Bad News for B&B Lovers in Hawaiiby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 05 Jan 2008 12:25 AM If you are one of the millions of travelers to the Hawaiian Island of Maui who forgo crowded overpriced oceanside resorts in exchange for a much quieter experience at an upcountry Bed and Breakfast then I have bad news for you--your lodging options are about to dwindle considerably. The county is cracking down on privately owned B&Bs island-wide. Effective January 1, an estimated 1,000 unlicensed B&Bs, condominiums and short-term vacation rentals, most along Maui's scenic Hana Highway or on the slopes of the island's legendary Haleakala volcano, were forced to shut down or face potential fines of up to $1,000 a day. That's terrible news for travelers who fly to Maui to escape the chaos of their everyday lives and want to avoid sitting on a beach with a thousand other people. The crackdown came as a result of a dramatic increase in the number of noise and traffic complaints lodged by residents who were forced to endure a steady stream of tourists invading their peaceful neighborhoods. County officials also maintained the B&Bs had a negative impact on the limited supply of affordable housing. As such they decided to enforce a 16-year-old, long-ignored ban on unlicensed rentals outside Maui's major resort areas of Kaanapali, Kapalua, Makena and Wailea. Which meant that as of January 1, 2008 about 70 B&Bs that had not obtained permits were told to stop renting immediately. As a result, the island is now home to only 22 licensed rentals. That of course means if you are traveling to Maui and are looking for alternative vacation lodgings you will have a tough time doing so. Hawaii tourism officials say about 26% of Hawaii's 5.5 million out-of-state U.S. visitors frequented a B&B, rental house or condo last year. And with good reason--B&Bs on Maui typically charge between $100-$150 a day. Compare that with local hotels, which command an average daily rate of about $250. Where do you stay when you go to Maui, a ritzy resort or a quaint B&B? Related Articles: Hot Hotel Deals in Hawaii for 2008 Cruising the Pacific on a Ribcraft Traveling To Hawaii---With Your Pet Hawaii--Visiting the Big Island's Best Waterfalls Hawaiian 101: "Was that Mauka or Makai?" Adventure Travel--Swimming With Sharks Adventure Travel--A Trip to the "Valley of the Kings" Visiting the World's Largest Outdoor Shopping Center Destination: Hawaii--A Great Family Beach Visiting Hawaii's "White Mountain" Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevanttravel tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags B&B, Bed and Breakfast, hawaii, hotels, Maui Discuss this article
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