iowamom

We are going to St. Martin in early April and I have a couple of car rental questions - the guidebook I have says that there is a law (thanks to the local taxi union) forbidding anyone from picking up a car at the airport ... so all the car rental places deliver to your hotel.

Anyone have experience with this - any car rental agencies to stay away from - or any that you recommend? How do we arrange the delivery - will an on-line booking form ask where we are staying?

Thanks.

absolutkz

I used United Car rental, which I would use again.. They offered to pick me up at the airport, but I had them bring the car to my hotel. My hotel booking included a cab to the hotel, which I'm glad I did. I knew I wouldn't use the car the first day, and it gave me a sense of where things are, and how they drive there. For the return, I met them at the ferry dock.

Statia

Not so on the law. The car rental agencies are located right there at the airport when you depart the arrivals hall, and they have shuttle buses to their lots nearby.

I've used pretty much all the agencies over there and have stuck with Best Deal for years now. Have never had a complaint.

http://bestdealcarrental.com/

Barbara1

It is the law actually, Statia. They can have offices at the airport, but they are not supposed to actually give you the car at the airport.
Some rental companies do though, and I think it is not so rigidly enforced any more.
I think Kenny's Car Rental gives you the car right at the airport.
http://www.kennyscarrental.com/

absolutkz
do you mean Unity instead of United?
http://www.unitycars.com/

GoAway

What hotel are you staying at?

When we stayed at L'Esplanade in December, we arranged a car rental through the hotel. The rental agent met us outside the terminal building (holding a sign for us), then drove us to our hotel. We would probably have filled in all of the paperwork at the hotel except we had to wait for the drawbridge at Sandy Ground, so we filled it all in there. When we 'dropped off' the car, the rental agent met us at the hotel, and drove us to the airport.

It looked to me that the rental guys met their customers at the airport, then drove them to the office to fill out paperwork.

I think that if we hadn't spotted our driver quickly, any one of the other rental agents who were hanging around would have just as quickly invited us to rent from them.

iowamom

We're staying at L'Esplanade and they gave us info on Sanaco and Justice car rental who had competitive rates with Avis, Budget, etc. For some reason, I'm not totally comfortable with a local rental place. GoAway - is that who you rented through?

Thanks everyone for the info.

Statia

Learn something new everyday, Barbara. Up until the new airport was recently built, we were always picked up in our rentals at the airport and just dropped the agent back at the lot. Like you said...I guess it's not really enforced.

tyedye33

It is possible that prior to the NEW airport you could not get a rental car at the airport. That is not true now. I have been to St Maarten 3 times used and recommend http://www.valuecarrental.com/
all 3 times. Very reasonble, near the airport (with pick up and drop off) no problems.

absolutkz

barbara1 - oops, you're right. It was Unity. There were signs in my hotel for United. I got the name of Unity off of other people's recommendations here.

Otis_B_Driftwood

If you are staying in Grand Case, there is Automax just down the road in Orient Bay. They will deliver the car to the airport or your hotel and they have competitive rates which include insurance. They also bill you in dollars not euros so you don't get hit with transaction fees from your credit card company.

I rented from them in November and was very pleased.

http://www.rentautomax.com/