Sonder — East 5th

I booked through the Sonder website about six weeks ahead for two nights in Austin, and there was no warning that availability was low. Less than 36 hours before my flight, they canceled because of overbooking. I spent up to an hour on the phone trying to understand how this could happen. They said my refund would arrive well after the trip, leaving me out hundreds of dollars with nowhere to stay. They offered to book another room at full price, 20 minutes farther away, in a hotel that looked like it was still being built. I declined. I've used Sonder in LA before, but this experience was completely unprofessional and negligent. When the company lets you down, its many unnecessary restrictions leave you talking to people who can't offer compensation. Spend your money somewhere else, literally anywhere else besides Marriott, Marriott Bonvoy, or Sonder. They seem to care about the money, not the guests paying it.

We had a great week here. The rooms had all the amenities we needed, and downtown was an easy walk away. There was plenty of parking, good food nearby, and endless things to do around the area.

My friends and I booked months ahead for the F1 United States Grand Prix, then got an email three weeks before the weekend saying our reservation had been canceled. When we asked why, Sonder/Marriott never gave us a straight answer. They seem to think a full refund settles it, but we had to find somewhere else at the last minute, farther from downtown and more expensive than our original booking. Austin is especially busy that weekend. I suspect they overbooked or wanted to sell the rooms for twice as much, though I can't know for sure. This feels like greed, and the property has no integrity. Thanks for nothing.

My unit was clean and quiet, and I really enjoyed staying here. It's in a very safe neighborhood, with fun bars and restaurants close by. You can walk everywhere.