Marriott-Sonder Breakup: Guests Evicted, Tourism Now a Contact Sport

KEY POINTS

  • Marriott terminated its licensing agreement with Sonder, causing guests to vacate with minimal notice starting last week.
  • Many guests scrambled to find new accommodations in cities like Montreal, Europe, and New York City amid the chaos.
  • Sonder, operating 140 properties and 7,700 apartments, filed for bankruptcy on Friday after the abrupt breakup.
  • Cofounder Francis Davidson, who left as CEO earlier in 2025, expressed shock and regret over the company's collapse.

In a stellar example of corporate custody battles, Marriott abruptly dumped Sonder last week, leaving a wake of evicted guests playing musical chairs across Europe and NYC. Single mom's dream Eurotrip? Derailed. Newly engaged guy in Montreal? Kicked out the morning after the proposal. Retired tech exec blew thousands rebooking while trying not to throw his phone at customer service. Sonder's 140 properties and 7,700 apartments now filed for bankruptcy, staff learned layoffs via ex-guest confrontations, and co-founder Francis Davidson mourned his 'heart and soul' dumpster fire since 2014. Welcome to hospitality in 2025—where ‘closure’ notices read like “We’re sorry you noticed we’re gone.”

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Source: Businessinsider | Published: 11/16/2025 | Author: Steve Russolillo