I have GPS, but use the beacon to call the field. It does help with awareness in the terminal environment. Anyways, I think most of the large "Bravo" airports in VMC nights have bad lighting because of the ambient light polution of the surrounding area, and the low-light settings for the landing runways. It's economical as it can be to keep'm low as possible if you don't need them. If you want them brighter, shouldn't be afraid to ask either.

Now as far as hardest airport to find at night, I'd vote MDW. When I fly in there, I'm coming from the east-southeast, so that angle it's rather difficult to find it. I have no problem now, but the first few weeks it took awhile to really get a good bearing on it's exact location in the sea of lights.