Originally Posted by
MePlatPremier
It doesn’t. The average guest is looking for the cheapest rate online and pays no attention to brands or brand standards.
That's simply not true.
Domestic Marriotts will often have 50-80% of guests with Marriott Plat or higher status. They are not just choosing Marriot because it offers the cheapest online rates, they are choosing based on the Marriott program and/or because they assume a certain level of quality with the Marriott brand.
And your statement completely falls apart at the high end. No one is choosing to stay at a StR or FS due to the cheapest online rates.