Le Meridien is a well-established brand with 144 locations around the globe. (In comparison, there are only 79 locations of W Hotels.) Many of these have strong identities. The hotel owners aren't going to want to give up the Le Meridien brand.

Some properties go back to the 1970s, while others are brand new. Since acquiring the chain in 2005, Starwood has sometimes used Le Meridien for markets that already had a Sheraton and a Westin, such as Indianapolis or Chicago's suburban DuPage County.

My guess is that Marriott will treat Le Meridien as a growth brand, using the brand's European roots and focus on art as a differentiator in a world that is becoming increasingly tired of cookie-cutter hotels.