The thing about BW that has always prevented me from staying there is that I don't really know what to expect of it. It's a very veeerrrryyy loose affiliation of properties without any strong brand. I've seen small towns where the BW appears to be a beautiful hotel with character and charm unmatched by any of the Hamptons and Fairfields of the world. But I've seen many more towns where the BW looks like it's falling apart and there's a nice, new Hampton next door where I know exactly what I will get.

Therefore, I'm never going to book a BW ahead. If I pull up late at night and the building has curb appeal, I might walk inside and ask for a room.

It doesn't surprise me that their frequent-guest program is less than stellar. It probably stems from the fact that their affiliates are so loosely organized with the corporate entity. It's not like a Hampton franchisee that has to "play ball" with Hilton in order to fly the Hampton flag.