Rental Car Hire Alicante Spain

For rental car hire in Alicante Spain there is no shortage of choice.

Getting around Alicante is easy with a rental car, and the main roads are very good. Alicante is on the Costa Brava, and is situated south of Valencia.

The airport is busy with connections to all over Europe and Spain, serving as a gateway to Alicante itself and to the nearby resort town of Benidorm and other small Costa Brava holiday spots.

One of Spain´s oldest cities, its history dates over 2,000 years to the Roman days, its original name 'Lucentum' meaning 'The City of Light'.

All the major international car hire companies are represented in Alicante including Alamo, Hertz, Thrifty, Budget, Europcar, easycar.com. There are many smaller companies as well.

During peak season demand increases, prices can increase, and it usually pays to book in advance because rental car hire Alicante Spain can become difficult during these times, and availability reduces.

So if you come to Alicante to learn Spanish, or for a holiday, or for business, be sure to rent a car and drive about and see some of the sights.

What a great place to learn Spanish, enjoy Spanish food on your holiday in Spain...

There are many things to be wary of when getting involved in a rental car hire Alicante Spain. Once you've hired your car, check out the hotels in Alicante.

Alicante Car Rental Spain - watch for traps...

Rental car hire in Alicante Spain can present many problems, and it is common to find yourself paying a good deal more than you originally anticipated.

Read up here on some of the traps of which to be wary when getting into a rental car hire Alicante Spain.

Alicante Car Hire and what you can see in Alicante while renting a car

There are many sights if you are a holiday-maker or tourist with time to visit while enjoying your rental car hire Alicante Spain.

An imposing medieval fortress, the Castillo de Santa Barbara, overlooks the city of Alicante from the north. You can access it by cable car.

The city's oldest church St Mary's was built in the 14th Century over the ruins of a Moorish mosque. There is also the St Ferdinand Castle, the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Bari, and the Alicante Bullring. This is one of the oldest in Spain.

Nearby the town you can take a drive in your rental car to nearby beaches, the best being a short ten minutes drive away at San Juan.

Also a close drive for you in your Alicante hire car is the Moraira area with its sheltered beach, and bars and cafés, as well as the El Portet beach.

Perfect for day trips are the coastal towns of Calpe, Altea, and Javea. Calpe has an abundance of seafood restaurants, while in Altea the local market parallels the seafront.

Should you drive your rental car inland from the coast, you should make a point of visiting the Jalon Valley, with its wonderful groves of lemon trees, oranges and almonds.

In this area you can see the stunningly picturesque Cascada de El Algar waterfalls. Be sure to visit some of the local wineries and cellars, also and sample some of the local wines.

Also in this region is Guadalest, an old walled village high up in the mountains, where the views and scenery is breathtaking. From the mountains one can descend into Altea and Benidorm.

Aqualandia Benidorm is a great day out for those who like water parks, and an easy drive in your hire car.

Rental Car Hire Spain - Alicante, Costa Brava - things to watch

Rental car hire Alicante Spain can be tricky just as is the case in much of the rest of Spain. Be aware of these fish-hooks to watch for when taking a hire car in Alicante.

Lots of companies add little extras for all sorts of things, so you can end up paying a great deal more than originally anticipated. Here are some things to be wary of.

Amendments and Cancellations - Amending and/or cancelling your Rental Car Hire agreement can incur extra costs.

Airport Transfers - Is there a depot at the airport at which you are arriving, or will there be an extra cost in these transfers. Does the company have a courtesy vehicle? If not, you need to factor in the cost of a taxi or bus to and from the rental car hire company's depot.

Extra Drivers - Is there a cost for an additional driver? If so what are the charges? Some companies allow another driver at no cost, others charge a supplement.

Rental Car hire Alicante Car Insurance - What are the Car Insurance provisions, does the insurance include rental car theft protection?

Also be sure to determine the excess cover - that is the amount you have to pay if you are involved in an accident.

You can get Fully Comprehensive Vehicle and Third Party Insurance cover without excess applied, including unlimited civil liability cover, damage to third parties, theft of the rental vehicle, court bail bond if this is applicable, and personal accident insurance for all of the occupants of the rental vehicle.

Insurance Excess - Vehicle Insurance Excess can commonly be from 200 euros to 600 euros.

In the event of an accident most rental car companies' insurance policies may not pay out unless there is a police report with the claim.

Payment for your Rental Car Hire Alicante Spain - It is common for the rental car hire company to take a credit card imprint from which they might deduct any 'excess' in the event of an accident. Excess will vary from company to company, and on what insurance policy you take out.

Mileage - find if there is a limit to the number of miles or kilometres that you can drive. Often there are limitations, for example, the first 50 km are free then there is a charge for every additional kilometre thereafter.

Taxes for Rental Car Hire Alicante, Spain - are there additional taxes to be added to the cost of the rental car hireage, or is it all inclusive. Some different regions and might add different imposts, so be clear on these before you hire.

Roadside Breakdown assistance - it is wise to check that your rental car hire company has free 24 hour breakdown cover and a 24 hour contact telephone number. Ensure that this is part of your hire car deal.

Booster Seats and Child Seats - these can cost extra. If you need child seats or booster seats ensure that when you are getting your rental car hire Alicante deal together be sure to enquire. Some companies still provide these free of charge, but more and more are charging a supplement of between 1 and 4 euros per rental day.

Child seats are generally suitable for children aged from 1 to 3 years. Booster seats for your rental car are generally suitable for children over 3 years of age.

Ensure that child seats and booster seats are manufactured to approved European standards.

Days and Hours of Opening - rental car hire Alicante Spain - some companies have limited hours. The larger companies involved in rental car hire Alicante Spain are more likely to have 24 hour coverage, and the ability for drop-off and pick-up at any time.

Fuel - be sure to enquire about the fuel policy. These vary between companies.

- Full Tank System: Some give you a car with a full tank of petrol, and require you to return with the tank full. If you return it "not-quite-full" they will fill it for you, and you are likely to be charged a hefty surcharge for the petrol and their time. It is wisest in these situations to ensure you fill up before you return the vehicle.

This system means that the rental car company needs to inspect the vehicle's fuel quantity before you settle the account, meaning this will take a little more time than the system where you are asked to bring back the vehicle without refilling it.

Be sure to use the correct fuel, particularly if you have hired a diesel car. Diesel cars do not run on petrol, and putting petrol in will cause costly repairs.

- Empty Tank System: Others give you a car with a full tank and ask you to return it empty. This is also a system that can catch you out, in that you will have paid for a full tank of fuel, but the more fuel in tank that you return to the rental car company, the more you are out of pocket...

...and if you drive your rental car too close to 'empty' for too long you could find yourself not driving at all.

The benefit of this system is that it allows you to come in to the depot at the 'last minute', without the need to find a service station before delivering the rental car vehicle back to your Alicante depot.

Lost Car Keys - this will usually incur extra charges to cover the cost of a replacement car key for your Alicante car hire. Charges for lost keys can be as high as 100 to 150 euros, so do be careful with your rental car keys.

Windscreen damage and car damage - this will depend on the deal you strike and also depend on what car insurance cover you decide to take. Windscreen damage is not always included in the insurance deal.

Damage to windscreens is often charged to the hirer, sometimes to the hirer's surprise. Check your rental car insurance policy.

Flat Tyres - Damage to tyres is generally the responsibility of the hirer. Most tyre damage is caused by the hirer taking the rental vehicle off the main tarsealed road.

Fines - Speeding tickets, parking fines and traffic fines - these are your responsibility and can be hefty. Be careful so as not to incur such charges.

Drivers Licence - check what driving licences your rental car company takes. Usually they will accept a full licence as recognised by the European Union.

Age of Drivers - Many companies will not rent a car to drivers under the age of 21, and many require the drivers to be at least 23. They will also often stipulate that the driver must have held a full drivers licence for at least a certain number of years, for example, 1 or 2 years.

Crossing Borders - if you decide to drive across the border into France or Portugal, be sure that your rental car hire agreement allows this, and that your insurance covers you for this. Extra insurance cover may be required.

Booking Cancellations and Amendments - modifying your booking can incur a charge. A few companies will not levy an additional cost, but most will, particularly if the cancellation is close to the booking date.

One Way Car Rental Car Hire Alicante - One way rentals are often available but there is usually an extra charge levied to cover the cost of recovering the vehicle from a different location to its usual base.

Paying for your Rental Car Hire Alicante - Be sure to find out what forms of payment your rental car company will accept. Most accept credit cards, but some will not accept cash! Check before you go!

Spanish Driving

Remember to drive on the right hand side of the road.

Get used to being 'beeped at' when you are at the traffic lights. As soon as the lights turn green in many parts of Spain, cars behind you often give their horn a honk to let you know the light has turned green. At first one can get the impression they are pressuring you, bon't take this as an insult, treat it as a friendly reminder from your fellow drivers, who are letting you know, just in case you have fallen asleep or are visually challenged.

Enjoy your rental Car Hire Alicante in Spain

Enjoy your trip to Alicante and be sure to learn Spanish tips and phrases before you go. For speedy acquisition of Spanish language vocabulary, (including words useful for car hire Alicante!) check out the 200 Words a Day accelerated learning system.
Rental Car Hire in other parts of Spain | Rental Car Hire - Malaga

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