Airbnb Rival Sonder Abruptly Shuts Down, Orders Guests To Leave

Sonder, a short-term rental company and former Airbnb rival, abruptly went out of business after Marriott ended its licensing deal on Nov. 9 -- leaving guests scrambling as they were told to vacate their rooms immediately. From a report: Paul Strack, 63, visiting Boston from Little Rock, Arkansas, told CBS News he received an email from Marriott on Sunday about his Sonder stay, but he initially mistook it for a scam. The email said that Marriott's agreement with Sonder had ended, and that 'we are unable to continue your reservation beyond today.'

'[W]e are kindly requesting that you check out of the property as soon as you are able,' the email read, according to a copy obtained by CBS News. Because he had mistaken it for spam, he ignored it. But on Monday, after exploring Boston and returning to the family's accommodation at the end of the day, Strack found his room's door wide open and his family's belongings packed up and left in a hallway.

Sonder on Monday said it would wind down operations immediately, and that it expects to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy to liquidate its U.S. assets. The company describes itself as a global operator of 'premium, design-forward apartments and intimate boutique hotels serving the modern traveler' that has faced financial challenges related to its agreement with Marriott, which the hotel chain terminated on Sunday.

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