HONOLULU — A North Carolina couple booked a luxury Hawaii hotel for more than $2,000 but wasn’t warned about that workers were on strike before they arrived for their honeymoon, they say in a class-action lawsuit.
Dr. Ovais Inamullah and Sana Khalique were charged full booking price for their five-night stay at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, even though there was no housekeeping, valet parking and other services, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. They arrived Oct. 29, when the strike was about to enter its fourth week.
The couple is suing on behalf of themselves and all other travelers who were guests at the affected hotels from Oct. 8, when thousands of Marriott employees on Oahu and Maui went on strike.
Those on strike work at five properties operated by Marriott. The properties are all owned by Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts. A representative for Kyo-ya said the company wasn’t aware of the lawsuit and had no comment. Marriot didn’t respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.
Kyo-ya owns The Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, and Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
“By charging full prices without telling people that they won’t get all of the services, these hotels are taking consumers’ hard-earned money under false pretenses,” said Honolulu attorney Bridget G. Morgan, who filed the lawsuit Thursday.
Unite Here Local 5 union leaders have said workers need to be paid enough so they only need one job to support themselves.
“It’s going very well and spirits are high,” Local 5 spokesman Ikaika Hussey said of Thursday’s bargaining.