Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Most companies will rent only to people 23 years and older, and many will not rent
to people aged 70 and older.
Rentals are available through
Avis
(
&
800/331-1212;
www.avis.com),
Budget
(
&
800/527-0700;
www.budget.com), and
Hertz
(
&
800/654-3001;
www.hertz.
com).
Kemwel Drive Europe
(
&
877/820-0668;
www.kemwel.com) is among the
cheapest and most reliable of the rental agencies.
AutoEurope
(
&
888/223-5555
in the U.S., or
0800/223-5555
in London; www.autoeurope.com) acts as a wholesale
company for rental agencies in Europe. For additional listings of the major car-rental
agencies in England or Wales, see ”Airlines, Hotels, & Car-Rental” (p. 765).
When booking your rental car, a few key questions could save you lots of money:
W
Are weekend rates lower than weekday? Ask if the rate is the same for pick-up
Friday morning, for instance, as it is for Thursday night.
W
Is a weekly rate cheaper than a daily one? If you need the car for 4 days, it may be
cheaper to rent it for 5, even if you don't need it for that long.
W
Is there a drop-off charge if you do not return the car to the pick-up location? Is it
cheaper to pick up the car at the airport compared to a downtown location?
W
Are promotional rates available? If you see an advertised price in your local newspa-
per, ask for that specific rate; otherwise you may be charged the standard cost. The
terms change constantly, and phone operators tend not to volunteer information.
W
Are discounts available for members of AARP, AAA, frequent-flier programs, or
trade unions? If you belong to any of these, you are probably entitled to a discount
of up to 30%.
W
What is the cost of adding an additional driver's name to the contract?
W
How many free miles are included in the price? Free mileage is often negotiable,
depending on the length of rental.
W
How much does the rental company charge to refill your tank if you return with it
less than full? Though most rental companies claim these prices are “competitive,”
fuel is almost always cheaper in town.
When you reserve a car, make sure you find out the total price, including the 20%
value-added tax (VAT).
20
TIPS ON HOTELS
Make reservations as far in advance as possible, even in the quieter months from
November to April. Travel to London peaks between May and October, and during
that period, it's hard to come by a moderate or inexpensive hotel room. In a trendy
spot such as Pembrokeshire in Wales it's nigh impossible to find an apartment or
cottage to rent at short notice in the
summer. And many of the smaller,
boutique hotels around England and
Wales can fill up year-round, espe-
cially at weekends. In older places
guest rooms can be smaller than you
might expect (if you base your expec-
tation on a modern Radisson, for
example), and each room is different,
sometimes quirkily so. But this is part
of the charm. Some rooms may only
have a shower, not a bathtub, so if you
Breakfast
Most hotels in Britain include breakfast
in their rates, unlike the majority of
hotels in the U.S. You might find that
breakfast isn't included in big hotels
that have a large business clientele, or
very upmarket hotels that have an
equally upmarket (and pricey) break-
fast. Even then, there is often a rate
offered that includes breakfast.
