Wellborn Hotel Downtown, Sonder

First time staying at a Sonder and overall pretty satisfied with how it turned out. Stayed for a night in room 314 and the room is quite nice. Definitely bigger than the average hotel room, loved the hardwood floor in the bedroom and the bathroom was pretty. The price was very reasonable. Bed was exceptionally firm. I belly flopped onto it and I regret that decision. Parking is a little cramped but it is what it is. Saw a few people mention noise complaints but at least from this room I didn't hear anything out of place. Seems like some of the rooms are a lot better than others, must've gotten lucky.

My fiancé and I stayed here last night in the Historic Norment Perry House (room 102). We had a great experience and would absolutely stay at this hotel again. It was so cute and cozy! When booking, we chose the “spacious” option and I think this could be why we had a better experience than some of the other reviewers. Our room was in one of the historic homes as opposed to the larger, pink building rooms. Although there were no staff members, we had everything we needed, our room was clean, and we felt well accommodated. Lots of reviews talked about the loud music at night, and we did hear the music as our room was next to the courtyard. However, our room had a sound machine on the nightstand that worked really well to cover up the music/bar guest chatter and neither of us had any trouble falling/staying asleep. I have attached pictures to this review. I’d stay again!!

I booked directly with Sonder website 12/2024 for 11/2025 for Wellborn Hotel Orlando. Between now then and now, Marriott Bonvoy enters into a licensure agreement with Sonder, acquiring the bulk of their 9000+ rooms portfolio worldwide, this location included. So now my previous booking solely with Sonder gets absorbed by Marriott. Fast forward to now, check in is in 3 days. Or is it? No. Because Marriott terminates the licensure agreement due to a default on Sonder’s end. A business/financial decision, I get it. Then the near entirety of Sonder’s staff, with only a few hours notice, is laid off….by their own executive board? By Marriott directly? TBD. Problem? Sonder locations do not have in house staff; other than housekeeping in-between guests, no front office desk staff. You check out via app, messages with a remote Sonder employee, etc. No staff = no check in or check out. Sonder’s entire portfolio worldwide has to simultaneously check everyone out of their lodging w/o notice before all of the remote staff log off at 9 AM Sunday morning, November 9, for the last and FINAL time. Because the door codes are password protected, they all auto disengaged at 9 AM; after Sonder shuts down completely, all previously assigned door codes, access passwords, etc., are fully revoked. So if your belongings were in your room and you were not, you were SOL. No way to re-enter the room. And no way to contact the remote customer service to get back in, get door code reset, etc, bc they’ve been mass laid off, through no fault of their own. And now the refund fiasco is gonna be fun. Because many of us paid for our lodging directly to Sonder, prior to the finalization of their acquisition by Marriott over this past summer. Refunds already in the works to those who paid to Marriott Bonvoy but those of us to Sonder? Good luck. No accounting department, no refund. I can only imagine how long this is going to be tied up in litigation. Now where Marriott is at fault… even though they have a licensure agreement with Sonder, they aren’t actually Sonder. Sonder is like if an Airbnb or VRBO was property managed by a hotel chain and not a home’s owner. Marriott is the property manager in this situation. So the stays being cut short mid reservation, and Forceable removals from lodging as above? Yeah, that was actually Marriott, the “property manager.” Not only current reservations, but all immediate future reservations. Including my check-in in 3 days, which I booked 11 months ago. Orlando is large, rebooking should be fairly easy. Finding a room isn’t but finding a room at the same price I snagged 11 months ago now with such short notice is impossible. We all got cancellations sent to our email by Marriott with plenty of email and telephone Customer Service options to reach out to. Every single avenue, including DMing multiple of their social media platforms, resulted in the usual , regurgitated, PR verbiage: “We are reaching out as we regret to inform you that Sonder properties are no longer part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. As a result, your upcoming reservation unfortunately has been canceled….” ….along with Marriott declining to directly assist in rebooking. Boy do i wish i had audio recorded my phone calls with them. I know they do for “quality and control purposes,” but I’m curious to see how conveniently lost my recording would be when it’s beneficial to myself and not the company. My refund is maybe being issued, maybe not. Marriott does not know because Sonder has my money. Marriott does say that I’m welcome to browse and rebook alternate lodging via their app or website and that a customer Service agent will not be doing so. In the irony of this entire thing, is that the most cost-effective option I have within a reasonable radius of my current lodging, is in fact in and of itself, also a Marriott owned brand Marriott- you did this. Cover the cost difference between my past booking made 11 months ago and my new, way more expensive last minute one made with only 3 days to spare before check-in

I had a prepaid reservation but the payment had not yet been charged to my card. I landed after a flight without internet access and started receiving a series of emails warning that my booking would be canceled if payment wasn’t made immediately. As a long-time Elite Member, I found this approach extremely disappointing and unprofessional. No hotel should speak to its guests using phrases like “you must,” especially when addressing loyal members. Guests choose to stay with your brand, you are not the only hotel in the market. This kind of pressure-driven communication completely undermines the trust and respect expected from a hospitality brand of this level.

When I arrived, I was immediately met with blaring music from the hotel’s patio and an overall lack of cleanliness. There was an outdoor bug light full of dead insects left sitting on the tv table, and a broken bathroom shade that left the window exposed — directly at eye level with guests sitting outside on the patio. Since the front desk was unstaffed, I had to use the hotel’s app to request help. Unfortunately, I was stuck going back and forth with an AI chatbot that didn’t understand or address the issues. After some time, I finally reached a staff member who was kind and understanding. I informed them that I’d be leaving due to the unacceptable room conditions, and they assured me I would be refunded for all unused nights. However, the corporate office later charged me for the first night, claiming they didn’t have time to clean and rebook the room — despite the fact that it wasn’t clean when I arrived. Overall, this was an extremely disappointing experience. I would strongly advise against staying here. (Photos attached)

This place is the epitome of ‘fine’. Don’t interpret that as bad, it’s not bad. The noise thing is a little overblown in the other reviews. But if there is a function on it can be pretty obstructive to any sleep (I was on my own and it would have been super challenging with kids). They provide ear plugs and drop you a text to say there might be noise, they’re doing everything they can short of erecting an acoustic fence… they should erect an acoustic fence though. The room itself was clean but basic. I didn’t spend too much time in it because I was in town for work. The walk to the downtown area can be a little dicey at night - but that’s just me being from a walking culture when everyone here drives. Truly, it’s fine.

It’s okay for a night or two. Pros: - Affordable price - It’s a little bit updated and refurbished but still needs work - Conveniently located near downtown and kia center - Felt safe - Has a historical charm. Feels more like a B&B than a hotel Cons: - Can’t control your own AC. There is a thermostat in the hall but it is locked and stays at 70 degrees. - The restaurant behind the hotel blasts music until 11pm on weekdays and 1 AM on weekends and the windows don’t do a great job of drowning out the noise - There is no in-person staff to help with anything. Everything is done on your phone. - It needs updating. Better flooring, Better beds, Better shower - The bed was very uncomfortable. The sheets felt like paper and the pillows are tiny. - The shower is so small. Can barely fit one person. - We had an ant issue. when we left a bag of leftovers on the floor. - The door isn’t noise proofed at all. - The parking is a nightmare. Such a tight small area.

A hidden gem! Very classy for an affordable price. The room we stayed in was actually an entire 1-bedroom apartment. It was easy to find, right off the highway and a right turn onto the street, which is tucked away and very quiet. There is onsite parking and you are given a parking pass upon entering your suite. The apartment is located inside this adorable 1930's building that has been meticulously maintained and updated, surrounded by mature foliage, and next to the main part of the hotel. The apartment was superb. Super clean, every amenity needed, and quiet. The neighborhood is in the historic district, and you really get the feel of old Orlando with the brick streets and the historic homes all around. You can walk out the back door of your unit and onto a beautiful brick pathway that leads back to the courtyard and the on-site tapas bar, which we tried on our first night here, and were very impressed. There is a dj, and an incredibly friendly staff that is attentive. We will 100% book another stay here, this has been one of the best hotel experiences on our trip so far. 10/10 EXCELLENT!

The Sonder Wellborn has some great perks - the location close to downtown is walkable to all of the great spots. The restaurant and bar itself is elite - excellent food and drinks at your doorstep. The check-in process is easy and the room is spacious. The pullout bed situation however is not great. It's clear they have never cleaned the cover over the pullout bed. When I unfolded the bed and started to put my sheets on the bed cover, it was stained with makeup and who knows what else but not limited to dirt and hair too. The "bed" itself is awful - so uncomfortable and paper thin and the metal frame is extremely unstable. I hope they can make some changes or not advertise that a suite can comfortably sleep 4 people.

A bunch of my friends get together every year for a big event at the Orlando Science Center and this was my second year attending the event, so I wanted to book at the hotel where everyone else was staying. The room we booked has a huge bathroom with a massive shower and big, 2 seater tub with jets. Funny that the sink is pedestal style and I was wishing for more counter top. Two walls in this bathroom are lined with mirrors- so it seems even bigger. The tub looked as though it had had better days- I didn't try it. The shower had a steamer knob and I was so excited, briefly- until I realized it doesn't work. The kicker was that our room is backed against a tiny room that houses the dishwasher for the main house restaurant and bar- aka, it was noisy. Really noisy. And the upstair guests seemed to be pacing? I could here the floor/ceiling creek across the room back and forth for hours. That part seemed very odd, luckily it was only the first night, but the dishwashing went on till the early morning hours. Should we all stay here next year, I know not to book room 314. Funny, two of my friends had this same room last year and forgot about the noise until I mentioned it and oooohhhh, yeah. Now- they obviously know it's loud, because they leave ear plugs on the night stands and have a white noise machine too. I can't sleep with earplugs in- so that was useless to me. The room also sports a little kitchenette, with appliances, dishes, silverware- but the counter had no outlets for the coffee maker and such. There was an outlet near the counter that had the mini fridge plugged, just seemed like they forgot to install outlets when they put in the counter. Other than the tub looking sketchy, the room was clean. I did open one towel after showering to discover it so worn it had massive holes- that one went on the floor and I opened another one that was fine. Maybe next year I can update my review in a happier fashion ;)

This property has a lot of potential but also has some true deal breakers that will keep me from returning. The positive: the rooms are spacious and the bedding is very comfortable. Things are generally well appointed and it just looks cute. The negative: oof, where do I start? There is a super cute lounge on-site (but not owned/run by Sonder). They have great drinks and bites, and a gorgeous courtyard. Stunning. It gets loud on weekend nights; Sonder provides a sound machine and earplugs to help mask the noise, which works well. On the other side of the hotel, though, is a gorgeous wedding venue. God help you if you are there on a night when there is a live DJ. Untenable. The bed is shaking. Earplugs and sound machines have nothing on it. As there appears to be no management staff onsite, nobody is going to stick up for the guests at the Sonder. That is unfortunate because it is such a lovely space. Oh: parking is a a beast. A beast. Not always, but definitely on event nights. (Also, the shower is problematic in its design: water ends up everywhere outside the shower; and clearly the lack of storage in the bathroom indicates that it was designed by a person who has little need for any kind of product on the hair or face).

This property is a stunning oasis downtown Orlando. Here is what I love about it: It is housed in the oldest home in Orlando, built in 1883. There are two other buildings on this property, one being an art-deco style hotel built in the 1940s and the other housing the bar and restaurant. We stayed in the Norment-Parry House, the city's oldest documented residence, which once belonged to Judge Richard B. Norment of Baltimore. I was here for a Professional Ghost Tour Guide conference so of course our hostess chose this location since it is storied to be haunted. (My room was undoubtedly freezing and had a strange energy about it, so I wholeheartedly believe there are presence(s) spending their afterlives here.) At any rate, the renovations were remarkable. My room was gorgeous. The bathroom was huge and I had a nice enclosed patio that overlooked the foliage outside. My complaints: 1) the shower was so tiny. There was plenty of room to have extended the stall a bit in that huge bathroom 2) It is a bit noisy, especially if there is a wedding going on outside on the property. To be fair they do provide a white noise machine, which helped quite a bit (and ear plugs, which I did not use). 3) The Sonder brand was designed by a very techie group of people. Everything is controlled by the app on your phone. My phone unlocked my door and if there is a problem, you send the staff an instant message through the app. While I appreciate these conveniences, it is also reassuring to have an actual person onsite at the hotel. 4) No fridge in your room- you have to label your stuff and leave it in the lobby fridge. Not a problem if the entire house was just our group, but there were some other people in there who had decided to extend their stays, so it wasn't just us. 5) A homeless lady wandered in behind me and sat in the lobby. While she was harmless, having an employee there would control non-guest enteries and exits. There are not public restrooms in the lobby, so there really isn't a need to loiter there. 6) I got to the hotel at 2:45. I ran into the housekeeper and she said she would be done cleaning my room in five minutes. Awesome. So I came back at 2:55 after she was finished. My access code apparently allowed me access into the building but not my room. So I chatted with the Sonder staff and the person on the chat said I could either pay $25 for an early check-in or check in at 4:00. No flexibility there. Good grief. The room is cleaned, ready to go, and just sitting empty for an hour and I can't get in? Come on, guys..... Other than that, great place. Just fine-tune your concept a bit.

Edit to add that I was refunded for my room with no hot water and offered another room for my third night. Unfortunately, the new room did not really have hot water either but the coolness was slightly more tolerable than the cold water in my first room. So in conclusion I do honestly really like the atmosphere at this hotel. The courtyard is gorgeous and for the space you get and the location the rates are a good deal. It is unfortunate they are having plumbing issues and I really hope they can work it out because this place is so nice otherwise. Consider staying here but maybe call ahead and see if the repair work is complete. Previous Review-:NO HOT WATER. I've stayed here twice and enjoyed my other stays. This time there is no hot water in my room which is pretty unacceptable without major compensation. They offered me just 30 dollars the first night, then 60 the second, but that still means I have to stay in a room with no hot water. Selling someone a room without a basic amenity is just not right.

I wish all hotels were like this - beautiful, spacious, convenient, and centrally located to Lake Eola and downtown Orlando. Can't be beat for a family of 4.