Hotel chain bankrupt: Guests around the world evicted

American hotel company Sonder, which has been active in 40 cities worldwide and is often compared to Airbnb, has filed for bankruptcy.

This comes shortly after hotel giant Marriott announced that a 20-year partnership between the two companies will end with immediate effect.

According to CNBC, the breakup is due to Sonder not living up to its obligations in the partnership agreement.

Marriott has stated that it is working intensively to stay updated on Sonder’s financial situation and is trying to inform affected guests as best as possible.

Guests are evicted without notice

Following the collapse, hotel guests around the world have reported being forced to leave their rooms at very short notice.

Patrick D’Aoust, who had booked a Sonder hotel in Montreal for his honeymoon, told CNN that staff gave them 10 to 15 minutes to leave the building.

In New York, another guest, Connie Yang, was forced to leave Sonder Battery Park just two days after arriving.

She received an email notifying her that the entire building had to be vacated by nine o’clock the next morning. According to her, the staff was in tears.

– They said that the agreement between Sonder and Marriott had expired and that everyone should leave the building, she said.

Specializing primarily in long-term rentals, Sonder has been popular with people who work remotely and need temporary stays in cities like Paris, London, Madrid and Rome.

The bankruptcy and sudden shutdown has left thousands of travelers without a roof over their heads and has created chaos in international destinations.

Marriott is working on a solution

A Marriott spokesperson said they are attempting to contact all guests who booked through Marriott.com or related platforms.

They are also in discussions with third-party platforms to inform guests who have booked through other channels.

The situation is still evolving and there is no information yet on possible replacements or reaccommodation solutions.