Waiohai and Hertz Rental Question. Help!!!!

[sea&ski]

For all you Kauai experts, I have a question.

My Hertz rental went haywire and now I have one that is accessed from a "phone located in the lobby at the front desk", one that the front desk man claims does not exist, nor has he ever heard of any thing like that being offered from Waiohai.

Who has successfully picked up and/or had delivered a Hertz rental from the Waiohai location and how did it transpire?

As it is, we have to take a rental from the airport for one night, returning it to the airport, and then will have to call from the resort to get our next 6 days of vehicle from this "phone" service.

The Hertz confirmation number, while it exists, does not yield any information, not even my rate or dates of rental. The web guru who I phoned about the inability to access my reservation online said that because it was coming from the Marriott, that I wouldn't be able to see the info.

I am nothing but skeptical at this point. I hope someone can make me feel a bit better....

 

[sparty]

For all you Kauai experts, I have a question.

My Hertz rental went haywire and now I have one that is accessed from a "phone located in the lobby at the front desk", one that the front desk man claims does not exist, nor has he ever heard of any thing like that being offered from Waiohai.

Who has successfully picked up and/or had delivered a Hertz rental from the Waiohai location and how did it transpire?

As it is, we have to take a rental from the airport for one night, returning it to the airport, and then will have to call from the resort to get our next 6 days of vehicle from this "phone" service.

The Hertz confirmation number, while it exists, does not yield any information, not even my rate or dates of rental. The web guru who I phoned about the inability to access my reservation online said that because it was coming from the Marriott, that I wouldn't be able to see the info.

I am nothing but skeptical at this point. I hope someone can make me feel a bit better....

I was at Waiohai exactly 1 year ago, wk 51. Similar issue, what I did was catch the public bus right in front of Waioihai and they dropped me at the airport. Problem solved. The bus is more like one of those 20 seater shuttle buses. Was cheap $2, on-time, and took me directly from Waiohai to Lihue airport car rental area.

 

[dioxide45]

Where did you rent through? The Marriott.com website, Hertz.com or some other website?

 

[sea&ski]

I used Hertz.com through USAA. I made the reservation early-on in order to get a good rate. When I called to add my airline arrival time, I found that the offsite location (Marriott Courtyard) that was on my confirmation is only open until 5pm. We arrive at 6:23

I do not know why the Courtyard "pick up" was on my reservation. When I made the reservation, all we knew is that we were going to Kauai and the approximate times that we would arrive and depart. Marriott is on my profile as a frequent traveler number.

Trying to adjust this resulted in a $1000 increase in price. Somehow, getting it from Waiohai brings it back down.

 

[sea&ski]

I was at Waiohai exactly 1 year ago, wk 51. Similar issue, what I did was catch the public bus right in front of Waioihai and they dropped me at the airport. Problem solved. The bus is more like one of those 20 seater shuttle buses. Was cheap $2, on-time, and took me directly from Waiohai to Lihue airport car rental area.

Well thanks, that does help a bit, knowing that there is this option, but were you attached, reservation-wise, to the Waiohai?

 

[Bogey1]

Not sure if you are commited to Hertz but I have used this firm the last couple of trips to Hawaii.
http://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com/

They have vastly cheaper rates and you pay the car rental agency, not the middleman. I even was able to add my frequent renter program for the points.

 

[dioxide45]

When looking on Herts.com, it appears that the location is a pickup/dropoff location. Meaning when you call them, they will come get you take you back to the office where you complete the rental and then you are on the way. It provides a phone number for you to call. It doesn't seem that there is a phone at the Waiohai lobby. As long as you have your own phone or can use the front desks phone and the number, you should be fine.

I would be concerned about the system not showing your rate however on the confirmation.

 

[BocaBoy]

i always use the name your "own price" feature on Priceline when we go to Hawaii. I believe I have always been able to rent for under $200/week and I have done it at the airports in Lihue, Honolulu and Kahului. (I have never done this for Christmas or New Year's week, however.) The best prices seem to be for reservations made within the last two weeks prior to pick-up.

 

[sparty]

Yeah prices in Hawaii are crazy. For rentals I always use a corporate plan that is deeply discounted. Only a few places in the world that are contractually obligated but refuse to honor, Hawaii is one and then in Europe and Asia it's hit or miss.

When I rented from Hertz last year it wasn't affiliated with my stay at Waiohai or in general the Marriott.. The public bus was a great option to get to the airport rental car location. I mixed the rental period too between Hertz and Avis. Avis I walked from Waiohai to the Grand Hyatt where Avis had a staffed location.

If you are really into exploring the island, I definitely recommend a jeep too. Some remote beaches my family felt nervous getting to in our minivan rental because of washed out roads.

 

[applegirl]

We also used priceline's name your own price withing 2 weeks of arrival at Lihue and we cut our expense in half compared to the reservation my husband had made through regular Hertz reservations.

Janna

 

[sea&ski]

Answers and Cautionary tale

I would be concerned about the system not showing your rate however on the confirmation.

The cautionary part, coming.

So, I am here. When we picked up our one-day rental at the airport, we asked about our second rental that encompassed the rest of our stay. Lots of head-scratching later, and much computer keyboard pressing, we rec'd our whole week rental when we first landed. Basically there is no Marriott based Hertz rental on Kauai. I think that if you rent from Hertz and choose one of the Marriotts as a rental location you might get a cheaper rate because it is "offsite" and corporate, thus you get reduced, non airport rate. You still get it at the airport.

Cautionary: If I had not asked Hertz to send the email to me that detailed the info about the Waihoai rental, we would have been on the hook for lots of money. Hertz "here" does not agree with Hertz "there", but the airport location will still honor a reservation if one can prove that it exists.

Also, lots of rain, poor road conditions and mud, mud, mud currently. Jeeps are a good idea!!!

 

[winger]

Not sure if you are commited to Hertz but I have used this firm the last couple of trips to Hawaii.
http://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com/

They have vastly cheaper rates and you pay the car rental agency, not the middleman. I even was able to add my frequent renter program for the points.

So far, this place's price has beaten others' I have checked (e.g CostCo, etc.) for my two weeks next November ($563 all-in for 14 days versus the closes competition, which IS Costcoa at approx $720). However, I will keep vigilant throughout the year with the expectation of being able to lower this some more. From our previous two trips to HI (Maui and Oahu), I have gotten under $230 total all-in for 14 day rentals, so even this $563 could fall lower