Honestly, the whole branding thing was confusing to me even before the Marriott acquisition. With all the brands now, it is even more confusing. Maybe it's just me, but when I know I am going to a location, I look at all the Starwood/Marriott properties there and pick the one that best suits my needs. The brand of the hotel really isn't much of a factor. So far this year, I've stayed at FS Marriott hotels, Sheratons, Renaissances, Le Meridiens and, later today, a St. Regis. All dependent on location, room rate, location, price and quality of the hotel.