Company Description
Sonder Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: SOND) was a hospitality company that operated a global brand of premium, design-forward apartments and intimate boutique hotels serving the modern traveler. According to multiple company disclosures, Sonder described itself as a global brand offering inspiring, thoughtfully designed accommodations and tech-enabled service in one experience. The company’s properties were located in prime urban locations across dozens of markets and several continents.
In a November 10, 2025 press release, Sonder announced that it would complete an immediate wind-down of operations and expected to initiate a Chapter 7 liquidation of its U.S. business. This followed severe financial constraints and the termination of its licensing agreement with Marriott International. A Form 8-K filed on November 14, 2025 confirms that Sonder and certain subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, under the caption “In re: Sonder Holdings Inc., et al.” The filing states that the company expects its stockholders could experience a significant or complete loss on their investment.
Before the wind-down, Sonder positioned itself as a hospitality brand focused on premium apartments and intimate boutique hotels. Company materials state that Sonder was launched in 2014 and that its properties were found in prime locations in over 40 markets, spanning nine countries and three continents. The company emphasized design-forward accommodations and a tech-enabled service model, with an app that gave guests control over aspects of their stay, including self-service features, check-in, and access to on-the-ground support.
In 2024, Sonder entered into a long-term strategic licensing agreement with Marriott International. Company filings and press releases explain that the agreement brought Sonder’s portfolio into the Marriott system under the “Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy” collection, making Sonder properties bookable on Marriott’s digital channels and integrating them into the Marriott Bonvoy travel platform. An 8-K dated November 7, 2025 reports that Marriott provided written notice terminating this License Agreement effective immediately, ending Sonder’s participation in that collection and access to Marriott’s distribution and marketing capabilities.
Sonder’s SEC filings and earnings releases describe its business using hospitality metrics such as Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR), Occupancy Rate, Bookable Nights, Live Units, and Total Portfolio. These disclosures indicate that Sonder tracked the number of units available for guests to book (Live Units) and the broader portfolio of contracted units. The company also reported non-GAAP measures such as Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDAR, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow to provide additional views on its operating performance and cash flows.
The company undertook a portfolio optimization program beginning in 2023 to address underperforming properties and adjust rents relative to market conditions. By the end of 2024, Sonder reported having signed agreements to exit or reduce rent for a substantial number of buildings and units, and later filings note that buildings with finalized exit agreements had been exited. These actions, along with financing transactions and preferred equity issuances described in its filings, formed part of its efforts to manage its capital structure and operating footprint.
Corporate governance and leadership developments are documented in Sonder’s proxy statement and Form 8-K filings. The company completed a business combination with a SPAC on January 18, 2022, after which Sonder Holdings Inc. became the public parent of the operating business. Later disclosures describe leadership transitions, including the departure of the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer and the appointment of an interim CEO, as well as changes to the board of directors and the addition of directors with restructuring and financial expertise.
In the months leading up to the Chapter 7 filings, Sonder disclosed multiple Nasdaq deficiency notices related to delayed SEC filings and market value of publicly held shares. The November 14, 2025 Form 8-K states that the company expects to receive a Nasdaq notice that its common stock no longer meets listing requirements as a result of the bankruptcy proceedings and that it does not intend to appeal, so a delisting is expected. The same filing cautions that trading in the common stock during the proceedings is highly speculative and that recovery for common stockholders may be limited or nonexistent.
For investors and researchers, Sonder now represents a former hospitality and travel-related company whose history includes rapid expansion into multiple cities and countries, a branded integration with Marriott’s platform, significant portfolio restructuring, and ultimately a court-supervised liquidation process. Its public disclosures, including annual reports, quarterly reports, proxy statements, and current reports on Form 8-K, provide detailed information about its operations, financial performance, capital structure, and the events that led to the wind-down.
Key aspects of Sonder’s historical business
- Hospitality focus: Premium, design-forward apartments and intimate boutique hotels aimed at the modern traveler.
- Global footprint: Properties in prime locations in over 40 markets across nine countries and three continents, as described in company press releases and proxy materials.
- Tech-enabled service: An app-based experience with self-service features, check-in, and access to support, highlighted in multiple “About Sonder” sections.
- Marriott collaboration: A licensing agreement that brought Sonder properties into the “Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy” collection on Marriott’s digital channels, later terminated by Marriott in November 2025.
- Restructuring and wind-down: Portfolio optimization efforts, financing actions, Nasdaq deficiency notices, and ultimately Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings and an announced wind-down of operations.