Marriott Hotels’ partner Sonder files for bankruptcy, guests kicked out mid-stay

Sonder, a short-term rentals company, abruptly filed for bankruptcy as it suddenly saw its partnership with Marriott ending over the weekend.

Several guests, from Boston to Dubai, were kicked out of their hotel rooms mid-stay.

On Sunday, Marriott announced that its licensing agreement for Sonder to use its Marriott Bonvoy reservation system, little over a year old, was over. Marriott added that its immediate priority would be to support its guests who were lodged at Sonder properties, many of whom found their luggage and other belongings stashed in plastic bags or dumped in hallways, Dailymail reported.

Affected travellers shared their harrowing experiences on social media, describing how they were given minimal notice to vacate their rooms.

Patrick M D’Aoust, a guest staying at a Sonder property in Canada’s Montreal told CNN that he was sent an email on Sunday afternoon that he had to vacate his room by Monday at 9 am. He said he was unable to defer his checkout to a later time despite requests, as hotel staff had received strict orders.

Steve McGraw, who had booked a 17-day stay at a New York property, was also asked to depart abruptly. “We ended up spending several thousand dollars more to find a new place. It was…very disruptive," he told Business Insider.

Travel vlogger @reece.traveling said the chaos had left him “basically homeless” for a time.

The closure left guests stranded mid-stay at various Sonder properties worldwide, including in London, Boston, Montreal, and New York City. Many were given less than 24 hours’ notice to vacate, and some returned to find their belongings packed into plastic bags or left in hallways.

Sonder, which reportedly operated 140 properties and nearly 8,000 apartments at its peak, announced Monday it was “winding down operations immediately” and expects to initiate a Chapter 7 liquidation of its U.S. business, while entering insolvency proceedings in its foreign markets.

Meanwhile, Marriott has said it will support customers seeking refunds on pre-paid Sonder reservations, according to a report by The Independent.