hobo13

It looks like I might end up with a couple BW free nights from their recent promotion. I'm really not that familiar with the nicer BW properties, so I'm curious as to the best uses for these free nights. Like for example, many FTers like to use Hyatt free nights at places like the Park Hyatt Paris or PH Tokyo.

I doubt that I'll have the flexibility to use my BW nights at the most optimal locations this time around, but if there are some good properties, maybe I'll do the promotion again in the future.

To start the list:

On my last trip to France, we visited Carcassonne. The only hotel within the castle walls is a BW. I'm not sure what it costs, but it sure seems like a cool place to stay.

bigbuy

www.rebstock.com, a Best Western Premier property, dates from the year 1408. Located in the northern Bavaria city of Wurzburg, Germany, it is rated #1 on www.tripadvisor.com

lecter

I had a good stay at this one - http://www.bwkatajanokka.fi/ It's a former prison Also, rated #4 in Helsinki on TA

hobo13

OK, given the lack of interest in this thread, maybe I should conclude that BW doesn't have any aspirational properties!

So, how about we just list really expensive BW properties, aprirational or otherwise, which could be a good use for a free night.

bearvest

Frankly, I didn't reply because I didn't know what "aspirational" meant.

hobo13

It's a term that I believe was coined by Gleff to describe a trip or experience which would generally be beyond the realm of your normal spending patterns.

For example, you might aspire to fly first class on LH from NYC-FRA, but you probably wouldn't pay for that out of pocket. You might aspire to stay at the Park Hyatt Sydney, but you might not pay for that out of pocket.

In contrast, a non-aspirational use of miles or points is something that you could afford to do, and probably would do even if you didn't have enough points. Like he usually says he would not use points for an airport hotel, or to fly domestic coach.

Now the argument could be made that there are no 'aspirational' properties in all of the BW network. So that's why I relaxed the requirement to 'expensive'.

In other words, I'm just looking for interesting (and high value) uses of a free night voucher.

satori

I doubt Gary Leff coined the term aspirational travel, but I think I might have inspired him last summer to coin the term "anti-aspirational awards".

CreditMadeEZ

Last year we used a free night certificate at the Best Western Plus in Friday Harbor. While it is 36000 points now and then, during the summer the rooms are more expensive. The hallway with the rooms zig-zags (I'm assuming for more outside walls for balconies, etc.) and it was weird to walk down. http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwest...ertyCode=48164

The little electric vehicles that you could rent to run around the island were interesting to see.

My girlfriend picked up a set of china real cheap in a consignment store about a block from the ferry.

hobo13

Fair enough. How about we say that Gary seems to use term a lot.

Thanks for the coverage on your blog.