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Sonder's Bonvoy Bust: Another Marriott Promise Broken?
Okay, so Marriott and Sonder are dunzo. Kaput. Terminated, as the fancy corporate press release probably said. Sonder defaulted, Marriott pulled the plug, and now we're all supposed to act surprised? Give me a break.
The Inevitable Implosion
Let's be real: Sonder was always a band-aid on a bullet wound. Marriott, scrambling to stay relevant in the age of Airbnb and these "unique" stays, threw a lifeline to a struggling company. In August 2024 a lifeline, as they put it, by listing Sonder's apartment-style rooms on the site. What did they expect? That suddenly, Sonder would magically become a well-oiled machine? Please. It was a desperate attempt to look "hip" and "with it," and it blew up in their faces.
And now, they’re acting like they didn’t see this coming. "Marriott expects the termination to reduce its net rooms growth forecast for 2025 to approximately 4.5%." Oh no! 4.5%! Won't somebody please think of the shareholders?! According to Marriott Terminates Its Sonder Partnership After ‘Default’ - Skift, the split occurred after a "default" by Sonder.
Katie Genter over at The Points Guy got her points and elite night credits from a Sonder stay, so at least somebody benefited before the whole thing went belly up. But what about the rest of us schmucks who were hoping to snag some affordable Bonvoy redemptions?
The Bonvoyage to Bonvoy Points?
This whole thing just reeks of Marriott devaluing Bonvoy points even further. Remember when you could actually get something decent with your points? Now, it's all about dynamic pricing and "experiences" that cost more than a used car. And don't even get me started on the resort fees...
I mean, the one upside to this Sonder partnership was the potential for scoring relatively cheap stays in cool apartments, using points that are rapidly becoming worthless anyway. Now that's gone. Poof. Vanished like a fart in the wind. So, what's the play here, Marriott? Are you just trying to make it impossible for us to use our points so they can sit on the liability?
And another thing... Marriott is contacting guests who booked Sonder stays directly through Marriott channels, that's good, I guess. But what about everyone else? "Guests who booked through third-party travel agencies should contact the booking organization directly." Oh, so now it's their problem? Real classy.
The Bigger Picture: Marriott's Identity Crisis
Marriott's got a serious identity crisis. They're trying to be everything to everyone, and they're failing miserably. They want to be the luxury brand and the budget-friendly option and the cool, hip apartment rental service. Newsflash: it doesn't work that way.
It's like a restaurant trying to serve both Michelin-star cuisine and dollar-menu burgers. You're just going to end up with mediocre food and confused customers.
Then again, maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe this is all Sonder's fault. Maybe they just couldn't handle the pressure of partnering with a behemoth like Marriott. But let's be honest, Marriott ain't exactly known for their nurturing partnerships.
So, What's the Real Story?
This whole Sonder debacle is just another nail in the coffin of brand loyalty. Marriott promised us a way to use our points for something other than overpriced hotel rooms, and they failed—again. They gave Sonder a lifeline, and Sonder drowned. This is just another example of corporate greed and broken promises.