if you had a flight upgraded to J, but they turned the IFE off, refused PJ and blankets and came through with Y F&B.
Ok, rant over and its a first world problem but I thought I would share the poor GHA experience.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, it never been a program I've bothered with, even staying with them from time to time.

 

[oz_mark]

The thing with breakfast is that it applies per brand, and has been rolling out over the year. The T&Cs are quite specific about which brands get breakfast (and when it started for that brand), and in the case of Park Royal it was only added as a benefit today, so you would not have been entitled to it.

• from 5 April 2024: Lore Group, Lungarno Collection, Maqo Hotels, Marco Polo Hotels, Mysk Hotels, Niccolo Hotels, Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts, Shaza Hotels, and Grand Hotel Heiligendamm;
• from 1 May 2024: The Set Collection;
• from 1 June 2024: ASMALLWORLD;
• from 4 June 2024: Capella Hotels & Resorts;
• from 1 August 2024: Divani Collection Hotels;
• from 20 August 2024: Araiya Hotels & Resorts;
• from 23 August 2024: Andronis;
• from 11 November 2024: Paramount Hotels and Unike Hoteller;
• from 1 December 2024, at most hotels in: Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Hotels & Resorts and PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts.

As for not getting the benefit of club rooms, that seems to be a thing across a lot of chains...

 

[jase05]

The thing with breakfast is that it applies per brand, and has been rolling out over the year. The T&Cs are quite specific about which brands get breakfast (and when it started for that brand), and in the case of Park Royal it was only added as a benefit today, so you would not have been entitled to it.


As for not getting the benefit of club rooms, that seems to be a thing across a lot of chains...

The app and the website will now show if you have complimentary breakfast.
I have had mostly good stays with GHA properties but don’t use them too much, mainly the Parkroyal Melbourne airport but they do have a mixed bag of properties and there is a huge gulf between status recognition, uogrades etc.
I guess when you hand out status like confetti and it’s the easiest top tier status to obtain in the hotel world they tend to be not great in some parts