Any update on this topic (all third parties excluded)?
I'll be staying at a hotel part of BW. booked through a corporate TA.
checking
T&Cs OTA's seemed to be excluded, quite clearly:
Stays booked through online travel agencies (“OTAs”), such as priceline.com, expedia.com, travelocity.com, booking.com, kayak.com (i.e., channels other than Best Western branded booking channels);
but apparently not all non-BW booking channels:
What constitutes a rate or booking channel that qualifies as an Eligible Stay versus a Non-eligible Stay may change and so you should always confirm when making a reservation whether you are reserving a rate that qualifies as an Eligible Stay, for which you can earn Points, or a Non-Eligible Stay, for which you will not earn Points. This is more important if you are booking through a channel other than a Best Western branded booking channel.