Family: Hotel Closure Killed Our Vacation

WAIKIKI, Hawaii - KITV.com

The closure of the Hawaiiana Hotel in Waikiki is leaving some Hawaii-bound visitors put out.

A Canadian family spoke with KITV's Jodi Leong and said they are now out $3,800 and will be forced to cancel their Hawaiian holiday.

The Goebel family said they have spent every other Christmas in Hawaii since their daughter died at the hands of a drunken driver. This year, they said they had reservations at the Hawaiiana Hotel in Waikiki. Last week, however, the hotel announced it was shutting down and Matt and Ginny Goebels said they are unable to get a refund.

Each year, thousands of Canadian tourists flock to the islands during the holidays. Some stay weeks, even months. The Goebels have spent three holidays on the islands since 2003, and planned to spend a month in Hawaii this holiday season.

Matt Goebel said he made reservations with the Hawaiiana Hotel online in March, worked two jobs and saved for three years to pay the $3,800 upfront cost.

"They wanted the money upfront on the Web site, because they said, 'Well, if you're going to stay for a month over Christmas and New Years, they're booked out, so this is the way it's going to be,'" said Matt Goebel.

But the Goebels got bad news last week.

"I came home on Friday, I checked the mail and there's a letter," said Matt Goebel.

The letter said the Hawaiiana Hotel was closing and there would be no refund.

"(It took) me three years to save this money and now I have nothing," Goebel said. "I'm angry. I'm crushed. I'm really upset."

Repeated calls made to the Hawaiiana Hotel have not resolved the issue, and the hotel's management did not return messages left by KITV.

The Hawaiian Hotel sign has already been removed; however, employees told KITV that there are still visitors and students staying at the hotel, which has also been used as a dormitory.

According to employees, the front office of the hotel will officially close on Nov. 15. There was no word on what would happen to the current occupants of the hotel at that time.

The Goebels started a somber tradition visiting the islands, and this latest development adds salt to a very raw wound.

"Our daughter was killed 7 years ago just before Christmas, so we try to get away for Christmas," he said.

Krystal Goebel was 19 years old when she was killed by a drunken driver. Still, the Goebels said they will recover from this latest disappointment and work to return to the islands.

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