Engagement Surprise Turns Sour as Marriott Cancels Hotel Booking

In a surprising turn of events on what was meant to be one of the happiest days of his life, Ethan Werchniak found himself and his fiancée unexpectedly evicted from their hotel in Montreal following their engagement. After proposing at the picturesque Westmount Conservatory and Greenhouses, the couple faced a sudden cancellation of their booking at a Marriott-licensed Sonder property, leaving them scrambling for alternative accommodation.

Wishing to create a memorable experience, Werchniak and his girlfriend had planned a five-day getaway to Montreal, a city they had longed to explore. Following the proposal on Sunday, they spent the day enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. Their first day as an engaged couple included visits to local shops and an art museum, allowing them to immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere.

Unexpected Eviction on the Day After Engagement

The morning after the proposal, the couple’s joyous mood was abruptly interrupted. At approximately 10 a.m. on Monday, a worker from Sonder knocked on their hotel room door, delivering the unwelcome news: their reservation had been canceled, and they were expected to vacate the premises within an hour. “I was ready to tear him a new one,” Werchniak recalled, feeling blindsided by the abrupt change in plans.

The worker, expressing his own distress about the situation, explained, “I’m very sorry to be blunt with you, but I’m losing my job right now. My last task is to tell people that they need to leave.” Realizing the staff member was also facing a difficult day, Werchniak decided to take a step back from his initial frustration.

After the cancellation, Werchniak immediately reached out to Marriott to rebook their stay. Although they managed to secure a new hotel room approximately a mile away, it came at a higher price—an increase of about 30 Canadian dollars (around $21), which left the couple feeling taken advantage of. “It felt like a scam,” he remarked, noting the irony of being forced to pay more for an alternative lodging after their original booking was canceled.

Frustration Among Other Guests

The lobby of the hotel was filled with disgruntled guests, many of whom had multiple days left before their flights. Werchniak observed that numerous patrons expressed their dissatisfaction and vowed never to book with Marriott again. “The scene in the lobby afterward was something to behold,” he said, highlighting the palpable tension among those affected.

In an attempt to compensate for the inconvenience, Marriott offered Werchniak 500 points for his trouble. However, he indicated that he had little interest in returning to the hotel chain based on this experience. “Part of me wants to really go in on Marriott and say, ‘Everything crashed, we’re ruined, our last day was a disaster,’” he reflected. Yet, despite the setback, Werchniak and his fiancée remained adaptable. They managed to salvage their day with a delightful dinner and drinks, ultimately finding joy in the situation.

Representatives for Marriott and Sonder did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding the situation. On Sunday, Marriott informed customers who had booked through their channels that they would receive a full refund, but later advised guests to contact their credit card companies for reimbursement instead. This confusion further compounded the frustrations for those affected by the cancellations.

While the couple faced a significant disruption on their engagement journey, they chose to focus on the positive aspects of their time in Montreal. “I’ve put it out of my mind. We had fun, but it wasn’t because of Marriott; it was in spite of it,” Werchniak concluded, emphasizing their resilience in the face of unexpected challenges.