Car Hire at Kona Intl Airport

I felt cheated

Pros: Easy and efficient drop off

Cons: I paid for insurance when booking through KAYAK and was then told there was no insurance on the car. This was an unpleasant surprise after a flight. Travelling with a baby (after a flight) I didn’t have the luxury of time to go through emails and booking details to find out where the confusion (or dishonesty) was. Turned out I bought separate insurance not linked to Avis and the car through KAYAK. So I ended up paying twice and the overall deal was a lot more expensive than it should have been. The Avis attendant also wouldn’t stop chatting unnecessarily so I couldn’t concentrate on the business of getting the car asap and my family to our accommodation. The car was OK but not clean enough but I guess acceptable for a rental.

Rates when booked does not match rates when picked up

Cons: Rates when booked does not match rates when picked up

Be sure to conduct walk around

Pros: The agent was pleasant and we were assigned the correct car. Cost was what we expected.

Cons: The agent expected us to do our own car walkaround and record the results on a form attached to the key. There were several marks on the car - we took photos of the car in the rental parking lot to be safe. Be sure you do a walkaround before leaving with the car.

Disaster!

Cons: April 2018: The absolute WORST rental car experience I have experienced. Worst of any retail/service experience, for that matter. Over 1 hour in line to get to the counter, only to be given my paperwork and then told to wait outside for another 45 minutes for the car! Management has created a culture of not caring about the customer, and it shows. Staff are surly, slow and uncaring. Exception: Phillip who took pity and went to get our car despite it not being his job. Do not subsidize this failed business and it’s incompetent management.

Worst customer service, disgusting car

Pros: Nothing, this was one of the least value for $ I’ve ever experienced. The car was dirty crashed and old and the customer service woman at the counter was unbelievably rude upon check in, don’t start your vacation off with this terrible branch in Hawaii

Cons: Nothing, this was one of the least value for $ I’ve ever experienced. The car was dirty crashed and old and the customer service woman at the counter was unbelievably rude upon check in, don’t start your vacation off with this terrible branch in Hawaii

Pros: Short line for Avis members.

Cons: No car ready when I arrived. Car had tape residue marks over all door and trunk seams. Car was so under-powered, it was scary driving it. There are many steeply graded roads on the Big Island. The car slowed to 20 MPH trying to ascend some of the hills.