Home to multiple film and entertainment companies, Santa Monica attracts as many entrepreneurs and producers as it does tourists who come more for its beaches and uber-cool bar and cafe scene.
Santa Monica (Photo: Denisse Leon via Unspalsh)
Choosing the right car rental company can be a difficult choice and Santa Monica is no exception with most of the top car rental agencies operating in the neighbourhood. Many travellers will opt for what appears to be the cheapest base rate, but depending on your requirements, you may get stung with expensive extras such as damage waivers, car seats etc.
For this reason, travelmag.com has carefully compared the two main car rental companies operating in the area based on overall value for money, conditions of cars, wait times and customer feedback.
Sixt – Santa Monica Short Hotel
Sixt has a number of offices in L.A including one situated in the beach-facing Shore Hotel. It is a brand that is synonymous with a premium service and a fantastic selection of cars. As is the case in most branches, Sixt’s office in Santa Monica offers recently patented Audis and Mercedes-Benz and in the luxury category, vehicles from the BMW 3 7 & 8 series. Depending on the time of year, expect to pay anything between $120-400 per day before tax and add-ons. As with Hertz, Sixt offers the possibility of one way rentals allowing drivers to head out into the country with out having to worry about the return leg. Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturdays 9am to 12pm
Hertz – 1426 Santa Monica Blvd.
A little over a mile inland from Sixt’s office at the Shore Hotel, the Hertz branch is located in the centre of Santa Monica. Hertz is even bigger than Sixt, operating in over 160 countries across ever continent in the world. At their Santa Monica branch, Hertz’s high-end portfolio includes Infiniti SUVs from Audi as well as large luxury sedans like the Chrysler 300. For cheaper cars, they use the Chevrolet Bolt and Ford Focus which on our chosen dates were available for under $60 per day. Pricing with Hertz can get even cheaper with their Hertz Gold Plus Rewards which also allows for interesting rewards each time you rent a car. Open Monday to Friday 8am-5pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 3pm