IME, when Ramada owned the Ren brand, most of them weren't that good. I remember the airport Ren at ATL and the Ren on County Line Road in Jackson, MS (now a Hilton) as being particularly miserable. In the Ramada days, the Parc 55 was the best of the Rens I encountered, and even that was unremarkable (although a decent enough hotel).

I agree that Marriott taking over the brand was definitely a good thing.