I'm sorry that some people didn't understand the premise I laid out in the original post. Maybe I wasn't very clear, so I'll try again. And I'll also point out that I don't think this kind of reasoning is going on at Marriott HQ, but I was merely postulating that it would be quite a bold strategy if it was... Anyway, here's the premise boiled down:

1) Marriott has become saddled with lots and lots of low-margin customers who demand all kinds of discounts while at the same time demand all kinds of premium treatment.
2) The economy has turned sour and both business and leisure travel are going to be down for awhile.
3) Rather than compete with the other chains to try and keep the fickle loyalty of their nickel-and-diming clientele, Marriott sees this as a time for some house-cleaning.
4) They blatantly cut back services, or at the very least go back to strict adherence to the published benefits of the rewards program. At the same time, they hold room rates high, far higher than properties of similar quality from other brands in the same area.
5) The penny-pinchers take their business elsewhere, probably (hopefully?) for good.
6) Marriott deals with low occupancy, thinking they're on solid enough financial ground to ride out the rough times anyway.
7) In the meantime, they solidify a client base who no longer fusses over every little charge or complains about benefits they're not really entitled to anyway like free breakfast on the weekend.
8) As economic conditions improve, they can do things like roll out the Griffin Club. This further cements their reputation as the upscale chain of choice for sophisticated travelers.
9) Marriott comes out of the recession sitting pretty, offering a higher-margin product than any of their competitors. They laugh at Hilton, Hyatt, and Starwood who now have to deal with all the guests who jump ship to save a few bucks.