Marriott–Sonder Split Leaves Travelers Scrambling as Rental Firm Collapses

With input from USA Today, Business Insider, and Fortune.

What started as a slick way to book apartment-style stays through Marriott ended with eviction notices and canceled holidays. Short-term rental operator Sonder filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 10, saying it would “wind down operations immediately.” The announcement landed less than 24 hours after Marriott International tore up its licensing deal, citing Sonder’s default, and it left some guests packing their bags mid-stay while others watched upcoming reservations vanish.

Sonder, which once had thousands of units listed on Marriott Bonvoy’s site, blamed severe financial strain and costly tech integration problems for the shutdown. Interim CEO Janice Sears said the company tried other options but had “no choice” except liquidation. The collapse wasn’t quiet: travelers reported notes slipped under their doors giving them 24 hours to leave, while others spent hours on the phone trying to figure out where to sleep that night.

Marriott said its “immediate priority” is minimizing disruption and supporting guests who booked through its channels. That promise quickly got messy. After initially telling customers they’d be refunded automatically, the hotel giant updated guidance directing many to seek chargebacks with their credit-card issuers. Frustrated travelers called it a bait-and-switch and said rebooking comparable apartment-style spaces at the last minute was far pricier than their original reservations.

Industry voices were blunt about how the partnership unraveled. HotelPlanner’s Bruce Rosenberg said the fiasco looked like a people and process failure — either the right information wasn’t shared or the complexity was underestimated. Travel advisors noted there’s plenty of history with brand exits, but almost no precedent for asking paying guests to vacate mid-stay. On social media, would-be holidaymakers swapped tips, receipts, and disbelief. Some Sonder staffers, also out of work with the shutdown, posted that they learned about the breakup the same day as guests.

The Marriott–Sonder tie-up launched in 2024 with big ambitions to fold more than 9,000 apartment-style units into Bonvoy’s ecosystem. But Sonder’s finances were sliding, and both sides acknowledged technology headaches that delayed integration and drove up costs. By October, Sonder’s reported losses had ballooned, and when the plug was finally pulled, the dominoes fell fast: guests out, bookings canceled, refunds in limbo.

For travelers, the checklist is simple but tedious: if you booked through Marriott, watch for direct outreach and documentation for your bank; if a third-party platform handled the reservation, contact that provider first. Marriott says it’s working to limit the chaos. For many customers, the damage — ruined plans, higher replacement costs, and a sour taste — has already been done.