Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the alliance of independent hotel brands, has widened its global reach and expanded its presence in Norway, the U.A.E., Malaysia and Greece.
GHA has welcomed Unike Hotels in Norway, Sunway Hotels & Resorts in Malaysia, Andronis in Greece and Paramount Hotels in the U.A.E., adding 32 hotels to its overall portfolio and enriching the alliance’s diverse mix of city and resort hotels. The mix of resort and city hotels helps strengthen GHA in luxury and upscale positioning.
The expansion offers the 28 million members of the GHA Discovery, GHA’s loyalty program, more choice of properties in key leisure destinations. Launched in 2010 and reimagined in 2021, the loyalty program now generates $2.3 billion in revenue and 10 million room nights, GHA said in a release.
The expansion marks a landmark year for GHA, as the alliance celebrates its 20th anniversary. Established in 2004, GHA has since grown to comprise 40 brands with over 800 hotels, resorts and palaces spanning 100 countries, all supported by GHA Discovery. In 2023, GHA launched the Green Collection, which empowered members to make conscious travel choices. In July 2023, GHA with entered into a partnership with luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas. Earlier this year, the alliance joined hands with vacation rental platform Plum Guide.
The integration of Unike Hotels, Sunway Hotels & Resorts, Andronis and Paramount Hotels will also generate significant growth opportunities in GHA Discovery, enhancing cross-brand activity and revenue for all GHA hotel brands, said GHA CEO Chris Hartley.
“Each brand brings its own distinct character, appealing to growing traveller appetite for enriching stays in upscale and luxury properties, whether for culture and heritage, wellness and relaxation or family fun and connection,” Hartley said.
Unike Hotels
With a collection of properties in Norway, Unike Hotels adds a Scandinavian touch to the GHA portfolio. The brand has a collection of 17 hotels in key destinations across the country, ranging from Bergen, through mountains and fjords at Leikanger Hotel and into the forests at Rømskog Spa, all the way down to Utsikten Hotel in southern Norway.
Sunway Hotels & Resorts
Sunway Hotels & Resorts, which is the hospitality vertical of Sunway Group, manages 11 properties and offers a range of hotels and resorts across Malaysia as well as in other Asian cities, such as Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Hanoi, Vietnam.
In Malaysia, Sunway Hotels has three hotels in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, a fully-integrated hospitality, entertainment and MICE destination, which includes the luxury Sunway Resort Hotel. Sunway also has a hotel in Penang, in the UNESCO-listed George Town, as well as The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh (a luxury wellness retreat surrounded by rainforests, limestone hills, hot springs and natural caves).
Andronis
The integration of Andronis to GHA adds boutique hotels on two islands in the Aegean Sea — Santorini and Paros. Both the hotels have wellness and dining venues and overlook the sea. The Andronis Luxury Suites in Santorini has 33 villas and suites, while the Andronis Minois in Paros offers transformational stays.
Paramount Hotels
Introducing Hollywood glamor and cinematic experiences to GHA Discovery, Paramount Hotels brings two signature properties in Dubai’s Business Bay — Paramount Hotel Dubai and the Paramount Hotel Midtown. Both the hotels have film-inspired design, themes suites and dining options.