Car rental - do you need it, or not?
The most obvious reasons to rent a car is often completely forgotten: Most people plan their holidays from start to finish. The first day you go to the amusement park, the second day lazing on the beach, the third day you go on safari and the fourth day you go back home. Having a plan is great, but it is usually not carried out as expected. Perhaps the amusement park and the safari are not activities for a full day. What do you do with your newly acquired free time?
With your own car you can do what you want. You do not have to make a choice from the list of bus destinations or decide whether an activity is worth the cost of a taxi. You can just find something to do and go there.
Because I want you to get the most out of your holiday, here are some tips and considerations:
Do you let the car stand? With a rental car you can see more, we are convinced. But you do not always need the car. For example, do you first go to the city for a few days and only then explore the countryside? In this case, it is wasted money to pick up the rental car at the start of the holiday. You are better off starting your car hire a few days later, when you really need it. You can often collect your rental car at a city office instead of at the airport although for most of those busy cities, taking a train to the airport and then leaving from there by car is preferable to navigating the chaotic inner-city traffic.
Booking on time. Landlords have a limited number of cars and when the end of the stock comes into view, the price goes up. Also, you have less choice if the stock is shrinking. Do you have a preference for a certain type of car or do you want to purchase special services or extras? Make sure you book on time, because if you wait too long, you run the risk of not getting what you want. It can also happen that you prefer a smaller model, but that there are only expensive SUV’s available. What a waste of your holiday money! And sometimes the cars are completely hired out. So, if you wanted to get the most out of your holiday with best rental car of your choice, booking on time is highly recommended!
24 hour rule. This rule can save you so much money or cost you a whole extra day’s rental! Car rental is calculated in 24 hour blocks. If you collect your car at 08:00, then you need to drop off your car any time before 08:00 the next day. That will cost you a full rental day. Coordinate your collection and return times. Do you land at 2 pm and stay for a week? Then pick up the car around 2.30 pm and return it on day 8, no later than 2:30 pm. You will then pay 7 full rental days. If you only hand it in at 4 pm, you pay an extra day for that hour and a half. Again, what a waste of your holiday money!
Do you also want a rental car during your holiday and be sure that everything is well organised and you are not faced with surprises? Through me, your Travel Counsellor you book a car with the all-inclusive rental formula. Contact me for assistance – I’m happy to help.