Marriott International review: Customer care

I reserved a room at Aloft Miami Airport hotel via a third party booking agent [booking.com] for Wednesday 6th March 2024.

We were travelling from the UK and mid flight received an email and two messages via booking.com from the hotel stating there was an issue with our credit card. I responded to both messages and the email advising the hotel that I was mid-flight and unable to call as they requested. I also advised them that I had added a second card for payment, to please not cancel the booking and it would be sorted on our arrival as we were battling a time difference and being in the air.

I was slightly concerned that the hotel was attempting to take payment although we hadnt arrived.

I received no answer to the messages or email.

We arrived at the hotel approximately 1930 hours to be told that the booking had been cancelled so after 13 hours travelling we had no room despite attempts to resolve the issue.

Whilst in the reception area of Aloft I secured another hotel, using the third party booking agent and the credit card that had 'issues'.

I wrote a review which has been rejected on the third party agent website by I presume the hotel although they have responded to the review I left on Trip Advisor, the author apologised for not replying to the email sent and doesnt understand why that happened, the author was the recipient of the email so the response on TA appears to be lip service.

My complaint is based on

Our credit card being processed before we had arrived which resulted in the issue, had we been there when the card was processed it would not have happened. There are preventions for fraudulent use of CCs, are the hotel not aware of this?

Cancellation of the booking despite trying to resolve the issue which wouldnt have happened if the card was not trying to be used without us being present.

The removal of the review despite it being an accurate account of what happened

A perceived lack of training of staff particularly around international travel and an inability of calls to be made by would be patrons whilst they are mid-air.