Sonder simply joined Marriott Bonvoy — right here’s all the pieces it is advisable learn about this Airbnb various

Sonder, a short-term rental platform for apartment-style models and reasonably priced boutique motels, not too long ago partnered with Marriott. Underneath the brand new “Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy” model, Marriott Bonvoy members have early entry to earn and redeem factors at Sonder motels and flats by means of Sonder’s web site. Full integration throughout all of Marriott’s platforms will come later in 2025.

Here is what it is advisable learn about this new-to-Marriott model.

What’s Sonder?

Launched in 2014, Sonder owns and operates roughly 9,000 apartment-style models and lodge rooms in 10 nations throughout Europe, North America and the Center East. The model, which focuses on city stays, operates in over 35 cities, together with New Orleans, Paris and Dubai.

Although the model is geared towards flats with facilities like absolutely stocked kitchens and in-unit laundry, it is also potential to guide competitively priced rooms in its boutique motels. These motels supply coworking areas, 24/7 entrance desk attendants, and fundamental facilities like baggage storage and housekeeping upon request by way of its cellular app.

As a result of the corporate operates its motels and flats below long-term grasp lease agreements, it isn’t topic to Airbnb bans.

Since I deliberate a visit to London this previous February — and the British capital has 15 Sonder motels and flats with charges as little as $125 per night time — I made a decision to guide a number of nights at every kind of lodging to see what the model is like.

Associated: Sneak peek on the first Residences by Marriott Bonvoy Resort within the US

The way to guide Sonder motels and flats

Sonder had but to start its integration into Marriott’s digital platforms once I booked my February stays. However I used to be capable of benefit from the early entry interval, once I might guide instantly with Sonder and earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors for Sonder stays by including my member quantity to the reservation.

I needed to name Sonder (415-849-2740) to examine redemption charges for these properties, however as soon as the mixing is full, it is possible for you to to guide by way of money or Marriott Bonvoy factors by means of Marriott’s web site or app.

For a two-night keep in a one-bedroom unit on the Sonder Inverness Mews condo in February, I paid $960.26 (about $480 per night time). No factors redemptions have been obtainable for stays at this unit in February once I referred to as.

The incomes price at Sonder flats is 5 Marriott Bonvoy factors per greenback spent, however as a Gold Elite Marriott member, I earned a 25% bonus, or 6.25 factors per greenback. I additionally earned 2 elite night time credit for my two-night keep at Sonder Inverness Mews.

For 2 nights on the Sonder Chelsea Inexperienced lodge in February, I paid $348.58 — or roughly $174 per night time — for a 105-square-foot double room. (As compared, different reasonably priced motels in London with related facilities and room sizes have been usually not less than $200 throughout the identical dates.)

Once I referred to as Sonder, the agent on the cellphone instructed me I might guide the identical room for 89,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors for the 2 nights. That will be a worth of 0.39 cents per level, effectively under TPG’s April valuation of 0.7 cents per Marriott Bonvoy level. I skipped the redemption and opted to pay money.

The incomes price at Sonder motels is 10 Marriott Bonvoy factors per greenback spent, however with my 25% bonus as a Gold Elite Marriott member, I earned 12.5 factors per greenback and a couple of extra elite night time credit for my two-night keep at Sonder Chelsea Inexperienced.

For my four-night keep, I earned simply over 10,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors. As a result of I charged it to my Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges), the place I get 2 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases, I additionally earned 2,617.68 Chase Final Rewards factors.

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Restricted-time supply: Chase Sapphire Most popular — highest-ever 100,000-point bonus after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.

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Another choice when reserving a Sonder property is to make use of one of many bank cards that earn probably the most factors for Marriott stays, or one that provides computerized Marriott Bonvoy elite standing for value-added advantages.

Marriott elite standing advantages at Sonder

As soon as Sonder properties transition to full participation, the next advantages will probably be supplied to Marriott elite members on qualifying stays:

* Primarily based on availability

** At Sonder flats, 4 p.m. late checkout relies on availability, 2 p.m. assured

*** At Sonder flats, 48-hour assured availability applies to straightforward rooms solely

Ambassador Elite members can even have entry to the Your24 versatile check-in and checkout profit and Ambassador Service.

Checking in to a Sonder condo in London

Issues began out effectively with the Sonder Inverness Mews condo I booked in London’s Bayswater neighborhood, only a seven-minute cab journey from Paddington Station and a five-minute stroll to the northern aspect of Kensington Gardens.

Along with its central location, the one-bedroom condo’s clear and ethereal decor appealed to me, with graphic artwork and enjoyable wallpaper within the bed room. It additionally had a contemporary kitchen, toilet and in-unit laundry.

An surprising improve

Just a few weeks earlier than my keep, Sonder upgraded me to a three-bedroom unit in the identical constructing for no additional value. Once I used the chat perform within the Sonder app to ask in regards to the improve, I used to be instructed I used to be relocated due to a upkeep challenge.

Although I used to be touring solo and did not want the additional area, I used to be thrilled that they simply adjusted my reservation and did not cancel it. Pictures on the Sonder web site confirmed that the unit was adorned in stylish pastels and quirky artwork.

A narrowly averted entry mishap

The day earlier than my arrival, Sonder emailed me the important thing entry codes to entry the constructing and the unit (which have been additionally added to the Sonder app). I boarded my flight with no worries. Once I landed at Heathrow within the night and took my cellphone off airplane mode, I acquired an SMS textual content message from Sonder alerting me that the constructing and condo key codes had modified.

Fortunately, I wasn’t utilizing an eSIM on my cellphone for this journey — the place I would not obtain SMS texts to my regular cellphone quantity — as a result of the important thing codes have been by no means up to date within the app and have been by no means emailed to me. If I hadn’t acquired that textual content message, I’d have proven up on the condo constructing at midnight and struggled to enter the constructing.

Contained in the unit

As soon as I gained entry to the condo, I went from room to room, marveling at how a lot area I had. It was clear, and the kitchen had a Nespresso-style pod espresso machine and a laundry machine.

As soon as I took a more in-depth look, I began to note that hardly any furnishings and artwork matched the photographs on Sonder’s web site for the unit. As an alternative of a spherical glass espresso desk, I discovered a black steel one with dinged-up edges in the lounge.

The blue velvet Chesterfield sofa had been swapped for a bland tweed wool sofa. On the Sonder web site, it does word that “The structure, furnishings, and decor of your area might differ from what’s proven right here.” However this felt excessive.

Not one of the bedrooms had any artwork in them anymore, and most all the pieces seemed prefer it had been sourced from Ikea.

Getting rushed out

I reached the top of my rope when housekeeping tried to enter the unit 45 minutes earlier than my official checkout time two days later. Fortunately, I had showered and dressed earlier within the morning, however I used to be shocked once I heard somebody fumbling with the door at 10:17 a.m. After answering the door and telling the housekeeper the official checkout time was 11 a.m., I noticed he was ready on the staircase for me to depart, so I completed packing and left early.

After I defined the state of affairs to a buyer consultant by way of the chat perform within the Sonder app, they apologized and stated they’d converse to the housekeeping firm in regards to the miscommunication.

Due to all these mishaps, I will not be reserving a Sonder condo once more because the expertise felt too much like an Airbnb.

A a lot better expertise at a Sonder lodge in London

After being rushed out of the Sonder condo, I took the Circle line 20 minutes south to Chelsea to examine in to the Sonder Chelsea Inexperienced, a 54-room Sonder lodge that opened in 2020.

Within the Sonder app, you possibly can request to examine in early for a small price (roughly 20 kilos the day I checked in). Although I knew I’d arrive early, I deliberate to retailer my luggage and discover London till the 4 p.m. check-in time. However once I arrived at 11 a.m., the entrance desk attendant stated my room was obtainable and that I might examine in early at no additional cost.

Earlier than I went to my room, he knowledgeable me that each one friends had entry to a free continental breakfast within the foyer lounge every morning. He additionally took the time to let me know that in lieu of each day housekeeping, a small cupboard close to the entrance desk contained additional toiletries and towels that friends might use each time wanted. And whereas there have been 24/7 entrance desk attendants within the foyer, he additionally gave me a key code to enter the constructing after darkish as an added layer of safety.

A small however well-designed room

As an alternative of receiving a traditional key or keycard, the entrance desk attendant gave me a key code to enter my visitor room and walked me by means of organising Bluetooth key entry by way of the app.

I used to be comfortable to see that the room was precisely as marketed on-line. The 105-square-foot area was adorned with easy artwork on the darkish inexperienced wall behind the mattress, rattan lamps and a small desk. The closet saved a baggage rack, hair dryer, and kettle with espresso pods and tea luggage. There was additionally a capsule espresso machine, a TV mounted to the wall and a full-length mirror secured to the again of the room’s door.

The lavatory was tiny and will solely match one sink and a bathe, however the water bought scorching shortly and the strain was good. The condo and lodge used the identical Davines tub merchandise made solely for Sonder properties.

Although the room was small, it was clear and supplied simply sufficient area for me to maneuver round comfortably. (The Sonder Chelsea Inexperienced additionally has bigger rooms and suites as much as 410 sq. ft with charges beginning under $350 per night time.)

Free continental breakfast

I loved a fundamental however free continental breakfast within the morning, which included yogurt, toast, croissants, muffins, cheese, bananas and oranges. Along with a DIY latte machine, there was additionally a contemporary orange juice machine obtainable.

Breakfast was served within the foyer lounge in an ethereal atrium on the bottom ground, which is not open to the general public as different boutique motels typically are. The opposite friends unfold out at cafe tables, cozy couches and armchairs. As a result of it was February, no one used the outside backyard space simply off the lounge, however I think about it will be beautiful in hotter months.

Testing

When it got here time to take a look at two days later, I popped my baggage into one of many free lockers close to the entrance desk and went out for lunch till I needed to go away for my flight later that afternoon.

As a solo traveler who simply wanted an reasonably priced, clear and secure place to sleep after lengthy days out and about, the Sonder Chelsea Inexperienced offered precisely that. My solely grievance was that because the mattress was pretty near the room’s door, I used to be woken up as soon as individuals began going to breakfast within the morning. Fortunately, the opposite friends have been respectful and quiet, so I wasn’t disturbed by the skinny partitions at night time.

Backside line

Although my keep at a Sonder condo had some snags that affected my general expertise, it is a tremendous alternative for households and bigger teams in search of an Airbnb-like expertise who additionally need to earn and burn Marriott Bonvoy factors.

And regardless of the lackluster condo keep, Sonder motels are a superb alternative for Marriott Bonvoy loyalists who need to guide charming boutique motels in main cities for reasonably priced costs.