The suit is against the Kahala Hotel and Resort.

A former hotel guest says the hotel broke the law, over thousands of dollars he paid for his wedding.

The complainant is an Oahu resident Jason Kawakami.

In July 2007, he had his wedding banquet at the Kahala.

According to the suit filed, Kawakami paid the Kahala the usual 19 percent service fees for his reception.

That totaled nearly $5,200. Hawaii law states the hotel must distribute the service charge directly to its employees as tip.

If not, the hotel must let the customer know beforehand. Kawakami says that's not what happened. Through his attorneys, he says he feels misled.

"He was not told that the hotel was going to keep some or all of that and the law specially requires the hotel to disclose if they are going to do it. The short and sweet of it is, they didn't disclose it," said attorney John Perkin.

The suit asks for a full refund of the service charge. The plaintiff would also be entitled to three times what he paid for that charge.

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