Your Tour Operator Went Out of Business

By Brooke Kosofsky Glassberg
October 8, 2007
0711_touroperator
illustration by Rhonda Mulder
When tour operators such as Traveland implode, their customers get burned. Here's what to do if...

You paid with your credit card: Notify the credit card company right away. It's within your rights to ask for a refund for any services that were never rendered, as long as you contest the charges within 60 days of the charges' appearing on a statement (and some credit card companies extend this period to 90 days). The more money you've paid way in advance, the less you'll get back. So avoid paying anything but basic deposits very far out.

You paid with cash or a check: Your sole recourse is filing a claim in bankruptcy court. Few businesses file for insolvency, but if they do, you become a creditor and stand a chance of recovering some of your lost funds--just be prepared to wait a while, at least two or three years. It'll help your claim if you have a receipt and if you noted on each check exactly what the payment was for.

The operator was a member of a professional organization: The big three groups--United States Tour Operators Association, National Tour Association, and American Society of Travel Agents--may be able to help you rebook through a different operator (at additional cost). The USTOA has a consumer protection plan requiring members to keep $1 million in reserve so customers can recover at least some of their money.

You bought travel insurance: See if your policy covers "operator default." You may be able to get the insurance company to recoup any losses that the credit card company hasn't already taken care of. If you purchased the insurance policy through the operator, direct your questions to the plan administrator.

You used a travel agent: You have an advocate who can arrange a backup plan. Agents are unlikely to guarantee company solvency, how­ever, and they won't be helpful when it comes to recovering lost money. Sometimes they'll offer restitution to maintain a valuable relationship. While your odds of success are low, you could also try suing the agent in small claims court.

You still want to go on the trip: Contact the NTA even if your outfitter wasn't a member. The organization might match you up with an operator who will be willing to accommodate you, at a discount, on short notice. Also, look closely at your itinerary and approach the individual hotels, airlines, and tour guides directly. Hotels should honor any paid reservations, and airline tickets are valid even if the middleman folds.

You don't want to go: Make those phone calls anyway. You never know who'll take pity on you and refund some or all of your money.

Watch out for these red flags
There's no direct phone number
Only the answering machine picks up
Urgent requests for payment
Few trip specifics
A corporate shake-up
Better Business Bureau complaints

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Maui Shuts Down B&Bs and Rentals

California teacher Rebecca Vallejo had planned a two-week stay at the Haiku Plantation Inn on Maui. When the inn said it couldn't honor her reservation, she couldn't find lodging for under $350 per night. She had to cancel the trip. Haiku Plantation had no choice: Maui officials decreed in July that B&Bs and vacation rentals without permits must cease operations or face fines starting at $1,000. A study funded by the Realtors Association of Maui put the number of properties without permits at 816. The number of properties with permits is 21. There had been a long-standing tacit agreement between the county and property owners that the rules wouldn't be enforced except when complaints were lodged against a property. County officials have drafted a bill that would streamline the permitting process for B&Bs (and also prohibit vacation rentals in certain areas). It's unlikely that any legislation will go through before early 2008. A list of properties with permits would be helpful, but county agencies can't agree on who should distribute it. Why the sudden enforcement of a dormant law? Hotels certainly have much to gain from the crackdown. Locals, meanwhile, blame the lack of affordable housing on the number of properties that are being used to house vacationers instead of islanders, and they say that parking and crowding problems are worse because of the high concentration of B&Bs. Other islands may follow suit. On Oahu, residents of the Kailua area are agitating for similar enforcement. And on Kauai, a bill restricting the number and type of vacation rentals island-wide was introduced at the County Council late last year.

What Not to Pack

The big goal these days is to pack so little that you can carry on your bag. That means doing more with fewer clothes--in other words, it's a question of style. Who better to help than Clinton Kelly, cohost of TLC's What Not to Wear? We asked him to teach our editorial production manager, Lauren Feuer, how to pack for a long weekend in the Berkshires. "I'm the master of the three-day weekend," says Clinton. "I haven't checked a bag in four years!" (With all the traveling he does, he says, the time involved with checking bags was adding up to at least one day a year.) Enough about Clinton: Let's get to packing. "Well, the good news is, I don't see anything that I immediately want to throw out," he says, looking into Lauren's closet. Turn the page for a full rundown of Clinton's tips. Packing With Clinton The big rule "Nothing gets packed unless it goes with at least two other pieces. In fact, be careful whenever you buy something that only goes with one thing. You get stuck." Commit to neutrals on half the body "Let's do neutral bottoms. We're going to bring one pair of jeans, one skirt, and one pair of trousers." Clinton bails on the skirt when the one he likes doesn't go with anything else, opting for cropped black pants instead. "Gray is the easiest neutral to make work for day and evening. Brown is OK, but it can end up being too casual, especially for men." Darker jeans are better He chooses darker jeans because they can be dressed up for dinner. "Straight-leg jeans are preferable to wide-leg ones, for the same reason." The other half gets patterns "A shirt with a pattern goes well with a neutral bottom. I'm no big fan of jeans and a solid--even though I'm wearing it now." You can mix prints if they're in the same color family and you vary the patterns' sizes. Keep secondary colors consistent He throws in an extra knit (a pink top), because it'll go with the jeans and the trousers. "The fewer colors you have, the more likely it is that different pairings will work." Accessorize strategically "The right shoes and jewelry can take an outfit up or down." It's fine to mix gold and silver, but when you're traveling, it's easier to stick to one. "Dramatic earrings like these will make this outfit dressier." On the actual packing "Wear bulkier items on the plane, so you have more space inside the bag." He puts the jewelry in Ziploc bags to protect it, then stuffs the bags inside the shoes. Next he packs the shoes, in shoe bags, in the bottom of the suitcase. An excuse to go shopping "A cotton or poly jersey dress, like a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress, is great for traveling. You just roll it up in a ball." Finally, Clinton says V-necks are better than crewnecks. "They elongate the neckline, which makes you look taller. And that makes you look thinner. I've never met a woman who didn't want to look thinner!" Check Out Clinton! What Not to Wear airs Fridays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on TLC. For info on Clinton's home-renovation special, visit tlc.com.

50 Totally Charming Hotels for Under $150

ARGENTINA El Cortijo Rooms are decorated with regional artwork and named after elements of the hotel's northwestern location, like La Vid, "the grapevine." Homemade bread and marmalades are served for breakfast; small cups of mistela, a local liquor, at bedtime ensure a good night's sleep. Information: 011-54/3868-491034, elcortijohotel.com, from $76, with breakfast and tax. Art Hotel: $65 It may date to 1927, but Buenos Aires' Art Hotel is far from old-fashioned: There's a Jacuzzi in the roof garden and contemporary art in the gallery on the ground floor. The 35 rooms have hardwood floors, arched doorways, and canopy beds. Information: 011-54/11-4821-4744, arthotel.com.ar, from $65, with breakfast and tax. BARBADOS Sea-U Guest House After visiting Barbados for a writing assignment, German native Uschi Wetzels bought land in Bathsheba and built a seven-room hotel. Four are in a colonial-style house facing the sea; the others are in a whitewashed cottage decorated with rattan furniture. Information: 246/433-9450, seaubarbados.com, from $96, with breakfast. BRAZIL Pousada do Caju Hammocks on the seven-room inn's wraparound porch overlook palm trees. The ocean, 500 feet away, is visible from elevated bamboo platforms by the pool, where guests can enjoy a 45-minute massage for $30. Information: 011-55/82-3295-1103, pousadacaju.com, $92, with breakfast. Vila Kalango Having founded a successful kite-boarding store in São Paulo, Fabio De Maria needed a place to stay when kiteboarding. The first of his two pousadas on Brazil's northern coast is a collection of wooden bungalows and clay-brick apartments in the beach town of Jericoacoara. Information: 011-55/88-3669-2289, vilakalango.com.br, from $120, with breakfast. CANADA Les Bons Matins Harold Côté created a B&B from four adjacent town houses on a quiet street in downtown Montreal. The rooms have wooden floors and exposed-brick walls; flea market furniture and large funky paintings (made by Harold's brother, Benoît) add flair. Information: 800/588-5280, bonsmatins.com, from $122, with breakfast. The Woodshire Inn Inside this yellow clapboard Nova Scotian inn, pale walls and wood floors emphasize the building's high ceilings and large windows--and complement the handmade cedar canopy beds in each of the two rooms (six more will open in 2008). Information: 902/472-3300, thewoodshire.com, from $84, with breakfast. COSTA RICA Shawandha Lodge The bathroom walls in all 13 wood bungalows are covered in tile mosaics of Mayan warriors and jungle motifs. There's a hammock on every porch, and an open-air restaurant where howler monkeys provide the sound track at breakfast. Information: 011-506/750-0018, shawandhalodge.com, from $85, with breakfast. FRANCE Hôtel Chopin Hidden in a historic shopping arcade (a 19th-century glass-roofed alley lined with stores), Hôtel Chopin is a respite from the bustle of Paris. Rooms are painted in bright colors with matching floral curtains and bedspreads. The top floors have rooftop views of the 9th arrondissement. Information: 011-33/1-47-70-58-10, hotel-chopin.com, from $120, with tax. Villa Vauréal: $116 Each of the two rooms and three suites at this Biarritz inn is named and decorated after a type of fruit (cherry, plum, peach, mango, raspberry) and comes with its own kitchenette. Owner Christine Rannou Ader makes the apricot and peach-apple jams served at breakfast, which you may enjoy in your room or by the lime trees on the terrace. Information: 011-33/6-10-11-64-21, villavaureal.com, from $116. Hôtel Eldorado Hôtel Eldorado, in Paris's 17th arrondissement, radiates disheveled charm both inside and out; manager Anne Gratacos continually decorates the hotel with her flea market finds. Breakfast is served on the verdant backyard terrace or in the cozy ground-floor bistro. Information: 011-33/1-45-22-35-21, eldoradohotel.fr, $99, with tax. GREECE Anemomilos Apartments The Anemomilos is high on the cliffs of Folegandros Island; most of the 16 studio balconies face the Aegean Sea. Inside, muted-blue bedspreads and striped couches are softer versions of the intense hues outdoors. Information: 011-30/22860-41309, anemomilosapartments.com, $116, with tax. Karagiannopoulou Traditional Mansion When the Karagiannopoulou family turned an 18th-century home on the Pelion peninsula into a hotel, it kept the hand-painted ceilings in the six rooms and the stained-glass windows in the living room. Information: 011-30/24230-867-17, karagiannopoulou.com, from $109, with breakfast and tax. GUADELOUPE Auberge Les Petits Saints This nine-room creole-style cottage is on a hill on Terre-de-Haut island, off the southern coast of Guadeloupe. Bright colors abound: Walls are painted shades of pink, lavender, and green. Both the restaurant and the pool have stunning bay views. Information: 011-590/590-995-099, petitssaints.com, from $123, with breakfast. INDONESIA Desa Seni Desa Seni, or "art village," opened in 2006 after the owners dismantled 23 traditional houses from different Indonesian islands and reassembled them in Bali. Ten guesthouses now have air-conditioning and antique teak furniture. Fruit baskets are delivered daily; there are free yoga classes and a saltwater pool; and two beaches are a 10-minute walk away. Information: 011-62/361-844-6392, desaseni.com, from $150, with breakfast and transfers. ITALY Baglio Santacroce On a hillside near Erice, Sicily, with sweeping views of Mount Cofano and the Gulf of Cornino, the hotel has 62 rooms that are split between a renovated 17th-century farmhouse and a newer building with similar stonework. Rooms have Ericini rugs and wrought-iron bed frames. Information: 011-39/092-389-1111, bagliosantacroce.it, from $147, with breakfast and tax. The Beehive Opened in 1999 by Los Angeles transplants Steve Brenner and Linda Martinez, Rome's Beehive hotel has spacious rooms with beaded lamps and surfing-inspired prints on the walls. The hotel is nonsmoking, and the restaurant is vegetarian and organic. Information: 011-39/064-470-4553, the-beehive.com, from $82, with tax. Hotel Orientale Once the royal residence of Prince Alessandro Filangieri II, this 17th-century palace in Palermo, Sicily, has original hand-painted frescoes, a courtyard, a grand marble staircase, and 24 rooms, some with balconies. Information: 011-39/091-616-5727, albergoorientale.191.it, from $89, with breakfast and tax. MEXICO Azúcar: $120 Named after the sugar mills in Veracruz, Azúcar is a collection of 20 white bungalows--each with air-conditioning and TV in addition to a private terrace with a hammock--connected by a stone path. Chill out in a beach palapa, on pink cushions by the pool, or in the open-air library, lined with shelves of architecture, art, and design books. Information: 800/728-9098, mexicoboutiquehotels.com/azucar, from $120. Bahía de la Luna Bahía de la Luna's 11 thatched-roof cabanas edge a white-sand beach in Oaxaca State. Local carpenters built tree trunks into furniture; comals, or ceramic tortilla plates, are framed in bamboo and hung on walls. Information: 011-52/958-589-5020, bahiadelaluna.com, from $60, with breakfast and tax. Hotel Posada Carmina This 18th-century colonial home in San Miguel de Allende is now a 24-room hotel with wooden-beamed ceilings and a restaurant in the former stables. Some rooms face orange trees in the courtyard. Information: 011-52/415-152-88-88, posadacarmina.com, from $100, with breakfast and tax. La Zebra Beach Cantina y Cabañas Six miles from the Mayan ruins of Tulúm, La Zebra's nine thatched cabanas have beds draped in mosquito netting, handmade furniture, and Wi-Fi. The beachfront cantina serves pit-roasted pork and grilled snapper, and the bar stocks 50 types of tequila. Information: 011-52/998-112-3260, lazebra.com.mx, from $100, with breakfast and a bottle of tequila. MOROCCO Dar Sara Staff at this Marrakech riad, or traditional Moroccan house, greet guests with cups of freshly brewed mint tea. Orange trees fill the courtyard by the hammam; everything, even the glass-and-metal lanterns on the roof terrace, is handcrafted. All 12 rooms have private baths; a pool will open by year's end. Information: 011-212/24-42-64-63, marrakech-riads.net, from $86, with breakfast and tax. Irocha Ahmed Agouni and his French partner, Catherine Rophé, built their guesthouse--in the Atlas Mountains between Marrakech and Ouarzazate--with timber beams and earthen walls to blend in with nearby Berber villages. It's filled with rugs and lanterns found in souks. There's also a pool and a hammam. Information: 011-212/67-73-70-02, irocha.com, from $93, with breakfast, dinner, and tax. THE NETHERLANDS Hotel Bazar The Iranian owner, Akbar Tamiz, transformed a 27-room hotel in Rotterdam into a colorful homage to world cultures--and a restaurant serving North African cuisine. Each room is unique: Tamiz searched Dubai markets for Persian carpets and commissioned local artists to paint African motifs on the walls. Information: 011-31/10-206-5151, bazarrotterdam.nl, from $102, with breakfast and tax. Hotel Orlando Paul Lodder and his partner, Paul Westerman, transformed a 17th-century canal house in central Amsterdam into a five-room hotel filled with contemporary art and their personal antiques collection. Guests in 111, on the ground floor, look out on an 18th-century well with gleaming cherry-red tiles. Information: 011-31/20-638-6915, hotelorlando.nl, from $136, with breakfast and tax. NEW ZEALAND Amitee's on Ponsonby Father and son accountants Ian and Mark Stewart were just looking for new office space when they stumbled across a lovely seven-room inn for sale in Auckland's Ponsonby neighborhood--with a separate apartment, which now doubles as their office and a business center for guests. Information: 011-64/9-378-6325, amitees.com, from $128, with breakfast and tax. PERU Hostal Casa de Campo Alfredo Lozada Alfaro built chalet-like cottages, connected by terraces, stone steps, and gardens, on the slopes of San Blas with spectacular views over the rest of Cuzco. Some rooms come with a fireplace (one also has a kitchenette), but all are made with local materials, such as adobe, stone, and aguano masha wood. Information: 011-51/84-244404, hotelcasadecampo.com, $55, with breakfast and tax. PORTUGAL Casa da Moura Like the name, the decor is inspired by the Moors, who once occupied the Algarve. In fact, all the sconces, tiles, fabrics, and carved wooden furniture in the two studios and six apartments were imported from Morocco. The building, constructed in 1892 for a wealthy Lagos family, has a pool and a rooftop terrace that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Information: 011-351/282-770-730, casadamoura.com, from $82, with breakfast and tax. Monte do Papa-Léguas The eight-room inn, in a restored farmhouse and barn in southern Portugal, is comfortably rustic. BMX bikes and trail maps are included in the room rate--the better to explore the surrounding Costa Vicentina nature reserve. Information: 011-351/283-961-470, montedopapaleguas.com, from $102, with breakfast and tax. Naturarte Brothers Ruís and Luis Graça filled 13 rooms and apartments--which are spread out over cottages, two restored farmhouses, and a barn in two neighboring locations on the coast between Lisbon and the Algarve--with their grandparents' antiques and art created by relatives. Information: 011-351/913-619-939, naturarte.pt, from $123, with breakfast and tax. SAINT EUSTATIUS The Old Gin House Built from ballast bricks, The Old Gin House, in the Caribbean Netherlands Antilles, was once an 18th-century cotton factory. It's now an 18-room hotel with two restaurants; guests sleep in sleigh beds and sun themselves by the freshwater pool. Information: 011-599/318-2319, theoldginhouse.com, from $135, with breakfast. SOUTH AFRICA The Barrydale Philip Uys bought a 19th-century hotel near the Langeberg Mountains and furnished it with a jumble of modern pieces (including wooden cubes and rice-paper chandeliers) and kitschy touches (giant portraits of drag queens). Half of the 14 rooms have shared bathrooms, while the other "luxury" rooms come with private baths, breakfast, and a bottle of South African wine. Information: 011-27/28-572-1226, thebarrydale.co.za, budget $50, luxury $80, with tax. Southern Right Hotel During the 2003 renovation of this historic Western Cape hotel, the owners tore down the crumbling ballroom and built an ocean-view terrace in its place. The eight rooms benefit from high ceilings, large windows, original wood floors, and local artwork. Information: 011-27/21-782-0314, southernrighthotel.com, from $90, with breakfast and tax. SPAIN Callejón del Agua Trimmed with intricate wrought-iron grillwork, candelabras, sconces, and railings, Callejón del Agua's 16 spacious rooms are painted in bold red-striped designs; six have street-side balconies. For a look at La Giralda--Seville's iconic bell tower--climb the stairs to the hotel's roof deck. Information: 011-34/954-219-189, callejondelagua.es, from $82, with tax. Casa del Capitel Nazari Just a short walk from the Alhambra, Granada's Moorish fortress, the former Renaissance-era palace has 17 rooms (with wooden-beam ceilings, tile floors, and traditional Andalusian-style furniture) around a courtyard. Information: 011-34/958-21-52-60, hotelcasacapitel.com, from $116. The Town House The nine-room inn in the middle of Marbella combines the character of its 19th-century structure (marble floors, skylights, exposed-wooden-beam ceilings) with the light, airy aesthetic of its Swedish owner. There's also a rooftop terrace with views of La Concha mountain. Information: 011-34/952-90-17-91, townhouse.nu, from $150, with breakfast and tax. TANZANIA Zanzibar Coffeehouse Once the private home of a sultan's counselor, this seven-room hotel reflects Arab and Swahili styles with antique furniture and hardwood beds. Coffee beans from the hotel's farm in Tanzania are roasted and ground on-site. Information: 011-255/24-2239-319, riftvalley-zanzibar.com, from $75, with breakfast and tax. THAILAND Old Bangkok Inn The three shops that now make up the Old Bangkok Inn have been in the Tulyanond family for seven generations. In 2004, the shops were converted into a 10-room B&B decorated along floral themes: lotus, rose, orchid, lemongrass, jasmine, and rice. Information: 011-66/2629-1787, oldbangkokinn.com, from $99, with tax. Shanghai Inn: $87 Opened last year in Bangkok's Chinatown, the 55-room Shanghai Inn reflects the neighborhood's glamorous past. The decor--purple walls, pink orchids, and orange draperies--is bold; birdcages hang in bathrooms to make guests feel as if they're showering en plein air. Breakfast, with Chinese tea, is served in a ruby-red teahouse. Information: 011-66/2221-2121, shanghai-inn.com, from $87, with breakfast and tax. TURKEY Hotel Empress Zoe Empress Zoe is cobbled together from artifacts of previous ages; the barrel-vaulted passages off the lobby date to the Ottoman era, and the central garden's walls are ruins of a hammam built in 1483. The 24 rooms and suites are dressed in Turkish textiles and folk art; two roof terraces face the Sea of Marmara. Information: 011-90/212-518-25-04, emzoe.com, from $116, with breakfast and tax. Hotel Nomade: $116 Rooms at Istanbul's Hotel Nomade--decorated with hanging carpets made from antique rugs resewn into modern, abstract designs--feel spacious even if they aren't. The rooftop terrace, four flights up, boasts direct views of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia--accompanied, in the morning, by an impressive Turkish breakfast. Information: 011-90/212-513-81-72, hotelnomade.com, from $116, with breakfast and tax. UNITED KINGDOM The Bull Hotel A roadside tavern since 1385, The Bull Hotel in Wrotham, Kent, plays up its country heritage with brick fireplaces, exposed oak beams, and hardwood floors--though its 11 rooms have been recently refurbished. The restaurant serves fish-and-chips and local brews, as a proper British pub should. Information: 011-44/1732-789-800, thebullhotel.com, from $141, with breakfast and tax. The Cawdor Arms As a 200-year-old Welsh coaching inn, the Cawdor still has its original flagstones, though its 25 rooms--with Egyptian cotton sheets, TVs, DVD players, and Internet access--don't resemble any of the nearby castles they're named after. Information: 011-44/1558-823-500, thecawdor.com, from $131, with breakfast and tax. UNITED STATES Casa Malibu A converted motel directly on the beach, Casa Malibu has more than its location going for it: The 19 rooms, some with whitewashed furniture, fireplaces, and exposed-wood ceilings, feel like cottages. (There are also two suites.) Guests can lounge on the private beach and take in the ocean from the shaded brick courtyard. Information: 800/831-0858, from $129, with breakfast and parking. Figueroa Hotel The furnishings of this downtown L.A. hotel are mostly Moroccan, though they also include Iraqi wall hangings, Indian curtains, Kurdish grain-sack pillows (used as chairs), and anything else that catches the eye of owner Uno Thimansson. The poolside terrace is one of L.A.'s best hotel bars. Information: 213/627-8971, figueroahotel.com, from $134. Juniper Lane Guest House Run by ebullient Juniper Maas, the five-room cedar-shingled guesthouse--and a cabin sleeping four more--is on Washington's San Juan Island. Rooms are decorated with art from Maas's travels; regional pieces hang in the common spaces. A shared kitchen is stocked with free fair-trade coffee and organic fruit in season. Information: 888/397-2597, juniperlaneguesthouse.com, from $65. The Tallman Hotel In addition to restoring this 1896 hotel in Upper Lake, Calif., owners Lynne and Bernie Butcher built four additional two-story garden cottages next door. All the garden rooms have a veranda or balcony; those on the ground floor also have an outdoor shower and teak soaking tub. Information: 707/275-2244, tallmanhotel.com, from $119, with breakfast. VIETNAM Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon Before the resort opened in 2003, all that stood on this coastline was a fisherman or two. Now, besides solitude and fresh seafood, there are lounge chairs, yoga lessons, and a poolside bar. The 63 rooms have balconies and bathrooms with sea views. Information: 011-84/56-840-132, life-resorts.com, from $98, with breakfast. Mui Ne Sailing Club Surrounded by tropical gardens on the beach, the hotel's 29 rooms are colonial chic, with bamboo beds, red stone floors, and silk cushions. All come with air-conditioning and TVs; some have open-air bathrooms for a late night soak while stargazing. Information: 011-84/62-847-442, sailingclubvietnam.com, from $66, with breakfast and tax.