Is a Bw Premier Collection Hotel required to accept credit cards?
Bw_Premier_Collection Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- v. Accept credit cards as required by BWI. At the option of Hotel, Hotel may allow consumers to prepay reservations through BWI's prepayment reservations system. This prepayment reservation system requires the Hotel to participate in a BWI designated credit card program, which enables the prepayment to directly transfer to Hotel's merchant account.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 54–203)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Bw Premier Collection Franchise Disclosure Document, Bw Premier Collection hotels are required to accept credit cards as mandated by BWI (Best Western International, Inc.). The hotel has the option to allow consumers to prepay reservations through BWI's prepayment reservations system. If the hotel chooses to use the prepayment reservation system, it must participate in a BWI designated credit card program, which enables the prepayment to directly transfer to the hotel's merchant account.
This requirement ensures that Bw Premier Collection hotels provide a standard and convenient payment method for guests, aligning with customer expectations in the hospitality industry. By mandating credit card acceptance, Bw Premier Collection aims to streamline transactions and enhance the guest experience.
For a prospective franchisee, this means they must have the infrastructure to process credit card payments and may need to participate in BWI's specific credit card program if they wish to offer prepayment options. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in a breach of the franchise agreement.