In July, Zola saw an advertisement for a Celtic Twilight Holiday from Gougemaster Tours Ltd. Zola went to her local travel agent and picked up a brochure that contained six glossy, colourful pages of print with several photos of hotels, villages, and beaches with sunbathers.
Zola booked her 14-day holiday over the Christmas period for $1899. She paid the full amount and received tickets that detailed her flight schedules, seven-day coach tour, and seven nights in the Water Spirit Hotel in Dublin. The travel agent did not discuss with Zola the terms of the contract, other than noting that half the price was nonrefundable if Zola changed her mind.
Zola was dissatisfied with her holiday from the beginning. The seven-day coach tour was unguided and appeared to Zola to consist of endless wandering through boring villages and countryside. The bus was hot, dirty and slow. Because there was no guide, Zola could find no one to whom she could complain. In Dublin, Zola was escorted to the El Sleezo Hotel because the Water Spirit Hotel was full. The El Sleezo had a small, unremarkable restaurant and lounge. There was no swimming pool and Zola's room contained only a bed, bureau, and chair. She shared a bathroom with three other guests. She was three miles from the city centre. Zola would have flown home in the second week but she could not afford it.