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Travelers across the globe have reportedly been asked to vacate their accommodations prematurely following the sudden financial collapse of property rentals firm Sonder.
The failure follows hotel chain Marriott’s termination of its leasing agreement with Sonder, a year after the partnership’s inception. The agreement allowed Sonder rooms to be booked through Marriott’s various platforms and app.
Marriott cited “Sonder’s default” as the reason for dissolving the relationship with the short-term rentals and serviced apartments company.
According to reports, one customer on Reddit claimed he was unable to access his room, where his belongings remained, while others shared images of themselves transporting luggage through city streets in search of alternative lodging.
Sonder rooms are no longer available for booking via the Marriott website and app. Marriott has stated it is assisting customers who booked through its platforms, while advising those who booked via third-party channels to seek refunds through their credit card providers.
“Sonder has encountered significant financial challenges resulting from, among other factors, protracted difficulties in integrating the company’s systems and booking arrangements with Marriott International,” Sonder said in a statement on its website.
Positioned as a competitor to Airbnb, which offers alternatives to traditional hotels, Sonder focused on providing premium serviced apartments and accommodations.
Founded in Montreal, the company operates thousands of rooms in over 40 cities, all of which are now slated for closure as the firm pursues insolvency proceedings across its operational territories.
“We are devastated to have reached a point where liquidation is the only viable path forward,” said Janice Sears, Sonder’s interim chief executive.
She added that the integration with Marriott was “substantially delayed due to unforeseen challenges in aligning our technology frameworks,” resulting in significant costs.
She also noted a sharp decline in revenue “arising from Sonder’s participation in Marriott’s Bonvoy reservation system.”
Marriott Bonvoy is a booking and rewards program operated by Marriott.
One individual reported receiving no communication regarding their canceled Sonder reservation and cited the lack of online contact options as “causing significant worry.”
Sonder’s properties often operate without on-site staff, relying on door codes for guest entry. Some customers have reported that their codes no longer functioned and that owners were not readily available to assist with retrieving belongings.
Numerous users have stated that their decision to book with Sonder was primarily based on the perceived reliability associated with the well-established Marriott brand, and now feel misled.
One user on X claimed that “Marriott has been useless” and sought to charge them substantial nightly rates to rebook them at one of its Courtyard brand hotels.
Marriott has indicated on its website that it did not directly charge customer cards for Sonder bookings, but will facilitate refunds by coordinating “with the appropriate parties.”
Marriott reports a portfolio of over 9,700 properties with 30 brands across 143 countries, and its business model includes operating hotels, as well as franchising and licensing hotels, residential properties, timeshares, and lodging properties.
The BBC has reached out to Marriott International and Sonder for comment regarding customer complaints.
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