Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest officially merged last August into the new Marriott Bonvoy program. As a result there are over 30 brands including some very similar ones, which leads to the question on hotel branding.

We haven’t really seen many hotels changing brands, however I came across the Sheraton Park City, which was previously the Marriott Park City. Yes, this hotel transitioned from a Marriott to a Sheraton, which leads to many questions. Is Sheraton considered a higher end brand than Marriott? Was the hotel looking to reinvent itself, and figured that changing brands would help? How do the to brands differ from each other?

Looking at the hotels, it looks like the hotel went through very minor renovations, even the guest rooms look more like a Marriott than a Sheraton. It will be interesting to see how this hotel does now that it’s a Sheraton vs. a Marriott.

Per the Utah Business,

Park City—The Park City Marriott is now the Sheraton Park City. Leveraging the experience and prestige of Marriott International’s most global brand, the hotel will continue to serve as the ideal year-round home base for leisure and business travelers.

“2019 marks a new chapter for our hotel. New guest rooms, new meeting spaces, a new restaurant concept and now, a new relationship with Marriott International as we transition to the Sheraton Park City,†said Jason Ford, the hotel’s general manager. “While much is new – one thing remains the same. Our team members will continue to provide our guests with a warm, welcoming retreat in the heart of Park City.â€

Guests visiting this newest addition to the growing Sheraton Hotels & Resorts portfolio, Marriott International’s third largest brand, can continue earning and redeeming Marriott Bonvoy™ points for redemption on free nights, flights and exclusive experiences. This includes travelers with pets, a new audience for the hotel, as part of the Sheraton brand’s pet-friendly pledge. Under the continued management of Driftwood Hospitality Management (DHM) and ownership of Driftwood Acquisitions & Development (DAD), the property will remain the official host hotel of the acclaimed Sundance Film Festival.