Thousands of tourists kicked out of mid-stay in bankruptcy chaos

Thousands of Tourists Evicted Amid Bankruptcy Chaos

Thousands of tourists have been forced to leave their rooms and face cancelled holidays after Sonder, Marriott's partner, suddenly declared bankruptcy.

Customer Struggles and Disruptions

One affected traveler shared their experience:

“I was on and off hold with Flight Centre for two hours before they found me a room in a Novotel. I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry multiple times in the last few hours.”

Background on Sonder and Marriott Partnership

The collapse occurred less than a year after Sonder rebranded as Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy in a 2024 partnership, which allowed it to list rooms directly on Marriott's website. However, integration issues between their booking systems reportedly led to a “sharp decline in revenue.”

Company Statement and Employee Reactions

Sonder’s interim CEO Janice Sears expressed regret:

“We are devastated to reach a point where liquidation is the only viable path forward.”

Staff reported being uninformed about the company’s crisis. Some discovered the bankruptcy from guests, rather than corporate communications. A former employee wrote on Reddit:

“Many of us on the ground didn’t even hear the news from corporate. Guests showed us canceled reservations on their phones before we knew what was happening. That is how we learned we no longer had jobs. Managers at the front line were left completely in the dark. We reached out to senior leadership for guidance and were met with silence. We tried to support our teams with no information. There was no warning, no communication, no compassion.”

Summary

The abrupt bankruptcy of Sonder, partnered with Marriott, has led to widespread travel disruption, exacerbated by poor communication with employees and customers.

more

Daily Mail Daily Mail — 2025-11-12

More News