Marriott terminates licensing agreement with aparthotel brand Sonder

Marriott International has terminated its licensing agreement with Sonder Holdings due to a default from Sonder. 

This means that aparthotel brand Sonder will no longer be affiliated with the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programme, while its properties have already been removed from Marriott’s booking channels.

The Montreal-founded, San Francisco-based aparthotel collection entered a long-term strategic licensing agreement with the hotel giant in 2024.

According to press materials at the time, the addition of 9,000 live Sonder units to Marriott’s portfolio would have delivered “significant revenue opportunities and operating efficiencies for Sonder”.

A spokesperson for Marriott also said the agreement would have enabled the expansion of its portfolio of longer-stay accommodations in key markets around the world.

However, in an announcement over the weekend, Marriott confirmed it will be contacting guests who booked Sonder properties through Marriott channels to address their reservation and booking needs.

It added: “Guests with questions about current or future reservations at a Sonder property booked through Marriott channels can contact Marriott customer service.”

Marriott also updated its financial outlook in response to Sonder’s exit, with net rooms growth for 2025 now expected to approach 4.5% instead of the 5% mentioned in last week’s Q3 2025 report.

Sonder was launched in 2014 and operates roughly 9,000 units across 40 markets, spanning 10 countries and three continents.

The aparthotel and boutique hotel company said the UK remained a focus region for future growth back in 2022.

This June, Francis Davidson, the co-founder and chief executive of Sonder stepped down from the business, with Janice Sears taking over as interim chief executive.

Sonder has been contacted for comment.