DETROIT – Marriott has officially ended its partnership with rental company Sonder, stating that its licensing agreement is no longer valid because Sonder failed to meet the terms.
This means Sonder properties can no longer be booked, leaving guests scrambling to change their plans.
Sonder had locations worldwide, including one in downtown Detroit, inside the Gabriel Richard Building.
At the Sonder location in Detroit, a sign posted on the door states the property is no longer in operation and encourages all guests to call customer service for assistance.
Currently, people working inside the building say it is completely vacant.
“I was hoping to go up to my room and get straight on a call and carry on with my business, but unfortunately that’s not going to happen right now,” said Jeremy Dawkins, who booked with Sonder in Detroit.
When Dawkins arrived at his Sonder rental in downtown Detroit and found the front doors locked, he was shocked.
“I don’t know what happened, but it’s annoying,” he said, “I’m hoping another wonderful hotel around here is going to take me in this evening.”
Dawkins is not alone. Nastassja Mead had to rework her fully booked trip to Rome after learning her Sonder reservation was canceled.
“We just received an email on Sunday saying that Marriott and Sonder had no relationship anymore and they wouldn’t be able to honor our reservation,” Mead said.
Marriott ended its agreement with Sonder after the company failed to meet terms.
Sonder says it struggled financially and couldn’t find buyers or funding to keep going.
The company is now winding down operations and plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S.
“We ended up contacting Marriott yesterday to find out how to get a refund and they told us they weren’t able to process a refund because it was a third party, which we weren’t even aware of when we made the booking,” Mead said.
She then contacted Sonder, but received a response saying it was no longer in service.
Determined to get her money back, Mead filed a dispute with her credit card company and was refunded right away.
“I’m just grateful that it’s so many months away; thankfully, it didn’t affect us too badly,” she said. “But I feel for other people that have plans like right now that they need to change.”
A spokesperson for Barbat Holdings, owner of the Detroit property, said, “Sonder leased the entire property for its own operations and became delinquent on its rent obligations to Barbat Holdings. We understand that Sonder is now declaring bankruptcy following the collapse of its partnership with Marriott.
“Barbat Holdings is in active discussions with several major hotel brands and operators to assume control of the property and implement a hospitality concept better aligned with the building’s value and long-term potential. While it’s unfortunate that Sonder failed to meet its commitments to both ownership and tenants, Barbat Holdings’ focus is on advancing a new hospitality partnership that will expand Detroit’s room offerings, introduce more innovative hotel options, and elevate the experience for visitors from around the world.”
Marriott says its top priority is helping guests currently staying at Sonder properties and those with upcoming reservations.
However, if you booked through third-party sites like Expedia, Booking.com, or Airbnb, the sign posted at the Detroit location advises reaching out to those companies directly for assistance with refunds or relocations.