Car Rental in Orvieto
Jun 21st, 2013, 09:52 AM
#21
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Luggage storage in Orvieto! What a good idea, we should mention that to the tourist board, for those coming by train for the day it would be really useful. I'm often in Orvieto for work…and here are my thoughts and experiences on car hire.
Avis - just across the road from the railway station. Bit more expensive than Hertz but a more civilized office. Air conditioning, clean and tidy, seats in front of the desk, polite, professional staff with a handshake at the beginning and end. The man is informed, he knows all about the insurance and the cars as well. If the staff are not in the office they will be chatting in a neighboring shop, having a quick coffee or something and will be over in a jiffy. They see you there and come.
Hertz - just across the road from the railway station. Much easier and cheaper to book on line, deal with any queries directly with their headquarters and just pick it up in Orvieto to avoid problems and misunderstandings with the Orvieto staff. You get there to find a crowd of people and weary travelers waiting out side the tiny office in the heat, with shouting matches going on inside!!!!!! All perfectly normal! Opening times are dodgy (get there early before pickup time, and there's a phone number on the door that you can call to contact them to find out when they're coming to open it). The women are rude, but you come away with the car in the end and then see the beautiful Orvieto. Sarasmith, I'm half Italian, speak fluent Italian and they were rude to me too. Chaos. (Make sure you've got mosquito repellant on while you wait in summer) . They should respect the opening times though, i agree, as sometimes we have ferries to catch and we plan the journey times accordingly).
Gulliver - The cheapest by far but hard to find the first time and not on line. A few (harmless) loose dogs around the premises. Get your insurance separately on line as theirs is really basic (and all in Italian). Nice, practical, down to earth people. Good for minibus or coach hire for tourist trips. You have to phone them too as they are not always there, and they'll come quickly. They also have a driver service.
I personally prefer Hertz for location, prices, type of car i require and the good website. The online staff are brilliant, and i just ignore the terrible italian customer service in the Orvieto Office.
Avis - just across the road from the railway station. Bit more expensive than Hertz but a more civilized office. Air conditioning, clean and tidy, seats in front of the desk, polite, professional staff with a handshake at the beginning and end. The man is informed, he knows all about the insurance and the cars as well. If the staff are not in the office they will be chatting in a neighboring shop, having a quick coffee or something and will be over in a jiffy. They see you there and come.
Hertz - just across the road from the railway station. Much easier and cheaper to book on line, deal with any queries directly with their headquarters and just pick it up in Orvieto to avoid problems and misunderstandings with the Orvieto staff. You get there to find a crowd of people and weary travelers waiting out side the tiny office in the heat, with shouting matches going on inside!!!!!! All perfectly normal! Opening times are dodgy (get there early before pickup time, and there's a phone number on the door that you can call to contact them to find out when they're coming to open it). The women are rude, but you come away with the car in the end and then see the beautiful Orvieto. Sarasmith, I'm half Italian, speak fluent Italian and they were rude to me too. Chaos. (Make sure you've got mosquito repellant on while you wait in summer) . They should respect the opening times though, i agree, as sometimes we have ferries to catch and we plan the journey times accordingly).
Gulliver - The cheapest by far but hard to find the first time and not on line. A few (harmless) loose dogs around the premises. Get your insurance separately on line as theirs is really basic (and all in Italian). Nice, practical, down to earth people. Good for minibus or coach hire for tourist trips. You have to phone them too as they are not always there, and they'll come quickly. They also have a driver service.
I personally prefer Hertz for location, prices, type of car i require and the good website. The online staff are brilliant, and i just ignore the terrible italian customer service in the Orvieto Office.
Jun 21st, 2013, 11:30 AM
#23
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I didn't remember that AutoEurope couldn't get a car there. We must have gone through Hertz in 2011. Maybe through Expedia. We had the car for nearly a month and turned it in at MXP (Milan). Had to cool our heels for about and hour and a half, ate lunch at a horrible pizza place a couple of doors down. But once they opened up, we were good to go.
Jun 22nd, 2013, 07:00 AM
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I rented a car through Auto europe a few years ago. Picked up in Siena and drop off Orvieto, few blocks from train station. Was Avis and young man was delightful and drove us to train station. We were given an Alfa Romeo when we should have had some basic car. You don't need a car for Orvieto itself, only if driving elsewhere. Gather people looking at this for current info as original thead ancient.
Jun 22nd, 2013, 08:19 AM
#26
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Jean, I speak Italian and my husband is Italian. We were trying to help the ladies in front of us who had a problem with the car and couldn't speak Italian very well. If we all pitch in and help things can sometimes be easier. I was in Moscow once, my suitcase got lost and I couldn't speak a word of Russian to sort it out. Another passenger who was a complete stranger came and translated for me. I was ever so grateful.
WhistlerNorth, exactly…you don't need a car for Orvieto itself as it's all so beautifully pedestrianized. You can take the funicular or bus up and easily explore on foot. There is lots of free parking for the disabled in the centre, the police are so friendly they will help you. If people want to go up and park they can do so in the parcheggio della fiera or in via roma which are covered so the car is kept cool. In other open air car parks in the centre the blue lines mean you have to pay, white lines are free or for residents only.
Stefano, you've summed it up nicely! The Avis man is very nice. I haven't used Gulliver though. The staff in the Orvieto Hertz office is a nightmare, but just deal with any problem with the online people and they're great.
WhistlerNorth, exactly…you don't need a car for Orvieto itself as it's all so beautifully pedestrianized. You can take the funicular or bus up and easily explore on foot. There is lots of free parking for the disabled in the centre, the police are so friendly they will help you. If people want to go up and park they can do so in the parcheggio della fiera or in via roma which are covered so the car is kept cool. In other open air car parks in the centre the blue lines mean you have to pay, white lines are free or for residents only.
Stefano, you've summed it up nicely! The Avis man is very nice. I haven't used Gulliver though. The staff in the Orvieto Hertz office is a nightmare, but just deal with any problem with the online people and they're great.
Jun 22nd, 2013, 08:22 AM
#27
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Kmh7, you can rent mini buses at Gulliver for 9 people plus driver http://www.autonoleggiogulliver.com/
Jun 22nd, 2013, 08:30 AM
#28
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This is from a post I wrote in 2012 which I add since it's on-topic (and including the info on the hotel nearby we used to store our suitcases after returning the car and while we explored):
Orvieto – Hotel Pincchio, with whom I had communicated beforehand about storing our luggage for the day, for 4 Euros a piece. It was a good idea to drive there before returning the car as it was up a bit of a hill. Not bad walking unless you might be pulling suitcases in 90 degree heat. We left our luggage and drove back to Hertz in plenty of time to drop off the car before it closed an hour later, at 1:00. The four Hertz parking places in front of the office were full and there was no one in the office to tell people what to do with the cars. We waited along with another person and she said the agent had gone out for coffee a while ago! By 12:45, the place was a mob scene! People were parking anywhere, in front of stores with frustrated shopkeepers yelling to get the cars out of there, down the street. It was about then that the agent returned to about 15 people all trying to return or pick up a car before the office closed. We returned our car fairly quickly since we were near the head of the line and took off for the funicular, across the street from the train station.
Orvieto – Hotel Pincchio, with whom I had communicated beforehand about storing our luggage for the day, for 4 Euros a piece. It was a good idea to drive there before returning the car as it was up a bit of a hill. Not bad walking unless you might be pulling suitcases in 90 degree heat. We left our luggage and drove back to Hertz in plenty of time to drop off the car before it closed an hour later, at 1:00. The four Hertz parking places in front of the office were full and there was no one in the office to tell people what to do with the cars. We waited along with another person and she said the agent had gone out for coffee a while ago! By 12:45, the place was a mob scene! People were parking anywhere, in front of stores with frustrated shopkeepers yelling to get the cars out of there, down the street. It was about then that the agent returned to about 15 people all trying to return or pick up a car before the office closed. We returned our car fairly quickly since we were near the head of the line and took off for the funicular, across the street from the train station.
Jun 22nd, 2013, 09:00 AM
#29
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Kwren, your post is so funny, thanks for sharing!! and i can see that hotel picchio still do luggage storage which is good
http://www.hotelpicchio.it/it/alberg...o_orvieto.html
http://www.hotelpicchio.it/it/alberg...o_orvieto.html
Jun 22nd, 2013, 09:35 AM
#30
>>>I didn't remember that AutoEurope couldn't get a car there<<<
Yes, AutoEurope can reserve cars there. If you were trying to reserve online through AutoEurope and it said no cars, then you were selecting a pick up location (you select the address) and a drop off location that were two different companies. You can not select a Hertz address to pick up in Orvieto and an Avis drop off address in Siena. You have to match Hertz to Hertz, Avis to Avis, etc. or AutoEurope will say no cars.
Other Hertz problem in Orvieto - this is not a corporate location, it's a franchise. You will not get the same quality service at franchises in Italy as you do at corporate locations. The car I was dropping off had hail damage when I picked it up. Orvieto attempted to charge me (couldn't as I had full coverage). Of course, I took pics when I picked the car up as I always do of any damages.
Major Hertz problem in Italy - DCC. If you don't know what this is, you need to (Google it). This is in every Hertz contract and you can not opt out. To avoid DCC, book online in advance and pay, don't just reserve a car. Otherwise you will get the DCC rip-off.
Remember you are in Italy. Coffee break comes before customers!
>>>socaltraveler on Jun 21, 13 at 12:24pm
I think your problem with renting from Orvieto is that you need two largish cars, or minivans, for 10 people. I do not think that Hertz in Orvieto will be able to promise/provide you with this request. The largest inventory will be at FCO<<<
That is not always the case as FCO can be out of what you think you are reserving. Lots of reports on Fodor's about not getting cars that were expected.
kmh7 - The Villa Borghese location is a corporate location and lists vans and trucks on the Hertz website (not all locations have this listing).
http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locati...t=&locType=pUp
There is another corporate location that lists vans/trucks close to the Vatican on Via Gregorio (this street is a block or so off the left side of the St. Peter's if you were facing St. Peter's).Hertz would be a few blocks on out. It might be an easier drive out of the city as you would take Via Gregorio to Via Aurelia and a short drive to the ring road (A90). FYI - At the intersection to Via Aurelia is Piazza Irnerio (just an intersection) and there is a huge grocery store (not the markets up front - grocery is toward the back of the lot) with parking (McD's in on corner across the street).
http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locati...t=&locType=pUp
Yes, AutoEurope can reserve cars there. If you were trying to reserve online through AutoEurope and it said no cars, then you were selecting a pick up location (you select the address) and a drop off location that were two different companies. You can not select a Hertz address to pick up in Orvieto and an Avis drop off address in Siena. You have to match Hertz to Hertz, Avis to Avis, etc. or AutoEurope will say no cars.
Other Hertz problem in Orvieto - this is not a corporate location, it's a franchise. You will not get the same quality service at franchises in Italy as you do at corporate locations. The car I was dropping off had hail damage when I picked it up. Orvieto attempted to charge me (couldn't as I had full coverage). Of course, I took pics when I picked the car up as I always do of any damages.
Major Hertz problem in Italy - DCC. If you don't know what this is, you need to (Google it). This is in every Hertz contract and you can not opt out. To avoid DCC, book online in advance and pay, don't just reserve a car. Otherwise you will get the DCC rip-off.
Remember you are in Italy. Coffee break comes before customers!
>>>socaltraveler on Jun 21, 13 at 12:24pm
I think your problem with renting from Orvieto is that you need two largish cars, or minivans, for 10 people. I do not think that Hertz in Orvieto will be able to promise/provide you with this request. The largest inventory will be at FCO<<<
That is not always the case as FCO can be out of what you think you are reserving. Lots of reports on Fodor's about not getting cars that were expected.
kmh7 - The Villa Borghese location is a corporate location and lists vans and trucks on the Hertz website (not all locations have this listing).
http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locati...t=&locType=pUp
There is another corporate location that lists vans/trucks close to the Vatican on Via Gregorio (this street is a block or so off the left side of the St. Peter's if you were facing St. Peter's).Hertz would be a few blocks on out. It might be an easier drive out of the city as you would take Via Gregorio to Via Aurelia and a short drive to the ring road (A90). FYI - At the intersection to Via Aurelia is Piazza Irnerio (just an intersection) and there is a huge grocery store (not the markets up front - grocery is toward the back of the lot) with parking (McD's in on corner across the street).
http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locati...t=&locType=pUp
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