If Spark is meant to be a budget brand, then for me it just further brings down Hilton group’s cachet as a whole.

Hyatt and Marriott uphold certain standards for their least common denominators (Hyatt House, Towneplace?) that exceed places like Ramada, Comfort Inn and Country Inn. That provides a level of confidence for the entire brand.

Perhaps a Quality Inn reincarnation as a Spark will be a step up from Quality Inn. But I’d imagine it will inevitably be difficult to shed all of its past Choice Hotel image.