Hotel guests have reportedly been kicked out during the middle of their stay and given less than 24 hours to leave after short-term rental company Sonder collapsed.
Sonder said it planned to file for bankruptcy after its licensing agreement with Marriott International ended on Sunday.
In a statement posted online, it said it would “complete winding down operations immediately” and intended to “initiate insolvency proceedings” in all countries it operated in.
It has properties in 40 cities including London, New York, San Francisco and Montreal.
Guests from all over the world, including the US, Amsterdam and Montreal, posted about their experiences online after they were told to leave their accommodation within hours or having their bookings cancelled.
TikTok users Minjun and Kevin said they were “kicked out” of their Sonder hotel in New York with “less than 24 hours notice” while in the middle of their prepaid stay.
They received an email telling them they had to leave by 9am the following day because their reservation had been “terminated” immediately.
Katelyn Carelle, US political reporter at the Daily Mail, shared screenshots of a similar message…
Another TikTok user shared a video of her walking down a street, saying she had been told to get out of her hotel room in Montreal.
Others were told before their booking that Sonder was not able to fulfil their reservation…
Sonder’s interim chief executive Janice Sears said: “We are devastated to reach a point where a liquidation is the only viable path forward. We explored all viable alternatives to avoid this outcome, but we are left with no choice.”
She said substantial delays to Sonder’s integration with Marriott International caused significant, unanticipated costs, as well as a sharp decline in revenue.
On Sunday, hotel operator Marriott International confirmed its licensing agreement with the rental firm had been terminated due to a default.
As a result of the termination, Marriott said Sonder was no longer affiliated with Marriott Bonvoy, adding that its properties were not available for new bookings on Marriott’s channels.
Marriott Bonvoy’s customer help account on X replied to some posts, telling them to launch a chargeback request to get their money back.
Anyone who booked through a third-party channel should contact the booking site directly to arrange a refund, it said.
It also directed customers to a dedicated help page on its website.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and are here to make your travel experience as smooth as possible,” a statement on the site reads.
In a statement to Money, Marriott said it was aware of Sonder’s intention of a US bankruptcy filing.
“We have worked tirelessly to remain informed about Sonder’s financial situation and develop action plans so that we can work to meet the needs of our guests, which remains our priority. Sonder operates its properties and has made independent business decisions,” it said.
“We’re in touch with guests who booked directly through Marriott channels to assist with refunds and alternative accommodations wherever possible.”
Guests with questions about current or future reservations at a Sonder property booked through Marriott channels can contact Marriott customer service here.
Money has contacted Sonder and Marriott for comment.