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Article snippet: PITTSBURGH — Consider the conundrum of the modern hotel-room shopper. Oh, O.K., consider my conundrum. There are trips where I’d like to feel younger than I am, which means staying in a hotel that is cooler than I am. There are trips when I just want to be close to the airport because of a 6 a.m. departure. And then there are trips that require accommodation for a toddler, a tween and two parents who would appreciate an interior door or three to separate everyone. Now, consider Marriott. I sure am, and so are untold numbers of loyal Starwood Hotels customers who feel uneasy about big, beige Marriott acquiring their beloved Starwood. Last year, Marriott completed its acquisition of Starwood and its Westin, Sheraton and W brands and became the biggest hotel company on the planet. As with industries from media to health insurance, Marriott made a bet on scale — a collection of 6,400 properties and more than 1.2 million rooms in 126 countries and territories. In theory, this gives the company the power to drive hard bargains with commission-hungry travel agents and booking websites. The companies’ 30 brands ought to provide enough variety to satisfy everyone from picky millennials to finicky retirees, right? Well. For one thing, many of those brands are indistinguishable from one another. Do we really need both Sheraton and Marriott? Can you even tell their rooms apart if you walk into one without seeing the sign outside? And what do the names Element, Four Points, H... Link to the full article to read more