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Germany RV rental reviews forum.
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Steven and Jo-Ann, Canada, posted on 1 December 2024, vendor was McRent GermanyExceptional trip — Germany RV Rental Review
My husband and I embarked on an epic journey through Europe. We attained our camper-van in Hamburg Germany. We covered 17 countries in three months and travelled 18,000 km in this remarkable van. We were so fortunate to have this once in a lifetime experience. I would recommend to anyone take the opportunity and rent a camper van. Motorvana helped us by answering all our questions before we made the decision to go with them. The answers came quickly and in great detail. McRent in Hamburg were very helpful at pick up and return.
The layout was very good with larger heavier tires to make the trip enjoyable. Plenty of room for two sleeping was great. Everything worked properly. Great to have small fridge and stove top cooking. The shower and bathroom was convent. Good travelling to future explorers. Hope this review helps make your decision easier.
Daniel Vidoni, Canada, posted on 12 October 2024, vendor was McRent GermanyA 6 week RV Adventure
Thanks to the great service from Motorvana our trip was seamless from pickup to drop off at McRent Friedberg. Even though we have done this before, there are always questions and minor issues that were dealt with promptly by Eric and his team. We travelled 5,000 kms. through France & Italy as far as Sorrento mainly on secondary roads. Approaching Sorrento in a 7m+ camper is a bit of a white knuckle experience with very narrow roads, parked cars, trucks and buses and countless scooters weaving in and out Loved it and survived without a scratch. The prize is the 'Nube D' Argento Campground' located right in town in an old olive grove overlooking Marina Grande and the Bay of Naples - simply magnificent. From here you can walk to all that S. offers plus the ferries to Capri, the Amalfi etc. Our RV was practically new, but had some minor production quality issues. This is to be expected and is why I always take a Mini Tool Kit and GORILLA TAPE. The other minor irritation is GPS availability. Like the rear view camera it should be readily available, but no luck. We used Google Maps with an EU Sim Card in our phone. All the same we loved it all.
Wyer, Uk, posted on 3 September 2024, vendor was McRent GermanyMcrent
First campervan hire. A really smooth operation by Mcrent. Very knowledgable staff and extremely helpful. Arranging table and chairs and good briefing of functions of vehicle. Slight problem on return was dealt with efficiently and without fuss by the team. Five stars for the service received.
Amir Z., United States, posted on 19 August 2024, vendor was DRMexcellent experience
Renting through Motorvana was easy and cheaper than renting through vendor's websites. Staff at Motorvana was responsive to emails and questions. Everything was as promised. We rented at Frankfurt DRM and as first-time renters were skeptical about our reservation because they didn't respond to our emails. It turns out they are hardworking PPL who make sure all RVs are cleaned and ready to go, no time for office duties. Very nice and knowledgeable guy did walk through and signing documents. In 30 days, we drove more than 8000 KM and visited Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina and back to Germany. Our RV was year old and in pretty good shape no problems at all. Return was easy and faster than expected. Motorvana was great explaining every step of renting, picking up and dropping off. Definitely will be returning to Motorvana and DRM.
Andre Paul Renaud, Canada, posted on 23 December 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyVery Satisfied
This was our second motorhome rental with Motorvana and we were thoroughly satisfied with the vehicle and the Vendor, McRent, in Friedberg.
Beth Proctor, USA, posted on 17 November 2023, vendor was DRM2nd time around
This is our second time visiting Europe in a vehicle through Motorvana. In 2011 we leased a car. This past October we rented a campervan from DRM. We loved the van. It was easy to drive, had the perfect set up and helped us travel all over in comfort. Can't wait to do it again! Thank you!
John Eakins, USA, Colorado, posted on 10 November 2023, vendor was DRMGreat times in the VW California
Motorvana was very good with communication and there were no complications with the booking. Van was ready to go and clean, return process was also excellent. Expect a thorough examination of the vehicle when you return it so carefully record anything (scuffs, dings, dents, stains, etc.) because they will notice it later. Also the bedding set was not worth the rental, just buy what you need. The pillow was a bag of ground up carpet padding and all you get is some ill-fitting sheets, no blanket. Cooking set was passable but we had to buy a cutting board and a usable knife. If you rent a California don't rent extra table and chairs because it comes with two lawn chairs and a table, all nicely stored. It also has an outside, cold water shower, but don't count on more than a quick rinse because the water tank is rather small. There was a notice on the faucet not to drink the water from the tank so have a plentiful supply of drinking and cooking water with you. The refrigerator was excellent and could go a couple of days without driving or charging. We spent 40 nights, and made most of our meals in this van and managed to get through the trip with one gas canister (to the amazement of the guys at DRM). We really enjoyed the VW California, it performs and handles very nicely. Personally I wouldn't want a larger vehicle in the cities and mountain passes but it would be pretty crowded with more than two adults. I would highly recommend this van, Motorvana and DRM Munich.
Cho, Seoul, posted on 20 October 2023, vendor was DRMExcellent Service
I spent this trip with my family for two weeks. Renting was done at Drm, close to Frankfurt Airport. When I asked motorvana in the process of preparing for the trip, I liked the quick response the most. Drm explained it kindly and in detail when renting the vehicle, and the vehicle was a relatively old car with a mileage of over 45,000 kilometers, but there was no problem until the end of the trip. It was a motor home trip where I had a good and happy time.
Dean Jackson, Australia, posted on 22 September 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyTrip of a lifetime, UK & Europe
What a way to see the UK and Europe. We hired a motorhome for 5 weeks from McRent Düsseldorf, drove to Calais and boarded the ferry to Dover. Drove to Scotland and did the NC500, a few stops at family back down through to London and Stonehenge before heading back to Dover for the ferry to Europe. From Calais through Paris and on down to Annecy before crossing into Switzerland. We made our way into Italy stopping at Lake Como, Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome, Almalfi Coast (Solerno) then back up to the Dolomites, Austria and back through Germany to Düsseldorf. All in all we covered over 9,250kms or nearly 6,000 miles in 5 weeks without a single problem with our Dethleffs Just 90 motorhome. 2 adults and two children 11 and 15. We had the time of our life and would do it in a heart beat again. Thank you Motorvana and McRent Düsseldorf. If you are thinking about it, just do it! You will not regret it, we don't.
Hans Meiser, Switzerland, posted on 28 August 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyWow
- Best rental company so far - Competent staff at vehicle handover and in the office - Top camping material (chairs & table) - Top vehicles - No problems during handover and return - Super support during rental period - Always gladly another time
Meredith, Canada, posted on 14 August 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyAmazing way to travel!
We are camper van newbies and loved the experience of traveling through Germany by camper! Our vehicle was new, spotless and, after a quick tutorial, easy to use. It was also very comfortable and we loved bringing our hotel room with us from city to city.
In-person, the staff at McRent were fantastic - friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We did, however, have a small issue. We ordered a bedding package and on our first night, 200++ km from the rental location, discovered that it was incomplete. Despite following their procedures and contacting McRent to ask for suggestions, we never heard back and ultimately ended up purchasing sheets. Not a huge issue but we were disappointed that we did not receive any sort of follow-up or compensation and wonder what would have happened if we had had a more serious problem.
That said, I would strongly recommend McRent and use them again but will check all of the add-on packages before leaving and reconfirm the emergency numbers in the event of a problem. Happy Travels!
Elif Tepeli, Türkiye, posted on 11 August 2023, vendor was DRM2 weeks in Germany
Customer service was very good, flexible and friendly, we had to cancel several times due to Covid pandemic and they were very helpful rescheduling. It was our first time so we did not really know how to check the vehicle prior to pick-up. But we realize on our return there's a very systematic checking process. The rental chairs and table were not in good condition, in fact the table was broken and unusable which we did not check on pick-up. We did not have any problems, accidents and such so the return process was also very smooth and fast. The vehicle was in good condition, new and very functional. I would recommend to future travelers.
Martin, Uruguay, posted on 4 August 2023, vendor was McRent Germany2 weeks in northern Europe, excellent service
This was our 5th booking with Motorvana, and 4th with McRent as vendor. As the previous times, everything from the booking until the drop off of the motorhome was perfect. However, the model we´ve booked was not available, but McRent offered us another one a bit larger which was not a problem for us.The MH was brand new and in excellent condition, but there were some scratches here and there that we´ve found (fortunately) prior of leaving the depot, since they we´re not previously marked by McRent. As an advice to the fellow customers, we recommend to check the MH by the time of the pick up, as the vendor will do the same by the time of the drop off.
Tobias Hills, Australia, posted on 24 July 2023, vendor was DRM8 weeks home away from home
As returning customers, we expected the Motorvana service to be superb, and we were not disappointed. Thanks Freik from Motorvana and Klause, Meik and Johannes from DRM for the great service and support, which allowed us to enjoy an amazing 8 week adventure through Europe! Perhaps Canada next time..
Dan vidoni, Toronto, ON, Canada, posted on 19 June 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyEuropean Camping Holiday
Many thanks to Motorvana for another flawless camper rental booking experience. McRent Mannheim pick-up & return was fast, efficient and friendly. However, the camper, a nearly new Dethleffs 7057 EB had some minor/major flaws that should have been addressed before our pick-up - leaky faucet, loose door handles, overhead doors that would not secure and a malfunctioning fridge. We discovered this when we were well down the road on our much anticipated adventure. With a pre-booked ferry from Genova to Palermo, we couldn't afford an unexpected repair stop. We had to make do with the inconveniences. Other than that, the van performed perfectly and the trip went well. P.S. don't leave on your trip without a roll of 'Gorilla' tape. Dan Vidoni, Toronto, Canada
Ken, Colorado, posted on 30 May 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyFrankfurt 2 weeks
The vehicle was very new and well appointed. The check-out process was smooth but the agent had only been at the job about 6-8 weeks and was not well versed in how the rental unit operated. She neglected to tell us a few key points but we figured it out on our own. The check-in process was also smooth with no charges. I was glad to hear that we did not have to wash the outside of the unit as I have had to do that elsewhere. The outside chairs we rented were in bad condition and two of the four chairs were broken and unusable. Be sure to check that equipment before you leave the lot. We did not. Also, McRent did not tighten the lid on the fresh water tank in the rear compartment and it nearly caused flooding when refilling the tank. Another thing to check before leaving.
Motorvana was great to work with and answered all of my questions quickly and clearly. They made the rental process very easy especially considering this is an overseas rental.
We had a great 2-week rental and just loved not having to look for a hotel each night! I recommend the App Park4Night to help you find places to camp as you travel Europe.
Tania , New Zealand, posted on 25 May 2023, vendor was McRent GermanyBest way to travel
Best way to travel, great staff to deal with at pick up & drop off. We traveled just shy of 5000ks without a hitch. Highly recommend
Alan & Moira Orchard, South Africa, posted on 1 February 2023, vendor was DRMAlways perfect
Having just completed our 5th rental with Motorvana (Freik and Eric) and DRM (Yvonne & Klause in Frankfurt) we have only the highest praise for this winning combination. The booking process as always was flawless and efficient with all of our requests being met once again. Our MH from DRM was again immaculately presented to us on pickup with any little issues solved in no time. The DRM MH quality of finish and efficiency is simply uncompromising. We will always be returning customers. Thanks to all for providing us with a wonderful 6 week holiday.
Dan Vidoni, Toronto, Canada, posted on 21 January 2023, vendor was McRent Germany6 weeks in a motorhome
Just returned from a 6 week tour of Germany, Switzerland and Italy. This was our 5th tour using IdeaMerge - motorvana. I can’t say enough about their level of service. Everything went smoothly from the rental process, airport transfers and dealing with McRent Mannheim. Thank you again motorvana. By the way our trip with the Dethlsffs 7057 was problem free and very enjoyable.
André Renaud, Canada, posted on 23 November 2022, vendor was McRent GermanyGreat customer service
Randolf at McRent in Friedberg provided excellent customer service. Our pick up and drop off went smoothly. The vehicle that we wanted was unavailable and we were upgraded to a Sunlight V60. It drove very well and is compact enough for easy city driving and parking. The rear bed is high and requires a ladder for access. Not very convenient for older travelers who need to get up during the night.
Alejandro Bernal, US, posted on 9 November 2022, vendor was DRMGreat customer service
On behalf of a group of happy travelers (9) that rented 2 RV last September, we want to thank DRM for a great experience traveling trough Germany, Austria, Check Republic, Hungary and Slovenia. Freik in Portland, OR. helped us navigate trough several cancellations due to the pandemic, but eventually made our trip possible. Reno at the Depo in Markt Schwaben, Munich, treated us very nice during the registration process. We recommend this Depo and will probably use them again.
Alejandro Bernal Boca Raton, FL USA
Anton Post, South Africa, posted on 31 October 2022, vendor was McRent GermanyThanks for your help in arranging the rental. McRent in Friedberg was super in helping us as customers and the 32 day trip to Germany, Luxembourg and Holland. Will use you again.
Norm Amirault, Victoria Canada, posted on 24 October 2022, vendor was DRMVery Pleased
I highly recommend booking through Motorvana as you can save significantly when booking 30 plus days by getting the VAT tax returned. Eric at Motorvana went out of his way to help with an existing DRM booking, saving me hundreds of dollars. A big thank you to Eric and Mortorvana. DRM in Frankfurt were excellent, this was my fifth rental from German suppliers and I highly recommend DRM for their service and assistance.
Dan Vidoni, Toronto, Canada, posted on 10 October 2022, vendor was McRent Germany6 weeks in a motorhome
Just returned from a 6 week tour of Germany, Switzerland and Italy. This was our 5th tour using IdeaMerge - motorvana. I can’t say enough about their level of service. Everything went smoothly from the rental process, airport transfers and dealing with McRent Mannheim. Thank you again motorvana. By the way our trip with the Dethlsffs 7057 was problem free and very enjoyable.
Hannah, UK, posted on 12 September 2022, vendor was DRMBrilliant experience
We had fantastic service from Motorvana, Frederick was totally brilliant-super patient, kind and went the extra mile to make sure everything was in order to make our rental smooth.
DRM Dusseldorf was also fantastic.
Highly recommend!
Oskar Thorbjornsson, USA, posted on 11 September 2022, vendor was DRMFantastic service and experience
We picked up our van in Frankfurt. We got detailed instructions about the van and its operations. The van was literally new and in pristine shape. They equipped us with 2 sets of bedding (we had ordered 1) and a kitchen kit, which we hadn't ordered, at no extra charge. Very pleasant surprise. We had a great 16 days trip around Europe and the van did fantastic. When returning the van they found some scratches in the space under the bed, probably caused by our suitcases not being secured well enough. They didn't charge us for this damage. Overall fantastic experience and we might very well do this again. Highly recommended!
Aron Epstein, Israel, posted on 4 September 2022, vendor was McRent GermanyAmazing Summer
Well, this was the first time I have ever rented a campervan and I must say it was amazing. we had a smashing trip and the campervan really made it.
Randolph Shutz at McRent Frankfurt was the nicest person to work with. The campervan was new and clean and a dream to drive and live in. We took the extra insurance, I think it is worthwhile although I am trying to recoup some damage and they seem a little obstinate, them's the risk.
I was surprised at how little fuel the campervan used. We camped wild most of the time but the gas lasted. We travelled through Germany, France (Alsace), Switzerland and Alpine Italy (yes, the van handled the Stelvio Pass like a champion). It is very easy to change the greywater and black water tanks in Europe as the facilities are readily available.
All in all, great experience - 5 gold stars
BYUNG-CHUL,KIM, South Korea, posted on 2 August 2022, vendor was Rent EasyMotorvana: Best Company
I rented a car through Motovanner company without any hesitation in traveling with a European camping car. It goes without saying because it's the best company in this field. And of course I was treated like that. I am a client of a faraway country, and although everything is clumsy, they are patient and kind, I have given a lot of advice and support to become familiar with this huge vehicle that I am driving for the first time. Even during the more than a month of travel, even though it was a minor inquiry, they kindly provided all the support they could. I would like to say thank you to the motor banner after finishing the long trip. I ask you to be a good guider and a great partner for many travelers in the future. Of course, if I have another chance, I will definitely choose this wonderful company again. Thank you.
Fabian, USA, posted on 17 July 2022, vendor was DRMThanks!
Great service! Great price! Great vehicle!
Bill Kalbhenn, Canada, posted on 1 July 2022, vendor was DRMPerfect Second To None
Overall I had the best experience with my rental VW California Van. It was perfect. The DRM Staff did an excellent job making sure the rental was perfectly clean before pickup and ensuring a full explanation of all components prior to leaving the yard. On return I made sure it was clean to the best of my ability. Prior to my pick up the DRM staff communicated with me well in advance and when I picked up the van it was seamless. They were awesome and gave me a ride back to my hotel. I never had a problem with the vehicle during the 12 days I had it and it was the perfect size for touring Germany. Switzerland and Austria. I would request DRM the next time I use Motorvana.
Amy, Canada, posted on 6 November 2021, vendor was McRent GermanyIncredible Service!
I never write reviews ... but decided to post this one because MOTORVANA was so awesome! Their service was INCREDIBLE! I booked thru Motorvana instead of directly thru McRent because of Motorvana's awesome website and the fact that their price was by far, the absolute lowest I found. It was really easy to navigate their website and find exactly what I was looking for (much better than McRent's). On top of that, Motorvana provided a lot of relevant information that I needed BEFORE I made a decision in order to understand the fine print including total cost; insurance; pick up/drop off; operation; issues when travelling between countries etc. They answered all my questions promptly and with great detail (and humour). Frederik is awesome to deal with! Once I made the booking, Motorvana went above and beyond to make sure my "extra" needs were met including storage of our large bike bags; and a pre-paid shuttle. After our trip, when the shuttle company had extra billed us, Motorvana went back to the company to explain the error and got us a full refund -- without me even asking them to do it! I was SO impressed. I highly recommend booking thru Motorvana.
Gal, Israel, posted on 19 September 2021, vendor was McRent GermanyOur first rental - great service!
This was our first time renting a motorhome and the staff were very kind and patient with all our questions. The campervan was very new and in a very good state and operated smoothly throughout our rental period. We had some scratches on the side upon drop off, and got a pretty steep price for damages - luckily we got excess insurance beforehand (highly recommended!) It was a bit hard to contact McRent through phone, especially during weekends, but they always made sure to call us back and make sure we have everything we need. The renting price was very fair compared to other rental companies we found. Very recommended!
Danny Sannem, Denmark, posted on 12 August 2021, vendor was DRMNice - and only a few steps from "Average" to "Exellent"
This is our first experience with motorhome renting at all. Three weeks from Frankfurt Germany to Croatia and back. The motorhome itself was brand new - nice! Service - nice! Had a few problems on our way with the motorhome which DRM personel helped us fix and repair, and we were compensated a couple of renting days - nice! Had a small damage on the motorhome when we returned. People at DRM were nice helpfull and the price damage repair - nice! Almost everyting was perfect. But - as a first time renter we expected thet the motorhome would be better equipped: extra rented camping furniture was cheap quality and uncomfortable an unhandy using, there was no camping carpet included(anyone travelling without?). Small improvements would take this review from average to exellent. But finally - thank you DRM for beeing kind, helpfull and fair when we had problems with the car.
We recommend using DRM as vendor - but if you have no experience with motorhome camping, ask for help to be sure that the equipment fits the price.
Sannem family - Denmark
Anna, Germany, posted on 3 September 2020, vendor was DRMFantastic Service from Motorvana
We had such a great experience with our first camper van rental with Motorvana and DRM in Dusseldorf. Motorvana were incredibly helpful and friendly, and responded instantly to every query we had - calling back within a few minutes of any missed call (even despite us being in different time zones!). DRM in Dusseldorf were also fantastic to deal with - everything was very well organised, clear, helpful instructions on everything, and the camper was perfect! I have recommended Motorvana to any family and friends who are planning to hire a camper - a great service and great value! We are already looking forward to our next camper trip with you :)
Anna, Germany, posted on 6 August 2020, vendor was DRMFantastic Service from Motorvana
We had such a great experience with our first camper van rental with Motorvana and DRM in Dusseldorf. Motorvana were incredibly helpful and friendly, and responded instantly to every query we had - calling back within a few minutes of any missed call (even despite us being in different time zones!). DRM in Dusseldorf were also fantastic to deal with - everything was very well organised, clear, helpful instructions on everything, and the camper was perfect! I have recommended Motorvana to any family and friends who are planning to hire a camper - a great service and great value! We are already looking forward to our next camper trip with you :)
Carmelita Nelson, Minnesota, USA, posted on 2 February 2020, vendor was DRMHave Rented California Camper Van twice with Motorvana
Our family of 4 has rented VW California Camper Vans twice in Germany. Once in Munich for a 3-week trip circling the Alps. Last summer we rented from DRM in Hamburg for a 5-week camping trip to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. We were 100% satisfied with Motorvana staff here in the USA and with the DRM staff in both locations in Germany. The vehicles were immaculately clean and in excellent working condition. One tip is to bring yoga mats or thin air mattresses for the people sleeping on the lower level. It just helps even out the bench seat/bed a bit. The upper bed is very comfortable for those agile enough to climb up there. We also recommend renting the outside table and chairs for enjoying the lovely campsites. The only place we ever had any mosquitoes was in one campground in northern Italy. We found it works best to pack your clothes in cloth duffle bags. This makes it easy to shift things around from daytime arrangement to nighttime arrangement. These efficiently engineered campers allow 4 people to cook and eat meals inside the camper even on rainy days; cozy, but doable. We only wish these fuel-efficient, easy to handle vehicles were available in the US.
Chris , Hawaii, posted on 25 November 2019, vendor was DRMGreat car with great service
Kind check in and check out! Nice campervan!
P Pretorius, South Africa, posted on 19 November 2019, vendor was Rent EasyVery happy with service. RV was clean and just what we required
Karl Heinz Peil, South Africa, posted on 1 November 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyCampervan trip in Europe
Friendly reception, vehicle performing well, on time in spite of time pressure on McRent side. Unfortunately the insect screen at the sliding door was missing, presented problems with insects inside the van. Not nice at all. The van, a CITY 600 performed well but the toilet compartment is way too small for a larger person. Will never hire again a vehicle with such a small toilet. All in all, a good holiday.
Jo and Alan Sloan, UK, posted on 23 October 2019, vendor was DRMGood company
Me and my husband have just finished a week’s touring in Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany. We picked up our rental campervan from DRM in Markt Schwaben near Munich. The explanation as to how the campervan worked was clear and to the point. Inside was clean and everything worked. We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday. Upon return the campervan was inspected and all was clear. A special thank you to Frank who helped us before and after our trip.Hope you enjoyed the beer! You earned it! With regards, Alan and Jo Sloan
fiona bugler, South Africa, posted on 19 October 2019, vendor was DRMgerman holiday
We were so impressed with the staff at the Frankfurt DRM. They were so friendly, helpful and imformative. They went out of their way to assist us. Being in a strange country, not sure of what to expect we were put at our ease and sent on our way with a lot more confidence! Thank you so much!!
Allan Kennedy, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, posted on 6 October 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyAwesome way to see Europe
A totally awesome experience! Vehicle was as described, pickup and return was seamless! More than satisfied!!
Moira Laverack, UK, posted on 30 September 2019, vendor was DRMCampervan hire in Germany
DRM in Dusseldorf were excellent. The initial contact and setting up by Motorvana was equally efficient. We were novices at campervan hire.
Sherry & Joe, California, posted on 26 September 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyFun way to visit Northern Europe
A big thanks to Frederik “Freik” Beij at Motorvana who helped us secure a motorhome in peak season. He was great at offering us options and checking on availability. He was prompt in getting back to us and answering all our questions. Another big thanks to Brigita and the team at McRent - Brietlingen (Hamburg South) who helped the two of us enjoy a great road trip through the Nordic and Baltic countries. Brigita, who spoke wonderful English (especially compared to our limited German), did a great job explaining the camper and its workings while answering all our questions with kindness and good humor. The camper was fairly new, functioned well and got good gas mileage (about 10km/l or 25 mpg). GPS navigation system worked fairly well, even in more remote areas; it was challenged by new roads/roundabouts and construction, so your mobile device may be helpful in those instances. Bed was very comfortable (we rented the linens, comforters and pillows), WC worked well, and kitchen was great for preparing our own meals (kitchen eating/cooking basics included). Clean and gray water tanks were easy to refill and empty. WC cleaning was also easy. We only used one bottle of propane, so that too was easy - on/off. We really liked the freedom to camp where we wanted and see/hike so many lovely places. There are many full amenity campgrounds all over, and we found some nice places for dry camping. Surprisingly, some of the city campgrounds were great too - relatively quiet nights with public transport options to get into old towns easily. We did buy a campground guide book for northern Europe that came with a map and was very useful for locating sites. Many campgrounds also asked for a camping card - we didn't get one, but if you're going to be out for awhile in multiple areas, you might look into getting one that works for the places you'll visit. We had no problems taking the camper on two ferries (Stockholm to Turku and Helsinki to Tallin). If you don't have a cell phone with ample data plan, you might consider getting a travel hotspot for WiFi/WLAN access while you'll be camping; also consider bringing charging blocks for electronic devices you plan to use if camping without electric hookups.
We had a break-in/theft while grocery shopping in Göteburg, Sweden. We called McRent and they were very kind and understanding. The camper was functional to continue on our trip, so we went on. Just be cautious when traveling in cities - take your valuables with you, leave someone in the camper while stopped, or park in a camping ground with some level of security and travel where you need to go on foot, bikes, bus, etc. from there. We heard about this pattern with break-ins, particularly in cities, after the fact, so be prepared up front.
Overall, it was a great experience, and we would do it again. Having a camper at home, we enjoy the mode of travel and access it allows to more remote and beautifully wild places. We highly recommend both Motorvana and McRent Hamburg South! Have a great time!
Liam, U.K, posted on 11 September 2019, vendor was McRent Germany4 week RV trip Dethleffs Globus i1
I rented the RV from McRent, which has 2 offices outside Hamburg (we used the Hamburg North office). Location was about a 35 minute drive from the airport, where we arrived on a budget airline from London. Taxi for 4 cost about 40 euros. The north Hamburg office is a pleasant enough place, and the staff were helpful and professional, paperwork was dealt with quickly and i would say we were on our way in about an hour after a tour around the van to show us all the facilities.
I choose the Globus mainly because it was 4 berth and less than 6m, key reason here was you pay more if you exceed this length on some toll bridges and ferries. It was also less that 3.5T which means i could use a standard UK/EU license.
The Globebus was less that 3 months only and had about 15,000km on the clock, Its a compact RV, manual transmission (which was not ideal) and was fine for 2 adults and 2 kids (10 and 12). Kids shared a good size bed that dropped down above the driver area. Adults slept in a fixed double at the back of the RV. We didn't have any issue with luggage space in the living area. There was a large storage area at the back for camping table and chairs and we used that for kids toys and our suit cases. I would recommend this RV and it as good viability, good turning circle and not so big you can drive it down small roads or around most towns.
We rented the RV for 4 weeks and had planned to drive it from Hamburg, put through Denmark into Sweden then ferry to Finland then down trough the Baltic states into Poland and back to Germany. However after about a week we scratched that plan as it invovled too much driving and we weren't really seeing anything. In this area there is plenty to see, went to Legoland in Denmark (recommend the lego house in Billund town). We have been to Denmark before so skipped Skagen and amazing beaches around Lokken. We stayed in Charlottenlund Fort Camping just north of Copenhagen, lovely campsite, but book in advance as gets busy, Copenhagen is lovely, but very expense compared to Sweden so be aware.
From there we took the bridge(s) across to Sweden, i can recall the exact price, but it was around 80 euros total for both. From there we worked our way towards Stockholm, around this time we changed plan and instead of heading to Stockholm (been there a few times, lovely place so recommend if you have not been) we drove around one of the largest lakes in Sweden lake Vattern, there a real mixture of stuff to see here, from really tourist stuff to nature, we found the west side of the lake better of nature, walks etc. Once we did a complete loop of the lake we headed to south again to Karlskorna (stopping off a few places along the way). If you do have kids and the weather isn't great we recommend taking the kids to a swimming pool, there are loads and most are a very good standard, one we went to had Olympic diving platforms, starting at 3.5m up to 10m. I got as far as 7.5m, one of my kids went off the 10m, that is high!
Didn't think too much of Karlskorna, typical ferry town, from there we got a overnight ferry to Gdynia in Poland, pleasant crossing, cost about e300. Big different in temperature when we got to Poland increased +5c and got better as the week went on. We visited Gdansk for a few days, was really surprised what a lovely place the old town was, highly recommend it, we stayed in a fairly basic campsite close to the technical university and was about 4 -5 tram stops to center of town. Plenty to do, went to WWII museum which i thought was interested to see it from another view point, free on Tuesdays. Very noticeable difference is restaurant prices from Sweden. I would say eating out in Sweden is about same as the UK, Denmark about 2X, Poland i would roughly estimate 50-60% UK prices. We had friends in Poland and the time so drove east to a town called Mragowo which is in area where there are lots of lakes and lots of water activities, sailing canoeing, swimming etc. Kids loved it. Did a quick detour to the "Wolfs Lair" Hilters bunker compound for over 300 days during WWII, interesting place, however you need a guide to to show you around else you are missing a lot of background.
From here we spent about a week driving back trough Poland, recommend Marborg castle, largest brick castle in the world run by the Teutonic Knights and north cost of Poland for beaches etc. From here drove into Berlin and spent a few days here, go see the wall and east side gallery, and the DDR museum, all very interesting. From here drove back to Hamburg, dropped off the RV, again very efficient, went to airport dropped off bags at left luggage and took train to center as we had some time before flight. Didn't think too much of Hamburg, didn't seem to really have a center or much to see as a tourist with a few hours to spare.
Final comments. Motorvana experience was good, McRent very efficient and good choice of RV to choose from, lots of locations. I would use again. RVs are pretty much brand new, they only keep them for 1 season. Thanks, Liam
Claudio and Bev, New Zealand, posted on 13 August 2019, vendor was McRent Germanyfeedback for improvement
Motorvana were easy to deal with and answered queries quickly online and the booking process was seamless.
Mc Rent were excellent. We were given a brand new campervan with "0" mileage and one that was bigger than expected. The van was in excellent order. We had a huge amount of information to digest in a short time at hand over. This was given to us from an employee who spoke excellent English and was thorough.
We decided to take the no excess insurance policy offered by Motorvana because we were renting a van from Germany over 3 months travelling through Europe and the United Kingdom. This in the end proved to be a very good decision and a worthwhile investment. However, while signing documentation for the van we discovered that, despite the zero excess insurance that we had taken out and paid for, McRent required a further 1200 Euros as an insurance deposit. On return of the van, they required another 1200 Euros to cover damage to the van. Unfortunately, there seems to be no connection between Motorvana and McRent in terms of the insurance.
McRent have been exemplary throughout the insurance claiming process and they provided us with all the information we needed within a very short time. This made the claiming process much easier for us and it was sorted and within days of us providing the required documentation.
We did have one problem with the camper when its internal water pump broke down. The emergency 24hr number for Citroen provided by McRent were not able to help however, once we contacted McRent directly they helped us sort the problem.
Improvement opportunities for Motorvana - Sort out the connection/information between the client, yourself the insurance company and McRent so everyone is on the same page. For McRent sort out the emergency/breakdown process with Citroen and also provide information for tourists travelling into the UK about their Low Emission rules and regulations to avoid being heavily fined.
Uli + Toni Schoen, Hervey Bay. Australia, posted on 30 July 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyExcellent Friendly Service
This was the 4th time we have rented via Motorvana from McRent in Unna. We rented a Globetrotter GXL from them as every year, and everything from booking with Motorvana to the friendly service we got from the Unna office was excellent. Especially appreciated was the pick up and let down service for our rental car from Dortmund Airport!
Brendan, Canada, posted on 30 July 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a Globebus I 7 from McRent Potsdam. Motorvana was fantastic, including quick replies to all questions. McRent Potsdam was friendly, but did not speak much English and the manual we received was in German. We figured many things out by looking up Globebus manuals in English online. The Potsdam location is quite remote - it's barely in Potsdam, much less Berlin. The location on Google Maps is a little off, as is the coordinates we got from Motorvana. The actual location is between those two, but hidden around a corner. We liked the motorhome itself; it was the perfect size for an extended stay. Height was never an issue, but length was for some trips we made into cities/towns. We made extensive use of Campercontact and Park4Night - great apps. For navigation, CoPilot was handy to give us the local speed limits, with Google Maps for backup.
Mick Havill, Australia, posted on 18 July 2019, vendor was DRMGood & Bad
5 star service from Motorvana. 3 star for DRM. It was a great break only marred by the van and facilities. Although a new Ford Transit Karmann Dexta we were misled by the navigation into roads unsuitable in width and height for the vehicle. The layout and design of the van were very poor with many hard unnecessary edges at head height. The table height was impossibly low making it unusable as a dining table. The location of the grey water dump tap required me to lie on the floor to turn on/off causing me to be soaked every day! The additional equipment provided by DRM was poor and very lacking (as reported in other reviews) and we had to supplement the basics. The DRM agent handing the van over told us that the driving seats did NOT turn when he was specifically asked. Three days later I worked out that it was possible. He also assured us that off grid the house battery would support the fridge for 3 days. It lasted only 8 hours until 4am and we awoke to a dripping fridge and defrosted food. We stayed only at sites with power for the rest of our 29 days. The van was jet black, which added to the discomfort of the 10 day 35c+ degree heatwave. All up it was a good learning for our future intent to tour for 5-6 months. We know what to look for in our next van.
Graeme Phillips, Wollongong Australia, posted on 18 July 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyWunderbar
Motorvana in conjunction with Mc Rent Germany have for five times now been our preferred motorhome rental companies for European vacations. The most recent European experience with these companies was as usual,exceptionally professional from booking to end of hire no doubt helped by Eric and Freik at Motorvana backed up by Joerge at McRent Frankfurt. If you can find a better motorhome rental company for European travel I would be surprised. Graeme
Jazz Say, Australia, posted on 3 July 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyGreat, trustworthy and friendly service :) recommended
It was an easy experience from the beginning with great contact via email and all our questions answered with patience (we had many :) We found a wealth of information on their website and via the emails that were sent to us and could easily make our decision. I highly recommend Motorvana and their partner McRent.. I know I will be using them again in the future for my next european adventure!
Darroll, Australia, posted on 9 June 2019, vendor was DRMEvery thing was easy from booking to handover excellent friendly service
Ralph, Canada, posted on 30 May 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyThe best of the best
Can't say enough good about Motorvana and McRent. Our 5th booking with them and they just keep getting better. We're definitely booking with them again next year.
Wendy and Dan Goulding, British Columbia , Canada, posted on 29 May 2019, vendor was DRMOur Amazing European Trip.
We rented a brand new VW California Ocean van from Thomas and his team in mid March. We spent 52 days exploring Germany, Bosnia, Albania, Italy, Sicily, and France, to name a few of the 14 countries we visited. The van was extremely comfortable and well set up. When we had cause to contact Thomas, he responded within a half an hour. Great customer service. !! We will be back in two years to do it all over again. The freedom to see the countryside and have no set plan as to where we could go, was a huge bonus. Not having to pay for hotel rooms was icing on the cake. Thanks for the great experience.
Wendy and Dan Goulding.
Alan & Rob Orchard, South Africa, posted on 19 May 2019, vendor was DRMPerfect experience once again
This was our 4th flawless booking through MOTORVANA and DRM in Frankfurt. Thanks go to Freik and Eric for again facilitating our booking perfectly with equal thanks going to Meik and Alvin at the DRM Frankfurt Depot for being so accommodating with meeting our needs. The Motor home was once again flawless and nothing was too much trouble in getting us going for 5 weeks. Our return was handled very professionally and we only have the highest praise for the manner in which we were received both on arrival and drop off. Thanks to all involved for another memorable trip. We have no hesitation in recommending Motorvana and DRM anywhere, anytime.
John Houde, Chicago USA, posted on 8 May 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyNew RV provided
We had the brand new Sunlight T 66 for two adults. The Frankfurt Engel McRent dealer provided everything as noted in our contract. We were pleasantly surprised to have an on board GPS system and an automatic manual transmission (NO CLUTCH pedal). We USA drivers could drive manual but were VERY happy to have this transmission which is basically the same as an automatic. On concrete or rough pavements the rear cabin road noise was annoyingly audible from the front. The Fiat diesel engine was also noisy from the front driver's area. For a future rental RV we would likely choose a van length and width RV, which are available with a similar layout with a bathroom. Unlike car rentals, RV rentals must be returned very clean or you will be charged a cleaning fee. Also during the paperwork rental process you will be provided with an agreement to sign that states in detail the high fees you will be charged should you come back with any damage to the vehicle including scratches.
Martin Carrera, Uruguay, posted on 22 April 2019, vendor was McRent Germany10 days in Germany, Switzerland and France. 5 star for Motorvana/McRent
We´ve booked a two person motorhome but later one more person joined our party, so we had to upgrade for a bigger one. Motorvana and the vendor accomodated our request free of charge (only the difference between vehicles). This time, the depot for pick up/drop off was McRent Mannheim. This depot is easily reachable from Frankfurt Airport (High speed train to Mannheim Hbf and then local train to Friedrichsfeld Süd) for only EUR 27 per person. From Friedrichsfeld Süd station, the depot is in walking distance (less than 1 KM). The pick up process was very smooth and the woman in charge of the depot was very friendly. We have booked a bedding set for each person, but after looking the pillows we´ve realized that they were a bit thin for our comfort, so we requested if they can give us another set of pillows, and they gave them to us for free. In less than 1 hour we were ready to go. What´s most important, just near the depot main entrance, there´s a small parking place outside the fenced area which can be used to stay overnight for free, even with an electricity cord provided by the depot. We parked in that space for the first and also the last night. Also, by the time of drop off, the depot allowed us to empty the grey water and also the toilette in their facility. Regarding the motorhome, it was a McRent Family Standard : Dethleffs Trend T 6717. Perfect condition, 27000 KM by the time of pick up. Semi automatic transmission, cruise control, very easy to drive. The interior of the vehicle was perfecty sized for our party, and even the luggage area was very big. For the drop off, also went smoothly and no issues to report. All in all, we´re very satisfied with Motorvana and also with this vendor. Regarding our trip: Day 1: Motorhome pick up, provisions in supermarket for the rest of the trip, overnight near the depot (Mannheim) Day 2: Heidelberg, Neckar Valley. Rothemburg ob der Tauber Day 3: Dinkehlsbuhl, Hohenzhollern Castle, Bad Durrheim hot springs Day 4: Rhine Falls, Stein am Rhein, Lauterbrunnen Day 5: Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald, back to Lauterbrunnen Day 6: Gruyeres, Eguisheim Day 7: Colmar, Riquewihr, Kayserberg Day 8: Strasbourg, Titisee Day 9: Triberg, Gegenbach, Black Forest highway, back to the depot for overnight Day 10: Motorhome drop off
Tad & Sonnie Fish, New Hampshire, posted on 24 January 2019, vendor was McRent GermanyGreat way to see Europe
Eric and Freik at Motorvana made our first-time, two month rental with McRent in Germany very easy. It was especiallyyl nice to make the payment in US currency. Freik was very helpful with information about motorhoming and camping in Europe, and also on where to buy international SIM cards for our phones. I called him several times before the trip, and he was always a pleasure to talk with. The Frankfurt McRent office was efficient, and did give us a refund for the two days we were in repair shops getting the water pump and front door fixed. The McRent repair shop outside of Munich did a great job, and everything except the TV and GPS worked for the rest of the trip. The GPS in the motorhome never worked right, and we just used Google maps on our phones. We didn't miss the TV. We visited 11 countries in two months, and the motorhome handled all road conditions very well. Camping was a great way to see the countries because of meeting people from all over in the campgrounds. We are looking forward to using Motorvana for rentals in southern Europe and New Zealand.
John Page, Australia, posted on 28 November 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyBest Rental Experience Ever
From Beginning to end Motorvana were efficient, honest and quick to respond to all queries. Their total price was inclusive, not like other places that try to add on extras when you pick up. Also included all the cookware accessories you would need. I would highly recommend them to anyone and would use them again. We had a 6 week hire and it is handy to know that if you rent over a month in Germany you do not pay taxes which makes it a lot cheaper that neighbouring countries. A word of warning though, German gas bottles cannot be refilled in other countries, France, England, Spain and portugal all have different bottles and even if you buy adaptors you still need to buy the bottles in each country which is expensive bu this was not McRents problem.
Jane, Canada, posted on 25 October 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyRevisiting Europe in much more comfort than our 1971/72 VW trip
We rented from McRent in Frankfurt. The vehicle was great and the service with Randolph was very good. Excellent fuel economy in the Citroen Possl diesel. It was very clean with just enough room for 2 people. Comfortable bed, good 2 burner stove and good sized fridge. When the vehicle wasn't running all electric outputs with the exception of lights were disabled. This proved to be inconvenient as we couldn't charge cameras or computers unless we were running. The GPS is the vehicle was nice to have, but it was very frustrating to use as it was very poor quality. Bring your own, or bring your iPad for Google or Apple Maps. Provided equipment was just adequate. We found it lacked plugs for the sinks, water hose for refilling with tank, proper coffee pot, flipper, salad bowl. Randolph found us with a Melita funnel so we had good coffee using a carafe for the whole trip.
Dennis and Gretchen Kellogg, Mesa, AZ USA, posted on 23 October 2018, vendor was DRMExcellent Experience
The motor home was exceptionally clean when we received it. The process to pick it up and return it went smoothly and in a timely manner. We did have pillows that were less than acceptable, but when I emailed DRM they had us buy new ones and reimbursed us when we returned the camper. We had it for 6 weeks, it ran flawlessly, plenty of power and gears available. We did have a standard transmission. The unit was very maneuverable, turned on a dime and overall the best way to see Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. Would rent from them again in a heartbeat!
Ralph Embury, Canada, posted on 19 October 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyLove Motorvana
outstanding way to see Europe. Between Motorvana and McRent we had the best service possible. Quick and easy to book through Motorvana and also quick and easy to pick up the RV and drop it off. This is our 4th year of doing this and will again. It was great to do business with these good people.
Trevor Cooper, Australia, posted on 17 October 2018, vendor was DRMGreat European Trip
Had the motor home for a 3 week period, Travelled 3,000KM without a hitch. The van was well equipped with a good heater, toilet and shower (although we used campsite facilities mainly). Travelled well on the road, easy to drive.
Make sure you look at the items left from previous rentals, for kettles, maps etc.
Ian Rice, Australia, posted on 20 September 2018, vendor was Rent EasyExcellence from Stuttgart
I have rented motorhomes in New Zealand (twice), Canada, Europe (3 times) and Scotland. I did not start off using Motorvana but now use them wherever possible. I have always found Motorvana to be helpful (even with changes), prompt, efficient and courteous. The paperwork has always been easy at the rental depots and the vehicles just fine. I want to make special mention of Rent Easy in Stuttgart from where I had the pleasure to rent a camper in May / June 2018. Frau Nadine Severino at the depot was a delight to deal with. Charming, efficient and caring for her customers. She has her vehicles well equipped with quality bedding, cutlery etc. And tastefully done too. (I have often been disappointed by other depots which provide inappropriate and cheap stuff). I would certainly use Rent Easy Stuttgart again even if there were other depots closer to my intended touring area. PS -Nadine speaks excellent English – apart from a bit of an American accent.
Alan & Moira Orchard, South Africa, posted on 3 September 2018, vendor was DRMGreat Experience
Our 3rd European adventure booked via Motorvana. Flawless in every respect with equally wonderful service received from Daniela and her staff at DRM Frankfurt. Thanks to all for making our holiday special.
John Reay, Australia, posted on 24 August 2018, vendor was McRent Germanyexcellent motor home & service
Rented a Citroen Motorhome from Randolph Schutz at McRent Frankfurt in april 2018. The Citroen was brand new with only 300 delivery & test Km. The collection was quick & easy with friendly & helpful staff. Every thing explained in detail with additional documentation in English .. The return after 23 days was of concern as I had a flight to catch at Frankfurt at 1300 hrs, Randolph suggested that I could park over night near the depot & would do his best to get us on our way quickly. The motorhome was checked & full refund arranged very promptly plus he arranged a taxi for my transport to the airport. I will definitely rent from them again when I go on my next trip to Europe. Thanks McRent
Arkady Karpman, Israel, posted on 13 August 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyVery good experience
VICTOR SUAREZ, ISLAS CANARIAS, GRAN CANARIA., posted on 10 August 2018, vendor was Rent EasyCOMPLETAMENTE SATISFECHO Y AGRADECIDO POR TODO
Excelente el trabajo de Eric Bredesen y Frederik "Freik" Beij. Les quedamos muy agradecidos por su gran esfuerzo y paciencia para que todo saliera perfecto, así como también extensible ese agradecimiento al personal de (Easy Rent) Mc Rent en Sulzemoos, Ohmstrasse 16, Alemania. Vehículo Fiat 2.3 cc y 130cv, con 4000Km, impecable. Tanto la recogida como la entrega de la caravana fue muy rápida y eficiente con personal muy amable. Alquilamos por 31 días. Los utensilios de cocina y ropa de cama, creemos que por su escaso valor de mercado, deberían ser gratuítos en alquileres de tantos días. La mejor publicidad es repetir y en Junio de 2019 repetiremos. Mil gracias y hasta la próxima.
Tim Mcke, Australia, posted on 29 July 2018, vendor was DRMEuropean Vacation
Booked our 27ft camper through Motorvana and picked it up at the DRM vendor in Munich (Markt Schwaben) in June 2018 with a 6 week trip around France, Spain, Portugal planned. Dealing with Eric and Freik at Motorvana via email prior to arrival and throughout the trip was easy and they provided swift and excellent responses to all queries which set my mind at ease as this was my first journey of this kind. Both picking up and returning the camper at DRM Munich was also a great experience as Reno and the boys there were awesome. Very thorough, very friendly, very knowledgeable and very willing. We hired 3 bikes from them there which were invaluable on our trip and also stayed the night at the depot before departure and on our return. Reno also went out of his way to kit us out with kettle, toaster, maps etc for which we were very thankful. The van was near new and was a trip tonic auto so I had the choice of auto or manual in which to drive which was great. 1800 on the clock as we left and about 9500 on our return and it ran beautifully all the way. Some of the fixtures in the van were a little suss however. Shower door was dodgy with ceiling screws that were loose causing it to jam. Screens on windows also the same with a lot of screws coming loose. The side door handle malfunctioned about 3 weeks into the trip which was a burden for the rest of the journey. Sliding screen door also broke about 3 days before return. All this was no fault of Motorvana or DRM but if you had bought and owned this vehicle you would be disappointed with some of the basic fittings. As mentioned in some of the previous reviews the kitchen utensils and the bedding could be better for the price charged. The bedding in particular was very basic and well worn. The bed that we had to make up each night on the fold down table was not at all comfortable which again was a little disappointing as when we booked on the net the images led us to believe we would have a drop down bed from the ceiling. Along the way we bought wine glasses, cheese grater, potato peeler, broom, mats, decent frypan, colander, decent pillows, sharp knife, tea towels amongst other things that we eventually left with the DRM depot and hopefully someone else in the future will benefit from them. The outdoor setting we hired was great and a must for such a trip. I would also recommend that a method of email contact with the depot and the staff who look after general problems with the van body and engine be established as phone contact for us proved problematic throughout the trip. Overall the customer service from Motorvana and DRM was outstanding and I would recommend these guys to anyone considering a similar trip just be aware of some of the minor shortfalls and be ready for the rigours of the road. Thanks to all of you at DRM and Motorvana that helped make our trip one to remember.
Adam Thorley symes, NZ, posted on 28 July 2018, vendor was DRMGreat California
Van was great and brand new. Add ons could have been better quality and more modern e.g bedding sets, kitchen sets.
Customer service was great.
Joe W. (Bill) and Marilyn Allen, New Mexico, USA, posted on 21 July 2018, vendor was McRent Germany34 Day Europian Adventure
"New" 1800KM very nice, 27ft unit with master bedroom, full size refrigerator and separate shower. Turned in at end of 34 days with 8,990KM, virtually flawless performance. Expecting 6 speed manual. Had 6 speed TipTronic semi automatic instead. Phenominal fuel mileage from 2.3 liter Fiat Turbo Diesel engine. Traveled from Frankfurt to Stuttgart, to Prague, Vienna, BudaPest, Vienice, to Orange, to Tours to Etamps (edge of Paris), to Normandy to Carnac, to Le Mans and back to Frankfurt. Only issue was all of our money, all of our credit cards, all of our ID's (except passports), my 55 year wedding band, my watch and Marilyn's iPhone were stolen while we slept in Prague. It was my fault because I had been warned about new side door having to be closed hard and manually locked. I just used the remote to lock "everything", saw red lights flashing on dash and felt safe. Wrong! The police quickly recovered all of our credit cards, ID's and cell phone. I'm still missing my wedding band and my watch. Once our cards were working again we continued our trip and I manually locked the side door every night. A warning to all future renters. . . We refused to let this matter ruin our trip.
Airport pick up and delivery was perfect. Pickup and return of rental motorhome was flawless. We even received a 100% return of our $1,200 deposit!!
Can't wait until our next motorhome rental adventure.
Bill and Marilyn Allen
Harry Browne, South Africa, posted on 17 July 2018, vendor was DRMTerrific touring in Germany
We were very fortunate to get a brand new motorhome and we really did enjoy the experience. The greatest advantage is being able to plan your trip day by day without worrying about not having somewhere to sleep. The camping sites we used were fantastic and we covered a large amount of the country not having to pack and unpack all the time.
Uli & Toni Schoen, River Heads , Queensland , Australia, posted on 8 July 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyMotorhome Hire
This is the 3rd time we have booked a motorhome through Motorvana at the McRent station in Unna/ Dortmund /Germany. Marc the manager of McRent is always very friendly and helpful. The check in and check out went without a hitch, and they even gave us a lift to the airport! The only thing that should be improved is the kitchen set, which is very basic...especially when the hire is for a longer period....e.g. there were no kitchen knives at all! But we know this by now, and bring our own. Otherwise we would certainly recommend Unna!
Dennis Manyak, Orland Park Illinois, posted on 3 July 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyGermany, Austria, Switzerland trip
The location of Mc Rent was far from the airport and hard to find. It cost us $100 each way for a cab. The worse thing was no GPS. If there ever was a place that you need GPS it was here. The locals have it and thought we were crazy not to have it and we wasted alot of time trying to figure out where we were and where the right road was. I get the impression that the German people as nice as they were are very frugal. The people at Mc Rent were nice and helpful, but felt GPS was too expensive. I would have paid alot for it. Dont take this trip without it. I was a truck driver in Chicago for 30 years, and know how to get around. we had the best maps we could find but the roads and markings are confusing. we still had a good trip, but the GPS would have made it alot better.
Tom Kafka, Vermont USA, posted on 1 July 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyCompletely Satisfied!
I found Motorvana randomly, and I'm so glad I went with them. The rep. that I communicated with, Freik, was excellent! Helpful, friendly, accessible, gave thorough explanation of the whole process. And tried his best to deal with my last minute requests. I appreciate the good job he did. I really felt like he cared.
The vehicle was a beauty, and preformed exactly as advertised. A well matched drive train for the size of the vehicle. We put on about 3500 km without a hiccup, starting at the Hamburg South pick up location, traveling throughout Denmark, Germany and Czech Republic. My only comment is that I wish there were - and this is going to sound like the classic American - more cup holders. There was only one in the whole vehicle. But if this is the only thing I have to complain about then you know things were good.
My experience with this company was excellent and I'm happy to give it this well deserved 5 star review.
jim, crystal lake IL, posted on 15 June 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyRV camping for 6 weeks
Another great experience renting with McRent, this time in Nurnberg. Stephen and Wilfred were both very helpful and knowlegable. However, there were some small things that would have made the experience excellent. First, at check-in, it took 2.5 hours to review the vehicles for myself and friend. We rented 2 campers. We did pre-check in and I had rented an RV in Stuttgart 16 months ago. This took too long. We had a brand new vehicle Fiat T67 with only 15Kilometers, however, the CD player did not work and the waste had a very small leak whenever it was removed to be emptied, and two of the window blinds broke on our first stop. Fiat needs to address the little plaice hooks and how the screen and black out cover kept falling out of track. For a brand new vehicle, there were some shortfalls. In addition, our last vehicle had the front driver windows with sliding insert black out covers. This vehicle had the "1970" curtain to draw around the seats. The window inserts are much preferred by us for quality of black out and front of vehicle accessabilty. With the draw curtains you lose 12-18 inches of space every night. Internally, a few small improvements. The dishes should have included a colander, a better spatula (the one we had was so flimsy), no wine/bottle opener, no bowl larger than a cereal bowl to mix or serve with, no coffee pot (or even a Merlita drip) included, even though the Motorvana contract said there was, only 1 lid for the pots/skillet. We only had 8 waste pellets (half a bag each) for the 4 week trip. It was impossible to find these in stores, so in the future if McRent does not give enough, then they need to offer to sell additional. We finally found a 32 euro gallon container at a Carffour store. When someone rents for 4 weeks, just give them enough pellets, it would have cost McRent about 6 euros. Small improvements that could only make the trip go better. We may do this one more time in another 18 months and will go back to Nurnberg or Stuttgart as both locations were very good, but not quite yet excellent. But I think they will
Hennie, South Africa, posted on 26 May 2018, vendor was DRMCamper rental
The service received from Motorvana where fantastic. Staff vvery friendly at DRM collection point. Just make sure the bedding is of good quality. Ours where not. Do not bother with a Mobile WIFI unit. All campsites have got WiFi Overall experience where good.
LauraLee Snook, Oregon USA, posted on 22 March 2018, vendor was McRent GermanyPersonalized service
Unbelievable customer service. E-mailed them on a holiday, got a response from Eric (not auto generated) that he would get back to me the next day and he did. Got some basic info and e-mailed several days later to make reservations. Dealt with Freik who was so helpful to this first time international traveler. Stated that both he and Eric travel extensively and do not mind sharing information. So many helpful tips including potential international cell phone and internet providers as well as apps that might help with the language barrier. Too many little questions to list here but Freik gave me great information every time. The booking process was simple as was the process of adding some additional time after reservations had already been made and confirmed. Will report back after my trip if anything of interest happens but for right now I could not give a higher rating to this company!
Choi youngjun, Korea, posted on 30 December 2017, vendor was DRMGood RV
It was good experience to travel with leisure vehicle to Europe. Especially the German rent company DRM is excellent for preparing and managing RV to costomer.
Robert Johnson, New Mexico, posted on 19 November 2017, vendor was DRMSatisfaction
Joyful Holiday. We have worked with Motorvana before, so had no questions as to who we were to contact for this trip. We were treated well and given our requested information quickly. As for DRM Frankfurt, we arrived couple hours early, and made them aware we were in no rush. They made us coffee and comfortable as they completed their duties and forms. To shorten the story they had us happily on the road before our appointment time. The vehicle was delivered and carefully explained leaving no questions from us. It performed well for the 9000. km driven in eight weeks. We returned the RV early and Meik was out carefully inspecting it and again signed us clear and explained the return of our security deposit. It was completed as explained, and now we have many happy memories of our experiences and the trip. As to the next trip, no questions as our choice to return to MOTORVANA and DRM Frankfurt, a winning team. R J
thomas sullivan, las vegas nevada USA, posted on 9 November 2017, vendor was DRMA good time was had by all
The staff at DRM on both pickup and drop off of the motorhome could not have been more helpful.
The motorhome was in excellent condition in all aspects.
We spent 7 weeks on board the motorhome and enjoyed all of it.
We may likely do it again this coming year
Karl Heinz Peil, Vermont - South Africa, posted on 13 October 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyRV Rental experience Muenchen
In September 2015 I rented via Motorvana a McRent vehicle at the MUNICH outlet. The RV was not ready on time, the RV was dirty, the cooker totally burnt, the cutlery and crockery incomplete, the fridge smelly and dirty and the service not friendly. I accepted the van in its state as I needed to depart. Bad mistake because it bit me when I returned the RV. On the first day I had a broken water pump, (Friday) and the company was not prepared to repair it on Saturday although I was prepared to return to the office the same day. Following week I had no support from the owner himself leaving me basically stranded and sorting out my own problems. Returning the RV, the company categorically denied any phone calls to repair the pump, basically calling me a liar. I was charged E 50.- for a dirty RV return which was cleaned thoroughly as good as possible before returning. All in all, a bad dream.
Karl Heinz Peil, Vermont - South Africa, posted on 13 October 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyRV Rental experience Hamburg
It is the second time I have rented a RV via MOTORVANA and I am very satisfied I deed. The pricing, service, response and efficiency is top class and I can only highly recommend the company. Additional insurance was recommended by MOTORVANA as RentalCover.com and I must compliment MOTORVANA again for their recommendation and RentalCover for their efficiency, pricing and personal attention to detail. McRent Hamburg was the company where I collected and dropped the RV. Also the second time in 4 years we used the Hamburg outlet and we had only the best experience with them. The personal touch, friendliness, efficiency, cleanliness of the vehicle, all in all 5 star. I am looking forward to use Hamburg again. Thank you to all both teams. You all made my trip worthwhile.
Joe, USA, posted on 5 October 2017, vendor was DRMGreat RV
A new Rv was provided that was clean and everything worked. It was a great value given the unlimited miles provided (something I never day before with an RV rental). There were no hidden fees. DRM was very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend DRM out of Munich.
Kim Pinnock, Australia, posted on 9 September 2017, vendor was DRMDRM Frankfurt
The pick up and drop off process was smooth. The staff were helpful when we had questions on the road and when we needed assistance with a minor accident. There were a few problems with the camper. The sunshade above the top bed came loose so we had to prop it up a driving along and sleeping was tricky on the last night. A screw worked it's way loose from the awning pole so we could not use it. We also had problems with bad odour from the grey water with no solutions offered. I think there should be a tool kit and spare screws etc for these sorts of problems. The process for the accident and insurance was no problem. Everyone was lovely.
Meiron, Israel, posted on 5 September 2017, vendor was Rent EasyGood with a few exceptions
We rented the RV for a month. We enjoyed it a lot and got a good price. However, we the rental company had some down sides: 1. We had to pay extra 50 EURO after discovering that the blanket is not a dubble blanket. 2. We had some minor technical issues during the rental period but no one in the rental company bothered to help.
Gayle H, Denver, Co, posted on 4 September 2017, vendor was DRMGreat Experience
My brother and I rented an RV for a two month vacation in Europe. The booking process was easy. Frederic, from Motorvana, was very helpful and always quick to respond to any questions or concerns I had. Meik from DRM Kelsterbach was great to work with. He and his staff walked us through the RV, its maintenance, and how to operate all of the features. They prepared us well for an enjoyable adventure. We had some issues along the way, but Meik was quick to respond to any questions we had and helped us contact the right people to resolve the problems with minor downtime. DRM Munich staff was very helpful and allowed us to camp on their site before heading out to our next destination. The return process was also very enjoyable. We had damaged the drivers mirror going through construction with heavy truck traffic, but Meik and DRM assured us that it was ok. They were incredibly fair about the charges and the repair cost was much less than I anticipated. I was very impressed when Meik found some minor damage on the right front of the RV that we did not know was there. He looked back through his records and confirmed that this was there prior to our rental! Amazing service, wonderful values and an overall awesome experience! Our vacation was made better knowing we had the constant backing of DRM to assist us with questions and problems. I highly recommend Motorvana and DRM for anyone considering RV rental in Germany.
Massimo Scali, Sondrio, Italia, posted on 19 August 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyQuite good but not completely satisfied
When we picked up the motorhome we had to wait for a procedural issue with their software: they had to change the motorhome assigned to us because of a mechanical problem and the new car was immediately available but the problem was to record the change in their system. We had to waste a couple of hours for this issue. The second reason of disappointment was my car: outside the place there's no safe place to leave the car and thus leaving it to McRent was mandatory. But for this we had to pay 10€ for each day and furthermore I had to sign a document so that they were not responsible for any possible damage that would occur to my car inside their property. I think the service can really improve.
Cristina Pomela, São Paulo Brazil, posted on 13 August 2017, vendor was DRMEverything ok
The RV was good, very new and it worked well. We didn't have problems with the pick up or the delivery process. Everybody were kind and attentive. I recommend!
David and Kaylene, Sydney Australia, posted on 7 August 2017, vendor was DRMMotorvana and DRM Frankfurt Depot
All we can say if perfect. Motorvana offered by far the best price and simplicity to deal with especially paying in advance and locking in the price and currency rate. DRM Frankfurt were great. 12 week rental we received a motor home that had only been rented for two weeks before and had 800km on it, we returned it 3 months later with almost 14,000km on it and the vehicle was faultless. We chose the family with alcove dining table in the back with big windows to sit and look out. Perfect for two. The Frankfurt depot we so helpful and went out of their way to assist. Highly recommend both companies
Alan & Moira Orchard, Port Elizabeth - South Africa, posted on 29 July 2017, vendor was DRMPerfect
We have just completed our 2nd 7 week rental with Motorvana and can only rate them very highly as with DRM Munich. Our D4 vehicle was brand new and 5 star in all aspects. Our 5000km trip through parts of Europe was stunning. We also bought two eBikes on Amazon to get around once parked which turned out to be invaluable and were fortunate enough to sell them the day we left. The combination of Motorvana and DRM assures you of a perfect booking and service experience.
Rainer, China and Germany, posted on 28 July 2017, vendor was McRent GermanySmooth from beginning to end
The Pick up and return was exeptionally organized, speedy and courteous. Upon arrival we had no wait and we received a lot of usable tips. The camper was clean and without any functional issues. I plan again to rent with the company!
Uli + Toni Schoen, Hervey Bay. Australia, posted on 24 July 2017, vendor was McRent Germany6 weeks Europe trip
Have been renting from Motorvana since 2013 and this was our third 6 weekly trip with them. Every trip was excellent with them in service, van quality and organization. This time we rented from Kayhude and had a Dethleffs Espirit which was brand new, everything worked well and we had an enjoyable trip. On all our trips so far we've always got new vans. The only negative factor everytime is the kitchen equipment, which we think should be upgraded. Otherwise 5 stars, and thank you for a great trip.
Giovanni Lippolis, ITALY MILANO, posted on 14 July 2017, vendor was DRMTERRESTRA ****
At the end Everything was excellent. I don't give the maximal rate because I just blame - there was no coverage on windscreen. I think worldwide is already a standard coverage. - Not so clear the RV explanations in Frankfurt
GL
Gordon and Anne Fleming, Ottawa, Canada, posted on 9 July 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyAmazing Tour of Europe
For our 50th Anniversary we wanted to tour Europe as we had done in the distant past - and McRent Frankfurt turned out to be a great choice! Our vehicle was a Buerstner City Car C600 and it handled like a dream - seats were comfy - interior design was very workable with loads of storage space - we even had showers a couple of times when we 'wild' camped, and to our surprise, they were very refreshing! The bed was quite comfortable and the 'queen-sized' bedding we had brought from home fit it nicely. The hot water heated quickly and the AC (only needed for 1 night), cooled the space comfortably. The size of the vehicle allowed us to travel even the narrowest roads in England (with their steep hedgerows!) and France. We had rented a table and 2 chairs and were glad we did - there were many opportunities to dine 'out'. The staff at McRent were very helpful and our deposit was promptly refunded on the return day. We both highly recommend this company and this vehicle - for 2 people, it worked very well. We put on over 8,000 Kms in the 7 weeks of our tour, cooking many meals as we went and didn't even finish one propane bottle ( we had been concerned that filling bottles might be a problem due to the length of time we would not be in Germany) Having read some of the previous renter's comments on the website, we packed a few items from home that made the experience better: a good, sharp knife - a drip coffee-maker - a level - zip-lock freezer bags - a flashlight - and extra tea towels.
Kaye, Australia, posted on 7 July 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyGerman Holiday
This is the second time we have used McRent Germany for a Motorhome and have nothing but good words about them. They are very organised and take care of all your needs. Excellent service and friendly people.
Rick Litherland, Gold Coast Australia, posted on 3 July 2017, vendor was McRent Germanymotorhome holiday
All dealings with Motorvana were very professional and very patient on there behalf due to a payment hic-up. The arrangements and information given made shuttle from airport hotel and pick-up of vehicle very smooth. Also Mc.Rent Frankfurt were excellent and efficient and as 6 years ago still provide near new motorhomes in perfect condition.And its always a bit of an achievement to hand it back in the same condition. Thanks for a great holiday and would recommend this way to travel for anyone.
Clare Ker, uk, posted on 1 July 2017, vendor was DRM2017 Europe
Everything about are trip was fantastic, Motorvana were prompt and efficient, and the Paulo in Munich DRM was very helpful and friendly, couldn't fault the service, when we returned the van they took us to the train station, excellent customer service !!!
Peter Silverwood, New Zealand, posted on 9 June 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyMcRent Camper Van
This 33 day trip was a great success. motorvana was easy to deal with and very pro-active in identifying aspects of the booking that might assist us. They alerted us to the fact that renting a van in Germany for more than 30 days results in the van rental being tax free. (A significant saving). Due to a travel conflict, we needed to push our start date back two days. We gave about 4 months notice of the required change and Motorvana coordinated this for us without a hitch. There was an admin charge from McRent for the change (that is fair) but Motorvana achieved a reduction in the overall rental cost for the reduced rental period. All aspects of the booking, pickup and drop off went smoothly. We will definitely use Motorvana again for any future trips.
Brian Mckinney and Katherine Ledford and Family, North Carolina USA, posted on 25 May 2017, vendor was DRMYOU can do this! No joke. Motorvana is the ONLY way to go.
I could (and might one day) write a book about how doable the european camping experience is. This summer is the second year in a row my wife and two teens will rent using Motorvana. I cannot say enough about how helpful in every aspect of planning and execution of our trip the Motorvana representatives have been. Personal service and expertise are commodities that are dispensed liberally at Motorvana. I read all of the Motorvana advise and tips, all of the reviews, and went to Europe for 16 days, and eight countries. My experience and the information you find on this website align almost perfectly. We also used the Car leasing service (because we flew into France and drove to Munich to pick up our RV it was cheaper to lease a car than to do 2 one way rentals). This service was much easier and more convenient than I expected. The beauty, ease of travel, abundance of campgrounds, and relative closeness of so many wonderful places and peoples cannot be exaggerated. I will write at length in another review about our experience. But, I have to finish some last minute prep for our trip this summer. So, for now, please believe me. Look no further. You do not need to. Just digest everything they have on this website. Consult their folks. Plan your trip. Go. It is easier than you can imagine. And cheaper. We ate at a restaurant and had coffee at a cafe almost everyday, and certainly paid for lots of museum and other admissions, including public transport into cities. But we were able to spend around or less than 200 us dollars per day. Not per person, for four people. This is including gas, camper rental, campground fees, and everything else. Verizon has great 4g coverage over all of the EU and for around 10 bucks a day per phone you can have the same plan as at home. More later. Brian
Glenn, Canada, posted on 19 May 2017, vendor was DRMHad a great time Beautiful camper and great service!
David K, Australia, posted on 14 May 2017, vendor was McRent GermanyNorway in April
Arrive to pick the van in Brietlingen, south of Hamburg. The staff were polite, friendly and most helpful. They were the same on the return of the van. The van itself performed really well and the winter tyres worked a treat through the snow and ice that was present in some parts of Norway. It was fine to take the van on the various ferries and cooking, sleeping in the small van worked well. This is our second experience with McRent and we are looking forward to our next trip with the same providers.
Benny Sorensen, Foster City, California, posted on 9 May 2017, vendor was DRMRV Vacation to visit relatives in Denmark
Brand new RV. On arrival in Denmark went for the first RV park. The proprietor said to drive around and camp in any open camp site. My wife MaryAnn picked a nice green lawn area. Due to previous heavy rain, upon driving in on the grass lawn the RV sank into the grass about 8 inches and we were stuck there. The camp host called for a tow truck to come the next morning at 8 AM. FALK the danish tow vehicle operator tied rope to the back axel & used the winch to pull the RV back to hard dirt road. No paper work was necessary only a signature on the document and we are on our way. The rest of the trip was uneventful. On the return trip in Hambur'g we visited Wunderland ,a miniature city with trains, cars and airports that resembles Hamburg City. Miniature airplanes take off and land. Cars stop at traffic lights and trains come and go. Well worth a visit if in the area (reservations required): www.minitur-wunderland.de/newsletter/anmelden.
Benny
Ewan Starkey, New Zeland, posted on 30 April 2017, vendor was DRMEpic and Excellent Winter-Spring Trip in France
This was our first camper van trip. 13,500 kilometres in 3 months, an epic winter-spring holiday around France. The camper was excellent, easily keeping up with the traffic on the motorways, excellent acceleration, climbed the ski field roads without a hassle, and good wing mirror vision for those tricky narrow streets. A few suggestions: hire a rental that starts in Germany (not France) as you don't have to pay the sales tax there (if hiring for 31 nights or longer.) This saved us a few thousand euros. But the German gas bottles cannot be filled in France, so we bought two in France, which wasn't a bother, returning them before our trip ended. Get Vacarious Media books on Aires so you have a reference of places you can park. There are apps that do this too (we also used Camper Contact) but none were as thorough as the book. Be careful if using Google maps as a gps guide as it will always search for the shortest route, often through really narrow streets, as it doesn't know how wide your vehicle is! We learnt to look down the street before turning and if we felt uncomfortable about the width we wouldn't turn, forcing the google maps lady to reroute us, until we got to a street that we would fit down. We also hired a mobile wifi from Hippocketwifi, which was excellent. Giving us wifi everywhere we went. DRM staff were excellent. I highly recommend them.
Adrian Douglas, Australia, posted on 9 April 2017, vendor was DRMGreat Experience
Having hired campers before I was sceptical of DRM's claim that the vehicle we chose would be less than 18 months old, however upon arrival at DRM Munich, we discovered that not only was the vehicle the colour I preferred but it was so new that we were only the second group to have rented it.
The vehicle was immaculate and perfectly suited to our purpose, the staff were welcoming and helpful and one of the gentlemen gave us a copy of a popular campsite guide that ended up being indispensable. Upon returning the vehicle to DRM they even dropped us off at the train station which I felt was something above and beyond and most thoughtful.
All in all we had a great experience both with Motorvana and DRM Munich, I would highly recommend these guys to anyone.
Tom Carstens, USA, posted on 28 November 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyAs Advertised
All went well. As advertised.
Graham Haird, South Africa, posted on 31 October 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyRecommended
First time Motor-home Renters and we had a great holiday - traveled 3800 km in a month through 7 different countries without a hitch. Some lessons we learned: - Depot in Munich is 1 hour by taxi at about 95 euros - but relatively easy to get to on public transport - 1 train and 1 bus and a 500m walk for 8 euros. Suggest the depot provides details on how to get there on public transport. - inspection before and after is very detailed - make sure any damage is recorded and photographed - we had no issues here - cassette toilet tablets are difficult to find in eastern europe - get some extras in Germany - phone the depot from the airport and book a pick up time - notes say after 2pm so we sat in the airport all morning only to be told we could have booked an earlier pick up and would now need to wait till 3pm because we had not booked a slot - the communication from Motorvana was excellent and also good communication from McRent Would definitely recommend both companies
Maureen Hanrahan, Denver Colorado, posted on 16 October 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyGreat Experience but Caution!
We rented a caravan for 10 days in September to travel in eastern France. The booking process was easy, all questions answered, orientation to a large vehicle was quick but adequate, everyone was helpful and polite and dealt with our limited German language skills.. Over all the experience was wonderful with a few exceptions/cautions.
1) the rental site is about an hour outside of Munich and from the airport. The taxi ride cost about 100 Euros each way and will be planned for both coming and going. There is no place to leave a vehicle at the rental site. Its busy and remote. Be prepared. 2) The scrutiny of the condition of the vehicle both before rental and upon return is much more rigorous than in the US. Be sure to note everything and take pictures to document. We were docked for what they said were small scratches on a plastic bumper upon return 400 Euros. We could not see the damage and stupidly did not have pictures to defend ourselves. If they were there at the time of rental, we did not see anything. Bummer was to end a great trip. Buy insurance! 3) The People at Motorvana in Oregon were very helpful both before the trip and in researching our complaint. Unfortunately, we did not document enough to defend the concern. Use them as a resource. 4) Overall, we had a great experience and would do it again. We saved money by eating in, saw parts of the country we would have otherwise missed and experienced the camping culture of France with delight. The 2 spoons, 2 forks, 2 knives and limited dishes kept us tidy; the bed was very comfortable and duvets cozy. It was a unique and memorable vacation in so many ways.
Carolina Searle, Chile, posted on 29 September 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyIncredible Experience
It was our first time renting a Motorhome...a family of 5 with small children. The experience was absolutely incredible. Thanks to Motorvana everything went as planned. The service given by them from the very beginning, and the service McRent offers are really exceptional. We felt that everything had been taken care of, and in case of any inconveniences we would have gotten all the help we would have needed! 10000% recommendable!
Barbara Sheckler, Miami, FL USA, posted on 25 September 2016, vendor was DRMNo disappointments...
Absolutely no disappointments. Everything was first rate....the services of both Motorvana and DRM, the motorhome, the array of available campsites, the wonderful scenery, the friendliness of the locals, etc etc etc. We will plan to do this again but for longer and further next time. We highly recommend it as a "do it yourself" economical touring vacation.
Christopher Schmidt, Goodyear, AZ, posted on 12 September 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyAugust 2016 Germany RV vacation
Made a great choice by traveling Germany by RV. Motorvana were great to work with I had to change dates and name on contract and both times it was a painless process. The only two small issues we had were with the pickup process had to paid extra for a Saturday pick up so I it would have been nice to have more then one person working at McRent since they had three customers picking up units. Then my son pointed out the a circuit breaker for electricity was tripped and the McRent person said it was fine. So on the rest of the trip the campers electrical outlets did not work.
Philippa Shaw, New Zealand, posted on 11 September 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyWonderful trip
We booked our 2 month motorhome trip with McRent through Motorvana. At all times they were really responsive to queries we had, and the level of customer service was excellent. The motorhome was exactly what we expected, and we also had wonderful service from McRent. We had two months travelling through Europe in our motorhome and enjoyed every moment, highly recommend both Motorvana and McRent to other travelers. Thanks so much!
Shira, Israel, posted on 10 September 2016, vendor was DRMCalifornia star
We had a great time with this rv. As parents with 2 small children (3 & 5 year old) we worried it would be too small but it was perfect. Very comfortable to drive and spacious enough to sleep in. Planning to take again a small rv next time.
Paul Carvill, UK, posted on 31 August 2016, vendor was DRMBavarian roadtrip
Excellent service and communications from both Motorvana and DRM in Frankfurt. Kelsterbach is very easy to find using the train from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. Claudia gave an exhaustive explanation of how things worked. She's also very funny. The VW California A2 seemed to be brand new and worked perfectly. Would definitely recommend and would use DRM and Motorvana again.
Couple of things not mentioned anywhere: the California has 2 USB ports built in, and the CD/stereo used some version of Apple CarPlay so you can control your iPhone music from the dashboard. It also has GPS navigation built in which is really useful.
DRM have lots of books and bits of kit other people have left behind, which you can look through and take/borrow. We found some very new plates and cups, camping chairs, umbrella, salt, pepper, spices and some kids toys (we left all this again when we dropped the van off!)
Had a great holiday, drove around 2000 miles through Bavaria in 2 weeks. VW California is a great van, big enough to live in but small enough to take it into cities to park.
vicki graae, australia, posted on 30 August 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyA great experience
We picked up our motorhome from Frankfurt after an effortless booking system. Positives: the vehicle was easy to drive, economical, well maintained, modern, comfortable bed and not living out of a suitcase was wonderful. Negatives: the inbuilt dash screen images were so dark they were unusable so no reverse camera or stanav (before we left, the McRent staff member tried to fix it but didn't know how), the cutlery/crockery package was sparse as there were no cooking utensils or a kettle, All in all, we had a great time and would do it again.
Brad Aylett, Australia, posted on 29 August 2016, vendor was DRMIt was gun
Had 8 weeks travelling germany, spain, luxembourg, UK, Switzerland, Belgium,. Family of 5, 9000ks not a problem other than a salt shaker falling and breaking the cooktop glass. Claudia at DRM was as cool as and organised another for 100 euro. Vehicle performed flawlessly through the pyrenees and alps, very easy to drive and operate. Vehicle only had 3000ks on the clock and basically new when we collected. Would recommend these guys without hesitation. Pickup and drop off at Kelsterbach was extremely efficient and fast, and Claudia even provided us with 2 removalists blankets to protect our carbon bikes while travelling when she saw us with them, well done Claudia. Thanks Aylett family Tasmania
Harrison, Zimbabwe, posted on 28 August 2016, vendor was DRMEurope
Check in was OK - had to wait a bit while they checked in others ...... the hand over was not very detailed but detailed enough ...... however handing it back the bus ......... we were kept waiting 30 minutes while the one guy cleaned another vehicle and we were ignored when complaining (and we were on time delivering it back) and then it was scrutinised far more than when giving it to me - the guy put the awning in and out over 10 times (and it worked every time) but he felt it wasn't smooth enough - it was not even extended when I was shown the vehicle and it wasn't him who handed it over so I guess maybe he knew the vehicle from before and was planning on charging us ........ it worked exactly as it had done and clicked in but was always a little fiddly) I complained to the other owner who said let it go but I found his persistence to find something wrong very irritating. Eventually he did find something because he felt we had not scrubbed the bathroom floor enough. So we had to re clean it!! I then had to chase for my deposit back but it is now in my account. The bus was fantastic and in all it was easy to rent but perhaps the munich branch should ease off a little when dealing with customers as infact they need our business .......
JEYSSON AND MARIA, PANAMA CITY, posted on 28 August 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyMOTORVANA SERVICE OUSTANDING.. MCRENT FRANKFURT...
I booked through Motorvana for 28 days in central Europe with mcrent Frankfurt,(Germany, Czech republic, Austria, Italy, Switzerland,France,Luxembourg.The booking process, through MOTORVANA was excellent,crystal clear, the pick up at mcrent, not so clear but on we went with a 2015 TREND model of DETHLEFFS manufacture for up to 6 people, it was almost new except for a minor door accident done seems like from the previous customer. All our trip went as planned. The drop off was a bit odd at Friedberg. In other words, "now we understand the strategy they use in order to fix their cars." Other than the above mentioned, everything went smooth,MY BEST ADVISE,! make sure you purchase an insurance for your camper insurance.! that way you will be cover for odd practices.(business, business.).THANK YOU MOTORVANA FOR BEEN THE CATALYST OF SUCH AN EXPERIENCE. P.D anyone who would like to have more info on the trip itself, we will be happy to help. jeyssonq A T hot mail
Brian Horn, USA, posted on 25 August 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyGreat first experience
Had a great first experience with Motorvana and McRent. The booking process was great. The checkin/checkout processes were great. The RV was in great shape. Would do it again!
Mark Kyle & Stephanie Turner, Christchurch, New Zealand, posted on 13 August 2016, vendor was McRent Germany63 days, 9 countries, 6600 km.
We booked and paid for the camper online from New Zealand. Pick up in Sindelfingen was a breeze. Nadine from McRent was both professional and very helpful. A €1200 insurance excess had to be paid on pick but was deposited back into our account a few days after returning the camper (with no damage). The camper was near new, clean and ready to go. It had the basics in it which would be enough for most types of holidays. We bought a few extras as we were touring for 9 weeks. The vehicle (Fiat 150) was easy to drive and never missed a beat. Fuel consumption was about 10 litres/100km on average. We drove on both motorways and back roads. It was very comfortable and roomy enough. It had bike racks on the back with all the necessary tie downs, etc. supplied. We bought second hand bikes which allowed us to get around while the camper was parked up. We used camp grounds and also freedom camped. Drop off was quick and easy with no hassles. We would recommend McRent without hesitation.
Alan Eccles, UK, posted on 26 July 2016, vendor was DRMMotor home hire
We rented a motor home from Munich. Depot staff very pleasant and easy to deal with before and after rental. Motor home in nearly new condition. Only 2 very small complaints: (1) we would have liked an email address for support rather than a phone number during rental to answer some queries. (2) kitchen stuff did not include a kettle.
Kwok Hung Chan, USA, posted on 18 July 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyGermany RV rental
We received a campervan with only 3000km on it. Very nice new campervan. Everything was as advertised. Pick up was simple and fast. There was a small nick on the windshield probably due to small pebble and we were charged for 100 euros to repair. The rental place is north of Munich. You will need a taxi to get there. Taxi drom Pasing ia 55 Euros and was told from airporr ia 85 Euros. There ia a bus from Pasing but runs very infrequently.
Neil, Australia, posted on 16 July 2016, vendor was DRMPerfect Rental
4 birth auto vehicle. Easy to locate pick up just a short taxi ride from train station. Friendly staff. Good quality vehicle with the inclusions we had ordered all in place. Straight forward pick and drop off. Would definitely recommend them to others.
Martin, Uruguay, posted on 9 July 2016, vendor was DRMTop service
Hello all. Just returned from my 3 weeks trip in Europe, visiting Germany, Czech. Rep,, Austria, Hungary, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Italiy. Camper booked to DRM vendor @ Munich (Markt Schwaben). The van was brand new (only one month old, less than 2000 KM of use), and worked perfectly both in terms of driving and in terms of living. It was also a highlight the cooperation of the staff of the MUC depot, with a clear explanation of the features and how to operate the camper. However, I want to focus my report in the guys @ Motorvana. They´re great! What an awesome customer service! All questions replied in less than 48 hours and with a dedication and level of proffesionalism at a very high standard. Big thanks to all the team!
Alan and Moira Orchard, South Africa, posted on 8 July 2016, vendor was DRMNothing Comes Close
Having never entertained anything of this nature before, to say that we were somewhat apprehensive about the whole adventure is an understatement. Driving into the unknown, on the wrong side of the road for us, in a considerably larger vehicle than what we were ever used to, made up for most of the anxiety. Never were we more mistaken however, as the following story of what turned out to be a most unique adventure will reveal, and which we think could be of interest to others like ourselves who are maybe contemplating doing the same, but need a nudge. … It all starts here and one is really spoilt for choices. We used Eric & Doug Bredesen and Freik from Motorvana for our booking and found them to be very efficient, helpful and obliging with our enquiries. … Responses were prompt and concise and we will have no hesitation in using Motorvana again. … In all of our years of travel, nothing comes close to the relaxed experience we had during this, our first motorhome trip. The sights, the places of interest, the intrigue, the unknown, the beauty, coupled to the relaxed life style, comfort and convenience of having your own home along with you to stop wherever and whenever you liked, simply made for a unique affordable experience to see the world like in no other way, and we cannot wait to repeat the experience again next year. Our planning is already in progress… Hats off to Motorvana and DRM for making it all possible.
Thomas , UK, posted on 8 July 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyRude Behaviour
I picked up and returned the McRent [also known as Pure] camper in Cologne. I was met and shown the camper by a very pleasant gentleman and then went on a very nice trip through Belgium France and Holland. The camper was great , very new/modern. However on return and having not used the camper facilities much except primarily for sleeping (eating out instead and using campsite bathroom facilities-its easier) my group and I decided to do the quick clean for the return. My group were met by a stony faced young lady around eighteen years of age. She didn't ask whether we had a good trip or engage in any other polite conversation but went on an immediate inspection of the camper. Apparently disappointed not to find any marks on the outside she turned her rigorous attention inside. It turned out that the shower cubicle (unused as mentioned) had some black hairs in the plug hole (I am grey and virtually bald, my son is fair haired and his companion is ginger) was not cleaned up to standard. I have to say i didn't really notice as it was covered by a slatted board when we picked up the camper). Clearly it was not properly cleaned by either the company or the previous user. The same applied to the kitchen utensils drawer which (although it looked pretty clean to me was not entirely to her satisfaction) she demanded it be cleaned more thoroughly. Properly annoyed at this stage I explained we had not used the kitchen, the kitchen drawer or indeed the utensils which i pointed out remained as given in the rear of the camper. She couldn't seem to accept we hadn't used the kitchen or the utensils and demanded to know "how did you eat, did you use your fingers." Having had a really great holiday I must say this experience was horrible and ruined the most of that particular day as i was so furious with the attitude directed towards me and my group. To be treated with contempt is never nice but this is exactly how i felt, no attempt at all to act civilly and to treat a customer with at the very least a minimum of respect and dignity. Shameful!
Sveinn Halldór Oddsson Zoëga, Iceland, posted on 7 July 2016, vendor was DRMEverything as advertised, excellent car (VW California).
Daniel O' Brien, Ireland, posted on 6 July 2016, vendor was DRMEuro 2016 Camper Rental
Rented a 5-berth camper van from DRM's Munich depot recently to travel to and throughout France for Euro 2016. They were very accommodating as they usually close at 11am on Saturdays but offered to stay open until 2pm to facilitate the arrival time of my flight to Munich. The guys at the depot were very friendly, had good English and gave a thorough orientation of the camper van and all of it's features. The camper van was due to be returned by 10am 2 weeks later, however we were running late due to traffic conditions and taking a few wrong turns. The guys at the depot called just to check where we were, we got there at around 3pm and they didn't charge us extra for the late return. Again they were very friendly upon return (maybe because the guy we met was Italian and he knew we were Irish and we had just beaten them in the last group stage game at Euro 2016!). They did give the camper van a good inspection upon return but they were not looking for silly things to try and take money out of our deposit. The deposit was returned in full a few days later. I'd highly recommend both Motorvana and DRM.
Tom Anderson, UK, posted on 4 July 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyCampervan Rental
Camppervan had a higher specification than expected and was in first-class condition. Pick-up and return were all hassle-free and effectively done. The McRent personnel were all very helpful. No complaints of even a minor nature.
Ken Jackson, Australia, posted on 3 July 2016, vendor was DRM5 Star
This is the first time I have used Motorvana and couldn't be happier with the experience. They were totally professional and all the information provided was 100% correct and very helpful. We arrived at DRM about 3 hours early but that was no problem as the van was ready. The handover was very friendly, very thorough and totally professional. This was repeated when we returned the van. I had read reviews that people had found them to be very 'picky' about things when checking the van on return, but we only encountered the same very friendly professionalism. They also phoned us taxi to take us to the airport (E50) The only recommendation I would make is to take the Satnav option. I actually feel that DRM would be better served by having every van with the inbuilt satnav and charge an extra Euro 2 per day on all rentals. I believe that it is possible to get one that a minimum height setting can be made, this would be invaluable as I think that I found every low bridge in Germany.
Totally happy 5 star ++ rating!
Ralph & Marie Claire Embury, Canada, posted on 17 June 2016, vendor was DRMFantastic
Renting the motorhome through Motorvana is about as easy as it can get. We had a little misunderstanding regarding if a GPS was included in the unit and they looked after it in our favor immediately, and to our satisfaction.
Steve Fennell, Bateau bay Australia, posted on 3 June 2016, vendor was DRM4 weeks of europe
Just got back home to Australia after 4 weeks of touring through Europe (Germany,France,Andorra,Spain,Italy and Austria) following the Moto GP and Formula 1 race circuits.This was my 6th trip doing the circuit and once again it was a fantastic holiday.Claudia at DRM Frankfurt was her usual helpful and bubbly person making pickup and dropoff an easy process.I once again converted many travellers I met to the benefits of camper travel through Europe,Doug and his crew will have more customers to help in the future.If anyone is travelling from France down to Spain I can highly recommend taking the longer route through Andorra,especially if you like shopping (tax free principality) I am already looking forward to next years trip which I hope to take to the eastern European countries.
Paul Sole, NZ, posted on 24 May 2016, vendor was McRent GermanyGreat way to travel
Friendly and easy to deal with we really enjoyed our trip The only downside is getting to and from the motorhome Depot this is not easy unless you choose to do so by taxi
Paul and Heather Dew, Australia, posted on 21 December 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyRenting a camper in October through to December could have been a problem but not for us. As we had dealt with Motorvana and McRent before we had confidence that all arrangements would be met. It was so. It is easy to recommend both companies to friends and family. We have enjoyed renting from McRent for many years and enjoyed the benefits of booking through Motorvana the last three times. We are seniors and have spent from 6 weeks to 4 months touring Europe, UK and Scandinavia in camper vans over the years. My husband has terminal cancer and even so enjoyed this last time very much. Thank you for making our trip possible and helping create valuable memories.
Lee Haefele, Ithaca, NY, posted on 30 October 2015, vendor was DRMOne month tour Sept-Oct
We rented a B2 Cruiser from the Frankfurt DRM office. Everything was in good order and there was a pile of leftover items on a shelf that was a help. DRM is very close to the airport and a train station, and they were very helpful. The B2 was small, one design flaw is that you cannot fully open the bath door when the ladder is in place for the bed. We are about 130 and 175 pounds and we are likely the biggest people that could squeeze in the bathroom at night with the ladder in place. The Fiat based RV drove nicely up to about 115 km/hour, above that passing vehicles did make it sway. Beware, it can get stuck on wet grass if you need to go uphill. It was very peppy and fuel mileage was about 21-23 mpg. The heat and hot water worked very well. We had it for a month and travelled to Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia. Take note that Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia require purchase of a sticker before using their super highways, these are available at gas stations. We rented from Sept 20 to Oct 22 so we did need some heat, luckily we did not need to refill propane outside of Germany as you cannot. Late season, I would ask for a 3rd propane bottle and or an electric heater. Pleasant surprises were that camper overnight parking in Germany was everywhere, easy to find with CAMPERCONTACT.com ipad app from the Netherlands Camper Club. The ACSI app was not useful. Food, beer, camping fees are much less than USA. The only things that are more are fuel and highway tolls. Highway tolls, free in Germany, can be over 50 euros a day elsewhere. Driving the A super highways can be difficult, the trucks are limited to 100 km/hr but are often slower. You need to pass, then get back in the right lane, then pass again. Few trucks move Saturday and next to none Sunday. Italy was most difficult driving, Croatia was easiest with little traffic. US credit cards work in stores, but not in automated gas pumps, which may be all you will find on a Sunday. The camper would go nearly 1000km on a tank. At least 1/3 of places we tried to use credit cards, did not take them. All full service gas stations did. Croatia has its own currency. What we did wrong: We were advised to get T Mobile USA internet service which included Europe, but did not. Phone and internet service is only available one country at a time, if you buy in Europe. Bikes: we did not rent bikes, but wished we had, biking is very commonly used by locals and there are bike paths everywhere. GPS, our older one was not good enough. As the signage is not as good as USA, this is really necessary. It was a great trip, the high point was the Croatian National Park. This is a series of lakes that spill one to the next. The most beautiful 5 hour hike I have ever done.
Dougall & Lisa Henderson, Invercargill, New Zealand, posted on 28 October 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyWe booked and paid for our Camper Van online earlier in the year and arrived at the Depot in Sindelfingen Stuttgart on the 18th Sept 2015. We were met by Julian who was a pleasure to deal with and made the pickup and demo a breeze. The Camper van was the Family Standard, 4 berth layout model: MED T7151-4 EB. The van was only 6 months old and it was an absolutely brilliant van. If you are considering hiring a camper for two adults and 2 children then this is the model to go for as it has two single beds at the rear and a pull down double for the adults. Although the van was quite large, it didn't take too long to get the hang of it. The gas hot water worked well giving us enough hot water for all of us to shower each morning as well as being able to wash dishes. The gas heating worked will also although we didn't really need it. Also, the dual battery system worked well when not plugged into power as it would recharge each day when the motor was running.
If you are intending on freedom camping then the fresh water tank hold 120 litres and lasts a couple of days before needing to top it up again. The grey water tank holds heaps so again it only needed emptying every 2 or 3 days. The chemical toilet cassette needed emptying every couple of days but there are plenty of places like motorway truck stops where you can empty them throughout Europe.
We had the van for 23 days and the drop off went smoothly as well.
In summary, McRent Sindelfingen were very professional to deal with and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone wanting to rent a Camper Van to travel through Europe. By the way, it is much cheaper to rent from McRent Germany than any other Country in Europe. Check out the prices and you will see for yourself. The only things to be aware of is they require a 1200 euro deposit for the insurance excess in the event you have an accident. They actually take this from you credit card account so take this into account if you have all your spending money in your credit card account. They refund this to you on the day of return if there is no damage.
Also, their insurance does not cover tyres or chipped window screen or any damage to the roof of the van so make sure you have your own insurance which you should have anyway.
Jerry Brown, California, posted on 26 October 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyMonth rental
McRent Frankfurt were great and we would definitely use them again. We were forewarned by previous reviews and brought our own bedding. We also knew that cooking utensils would be marginal.However, the camper was in excellent condition and we had no problems at all. Tips for new campers. Check all the instruction manuals to be sure they are in English (not just on the cover). Watch all the instruction videos. Bring a gps that you are used to. Plan your trip ahead with Google maps and allow time to enjoy Europe not just drive through it. Note that many campgrounds close in the off season. Have a translation system for parking signs and other important information.
Andrew Chatfield , New Zealand, posted on 12 October 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyAmazing experience!! We had the family standard for 2 weeks in September. We have never used a motorhome before and so we were apprehensive before hand. Mcrent however made the hireage and experience so easy and worthwhile ! Would totally recommend and look forward to our next trip!.
Roy E Zimmer, Winter Park, Fla, posted on 9 October 2015, vendor was DRMGermany Vacation
We live in Winter Park,Fla and just got back from our 2 week camper van vacation. This is the 4 year in the past 5 years that we have rented campers though Motorvana and picked them up at the DRM depot in Frankfurt. We had an excellent trip ,with good weather and traveled south from Frankfurt into Austria and also spent a few nights in Italy. Then back up past Lake Constance into the Black Forest ending up in one of our favorite campgrounds on the Rhine .. The people at the Depot in Frankfurt, Claudia , Mike and the rest of the staff are wonderful, friendly and helpful. And Doug and Staff in Oregon are also really great to deal with. We feel we are now very experienced campers in that part of Europe and feel there is no better way to travel . Just remember you always have your bathroom with you. Our older Tomtom GPS still works great and with the camping guide That DRM provides. I just punch in the GPS coordinates of the next campground and 9 times out of ten it takes us right to the entrance. You for sure will need a GPS. You certainly need to focus on driving especially on the back roads as of course the camper is bigger than most cars in Europe and parking can be challenging but we absolutely now would not travel any other way. And we also would not use any other company other that Motorvana. All of our 4 trips have been a really great experience. If you do head to Germany we recommend starting in Frankfurt. The Depot is just the first train stop away with the train you pickup in the airport. Then about a quarter mile walk from that stop to the depot. Grocery store is really close to the depot also with a great selection for initially stocking up at. We did rent the table and two chairs, but for the past two trips bring our own pots, pans, glasses and basic kitchen ware. The kitchen items DRM rents are really not to great. If you choose DRM in Frankfurt say hi to Claudia for us. She is great.
larry miller, sidney bc canada, posted on 3 October 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyMcRent is great but not Motorvana
We rented direct from Mcrent in 2014 at the Frankfurt location. Because my wife has some disabilities we required a unit with the lower bed profile, which they provided. This year Motorvana was promoting some units out of Dusseldorf. The model displayed on the add was the one with the lower bed, so I phoned to make sure that this would be the unit or model that we would receive if I went with the promotion. I was assured that it would be unless the unit was in an accident prior to us arriving. I booked the unit then with Motorvana. When we arrived they did not have the unit and did not even have any of this model in their inventory. Now when you are in this situation you cant complain to McRent because it is not their fault. We had to take whatever they wanted to give us for a unit. The three guys in Portland have our money and they don't really care either. When I complained to Motorvana I was told they would never say what they told me when I phoned. Never again will I use Motorvana. I will deal directly with McRent, someone I can trust.
Colin Harvey, Australia, posted on 24 September 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyExcellent experience with Mcrent. Friendly helpful staff - we had a thorough explanation of the vehicle we hired, the vehicle was in excellent working order and on return we were processed promptly and efficiently. We would wholeheartedly use the company again and of course recommend to others.
Catherine, posted on 25 August 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyAs it was our first experience holidaying in a camper, we were a little anxious at first, but delighted now we took the plunge! The service and briefing at Dusseldorf was excellent and we felt quite a lot more confident knowing we had plenty of support in case of problems. After touring for two wonderful weeks through Germany, Switzerland and Italy with a great camper that exceeded our expectations (in superb condition and very reliable with low mileage), we were rather gutted we ended the holiday with a broken side mirror after an unfortunate encounter with a motorway bollard.. However, the staff at Dusseldorf were still pleasant to us upon our return and putting the damage right was completely stress-free. Many thanks for a fantastic service and a thoroughly enjoyable holiday! We have now caught the motorhome camping bug!
Darren, posted on 20 August 2015, vendor was DRMBooked with Motorvana and picked up Campervan from DRM in Munich. DRM staff was very helpful in explaining all the features. Nice camper, low miles. Spent 3 weeks touring the Alps and mountain biking. Van worked beautifully for 3000km. Be sure to add Vignettes and road tolls into your travel budget, something we are not used to in the states. Spent quite a bit on preparing the van with pots and pans and other utinsils (seriously? no coffee maker?) I feel those items should be included especially since we left everything we bought with the van. If you plan such a trip I highly recommend taking a GPS, could not have done it with a map alone. I hope to rent again from DRM and recommend them highly. Will be more prepared next time though!
Tristan, posted on 9 August 2015, vendor was DRMFaultless service out of Munchen location. The van was almost new and far better than anticipated. Staff took time to properly intro all features of the vehicle. The whole experiance was very good and I would happily tell my friends to use this company any time!
Les MacDougall, posted on 16 July 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyMcRent Hamburg. Friendly and cooperative - no complaints on my interactions. The vehicle itself was superb, but sadly I was given a slightly different model than the one I had booked. The difference was a vehicle length of 6,4 m rather than 6,0 m ... but that small difference is very expensive when using ferries as it puts you into a much more expensive category.
Nicholas Shutt, posted on 16 July 2015, vendor was McRent Germany20.06.2015 - 04.07.2015 McRent Rheinfelden GmbH, Maulburg. Not much to say really... Friendly staff. Picked up camper, no problem. Took back camper, no problem. Had two weeks of biking along canal banks in the South of France using the camper as a base. It was perfect. Great to drive. It would go on the freeways at 130 all day. Inside, the camper was spotless with a practical layout. Lovely bed. Amazing for the price. Again, just perfect. Will book again. ***** from me :-)
Anonymous, posted on 15 July 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyMy husband and I rented a Possl 2Win Campervan via Motorvana from McRent in Munich in June of 2015. We had the rental for a week and enjoyed the experience very much. If you do not want to read the entire review, please at least consider this piece of advice: You must return the unit early in the morning on the last day of your rental period. As a result, many campers take advantage of the free parking at the depot the night before. If you are beginning a rental the next day, there are numerous campers who would be happy to give you their gently used chairs, supplies, food, etc., to start your trip. There was no formal mechanism for passing along unused supplies from one rental to the next so we joined many other campers in simply discarding the items we could not use or take with us. If possible, I would go the evening before the beginning of your rental, or even early the morning of your rental, and score as many supplies as you wanted. The unit had 6000 K miles on it and was in excellent condition. We traveled to the French Alps and put a ton of miles on the camper in every type of terrain, including tiny French villages. We picked this unit for the ability to negotiate narrow roads and we were very pleased with its performance. The unit was comfortable, well designed, and fuel efficient. No air conditioning at night but there were plenty of windows and a full size screen on the slider door which helped. We would recommend picking up a couple of fans for use in the evenings when it is very hot. The staff at McRent were very efficient and friendly, despite being very busy both at pick up and drop off. The location of the depot is far outside of Munich, impossible to reach by public transportation. A cab to the airport cost around 90 EUROS. A cab from the city, near the Olympic park, cost around 60 EUROS. I would just factor that into the cost of the rental. The policy at McRent required us to return the unit cleaned inside and out which is different than we read previously. Rather than wait in a long line at the car wash at the depot, we washed the unit the day before at a different site. The requirement to return the unit early in the morning meant we had limited options for accommodations the night before so we joined a number of other campers in the free parking area at the depot which included electricity but not water. Motorvana was wonderful to work with and helped with questions we had prior to the beginning of the rental. We would not hesitate to use them again and recommend them very highly.
Paulo Claudino, posted on 28 May 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyWe took the motorhome in Mc Rent in Hamburg. We travel more than 4000 km and returned the vehicle in the same place (Hamburg). We didn't have any problems and we were attended very well at Mc Rent.
Bruno, posted on 19 May 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyMotorvana provided a smooth and straightforward booking process for our rental of a Sunlight T-60 from Hamburg. Questions were all answered promptly.
The camper was clean, almost new, and extremely functional. The staff at McRent were very helpful and responsive when we contacted them regarding unexpected weather and other issues.
All in all, the motorhome made it possible for us to spend a wonderful month exploring the solitude and wilderness of Scandinavia. :)
Joseph Butera, posted on 7 April 2015, vendor was McRent GermanyHello Doug. Thank you (and your brother) very much ... you cannot realize how much I appreciate your help in this matter (need to cancel booking).
I will always consider Motorvana as a trustworthy and caring company ... I am sure you will hear from me in the future and I will continue to refer you to my friends.
Please pass my thanks onto McRent as well ... they are to be commended in today's world.
I wish you the best. Thanks for your understanding. - Joseph
John and Cathy, posted on 17 December 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a campervan thru Motorvana and can report that we are 100 percent happy. Doug and his team gave us prompt attention when corresponding with us before and after our rental period.
We picked up our van, surprise surprise, we actually got the van we chose... not like most rental cars. This was good because we took a lot of time choosing the van that was going to suit where we travelled. The team at McRent in Berlin were excellent to deal with. Nadine spoke pretty good English, better than our German, and she was very good. Van was excellent, 4000 kilometres without a hitch. Van was only 6 months old and was in good condition. We have recommended Doug and his team to several friends since we have been home. Will not hesitate to book again through Motorvana. Thanks doug.
Ronald, posted on 8 December 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe picked up our motorhome from McRent in Mannheim, Germany Sept 1 and it was very clean and as advertised. It was a 2014 unit and all systems functioned as designed. We had a great time and Peter who was in charge of the rentals was very easy to deal with and I would recommend them to anyone. Also our Euro-zone phone functioned flawlessly. Overall a great trip.
DeeAnne, posted on 10 November 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had an absolutely lovely time in Germany and France. The rental pick up and drop off process was extremely smooth. Everything was as advertised. RV came to us clean and in excellent condition. We would definitely use your service again.
Evandra and Nelson Rabello, posted on 4 November 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a really great time in Germany with our motorhome! Rudolph (the guy from McRent) told us everything about the way our car worked, about velocity limits, roads to run, places to go, and so on. He was very kind, as everybody else from the company. Talking about Motorvana, they were perfect also !! These 24 days were our best ones in Europe.
Vicki, posted on 1 November 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a great fortnight in a motorhome picked up at McRent in Munich. They explained everything really well and we had no issues during our holiday. It is a great way to see Europe!
David and Sarah, UK, posted on 1 November 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a wonderful holiday in our hired campervan. The company (in Rheinfelden) were both professional and friendly, and the van performed well. We were in no hurry, and got very good mpg - one tank of diesel lasted the whole week. No major climbs, as we'd set ourselves a programme to follow the course of the Danube, but there were a few impressive snaky bits in the places where it goes through gorges. David had been nervous about driving it, but in the end I hardly got a look-in...
We particularly liked the fly screens on the main rear door and all the windows and skylights. The other equipment was good too - lots of storage space. We were in a Fiat Adria 600. I'd echo the comments about the kitchen kit - it was all a bit ropy, and no lids for the saucepans. We'd taken our own camping kettle (gotta be sure of a good cup of tea!), which was good as otherwise we'd have been using a lidless pan, and a couple of favourite sharp knives. We had our own bedding and linen so no problems there. Another time I'll take the full kit of crockery, cutlery and pans.
We were impressed with the campsites we stayed on.
Jayman Shah, posted on 31 October 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had the most memorable trip of our lives! I perhaps regained some lost love of my wife!
We intend more such trips and my friends are also gearing up for the same.
Eric most camping magazines are in European languages & hence a big issue remains finding addresses & information about camping sites for RV.
Since it is your business I suggest that you compile a data for the same and email them to your renters. Further, it is also provides you an opportunity to earn commissions from the bookings. It is a win-win situation.
Thanks again.
Moana and Ashley, New Zealand, posted on 16 October 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWhen my husband and I touted the idea of renting an RV for our European holiday, it was the best decision we ever made. (By the way we were first timers in Europe). Researching the Internet, we came across Motorvana, read the reviews and booked. The communication from these guys (even though we are on opposite sides of the globes) was comforting to say the least, responses were prompt and polite.
We flew into Frankfurt from New York, the pick up from the airport went smoothly, and we were highly excited about our RV and home for the next 24 days. Unfortunately we had a hiccup with our original campervan issued and got UPGRADED (at no extra cost). Good start to the holiday. I had read in the fine print about the EUR1200.00 we had to pay before we left the depot and understood it was a deposit, refundable, subject to the RV being returned with nil damage. (We passed the test on return and was immediately refunded).
A summary of our trip, my husband did ALL the driving. In 23 days we clocked up 14,000 kms and visited 10 countries, we stayed mainly in the not so touristy places, with the exception of Paris and Venice. Key to our trip, a good reliable GPS (We took our own Navman), pre-planned our route around Europe, researched the camping grounds in the areas. All the camping grounds we stayed at had excellent hook ups to local rail and bus transportation, especially to the tourist spots and it was nice to leave the RV in the camping grounds and tour the areas without the worry of parking. Tolls, France (Expensive), Austria (best value for money), Italy (okay). If there is one tip I would like to pass on. It is an expectation that your RV is returned clean, interior and exterior. We decided to give ourselves a couple of days back in Frankfurt for this. We stayed at the local camping ground, cleaned our van then for the last night we booked ourselves into the local hotel in Friedberg for an early return to the depot which was 5 minutes away from our accommodation. This worked in our favour as we had an early flight to London
We had a lot of friends follow us on Facebook during our holiday, and some have already enquired about RV Rental. I will certainly have no hesitation in recommending MOTORVANA.
Bronwyn and Graham Cowan, posted on 23 September 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a Campervan for a three month european holiday. We were a little nervous about hiring a van sight unseen via email but found Motorvana a pleasure to deal with. We picked up our van from McRent in Friedburg and the service at pick up and return was prompt and efficient, the van was very clean and in good order. We are happy to recommend them to others. The price was very competitive with other companies. However we were surprised at the cost of camp grounds in Europe with many hidden extras in addition to the advertised price so we used "aires" where possible. We used two apps Camp4Night.com and Camping-car info to find aires, we used google translate to interpret the comments. There is an English language book called "all the aires" published by a company called Vicarous Books that many English speaking campers swear by. There is an opportunity for improvement in the equipment provided by McRent, the cooking gear is woefully inadequate for a long term rent, the saucepans had no lids, the handles were loose and dangerous, there was no frying pan, chopping board, mixing bowls or a decent knives. One knife fork and spoon per person is not adequate. The welding on the kettle handle broke within two days. We purchased a number of cooking utensils and cutlery to save our sanity. The linen package was minimal, no tea towels were provided and the pillows were lumpy. We so went shopping again. I note that these issues have been raised by previous reviewers, it is a shame that this appears to have fallen on deaf ears as this spoils what is otherwise a great company to deal with.
Erik Westerling, Netherlands, posted on 21 September 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a camper van in Hannover via Motorvana. The van was almost brand new and the service received via Motorvana was fantastic. Wrote various emails and always received a response within 24 hours. I also left some belongings in the van after we returned it and they arranged that all the stuff was sent back to our home address!
It was the first time we used their service but there will be many more during the next coming years!
Andrew Edmondson, posted on 16 September 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a motorhome through Motorvana and i have to say that it was one of the most professional experiences I have had on a holiday booking. All the information prior to pickup was very comprehensive. The motorhome itself exceeded our expectations as it was brand new.
So all in all I thoroughly recommend using this company (and as others have said they were also the best value).
I agree with others comments about bedding and kitchen equipment but this was relatively minor and we were expecting it anyway from the reviews we had read.
Graeme Phillips, NSW Australia, posted on 14 September 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyFirst of all this was the 3rd time we have hired a motorhome from Motorvana/McRent in Germany. The first two hirings out of Munich (Sulzemoos) and the 3rd and recent hiring out of Berlin and on all occasions found professional, friendly, hassle free dealings with McRent. The Berlin franchise is smaller but much easier to access on arrival than the Munich base. On this occasion we rented a Dethleffs Globebus T4 Motorhome, excellent for two people and as usual for McRent only months old. We travelled through Germany, Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary all without any problems. If contemplating travelling by this means in Europe be aware that you need to buy a Vignette (sticker) at the border for those countries. Finally if and when we travel again in Europe Motorvana/McRent will again be our Company of choice.
Emilio and Susi, posted on 10 September 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyExtraordinary vacation. No problemas at all. The unit was in perfect condition. At check inn they explain everything perfect.
Ray and Sheri Neilson, posted on 8 September 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a camper in Mannheim and everything went very smoothly. Brilliant near new camper that was perfect for our trip through Scandinavia. Our deposit was returned the day we returned the car and we were extremely happy with all dealings with McRent. A special thank you to Peter in Mannheim who assisted us.
Rebecca, posted on 22 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyHad absolutely no issues at all with this campervan and the people we hired it from were amazing and fair. We treated the campervan as our own and in return got all of the deposit back. Thanks mc rent hamburg, you made our trip great! Will definietly hire again!
Lucile Kelly, Brisbane, Australia, posted on 17 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyThis is the second time we have booked a motorhome through Motorvana and we have found their service to be professional, reliable, accommodating and very helpful. They also offer the best price that I have found for RV rental in Europe. We rented a McRent motorhome for pick up in Hamburg. We found McRent reasonably efficient, much more so than they were three years ago when we last rented with them. We were supposed to pick up the motorhome at 4pm but we got there early. We ended up waiting until 6pm before it was ready due to it still being cleaned.
The last time we rented with McRent, we had to purchase pillows as the ones they supplied through the rented linen pack were so lumpy, they were impossible to sleep on. This time we knew to check the pillows before we left the depot and they happily gave us another pillow to replace an unsuitable one. Don't forget to take your own towels as these are not included in the linen pack. Our overall experience with McRent and Motorvana was a positive one. Thank you all!!
L L Hill, Perth, Western Australia, posted on 16 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyThinking of using Motorvana, don't hesitate. They are trustworthy, professional and honest. We rented a compact motorhome from McRent in Friedberg. Some tips you may find helpful:
Do take your own towels, sheets, pillows, tea towels etc if you can. I took a couple of old towels to use as mats, seat protectors etc and used them as rags to clean with at the end.
There is a bike hire place in Friedberg but it is closed on Mondays when we had pick up. Do consider having bikes as they would of been so convenient. We tried buying them but they were very expensive and we couldn't even find old 2nd hand ones anywhere (very unlike Australia). Had we pre-arranged with the bike hire I'm sure they would of delivered the bikes to McRent for us. I agree with other posts the watering can they gave us to top up the water was inadequate. As a minimum it needs a funnel as well but preferably a hose. On our last night we looked for a caravan park close to Friedberg to pack up our gear, clean the van, dump etc. There are none really close but we stayed at Mainkur campground a pretty little place on the river. They are used to people staying there on their last night and she rationed us out one garbage bag and you are only allowed to use her bags. It doesn't go far when you have a fridge to clear out and maps and tourist brochures from every place you have visited. So throw as you go or at least have a clean out before you get there.
Next tip: Some places take siesta time very seriously so be prepared for some closures in between 12-2 pm this includes Mainkur and other campgrounds and some tourist info services.
For non-German speaking people like us we found the smart phone app "World lens' invaluable for reading parking meter signs etc.
The kitchen kit McRent provided was very basic and did not included a kettle which i just could not believe. In the end i used the small saucepan provided and it did the job but had i known i would have packed our small hiking kettle.
There is an Aldi and another supermarket next door to each other only a few kms down the road to do your initial stock up. (Ask at pick up for directions) It only costs approx 7euros from the Friedberg train station to McRent by taxi and there were heaps of them queued up outside.
McRent actually have a grey water dumping facility and i think one to empty the toilet cassette at the end of your journey if required. Look out for Park & Ride places on the outskirts of old towns like Innsbruck, Salisburg etc. Parking is very difficult in the towns unless you are German and know the tricks. We found these park & rides great because for one fee(8-18euro) we could park and up to five people have unlimited travel by bus or train all day and if it was 24hr parking sometimes stay the night in the carpark as well. It was certainly less stressful than trying to find somewhere to park our motorhome (even a compact one) in a strange city. On the subject of parking - a roof shape over the P on a parking direction sign means a multi level carpark which most motorhomes don't fit in due to their height. Fairly obvious i know but it can be surprisingly hard to find single level parking in European cities hence our use of park & rides. We had a fantastic time and hope you do too.
Mike Edwards, South Africa, posted on 14 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyI posted a review on 1 August, rating Motorvana very highly. My opinion of them has gone up even further, after an unauthorised transaction was processed on my credit card by McRent three and a half months after my trip. I e-mailed McRent to ask them what the amount was for and requested them to provide supporting docs, but also copied Motorvana in. Eric Bredesen from Motorvana, responded within 24 hours and kept me up to date daily thereafter. Result? Transaction reversed in four days ! Still waiting for a reply to my e-mail from McRent though. Thanks Eric, dealing with Motorvana is probably the best customer service I have experienced with any organisation.
Rob Wuillemin, East Fremantle, West Australia, posted on 14 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyI previously wrote a revew about problems I had with McRent out of Frankfurt (Friedburg). I then wrote a complaint to Motorvana explaining how I was trying to sort the problem out with McRent direct rather than getting Motorvana involved.
Within a 2 weeks of writing to Motorvana my problem was solved and McRent return all my money in full.
I cant speak highly enough of Motorvana. I have used them a few times before but this was the first problem. I will certainly use Motorvana again and will recommend them to my friends as well.
Thumbs up to Motorvana.
Bruno De Assis, posted on 4 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented from Frankfurt for 20 days vacation. We found Motorvana Germany cheapest. I was given a brand new car. Explanation was clear and fast. We were family of 3 adults. Check-in and check-out was fast and people were very nice. One thing that I would suggest is that they could provide a hose for filling water. It was great to deal with Motorvana and definitely we will rent again!
Jo Beard, posted on 4 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have previously rented a motorhome from McRent in Germany (Dusseldorf) 4 years ago and were pleased with the service and vehicle. This year we again planned 3 month trip in Europe, 8 weeks of which was to be in a motorhome. We chose to go through Motorvana based on a couple of things; price and the quick responses and service we received from Doug to all our silly queries.
We found the whole experience painless and the support from Motorvana on their website and via email was great.
We ended up renting with McRent again and were again pleased with them. Our motorhome was new and in great condition and the handover was good. We received our bond back at the end very promptly.
Have only good things to say about both companies and firmly believe motorhomes are great way to see Europe, met so many lovely people and had an amazing time travelling through Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.
A couple of tips:
We had learned from our first experience that the rental bedding, towels, etc was not up to scratch so went straight to Ikea after picking up the motorhome in Munich, a much better option. Also learned from our first experience that the depots are not close to cities so travel light!
Bring a GPS (with campground software) but also ensure you have paper maps, we use the Michelin Europe Atlas and Michelin map of Europe as well as our own GPS and with preloaded campground information. The maps really help to put countries and distances in perspective.
Don't forget to ask McRent for a campground guide as well.
Andy Kang, posted on 1 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented from Frankfurt for 31 days vacation. We found Motorvana Germany cheapest. I was even once wondering that this could be fraud! However it turned out to be real and great service too! I was given a 4k km used almost brand new car. Explanation was clear and fast. We were family of six consisting of four adults and two children. Check-in and check-out was fast and people were very nice. One thing that I would suggest is that they could provide a hose for filling water. It was great to deal with Motorvana and definitely we will rent again!
Mike Edwards, South Africa, posted on 1 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyI have hired from both McRent and DRM directly in the past, and in April 2014 from McRent again, but through Motorvana. I have the highest regard for Motorvana and Doug Bredesen. Doug actually assisted me with a previous hire, even though I had dealt directly with the hire company for my booking and it was based on this, that I dealt through Motorvana for my most recent hire, and will continue to do so in future. Dealing with Motorvana also worked out cheaper than dealing directly with the rental companies. Both McRent and DRM are much of a muchness when it comes to service and vehicle quality. The major difference is that McRent seems cheaper on paper, but when one takes the transfer cost to their depot in Friedberg into account, the pricing is almost identical. The other difference is that one or the other may not have the specific vehicle/vehicle layout that one might be looking for. For South Africans, the flight from Jnb to Frankfurt is the most cost effective and the added bonus is that van hire is the cheapest available in Europe. The difference might come in if one was intending to tour say Portugal only, in which case it may be worthwhile to fly into another centre and hire a van there, even though more expensive, as this may be offset by time saving, fuel and toll costs. We have never hired a van with more than 2500km on the clock, and in two instances the vehicles had less than 100km on the clocks. Top tips ? - 1) Don't expect to get too far on the first day and expect to spend a minimum of two hours collecting the van 2)Take a GPS (preferably your own that you are used to) with up to date mapping and get a decent map book 3)Buy your own bedding/crockery/cutlery/camp chairs in the shop next to McRent or at Bergers (you can get decent stuff for 2 people for 250 Euro or less, which is what you will be paying the rental company to hire sub standard stuff) Note this may not be true for parties larger than 2 people. We donate the equipment purchased to the ladies who clean the vehicles on return. Top peeves ? 1) Vehicle and Equipment manuals not generally available in English 2) Apparent dissapointment each time the vehicle is returned undamaged ! 3) Lengthy waiting times when collecting vehicles. Lastly, a fantastic way to tour Europe.
Lewis and Ramona, posted on 1 August 2014, vendor was DRMCopy of email to DRM's Office:
Dear DRM
We would like to thank DRM for the nice camper van and the GREAT service from DRM Frankfurt. When we picked up the camper van Meik went above and beyond the service level that was expected. He made sure we had everything.
Upon return Claudia and Meik were quite attentive. Still they kept giving us service that we have not seen elsewhere. DRM Frankfurt is just super. We will recommend DRM to our friends and rent from DRM again in the future.
Christo Moolman, posted on 1 August 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyAfter a long flight from South Africa we arrived at Mc Rent in Friedberg Germany to collect our brand new Fiat Ducato motor-home with only 23 km on the clock. We received excellent service and within the hour we were on our way to our first overnight stop in Rothenburg. We spend two weeks and traveled 5000 km though Europe and loved every minute in our motor-home. We will definitely book our next holiday trough Motorvana.
Pieter van der Merwe, posted on 1 August 2014, vendor was DRMWe rented a RV from Motorvana in Munich and were very satisfied with the camper as well as the service we received. The vehicle was clean and everything in working order. The staff who helped us were also very willing and able to assist with everything we needed. We can definitely recommend the Motorvana as a option when touring Europe.
Craig Oswald, Broome, Western AUSTRALIA, posted on 31 July 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe shopped around for about 3 months before we received an email from Doug of Motorvana. He made a couple of suggestions, 1 of them was, because we were going to be in the RV for 46 days we should pick it up from Germany and not France - Big savings, we did not have to pay VAT TAX, 19% savings. Our Rv was picked up from McRent in Mannhein Germany. Great service and a brand new RV to go. 9000km or 5600 mile later we handed the RV back, what a holiday, unreal, just do it. Not only was the quote by Motorvana very low but the advise from Motorvana saved us a couple of thousand dollars.
I will have no hesitation to advise people to try Motorvana to book their RV holiday in Europe.
Joseph Harmon, posted on 31 July 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyThis was our second time booking an rv through Motorvana. Like the first time last year we were so pleased with the booking and the rv we rented. the guys at Motorvana always save us money. The staff at the Dusseldorf Mcrent were wonderful. They even called one of their friends and he drove us the our hotel in Weeze, Germany. We will definitely book through Motorvana and use Mcrent's rv's again.
Wendy, USA, posted on 31 July 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe booked our rental through Motorvana and picked up our RV in Stuttgart/Dettingen/Teck on May 8, 2014. The online booking could not have been easier. I especially liked being able to select and compare campers before choosing the one we wanted. The camper was ready to go when we arrived and exceeded our expectations. We were extremely pleased with it as it was brand new. I believe it had about 16 km on the odometer. My husband was amazed at how well it handled. The rental company, McRent, was very easy to work with and showed us how everything worked and explained that it must be returned it the same condition as when it left. It came stocked with everything we needed for cooking meals in the camper. We also rented bedding, kitchen and bath towels and a table and chairs for use outside. All-in-all, I would say it was a very good rental experience. The only negatives I feel worth mentioning are: I wish it had come with a coffee maker, more towels and the pillows were not pretty awful. I feel that because we were renting for three weeks, one kitchen towel and three bath towels were quite insufficient. I'm very glad I decided to pack our own pillows or we would have had to purchase some. We kept the rental RV until May 28th and the return was just as easy as the pickup. The rental agent called a cab for us so we could go to our hotel for the last three days of our vacation. During our visit we camped in Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. I would most definitely recommend booking through Motorvana and highly recommend McRent as well.
Jayne (Florida), posted on 31 July 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have rented from Motorvana on two occasions both times for over 33 days. They are super....we asked for a T58 camper...and Doug made sure we got it.. All rentals came from Germany..and a good tip is to make sure you look over your vehicle and try not to scratch it as it will cost you. I get out everytime we back up! France and Spain were great but not all roads.
Thanks Doug, will be renting from you again .soon.
bob fogelson, posted on 5 July 2014, vendor was DRMThis is a totally unsolicited note of pure praise for Motorvana from a retired local judge who admires competence and doesn't suffer fools graciously. If someone can please this cynical old coot, they probably can please anyone. My wife and I, in our 70's, recently returned from a ten week RV trip through Europe. Our RV rental was arranged through Motorvana, and picked up in Germany. Prior to this experience we had no prior dealings with or knowledge of Motorvana. At our age we were apprehensive. We initially contacted Motorvana as we liked the comprehensive informative nature of their website which we found intuitively detailed and beneficial. What a great pick we made! Our journey was, in all respects, a wonderful, experience with much of the credit attributable to Motorvana and their knowledgeable, totally up front way of doing business. Motorvana and the person with whom we dealt, Eric, were, in our estimation, absolutely first class……reflective, integrity, caring, knowledgeable, follow-up…everything…. There's no question we would absolutely use them again in a heartbeat. Our experience with Motorvana was so positive and so very refreshing. I like competence and want others to know of our incredibly positive experience with Motorvana. - bob fogelson
Jennie Larsen, posted on 24 June 2014, vendor was McRent GermanyIt's not often that you write a rave review about a product you did not actually end up using, but I just felt I wanted to let others know what you can expect from Motorvana when your plans do not work the way you hoped.
We booked - and fully paid - for a long rental with Motorvana for a European adventure in July 2014. In June, for a variety of unfortunate reasons, we had to make the call that our trip could not go ahead as planned.
Normally, a customer cancelling a booking at late notice triggers a kind of unspoken permission for a company to be rude. It's inconvenient and potentially costly to them, so in my experience, if you change your plans, you can expect to be treated like pond scum for the remainder of your dealings with the company.
The absolute opposite was true in our dealings with Motorvana. From our very first interaction through to the very last, Motorvana could not have been more helpful, respectful, or professional. Doug Bredesen was our main contact and we cannot speak highly enough, or be more grateful, for his timely and consistently courteous responses.
Just like they say you can tell the true mettle of a man by the way he responds under stress, perhaps the same can be true for a company. Motorvana proved, through their trustworthy, efficient, personable dealings with us, even when they stood to gain nothing, that they are solid gold. We will not hesitate to use Motorvana for all my RV rental services in the future, and am especially looking forward to re-booking our European Adventure with them.
I Morrar, USA, posted on 2 January 2014, vendor was DRMValue. Guidance. Follow-through! You cannot go wrong booking your rental through Motorvana. I cannot emphasize this enough. Just read the founder, Eric Bredesen's, profile in the 'About Us' section of the site. He means it. He and his team went waaaay beyond my expectations to make sure my trip went over well.
First (as you may have noticed) Motorvana has access to an extensive network of companies across Europe.. they'll help you find a great price. I checked around pretty thoroughly.. and I couldn't beat the price they were able to find, and saved hundreds of dollars.
At every step Motorvana coordinated closely with me, answering questions, offering tons of helpful information, and accommodating special requests. I was totally satisified by the time my vacation was complete and the camper was returned and paid for -- but it was then that Motorvana completely blew me away.
Unfortunately I put a sizable dent in our practically new home-on- wheels. I paid the full deductible (a hefty 1200EUR), filed an accident report and was on my way. Since I had an accident, Motorvana's standard follow-up also included a phone call with Eric. As we went over all that had happened, he noticed a detail regarding the optional insurance. Based on a mix-up that had happened, he said I might have been entitled to pay the lower (500EUR) deductible. He encouraged me to write an email describing the transaction as it occurred during the pickup -- he would forward it to the person at DRM capable of researching and making such exceptions. I dragged my feet, resigning myself to the fact that the matter still ultimately lay with DRM, and they weren't going to release the 700EUR difference easily. After a week or so, I wrote it up and sent it off with low expectations.
The next day Eric wrote an extensive email to his contact at DRM which included my description AND an unsolicited, generous offer on behalf of Motorvana to contribute part of the funds to straighten out the issue. Incredible. Soon after, DRM conducted a review, approved the request, and refunded the balance in question to my Mastercard.
To DRM's credit, they too were incredibly fair and service oriented. They turned down Eric's offer to share the costs. When the estimate came for the repair came in (in my opinion) very high, I began to wonder if I was being bamboozeled. Given their actions, I believe they too conduct business with high integrity and service. Every person we encountered on their end was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly.
At the garage the staff are youngish, cool and resonable. On the way out, they go out of their way to counsel and prepare you for your journey. And, (dare I say it) (TIP) they may even offer for-pay items for-free. Upon returning the RV, they were lax about drop off rules and mainly interested in making your transition out of the country easy. Because we were flying the next day, (TIP) they even offered to let us stay in the vehicle our final night in Germany to defer the cost of a hotel. Keep in mind we rented in off season (mid-October to mid-November), when the lot was full of vehicles and all other supplies were abundant. You may have a different experience during the peak summer months when things turn around quickly for them.
As for other TIPS ... I have a few good ones.
Take your trip in the off-season as late in the spring or as early in the fall as possible. Rates on everything (most importantly your RV) are lower. Less crowds. Maximize daylight (important for this type of travel) by planning as close to the "peak" season as possible. Oh and less bugs too.
If your trip is a couple of weeks long or longer, you can buy a GPS unit for about the same as the cost to rent. And here's the real TIP. Consider doing it without the GPS. At the garage they have a big stash of stuff people leave upon returning from their RV tour. Extra foods, cleaning supplies, .. all kinds of helpful things -- including a huge library of tour guides, maps etc. At minimum the garage maintains several beautiful European road atlases, and a guide to all the RV campgrounds (in german with a limited english translation key in the back) these two books are pretty much all you need for getting around. Scoop up other local city maps to places you plan to visit, and when we you find yourself in a city to which you don't have a map -- signs are usually obvious directing you to city centers and tourist offices where free maps are available. Or just pop into a hotel and ask them for a free map. When traveling by RV, you are usually without addresses to feed into a GPS device. Also atlases offer a ton of useful info such as proximity to castles and lookouts and natural curiosities, capitals, destinations of particular interest, seasonal road closures, mountain pass gradients, chain requirements, tolls, scenic routes. We were able to plan and estimate travel time using an atlas, and we were generally well oriented and felt empowered by using one.
We rented the DRM Group B, Compact Cruiser for two. It's among the most common RVs rented. It's totally tricked out. The systems are very reliable, efficient, and advanced. You practically never need to stop at a campground. ... With one exception. The outlets do not work unless you're connected to electricity. If you need to charge laptops, cameras or phones. You may be caught doing it at dinner. So bring an inverter. They're not costly, and it will enable you to charge your devices from the cigarette lighter while your driving around.
If you can get by without a fully functioning bathroom and less space, you'll trade that for more access (via your shorter clearance) and flexibility (more places to park, ability to park in cities and attract less attention), especially on the heavily RV'd (and policed) costal areas, by renting a smaller vehicle -- such as VW Vanagon.
Buy the optional insurance. This is coming from someone who generally never buys supplemental insurance or warranties. Think about it. You're driving a large vehicle on unfamiliar, often small, roads. During our trip, we saw two other returns besides ourselves. Both of them (and us) had damages on the way in. And although they have pretty fair policies for accidents, repairs are generally VERY expensive, and the deductible is quite high. I'll leave it at that.
Finally.. there's a ton of information offered on the Motorvana site. Read it. We poured through a bunch of material and, found the information on their site to usually be MORE helpful and thorough than other books we actually purchased which purport to cover RV'ing in Europe. It's just another wonderful service Motorvana provides its clients, and all others who are interested in seeing Europe by road.
Robinson Family, New Zealand, posted on 28 November 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyBooked via Motorvana, Sunlight T64. 5 weeks in northern Europe recently, family of 4 & approx 5,000kms travelled. My Points: 1 - The Motorvana system is simply the best way to book. No hidden surprises, just brilliant, efficient and cost effective , especially with the VAT discount [for Germany or Spain rentals of 31 nights or more]. 2 - Motorvana back up their excellent website with amazing personal service. We had a few wee hiccups at our end and even though nothing really to do with Motorvana, Doug and his team helped at every step to sort things out. I cannot overstate the outstanding service I received from them. I highly recommend you use their service - I certainly will next time. 3 - Heed the advice of previous posters regarding noting previous damage etc, the rental companies make good money from scratch damage charges. (Note, nothing to do with Motorvana!) Take before and after photos. 4 - Drive carefully, watch for trees and remember it is wider and higher than your family wagon back home. There are some rather narrow streets in Europe as we discovered the hard way... You cause any damage, even slight, and you have already paid for it... 5 - It pays to listen to your wife when she says you are a bit close to something... If in doubt, stop, get out and check. Trust me on this... 6 - The Dethleff camper ex Friedberg, Germany was fantastic, modern, comfy and ran like a dream. 7 - The McRent service was excellent although the fridge played up a little bit (but they credited us a fridge load of food at the end which was fair) 8 - Check if your travel insurance covers excesses for campervans (vs. just for cars). 9 - Use your own sheets and sleeping bags for duvets as earlier poster commented. 10 - The GPS lady is your best friend, learn to trust her. 11 - Google the toll road protocols for each country before you go eg Norway 12 - If unsure, ask the Motorvana guys, they will put you on the right track. 13 - Take a 12V charger to charge all your techie stuff when driving so you don 't need mains power every night and can 'rough it ' anywhere.
Thanks again to the guys at Motorvana for all your help.
John Marama, New Zealand, posted on 17 October 2013, vendor was McRent GermanySept 2013. We travelled 8500km throughout Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Spain and France in 7 weeks in a Diesel Fiat Dethleffs Globebus finding it very comfortable with plenty of boot space. We found Motorvana very efficient and quick with bookings etc. The pickup went without any trouble Corrienne at McRent (Friedberg) Germany explaining everything. We didn't hire any bedding preferred to bring our on sheets and using sleeping bags as duvets. Driving throughout Europe went without trouble. Have a good GPS ours was a Tom Tom enter campsites into favourites before leaving doing research on internet and using camping books etc. Campsites can be very good with restaurants, Bars, pools and good facilities. Get a camping card from AA it saves leaving passport as ID at campgrounds, we also had a International driving Licence but was never asked to show. Be prepared to pay tolls on Motorways with countries having different systems for paying. Overall a fantastic way to see Europe and would recommend Motorvana and McRent.
Rob and Marg, Australia, posted on 16 October 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyHired FIAT GLOBESCOUT from McRent Rheinfelden for 5 weeks (August 26 - October 1, 2013)
Very happy with service from Motorvana - very helpful with booking, queries etc. Overall very satisfied with vehicle supplied - well presented on pick-up and ran well with no major problems. Check out and check back in ran smoothly and staff helpful.
Some comments / feedback for other hirers, Motorvana and McRent:
On pickup, staff had limited English and many features of the vehicle not explained properly - fridge and toilet operation, flywire door screen, powerpoint, (hidden high above sink) hot water / heater operation. Minor points but important. Took several days and advice from fellow motorhome hirers to sort these out.
Bedding: Very poor for EUR102 hire rate. Pillows lumpy and uncomfortable, 2 X single duvets were inadequate. Why not a double duvet for a couple?
Damage surcharge: EUR1200.00 charged to our Credit Card and refunded on return. Cost of this was about AUD120 in bank charges/exchange rate variations. I believed that like other countries (USA and Australia) McRent would hold the card details against the likelihood of damage and not actually take the money up front.
Bike racks - a pain in the a##@. Had several knocks on shoulder/arms/head when closing back doors.
Rear door design of vehicle back doors bad when raining - bedding gets wet when turning gas bottle on/off or changing gas bottle in rain. On plus side - plenty of space in rear under bed for storing 2 large suitcases.
Overall would thoroughly recommend this type of motorhome. We managed many very narrow roads in Paris, Italian Riviera, Rome, Venice, Salzburg etc as well as crowded campgrounds where larger motorhomes were struggling. Would recommend Motorvana and McRent and use them again - subject to the minor criticisms listed above. A great way to travel and enjoy Europe.
Rohan, Australia, posted on 10 October 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have used McRent previously but this is the first time we used Motorvana to arrange the booking. Was extremely satisfied with the service and Motorvana made certain we got the campervan we wanted.
We picked up the van from McRent Dusseldorf (Mulheim). The staff here were much more laid back and relaxed than the ones in the Frankfurt depot who seemed to be overworked and overstressed. All in all it made for a wonderful 6 weeks, and hopefully we can do it all again soon.
Michael Majewski, posted on 8 October 2013, vendor was DRMWe rented a motor home in Dusseldorf for six weeks in June. Depot is a long way from the airport, but public transport is quite good. RV itself was excellent; almost new. We traveled to Norway and had wonderful time. Pick up and drop off was very smooth. Staff were very kind and helpful. We would definitely recommend DRM motor-home rental to anybody. The prices of motor-homes through Motorvana are very good. We could not get better price anywhere — EVEN DIRECTLY. Booking was straight forward with no hidden costs.
Kelly Strycharz, Bend, Oregon, USA, posted on 6 October 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyMotorvana was excellent in the reservation process and answering all questions via email prior to our trip extremely timely. Watching the instruction videos prior to arrival is a must because trying to absorb all the info after a 10 hour flight is too much. Rented RV in Frankfurt (Friedberg) and opted for the shuttle service from the airport which was again great after a long flight. Driver was waiting for us at meeting point, walked to the curb, threw our bags in the taxi and they take you directly to the office. Completed registration paperwork online prior to arrival and it only took 10 minutes to take photocopies our license and obtain the security deposit. We never driven/used an RV before and got a adequate orientation of how to use all the components of the RV. (Make sure you have extra long electrical cable on a reel as some electrical boxes are very far away!) Cooking box was very basic, but adequate. We brought our own sleeping bags/pillows/sheets due to the poor reviews of inadequate bedding (vacuum sealed space ags worked perfectly to condense these items.) Throughly go over every mark and scratch inside and out and make sure it is noted on the inspection sheet before leaving, including chips in the windshields! Take pictures as well and inventory the cooking box. Only complaint was gas tank was not full upon pick up, so we had to gas up on the way to our first stop. RV was great, no mechanical problems at all. Campsites are very different from the US: no water or waste hook ups at your site, and electrical hookup can be very far away. You dump grey water by driving over a drain and you dump toilet waste by taking out a cassette (container) into a special place in the bath houses. Most campgrounds have excellent bath houses with extremely clean showers (do not have to pay for hot water) and places to wash dishes as well. You sometimes have to use a watering can to fill your clean water tank as well. No space though, no picnic tables, its more like a parking lot for RV's. A GPS with maps loaded is a must for driving in Germany or you will end up killing your navigator on the side of the road. Bring european adaptor to charge electronics and our RV also had the cigarette lighter adapter charger as well so we could charge electronics with USB. The roads are great (we only hit 3 potholes our entire 2 week trip), but in the smaller, older towns the roads are very tight and narrow which makes driving a little tense in a big vehicle. Also you need to look around for the RV/bus parking lots as well which is sometimes stressfull. We found lots of campgrounds with bus service to the tourist sites so we could just keep the RV parked at the campsite or within walking distance to where we wanted to go. Would love for this depot to rent bikes as they have a bike rack on the RV, but could not find anyone in Friedberg that rented bikes. Return process was efficient with no hidden surprises. Just make sure the RV is very clean (make sure fridge is clean and toilet cassette is empty.) Got our security deposit posted back to my account in less that 48 hours. Would highly recommend Motorvana and McRent. It was a great way to explore Germany with a 4 year old in tow. He had the same bed every night, no need to eat out for every meal, and no need to schlep baggage in and out of hotels. Traveling in the "shoulder season" was great, as none of the campgrounds we selected were full (most don't take reservations anyway). Would highly recommend and are looking forward to planning our next RV adventure with Motorvana.
Phil and Val, Australia, posted on 26 September 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyStaff at Frankfurt were friendly and helpful. Bed linen inadequate as were the two pillows supplied.. they were thin and lumpy..hopeless. Kitchen and cooking equipment supplied Spartan to say the least. Helped ourselves to electric kettle and toaster and other stuff from the shed which housed castoffs from other clients. Novels, maps and guides borrowed from castoffs in office. Vehicle behaved perfectly except that it got too close to a road barrier and broke its mirrow.
Uli and Toni Schoen, posted on 31 August 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyDethleffs Globetrotter XLI The staff at McRent in Muehlheim Ruhr were extremely helpful + friendly. The motorhome was absolute top class and luxurious. We thought the kitchen equipment rather basic, especially the fact that only plastic glasses were supplied. Also we would have appreciated a second set of bed linen for such a long rental period, and a double sheet set instead of 2 single sheets for the double bed! Why was the security deposit actually charged to our Australian Credit card, which resulted in a conversion charge of AUD 52.00? Apart from those points we had a wonderful trip, and would certainly have no hesitation to do another rental with McRent.
Patrick and Michelle O'Connell, posted on 30 August 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyFlew into Munich airport for pick up at Mc Rent Sulzemoos office outside Munich. Got train to Dachau then caught a local bus to Sulzemoos. Bus stop about 5 kms past Mc rent. (Lucky a local lady gave us a ride to Mc Rent. This route was cheaper but is easier to get a cab from Passing train station, 50 euro (Closest train station to McRent Sulzemoos). This was our first time to hire a camper and drive on the opposite side of the road and use a Tom Tom (Which we named Shiela our gaurdian angel). Don't go without a tom tom/navman!!. We hired a Dethleffs Globebus, fine on the autobahn, but a bit hairy on the secondary roads, due to it's width. We spent 3 weeks end of June/July and did 3000kms down through Italy, a few days in France, back through Italy then Crotia, then drove back to Munich via Italy, Austria. We were planning on driving over to Barcelona but soon realised that all we would be doing is driving. We found that unless you are passing through a place you need at least 3 nights to get a feel for a place and to feel like your on holiday. If you are driving for over 4hrs to a destination you need to write that day off. Allow at least one day per week to find a supermarket and stock up.(we did this one day and only drove 2.5 hrs,still had time to relax end off day at the camp). We would highly recommend using GPS coordinates to find campsites. We only went off track twice,and we we using a 2009 German guide.If you can afford it take bikes, as camper vans and city's don't mix and most campsites are usually out a little way from the city center. Bikes are easier/quicker than walking. Diesel is certainly cheaper off the autobahns. Our most expensive from an autobahn was 185euro compared to 145euro coming into Florance. Yes tolls are expensive in Italy, France we spent 245 euro in 3 weeks. But quicker way off getting around unless you have a smaller vehicle that is suited to smaller roads. Most campsites we visited were excellent but be aware that some of the large campsites have evening entertainment which can last till 11-12midnight. All in all we were glad to have had the experience and enjoyed amazing weather, hot but not unbearable. We used a visa loaded card which can be loaded with up to 12 different currencies. Very handy and saves you extra bank/exchange rate fees. Hope our info has helped , enjoy your trip. The kiwis from Auckland NZ.
Philip Anderson, posted on 29 August 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyThis is our second year booking through Motorvana, but a different German McRent depot. Well, all just as brilliant as last year! We had a long drive to Isny and as there was traffic, we were running late. Called the depot who returned the call immediately to say, 'no problem, we'll wait'. We didn't believe it at first but when we turned up at 19:30, Thomas and his colleague were there to sort us out! And they didn't rush the process at all, just took their time ensuring we were happy with everything before we left. I can't stress what an impact this had on the start of our trip! We were able to begin the trip as planned, getting organised that evening (and having a lovely meal at the hotel restaurant in Isny, whilst parked at the local free motorhome stop, by the river) and ready to set off on our 5 week tour of Italy! The motorhome was excellent, another Dethleffs Globebus, which I just love! The return was just as stress-free. Philip was there to look after us, check the van and ensure all was in order before we headed off. All very relaxed with no pressure on timing etc... The depot in Isny is fantastic by the way! Huge place, totally unexpected, but a great surprise. The staff could not have been more helpful, friendly and efficient! Already looking forward to our 7 week tour next year! Motorvana have always been brilliant at helping us organise our trips, so will always book through them. We love it!!
Mike Harris, posted on 19 August 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a Dethleffs A547 through Motorvana to be collected from the Munich depot. Our flight arrived early and we took a chance to go to the depot immediately. They were very accommodating and the vehicle was ready so they issued it to us - even tho it was only scheduled to be collected after 2pm. The handover was thorough and efficient. We dreaded the return tho as we had read that many people suffer from petty issues raided on return. However it was a breeze and the full deposit immediately credited to the credit card. The van has a high canopy which in heavy winds makes it a little more difficult to drive. Our fuel consumption was high too as a result of the added resistance. We will do another trip but will hire the Possl 2Win. It is smaller but perfectly suited to 2 people. I highly recommend this form of holiday. We did 3000km in 3 weeks through Austria, Switzerland and the Italian Lakes region. Our favourite by far was Austria - excellent camp sites and friendly people. Be warned tho - the average camp sites in Austria and Italy was 25Euro but in Switzerland we were charged 50Euro. Everything is priced way higher in Switzerland!! Make sure you have a GPS and an iPad which proved very handy with the maps app and to check Tripadvisor for sites and restaurants wherever you go.
Coopers, Canada, posted on 30 July 2013, vendor was DRMWe have been campers for 46 years anyway, and enjoy the lifestyle, but we really loved the VW California pop-up camper we had from DRM and Motorvana this summer, from June 3 to July 18, 2013. The cost was very economical, considering we had our own bed, our transportation and food-preparation facilities. The campgrounds in Eastern Europe, the former Yugoslavia and Europe were all good. There was no need to reserve ahead. We loved this freedom from a fixed schedule, and the ability to spend more time in rural areas.
The camper pickup was pretty good. We took a taxi @ 40 euros to the depot about 25 km. outside of Berlin. The vehicle itself only had 6000 km. on it, was very well equipped, very economical with diesel, and it served us very well. We were also provided with a Europe camping book which was excellent. We took our own light-weight sleeping bags and got 2 light duvets and pillows from DRM.
We didn't really like having fairly large advertising decals on both sides of the vehicle, but it proved to be no problem. Also, the 1300 euro Security Deposit was taken from our Visa at the beginning of the rental, but promptly returned after the return of the camper. We didn't see any reason for this transaction at all.
The camper gave us a wonderful "home" as we travelled through 10 countries and dealt with 9 languages.
Barnards, posted on 30 July 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented the camper for 25 days 50 km from Munich. The service was great and the vehicle new and clean. We took our own sleeping bags and inflatable pillows. This was adequate. We lost the pipe used to clean the toilet casket. It turned out to be a frustration to find a replacement. I would have liked to have a better service in this area. I was impressed that we were given towels and everything that I could need in the kitchen even a hot water flask and a lighter. Maybe next time the only thing I would change is to book a camper with a camera at the rear.
Ryno van der Riet, posted on 22 July 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyI am a returning client of Motorvana from South Africa and that alone is a measure of my satisfaction.
Camper was sourced from McRent Dusseldorf [Mulheim] at a competitive price with an ideal exchange rate. The McRent staff was just professional and went out of their way to meet our expectations, especially performing delivery in a thunderstorm on 20 June 2013.
The vehicle was in mint condition that contributed towards motivating me to return in same or better condition. We had a memorable trip in Scandinavia and it was sad day to end our family of 5 holiday on 11 July 2013.
Clients making use of Motorvana and McRent Mulheim will not be disappointed.
Mike and Maxine, New Zealand, posted on 18 July 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyDethleffs Globebus T15 manual - McRent Friedberg, Frankfurt, Germany
Vehicle was great. Near new with less than 5000km and only hired once before.
Bedding set (as others have said) was only just adequate. Pillows were next to useless and the duvet was only a single. Fortunately we had great weather otherwise this could have been a problem.
Issues with shuttle. We had very large bike cases so we were told we had to have the large shuttle. This turned up at the airport with other stuff in it so it was a squeeze to get us in. Then the return shuttle turned out to only be a small vehicle. The driver (local taxi firm) was great though, and he managed to get us in his vehicle better than the first guy and then made sure we were OK at the airport.
McRent staff were very thorough although a little impersonal. (Or perhaps that is just the German way? :-) )
Overall we had a great holiday and will book again with McRent via Motorvana in the future.
Christine and William LEE, posted on 15 July 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyGenerally the rental of the GLOBES T570 motorhome was a success and the vehicle performed well in all circumstances. The handover in Frankfurt was detailed and comprehensive. Whilst some initial problems were encountered with supply of hot water, trial and error eventually established the correct settings. As we were travelling 'out of season' through 7 countries as part of a road tour of Europe, it was not necessary to book any camping sites in advance although some contact was made with some campss to clarify some issues which were not confirmed on web pages etc. The only suggestion that we think is necessary as a way of improvement concerns the quality of the accessories pre-ordered for our use. These included bedding, camping tables and chairs and cutlery/crockery. The bedding was inadequate and covers were just too large for pillows. The crockery supplied was not suitable at all with no soup/cereal bowls provided and the mugs provided were pottery and broke easily. All crockery should be melamine to avoid any breakages. We did mention that we were travelling through France as part of our itinerary and learned later from other tourists that cheap 'self-test breathaliser kits' are to be carried by the vehicle occupants. This matter should be addressed by McRent for those tourists intending to travel to France.
Chris and Janet Haugen, posted on 13 July 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWonderful! Motorvana couldn't get us a caravan in Berlin, but found a larger one in Naumburg for less money. I was worried about driving a larger vehicle, but it turned out to be no problem for driving and it gave the two of us plenty of room. It had only 4,000 km on it and it worked great the whole trip from Germany to Croatia and back, 4100 km. The McRent people in Naumburg were very nice and efficient. We had fun with the orientation to the vehicle because the nice lady didn't speak English. We made it work. We never knew ahead of time where we would camp, but in June it was never a problem. We camped in some beautiful spots and met some nice people. We have traveled in Europe previously with hotel reservations and tours. Traveling by RV was enjoyable because it was easy to change our itinerary and we liked not having to pack and unpack every day.
Martin family, posted on 4 July 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyOur experience with our motorhome rental by Motorvana was absolutely perfect. Since the booking until the drop off of the vehicle, everything went as planned.
We picked up the camper at McRent Friedberg depot (near Frankfurt), and were welcommed by their friendly and helpful staff. After about 1 hour of briefing and the following searching of marks and scratches of the camper (make sure that all are marked no matter how small they are, also request to check the roof), we rushed to the autobahn. It was a pleasure to drive (a rather new vehicle, just 11000 KM), reaching speeds of 110-120 KM/H without stressing. It also was very easy to handle in the Alpine mountain passes (being Furka Pass - 2400 M - the highest one we did).
The living space was OK and very functional. Everything worked well as expected.
We've also rented some additionals as pillows and the child seat. Maybe those additionals were something we'd not been completely satisfied, as the pillows were thin and bland, and the child seat was of rather poor quality.
All in all, I would rate the experience as 4.5 stars.
Thanks Motorvana and McRent for the excellent service.
Howard and Annette Pines, posted on 25 June 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe went through Motorvana and rented a camper van from McRent in Frankfurt Germany. What a great way to travel! We had a new camper van we had no problems. The renting was so easy and enjoyable and everything was as presented upon rental on the phone with Motorvana. Oops there was one thing and that was that we did not have a coffee pot as stated, but we survived and made do. We traveled from Germany, to the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Down one side of Italy and up the other side, over to Slovenia, Austria, Chez Republic, up to Berlin and all over Germany. A trip of a life time and yes I am ready to go again. In fact I am looking to rent a camper van to travel Alaska from Motor Vana.
Stan and Maria Savage, Australia, posted on 22 June 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyThank you Motorvana for your great service. We toured through Europe for 6 weeks 5100kms during June/July 2013 after collecting our near new Compact Fiat Compact standard camper from McRent Dusseldorf Germany. Service was great no problems with the vehicle but the bedding left a lot to be desired. Pillows were flat with covers that were twice the size. Doona consisted of two singles which was awkward. Hired picnic table and two chairs which turned out to be useless as when we opened the chairs one had a split and the other broke when I sat in it and they were way to low to be able to sit at the table anyway. Apart from that the vehicle was meticulous in every way very economical and handled the Alps with ease Thank you Doug and team for a wonderful experience.
STEVE FENNELL, posted on 14 June 2013, vendor was DRMJust got home to Australia from 4 weeks of touring through europe and the uk, this being the third time I have rented using Motorvana. The whole process of booking, motorhome delivery (DRM Frankfurt) and travelling was once again a painless and pleasureable experience, motorhoming in europe is the best way to see the real country, visiting villages off the main highways and using the airies is a great way to meet the local people. I will using the same booking service later this year when I return with my partner for another 4 week trip.
Bruce and Yvonne, posted on 8 June 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyPicked up and dropped off our van in Berlin where everything was handled efficiently and the vans were excellent. Our three weeks touring Germany went without incident and the mobile home drove effortlessly and had great pick up and power to hold its own on these high speed highways. We would have no hesitation in using this company again and would encourage anyone to give this method of holidaying a go.
Janette, posted on 21 May 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe were delighted with the ultra modern van. Way superior to anything we have hired in Australia or New Zealand. Spotless. We had a problem with heating and they met us where we were at with a replacement van. Christina, the lady we dealt with at Friedberg, which was the pickup point was extremely good and so was her English.
Carol and Dan, Canada, posted on 23 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyAfter 10 camping trips to Europe and the last two through Motorvana, I highly recommend them. My experiences renting with them have been simple, professional and reasonably priced. Our 5 week trip to Germany, France and Italy last Aug. / Sept. was wonderful. The Fiat Dethleffs Globebus T11 was problem free, powerfull and easy to drive. Wish we had these in Canada. We had an issue with the prepaid EU 60 camper table and chairs from McRent Friedburg, but this was redressed satisfactorily by Doug at IdeaMrge when we returned. All in all we are thinking of booking camping trip no. 11 very soon with IdeaMrge. From our experience, a few TIPS: 1. Have the camper and all its working parts thoroughly explained to you. 2. Make sure everything works, especially stove, fridge, water taps, etc. 3. Make a thorough visual check for scratches and dents. Take photos. 4. Test awning if you have one. 5. Get a good camping guide in your language. 6. GPS is fine, but small scale maps are indispensable. 7. Bedding and kitchen kits are usually poor quality and inadequate, so take what you can or buy quite reasonably at larger supermarkets. 8. Dive safe and enjoy your trip.
Kathie, Austria, posted on 22 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyIt was our second trip with campervan (the first was in Holland). Both the times we rented in Motorvana, and loved it very much. The vehicle was clean, comfortable and well equipped. The service was excellent. The only problem renting in Germany (near Munich) was difficult accessibility of the depot location, especially with all luggage on you. In Holland it was easier, as there was shuttle service to nearest train station. Moreover, we recommend to make full vehicle insurance that the company advise.
Jim Sack, posted on 22 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe loved the vehicle, except the water heater was simply slow, so we chose to take our showers not in the bathroom, but at campsites which in Germany are usually very nice. Memmingen was remarkable and beautiful, Berlin was right in the center only a few meters from two U-Bahn stations, Rudesheim was about as charming as life can get, so a useless shower was not much of a hinderance. We were first-timers who picked up in Mannheim. People there were simply excellent to work with, especially Wolfram. Great guy with a fine sense of humor in two languages. The drop off, however, was not as easy. They wanted to charge many Euro because there were a few, and only a few crumbs on the stove. A second cleaning and they refunded our full deposit. That came after we discovered a new storage space that was filthy...from the previous renter. Otherwise, the vehicle was simply wonderful and I would not hesitate to take it out for another month on the road.
Julie, Australia, posted on 22 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyRenting through Motorvana was a good experience great communication and information provided. Hired a motorhome from McRent Friedburg for 3 weeks in September - October 2012. First time motorhome vacationers and absolutely loved it and will definitely do it again. We arrived Frankfurt spent first day and night in Bad Nauheim 3 kilometres from Friedburg in a small family hotel, great lttle town where Elvis lived and where he met Priscilla. Collection of van went smoothly and Susanne from McRent very professional, pleasure dealing with her, unfortunately she was on leave when we returned our van. We brought with us a set of old linen, pillows towels and bits and pieces and left them all behind when we left. Used our own GPS and bought BORD ATLAS 2012 which was excellent for locating sites to stay. We bought a German Vodafone Data Only SIM for internet access and had great reception all over Germany. Next time we would: - hire or buy bicycles, Germany so easy to get around on bikes - Hire a van with bed that you didn't have to climb up ladder - Find out if there were vans with solar panels adds to the independence, or if all the power points are occupied at sites. Experience when returning the van: - told that we had incurred a speeding fine, we initially paid for it but when we asked to have a look at the fine it turned out that it was before we had even arrived in Germany and thus not our fine. No oops sorry about that the staff member was more concerned about who had made the error than apologising to us for their mistake. So check the fine documents if it happens to you. - They went over the van inside and out with virtually a magnifying glass and found a small shallow dent about 2-3cm in diameter, they asked us if we had insurance our excess being 400euro. Thats what they charged us for what they claimed was the damage. We were flying out a few hours later and so accepted, I am not a panel beater but I suspect we were overcharged. - The refund that was processed for our deposit when we returned the vehicle did not go through and it wasn't until we followed up with Motorvana 2 weeks later that McRent processed it. Other than these minor things, it was a fabulous experience, and we would do it all again in a flash.
John Povlsen, Denmark, posted on 22 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have been using Motorvana several times. We had a trip in 2010 from Denmark to Portugal, to Australia in 2011 and from Demark to South Italy in the late part of the year using small campers from Motorvana. Campers are very expensive to hire in Denmark. You will have much more for your money if you hire the camper in Hamburg. We hired a VW California camper twice in Hamburg. The campers were nearly new and in excellent condition. The firms have been perfect and quick and kindly personal. I think, that we have travelled about 25.000 km. during the 3 trips each lasting about 5 weeks and have been very satisfied. Your John Povlsen, Denmark
Virginia, de Buenos Aires, posted on 21 March 2013, vendor was DRMRentamos una motorhome con Mac Rent en enero. Muy profesionales los empleados, muy eficientes. La autocaravana en excelentes condiciones. Recorrimos Alemania, Francia, Suiza, Belgica, Italia y Austria, ciudades fronterizas. La autocaravana da una gran sensacion de libertad e intimidad, no hay que lidiar con las valijas, ni con personas en particular como puede ocurrir en un tour. La desventaja de enero es que muchos campings estan cerrados y en general es difacil estacionar en las ciudades. Pero definitivamente lo repetira.
Jason and Arlene, posted on 21 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a caravan via Motorvana from McRent in Frankfurt last October. Although the rental depot is a fair way outside Frankfurt, we had no trouble catching a few trains from the airport, and a short taxi to the depot. Our caravan was in very good condition, clean inside and out. However, it does not come with linens, or cookware so make sure you order that before if necessary. The size we rented is capable of sleeping 4, but I wouldn't recommend any more than two adults, and maybe one small child. It's funtional, but cozy. The caravan was a 6 speed manual, so make sure you're comfortable driving that in a foreign country. Overall our experience was great, we put 1500km's on the caravan, had no troubles, and really enjoyed the freedom. Would do it again, a great way to travel!
Grant and Glenda, New Zealand, posted on 21 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a campervan for 4 weeks in September. Motorvana were brilliant to deal with, as were McRent in Freidberg, Frankfurt where we collected the van. We travelled 5500kms through France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany staying in camp grounds. It is a great way to travel, you unpack once and that's it. You can change your itinerary as you please. It took us 90 seconds to set up at a campsite, all you need to do is plug the power in and turn the gas on. We found the Europeans very friendly and their road manners much better than the locals here in New Zealand. Drop off was an absolute breeze. We ensured the van was immaculate, so it got checked out quickly, our deposit was refunded and we were on our way. A couple of points (which are covered on Motorvana's website) but I'll repeat them. 1. You will be shown a vehicle manual at pick up time which lists several languages on the cover. Do not assume that the contents are also in several languages. Our's was totally in German. Not a big problem but worth checking. 2. It really is worthwhile bringing a camping guide with you. GPS's do show campsites but of course, not their standard or when they close for the season. WiFi can be very slow in a lot of areas. 3. The pillows may not be too comfortable. Our van was a 3 month old Fiat Ducato Globescout which ran really well, was very comfortable and was quite fuel frugal. About 10l/100km or maybe slightly less. We would use Motorvana and McRent again without hesitation.
Eric and Annie Hew, posted on 21 March 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a campervan from McRent at Friedberg through Motorvana last October and November for 2 months. We found the booking process to be seamless and not at all painful. Emails to Motorvana were answered promptly, questions answered well and accurately. Delivery from McRent at Friedberg was with typical Teutonic efficiency. If only the rest of Europe was like that! The campervan was clean and everything worked, so we have no complaints about that. In future, we would hire the campervan earlier in the year as towards the end of our holiday, most camping grounds were shut and it was difficult to find water and dispose of grey and black waste! The upside is that there were less tourists and the locals were a lot friendlier! All in all, we will definitely go with Motorvana and McRent again and definitely from Friedberg!
Gary and Ev Boynton, posted on 14 February 2013, vendor was McRent GermanyWe heard about Motorvana on RV.net from a traveler that spent time in Europe with a motorhome. They recommended Motorvana for information on motorhome rental. Their website was extremly helpful in our planning. We ended up renting from McRent in Friedberg, Germany. My wife and I rented a small class c motorhome for 5 weeks. We have been motorhoming for over 40 years now in the USA, and this was one of the best motorhome experiences we have ever had. We used Motorvana to book our motorhome and everything went as planned. Not one issue with the rental. I would have no problem with using this business again. They responded, (promply I must add) to each e-mail I sent them on any concerns I had.
John and Elsie Fisher, posted on 26 October 2012, vendor was DRMWe recently had a DRM van from Berlin for period of 3 weeks and it was very good. It performed well and we had a great time. Just a couple of points. 1 Do a good inspection of the van at pickup, particularly any small chips in the windscreen 2 Make sure the inside is impecable on return otherwise it will cost you for additional cleaning. I thought we had done an excellent job but it still cost me 20E for them to bring it up to their satisfaction 3 Check the bedding kits if ordered. We had to buy some sheets after discovering they were not supplied. Sleeping directly on the seat cushions did not feel quite right.
I would also strongly recommend using a GPS for Europe. We had one from DRM and it was only 60E for the 3 weeks and it was great. We had an IPAD as well but as we took in 5 countries it was just not feasible to get a local SIM card. Also the camps are good and most have Wifi but its limited to within 50m of the reception building, hence downloading maps etc was not the best way to navigate unless you wanted to stand in the dark near the reception while pottering on the internet. In our case it was essential as we did not plan the overall trip before going so we had to plan each day ahead, hence searching for the next camp site required the internet. If your in one country, get a local SIM and you can use the Ipad or Iphone to navigate and search the net for sites, otherwise make sure you get a GPS and plan well ahead, particularly late in the season (after 30 Sept) when a lot of camp sites are closed. Overall experience 9/10 - John
Gordon and Vicki, posted on 17 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a motorhome for 6 weeks and travelled through Europe nearly 7000km. We live in New Zealand and travelled a long way so we were apprehensive about any problems. Suzanne at the Frankfurt (Friedburg) depot was really friendly and helpful. She made sure we had all the kitchen utensils etc we would need and gave us some good advice. We stayed at camp grounds exclusively and would absolutely do it again although I would get a smaller van next time as narrow roads can be a problematic. The van was in great condition and went perfectly. Some things you do need to buy or bring with you are bikes, outdoor gas cooker (if you like cooking outside) and a camping mat so you can keep the inside clean. We found the beds r eally comfortable and it was a breeze being in the van this long a period. Drop off went well and no damage. again Suzanne was very helpful. Recomend this type of holiday without hesitation.
Michal Wypych, posted on 11 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented motor home for the second time in the same place. No problems at all with checking in and out. Good service from staff in Berlin. Would definitely recommend to others to rent a camper in this way.
mary pearson, posted on 9 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyThank you staff. We loved our motor home. Communication lines were open all the time. We travelled from Frankfurt through Switzerland, Italy, France and back to Germany. The van was so comfortable. The water pump packed up in Italy but the staff gave us instructions to get it fixed. Will certainly rent again next time. It is certainly the way to get around.
Vijay Swaminathan, posted on 6 October 2012, vendor was DRMWe had a great trip across Europe in a Profila 580 that's worth a few pages in our Memoirs. The special features we enjoyed and appreciate are the cruise control, the propane connection to the heating and water system and the well-maintained engine. The areas that could be improved are: 1. There ought to be free airport/railway station pick-up and drop that would go a long way in customer delight. 2. There were no outdoor table and chairs included with the camper renting contract, which renders the awning redundant. We hope that this is not one of the formal feedback input that's accumulated by the company, but would be taken in earnest. We had a good time and will surely spread the goodwill to friends who are interested in renting campers in Europe. Vijay
Susan Morse and Kenneth Murray, Marysville, WA, USA, posted on 5 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyMy husband and I (mid sixties) rented through Motorvana and McRent for 29 nights March and April 2012. We traveled through Germany, France and Luxembourg to get to the Normandy D Day Beaches and back to Frankfurt.
Working through Motorvana went wonderful. All of our questions were promptly answered and when there was some change with the insurance company we were notified quickly.
The pickup in Frankfurt (Friedberg) went well when we finally got to Friedberg after taking the train going the wrong direction from Frankfurt airport. My German travel phrases didn't help me much.
Suzanne at McRent was great to work with. Since we have a motorhome of our own we knew what questions to ask and what to look for in the turnover. Our Dethleffs Globebus T4 was just right for our needs and behaved nicely even for us who are not used to manual transmission vehicles. That diesel engine was great. We got 27 mpg compared to the 8 mpg we get with our own Winnebago.
Unfortunately we had a run in with a bridge in France, literally. Our Garmin GPS unit did not know that we were a motorhome and so sent us on some routes that were not really suitable for a vehicle of our size. Suffice it to say that the bridge overhead structure was too narrow for us and we were on it without warning coming out of a roundabout. The passenger side mirror glass was shattered and in moving over further we sheared off the awning in the middle of rush hour traffic near Tours. Apparently this happens frequently on this particular bridge. We had the adventure of car repair in France (traveler's French not much help) and spent the rest of the trip without an awning. Not sure we would have used it anyway. We met wonderfully nice people who ran campgrounds. Check out La Esplanade in Cromary, France if you are near. Everyone was helpful and understanding and impressed that Americans had come all the way to their campground.
The return of the motorhome went off without a hitch. Suzanne even asked if I might want a job detailing rentals for her. Luckily the insurance we had purchased returned a good portion of the damage deposit. We knew replacing an awning system would be expensive and we had paid for the mirror while on the road.
Despite some tense driving situations we had a wonderful time and saw all those World War Two sights that my husband had read about and seen in movies. We truly had an adventure to remember.
Would we do it again? Yes, we are leaning in that direction with the idea of going East from Frankfurt and making a circle through Germany and possibly to Prague. Perhaps considering our bridge adventure we will look at a smaller rig to rent next time. We would definitely rent through Motorvana again.
Daniel and Johanne, posted on 5 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyPicked up the camper in Frankfurt, Germany. Staff were very kind and helpful, we even arrived very early for pick up and van was ready, all was very well explained and the van was very nice and clean. Fun that there was leftover stuff from other campers such as dishsoap, matches, bug repelant, etc. Saved us buying these items, which we also left when we returned the van. Both of us are fluent in both french and english languages, but trying to read a german camping guide was a bit difficult, would suggest having a couple of the camping guides in english. Another thing would be that there be sufficient GPSs for all to rent. We ended up buying our own for the trip. Overall the experience was wonderful, thank you.
Kjetil Stokkeland, Norway, posted on 4 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented motor home for the second time in the same place. No problems at all with checking in and out. Good service from staff in Frankfurt. Would definitely recommend to others to rent a camper in this way.
Graham Smith, posted on 4 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyBooked and paid thru Motorvana, and had no troubles. We picked up the van in Munich, it was almost brand new, and we spent the next 3 months touring Eastern Europe in comfort. MCRent were extremely courteous and check in & out were no hassles. I would recommend this process to anyone.
TS, posted on 4 October 2012, vendor was DRMHad a great time with motorhome. Found Doug to be very helpful. He dealt with a few last minute issues very efficiently. Would definetly rent from them again.
Grant Prunster, Canberra, Australia, posted on 4 October 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyBooking a large camper van through Motorvana and McRent was a great choice. Dealing with Doug at Motorvana was easy and very rewarding for us. No issue was too big for Doug to handle and he went the extra mile to ensure that we got the best deal possible. Even when we request an extra 2 days at the end of our request, proved to be challenging and agreed to.
The pickup point was in Dusseldorf and Ollie was all smile and very pleasant to deal with. English was his second language but he mastered it very well. A complete inspection of the vehicle was required and Ollie was very meticulous, noting every scratch and dent.
During our time with the vehicle, we found that the pillows were a little sub standard and lumpy. The kitchen was very basic, to the point that there was not even a kettle so the billy had to be boiled in a small saucepan for a cup of coffee. The tables and chairs were adequate and almost like new. The built in Satellite Television would have been brilliant, if there was at least one speaking channel on it. We used DVDs to entertain us during the nights. The operating manuals for the operation of the vehicle and appliances were in both English and German, so we had no problem there.
After 2 weeks of driving through the UK, Amsterdam and Germany, we were very happy not to have acquired any scratches to an almost brand new vehicle. We ended up getting a stone chip, just 3 hours from the end of our hire and it cost us. Hopefully, our travel insurance will pick that tab up. After handing the keys back, Ollie arranged to have a taxi take us back to the airport for our flight out and onto Singapore.
If we had our time over, I think we may have opted for a slightly smaller RV, just for the convenience of driving through the smaller villages and allowing a second driver to take a turn at the wheel. Overall, it was a fantastic experience.
As it has been mentioned in other comments, do some prior planning on where you want to go and get a GPS.
Rob, Karen and Sarah Stewart, posted on 3 October 2012, vendor was DRMThis was our first trip to Europe and also our first camper rental. We only had eight days to travel in Europe, and our trip included delivering our daughter to school in Schladming, Austria. A camping trip en route seemed very appealing. We found Motorvana through an Internet search, and through them, we were connected with DRM. From our first correspondence with Mark Carr of Motorvana, we found them to be both most helpful and prompt in answering our questions. The quote provided us was both accurate and comprehensive, and even included bedding. We chose DRM because of their proximity to the Frankfurt airport, and upon arrival, found them to be most helpful and thorough in their orientation to the vehicle and service. As our itinerary included travelling south through the Black Forest of Germany to Bern Switzerland and on to Salzburg and finally Schaldming with overnights in campsiutes along the way, we found the VW California Camper ideal for our purposes. We are avid VW owners and have owned several VW Westfalias, so the VW Camper was both somewhat familiar and cosy for the three of us. The vehicle performed flawlessly, was well equipped and was a delight to drive. I only wish we could have purchased it and taken it home to Canada. I would be glad to rent through Motorvana and DRM again, and have already recommended them to friends travelling to Europe next spring. P.S. The TomTom GPS rental from DRM was worth every Euro in assisting us navigate through highways, cities and villages along our way.
Philip Anderson, UK, posted on 22 August 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyDear Motorvana & McRent,
I am writing with reference to our summer motorhome rental from which we have recently returned.
I have to begin by saying how thankful we are to our friends who recommended both Motorvana and McRent. The entire process from start to finish has been nothing but wonderful! Our actual holiday was amazing and indescribably rewarding for all of us, especially our 9 year old son. We never imagined how sad he would be handing back the motorhome after 4 weeks and no television!
The booking process was amazingly straightforward and efficient, aided by the excellent service and advice provided by Motorvana. As for McRent Dortmund, the lady who checked us in and out could not have been more helpful or efficient. Such a smooth process, it actually took us by surprise!
Both companies have helped us have a wonderful summer holiday, during which we have already planned our next 2-3 summer holidays using you both again! I pray that your other McRent branches have such wonderful staff, as we may have to use an alternative branch depending on where our next trip takes us.
I will be in touch shortly to pick your brains concerning summer 2013, which we are already extremely excited about! As a family, we can't thank you both enough and look forward to dealing with you both again soon.
Many, many thanks and congratulations on making such a daunting trip so easy and unforgettable!
Ron and Kumiko, Sydney, Australia, posted on 29 June 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have just returned to Sydney after a 10 week camper van rental in Europe mid April to end of June 2012. I did a lot of research prior to actually booking the camper van. Motorvana was the best of all the rental companies -- and worked out CHEAPER THAN BOOKING DIRECT with the camper van company. The guys at Motorvana were fantastic in getting me exactly what I needed in terms of van size and sleeping arrangements. I needed a long bed as I am quite tall and ended up with a McRent Fiat Globus 5 camper with a queen sized bed cross-ways at the back of the van. To get this van it meant we had to pick up from McRent near Lorrach in southern Germany. This meant taking a fast train from Frankfurt to Freiburg then a local traim to Bad Belingen about 3 kms from the McRent pickup site. This is also a camping site called Luginsland, very big and very good quality in terms of showers, toilets etc. We had an ACSI Camping Card for low season camping and it saved us about 300 euros over the 10 week period. On arrival at Bad Belingen station we had arranged to be picked up by McRent's Douglas Klotz but it was siesta time so we took a taxi. On Arrival the camper van was ready and Douglas did a great job of showing us the ropes. I had previously watched all the McRent videos at home on Youtube so was pretty much familiar with everything. The van was brand new, we were the first to rent it and it was great. Plenty of power and easy to drive. We did not rent bedding after reading reviews. We rented a table and two chairs (one chair collapsed in the last few days but Douglas didn't charge for it). The cooking utensils were adequate. We bought a small one burner gas stove and mainly cooked outside under the roll-out awning almost all the time. We didn't use the shower at all as all camping sites had facilities. We did not free camp except for one night in a Stelplatz in Germany. (TIP - at Stelplatz you should check for remaining electricity from previous campers before putting any money in - there are sometimes as many as 4 plug-in points per stand and you can use up remaining time free - we only had to top up for 50 cents). If in Italy avoid taking your van to Lake Como - the roads are horrendously narrow and it is a huge challenge to get around the lakeside road in the van. Suggest you stay south end of the lake and use ferries. We traveled through Germany, Italy (including via Ferry into eastern Sicily and then from Palermo to Naples via a huge ferry, comfortable nice cabin for the overnight trip) France,Switzerland, Netherlands. We covered 7,500 km in the van and 1500km in rental cars for day trips from camp sites. Don't buy fuel on the motorways, use supermarket stations at big supermarket chains - Carrefour, L.Eclerc etc but make sure there is a person in the booth at the manual pay point after filling up. The prices are much, much better than the motorways. Also, we found fuel much cheaper at suburban fuel stations. As others have suggested - take a GPS with you. A Microsoft program called Autoroute is also a good investment and runs on a laptop computer - costs about AUD 90 with a GPS unit included but can still be used effectively for planning ahead and finding all sorts of points of interest, gas stations etc without a GPS attached to your computer. You can do this sitting at your table in the van and even do a lot of planning before you even leave home. It also has turn-by-turn driving instructions. In a nutshell - we thoroughly enjoyed the first-time camper van trip. Motorvana are the best for service and price - thanks guys. Douglas at McRent, Lorrach is a very friendly and helpful guy, speaks excellent English and was more than reasonable at return time. (We had some minor damage to a rear plastic bumper panel). Our deposit was refunded same day as hand-over of the van on return. If you are a bit nervous about driving on the right side, unfamiliar places or operating the van in general then don't be, it is a great experience and European drivers are courteous and generally obey road rules. When in doubt, stop. Always keep to the right on the motorways. Would do it all again and highly recommend Motorvana.
John ASHBY, Australia, posted on 17 June 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired motorhome from McRent in Maslch (near Karlsruhe, Germany). On arrival after 24 hour flight from Australia and two short train trips from Frankfurt the staff at McRent were most helpful. All was ready to go after explanation of paperwork and motorhome operation which was organised and thorough. We stowed cases at the McRent depot for the duration of motorhome hire.
We travelled through Italy, Croatia and Germany. the Dethleffs T11 hired offered the perfect balance of size and performance with comfort and room including a garage under rear bed.
Bike hire would improve motorhome experience for small local rides from campsites. ACSI card membership offered great saving at campsites and Archies campsite directory both available with GPS interface allowed for very easy locating of campsites.
Overall a great experience that reinforces the flexibility and freedom offered by motorhome travel and especially outside the larger European cities.
Rudi and Cheryl Riksman, posted on 10 June 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a McRent Compact motorhome out of Hamburg for an 18 day tour through Denmark, Norway and Sweden. We were delighted with the whole exercise. Yes the bed sets could have been better as could the kitchen items but given that McRent only hire out their vans for one season it makes sense to keep costs down. We found prices in Germany very low to purchase the additional items we needed. I would have liked to see a manual specific to the model we were hiring but this was a minor irritation. The service was pleasant and we were on our way with a minimum of fuss. I can recommend the Globe Cub Scout as an ideal size to tour the narrow roads in Norway and the Scandinavian relaxed attitude to free camping made it a very economical holiday. The return was equally efficient with my deposit being returned within a week. Overall a very pleasant experience.
Megan and rob van Selm, posted on 7 June 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a campervan from Munich in April 2012 for 2 weeks.
The booking process was straightforward and clearly defined what was and wasn't included.
The campervan itself was great. It was very new, we were the second people to use it. It had low mileage and was spotless. The handover was thorough.
The bed linen we hired was not great though. The pillows were very lumpy and the pillow cases didn't match the size of the pillows. It was clean, but old!
We hired a table and chairs but didn't use these at all as it was cold and wet, so don't bother hiring these unless you are forecast to have warm, dry conditions.
The pick up depot is quite difficult to get to using public transport, so I would suggest using a taxi, even though this is quite expensive.
We would definitely recommend using Motorvana for hiring a campervan and we really had the holiday of a lifetime!
Brad Potter, Victoria, Australia, posted on 6 June 2012, vendor was DRMWe hired a motorhome for 21 days from DRM Frankfurt. In the lead up to our holiday I found the customer service and website information from Motorvana very helpful and informative.
The location of DRM, just 15 minutes from airport via taxi made it a lot more accesible than Mcrent. The taxi fare was only 16 euro.
We picked up the motorhome and were given a good orientation in english before heading out. The staff member at DRM was helpful. The motorhome was clean and well laid out. The kitchen supplies were a bit limited and so we purchased a fry pan. The bedding and towels that were supplied were a little worn but did the job.
We drove through a number of countries, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France and the motorohome didn't miss a beat. It handled well on the roads and once I got confident in driving on the other side of the road I was able to relax a little more. The good thing about motorhoming is the ability to pull over literally anywhere and have a cuppa or prepare a meal and the quick setup time once you arrive at your destination. This also makes it more affordable for a family.
We stayed in camping grounds close to the major cities which during the time we went, provided no problems in getting sites. We didn't book ahead.
We were able to return the motorhome without sustaining much damage except for a chip in the windscreen caused by a truck along the way. This became a little expensive as the windscreen needed replacing due to the chip being in the drivers eyesight. Would recommend travel insurance as these things are covered.
Overall we had a wonderful holiday which directly related to our positive experience with both Motorvana and DRM. I would recommend both of these operators to those seeking a motorhoming holiday picking up in Frankfurt.
David christie, posted on 6 June 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyPicked up 5 berth campervan from Friedberg germany in early april 2012, van had only travelled 1900klms, walked next door to a electrical store and purchased a garmin gps for $100 euros with all europe maps (absolute essential to travel with otherwise a divorce with your navigator wife is garanteed)! Motorvana were great, they offered a hire gps but it was the same $ to buy new, we went thru all crockery at the site and brought a few things at the camping shop next door that the van was lacking (then left in van for next customers, kettle etc). One thing you need is a larger non stick fry pan if travelling with 3-6 people! We did our trip down thru germany,austria,italy,french riviera,switzerland and back to friedberg! The only issue on our return was when we collected the van 1 of two gas bottles were nearly empty, that ran out on the 4th night due to use with the heater, so in st tropez(france) i swapped it for another, the guy at the servo gave me a french bottle that still works but the germans dont use, it was still full on our return but they wanted to charge me 75EURO on top of already paying 40 for it, we went halfs after a discussion, all in all no probs with the van,economical, powerful etc, germany (bavaria) was the pick for us (rothenberg etc) and the cheapest by far for food, accom at van parks,fuel etc!!!!!!!!
Noel Playford, posted on 3 June 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired our motorhome from McRent Frankfurt for the month of April 2012. We travelled 5,000 kilometres through Switzerland, northern Italy to Tuscany, and south east France. Organising the rental with Motorvana was simple and efficient. Pickup was no problem, but inexperienced renters should be supplied with instructions in a language they understand. Some hints that might help: Do not go without a car GPS. We bought one online with Europe maps before we left Australia for $95. Arrive early for pickup rather than late. Take a list of promised kitchen gear, and check before leaving, and ask if anything is missing. We took addresses of nearest Aldi and IKEA with us, bought food, pillows and bedding after pickup. We were very pleased we rented a small vehicle, many narrow roads and villages can be a problem. Only hire table and chairs in warm weather.
Chris Myung Gun Lee, posted on 17 January 2012, vendor was McRent GermanyWe are really grateful to Motorvana for the rental arrangement. We enjoyed our trip to Europe so much with the rented camper van and everything was satisfactory. In particular, even though the relevant pick-up cost was raised by the local rental company, McRent, after our booking Motorvana did not charge the additional money by its takiing the cost.
We are going to contact your company again when we do our next trip to Europe to travel around another part of it.
Steve and Cathy Ferndale, NSW, Australia, posted on 30 November 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyIn late October we completed a 21 day motorhome holiday in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, and The Czech Republic. The Motorvana booking system worked very well and everything was organised as agreed in the contract. We hired a McRent van thru the Munich office which is at Zoolmoos. The unexpected difficulty was that because it is so far from the airport the taxi drivers at Munich airport had much difficulty in working out how to get there. On arrival the van which we had ordered was unavailable and we were upgraded at no extra cost to a bigger van. The handover was conducted in excellent english, a friendly manner and was very detailed but like others we had difficulty retaining all the information provided and it would have been very handy to have simple insructions written in English. We were disappointed with the standard of bedding which we hired as the doonas and sheets were small, the pillows old and misshapen. The kitchen fit out was below expectations when compared with hire vans in New Zealand and Australia. The frying pan and saucepans were cheap and below standard and whilst we had a kettle it did not have a lid. The van performed extremely well and at a cruising speed of 100km/hr was very economical on fuel. As it was late in the season we found the the guide for European Camping Grounds invaluable even if it was in German. When returning the vehicle the system was fast and very efficient with no issues. The deposit was recredited to my account within 5 days. We recommend to renters taht a GPS is essential, they consider buying or providng their own bedding particularly in the cold months and plan on supplementing the kitchen fitout with small purchases. Overall a great way to holiday and we would use the services of Motorvana and McRent for a future holiday.
Assie Liefie De Klerk, Bloemfontein, South Africa, posted on 30 November 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyOn January 27, 2011 we booked a VW California through Motorvana at McRent in Frankfurt (Friedberg). Within 60 minutes the booking was confirmed and paid. We arrived at Frankfurt Airport on 20 Sep 2011 and took the S-Bahn to Friedberg station (25 euro/4 persons). At Friedberg we took a taxi to McRent(5.50 euro). The reception at McRent was very friendly and proffesional although we were about 3 hours early. The motor home was ready at 12:00 although it was booked for 14:00. Suzanne and Klaus were superb as always as it was the second time we rented from McRent. The VW California was an excellent vehicle although recommended for 2 adults and 2 children we were 4 adults of 60+ and we had no problem with space. I must say that the 4 of us had been camping together for the past 20 years. Fuel consumption was about 8.5l/100km at an average of 80km/hour. The primary reason why we choose the California was for the parking. It was no problem to park in a parking garage with a height restriction of 2.05 meters. When the motor home was returned to McRent there was no problems and my deposit was paid back into my credit card within 3 days. We really had a joyful time in Europe for 42 days and traveled a distance of 9800km. I would also like to thank Motorvana for their assistance with our Schengen Visa applications.
David Melissa Cunningham, Perth, Western Australia, posted on 14 November 2011, vendor was DRMWe hired from DRM in Markt Schwaben, Munich from 6th October to 27th October (21 days). the pickup procedure all went well. The staff were very friendly, spoke good English and most helpful. The Fiat karman Davis RV was nice and clean on pickup and was trouble free for the duration of our trip. However, we would like to point out a few suggestions to DRM to improve the experience. 1. PILLOWS ... Very poor quality.. Small , flat and lumpy... The pillow slips did not match the pillow size.
2. NO KETTLE supplied in the kitchen pack 3. NO FRYPAN supplied in the kitchen pack 4. SAUCEPANS... The pots supplied are of poor quality with detachable handles which are a safety hazard. Very thin bases means that food burns quickly and easily on the bottoms. Not really suitable for camping. In general, we found the Kitchen Pack which was supplied, to be very basic at best. Check what cooking utensils are there before you leave. Eg. Tongs, egglift, decent cutting knife.
5. INSTRUCTIONS... A detailed list of instructions on the operation of the internals of the RV would be a great benefit, Although the staff were very helpful in explaining how things worked, there is so much to remember that it soon becomes an INFORMATION OVERLOAD !
6. VEHICLE MANUAL and other manuals ( fridge, gas stove, grey water, heater) need to be available in ENGLISH. We had red lights coming on the control panel and the manuals, in every other language BUT English , were of no help. We never did find out what they meant !
So, to DRM these are some fairly simple improvements which could be made to make the customer's camping experience safer and more comfortable. THESE ARE NOT COMPLAINTS about DRM... Merely suggestions, as we found their service was excellent and hassle free. We had NO problems with the return of the E1200 deposit. It was credited in full within 4 days.
We would have no hesitation in using Motorvana / DRM Rentals Again.
Andrea Kersten, Perth, Western Australia, posted on 14 November 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyThis was our second experience with McRent and they were wonderful to deal with. We made a few changes to our booking before we picked up, and this was all organised without any problems. They happily organised a shuttle from the airport for us, and another to take us into the city when we returned our van. The campervan itself was clean and exactly as described, and the demonstration they provided was very informative and helpful. Both the pick up and return were quick and painless. We were allowed to look at their 'stock room' and take any additional items we needed (kitchen utensils, kettle, toaster, leftover food items from other rentals (eg. cooking oil, canned items) and even a set of boules). This was great as the kitchen set we were given was not adequate for our needs. We still needed to purchase additional items though. We also needed to buy new pillows (pillows provided were not comfortable), and blankets - we were only given thin doonas despite our booking being in October. Overall though, we were really happy with our rental and I would certainly use McRent again.
Gordon Bailey-McEwan, posted on 2 November 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyThe Motorvana campervan experience was a positive one for my wife and I. The customer service was very good and the people were friendly. This was our first campervan experience so we were a bit nervous at first, but the vehicle was easy to drive. Also it was in very good condition & clean. We had a small problem with a cracking noise behind the fridge which we informed them about at dropoff but other than that everything worked fine. You will definitely need a GPS, and we had to buy a proper frying pan & bring our own pillows.
Chris and Dora Corpe, posted on 1 November 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyOver all our rental experience went very well and we would use this company again. The drop off and pick up went smoothly and we didn't have any problems with paperwork. Tips for fellow travlers. 1) The pillows for the bed were really bad, small,mismatched and uncomfortable. 2)If you get a kitchen pack make sure it works for your situation. We were givin to many dishes and not enough cooking items. Just pay attention to what will work for your trip.3) We brought our own GPS,if you don't have one, rent one,you'll be gald you did.
Alan Grimes, Brisbane, Australia, posted on 1 November 2011, vendor was DRMMy wife and I hired a Compact Cruiser campervan from DRM Frankfurt depot for 47 days during August & September in which time we completed a circuit of western Europe, travelling through Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg, covering 16,000km in all. The booking process with Motorvana was quick, simple and easy with no problems whatsoever. The DRM depot at Kelsterbach is very easy to get to as it is the next stop from Frankfurt International Airport, outbound on the Wiesbaden line. It is an easy 15 minute walk from the station to the depot. We were given a thorough briefing by a knowledgeable young lady who spoke excellent english and who had a great sense of humour. There is an Aldi supermarket nearby and we were given clear instructions and a marked up local street map and found it easily. We have had many unfortunate experiences during our travels with the bedding provided being far too warm for the prevailing conditions so had decided to buy our own bedding and had researched the availability and cost on the Ikea Frankfurt website where we found suitable lightweight bedding. We took our own sheets and pillowcases so only needed to buy a quilt cover with a lightweight quilt set and a couple of pillows. This worked out perfectly for us and was quite economical. We hired a kitchen set and on the whole this was adequate but we didn't like the camping set of saucepans with the (not very positive) removable handle that we found to be potentially dangerous and so ended up buying some cheap saucepans and a frying pan. Also there was no kettle provided and we ended up buying a cheap one after a lot of searching. The van had only 4500km on the clock when we picked it up and was beautifully fitted out. The layout with the permanent double bed across the back of the van was excellent. It was also a pleasure to drive and very economical with diesel. A GPS is almost essential in Europe and after having problems with the one we took over from Australia, we ended up buying a Garmin in Copenhagen after a couple of days travel. It came with the whole of western Europe maps preloaded and performed brilliantly for the remainder of our trip and only cost us slightly more for the whole unit than it cost to download the Europe maps from Garmin back in Australia. We delivered the van back to the depot with no damage whatsoever and after a thorough inspection, our entire security deposit was refunded on the spot and we were on our way to the train station within an hour. All in all a great trip. We certainly recommend booking through Motorvana and hiring from DRM Frankfurt and would do so again ourselves without any hesitation.
Peter Eberhardt, South Africa, posted on 27 October 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a camper in Munich, Germany in September this year. What a great holiday! The service at the Camper Hire place was great and the camper itself was really nice and comfortable. You could not have asked for better! We only had 2 gripes:- We hired linen - and this was a disappointment, as it was washed but not ironed, seemed quite old and not even the duvet covers were put on the duvet inners. It was also very thin and I think we would have died of the cold if Europe had not had a hot spell over that time! We expected better considering what we had to pay for it. Another concern was that they debited our Credit Card with the EUR1200 deposit when we arrived, and refunded us with the EUR1200 on our return - but we lost over R1100 due to the exchange rate - which made our hire quite a bit more expensive than we had expected! Surely this could be done another way so that the client is not out of pocket due to a deposit? Other than that - great service and a great holiday experience thanks!
Mark Swinnerton, Singapore, posted on 23 October 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe picked up the campervan from Motorvana and only have positive feedback. Service was friendly, relaxed, and the van was top quality.
Graeme Phillips, NSW, Australia, posted on 21 October 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyPart of our vacation in Europe consisted of 21 day Motorhome rental that was managed by Motorvana and supplied by McRent Munich (Sulzemoos). Motorvana is an excellent professional company that manages rental vehicles worldwide and this professionalism was evident in all our initial booking dealings. McRent Sulzemoos our pick up depot came with a measure of apprehension due to a certain amount of negative feedback from some recent post rental reviews. Let me state categorically that all our dealings at PICK UP AND RETURN was first class. This is our second Motorhome rental from McRent Sulzemoos in 5 years and on both occasions the vehicles were near brand new, well equipped and clean.
If I could offer one suggestion regarding rental pick up, that would be the introduction of a DVD posted to the customer before the rental explaining relevant Motorhome details e.g electrics, gas bottle change over, waste water disposal etc. After a long International flight it is hard to absorb all of the instruction offered at pick up.
Hamilton and Marisa Sell, Brasil, posted on 11 October 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyMe and my wife Marisa just got back from 22 days trip to Europe by motorhome. It was our first experience with motorhome and we liked it so much. We pick up the vehicle in Mc Rent Dusseldorf and traveled 3.063 km through Germany, Nederland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria and Czech Republic. The vehicle was very good and we didn't have any problem with it. The pick up and drop off were easy and quick. There are well structured camping sites at any place in Europe, so you can find one of them without worries. The experience with Motorvana was amazing. We intend repeat the experience in the future (Europe or EUA?) and certainly we will contact Motorvana. The only thing McRent could improve is the security deposit, because though McRent return the deposit in the drop off, there are some prejudice due the exchange. Maybe they can review this procedure, mainly when the customer get a vehicle insurance.
Paul and Lyndall Baker, Australia, posted on 7 October 2011, vendor was DRMWe have just returned from Europe after doing our first ever motor home trip for 52 days through Motorvana, they were very helpful and professional, they set us up with DRM out of Frankfurt, this is by far the easiest depot to get to, we took a taxi from the airport that only took 10 minutes. Our pick up time was in the afternoon but as we arrived at 6am in the morning we had breakfast at the airport and then headed over to DRM to see if we could leave our luggage there while we took a look around Frankfurt and did some shopping for the motor home, when we arrived at DRM Claudia greeted us and informed us that our motor home was ready to go and that we could have it right away, after she explained the workings of the motor home to us and gave us directions to a very new REAL outlet so we could buy some groceries and two bicycles for our trip, we set up the Navman (a must have) and we left on our big adventure. We headed towards Heidelburg and made our way around Germany into Holland, Belgium, France Italy and then on the way home came back through Switzerland to Frankfurt, we covered about 7,900 Klm and the motor home performed beautifully, it was a bit hot in Italy and France and an air conditioner would have been nice, you don't need a TV take a good book or two and relax. Getting back to Frankfurt a day early and booking into a hotel for the night was a good idea as it gave us time to empty and clean the motor home ready to hand it back at 10am the next morning, there are a few hotels close to DRM so you can walk back to the hotel after leaving the motor home at DRM. Claudia was very helpful and friendly to deal with and we would highly recommend anyone to use DRM in Frankfurt. We did bump into another car on our trip and put a dent into the right side bumper, this was fixed by DRM and we were pleasantly surprised that it did not cost us an arm and a leg, hopefully our insurance will cover this. Thank you Motorvana and DRM Frankfurt for all your help we will be back.
Roy and Maureen Hessey, posted on 3 October 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe recently returned to Australia from 4 weeks in Europe, starting at McRent in Frankfurt and traveling 7000km through southern and eastern Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. The motorhome we hired was in excellent condition and very clean. The handover both at the start and finish was excellent. This is the third motorhome we have hired in Europe and so far was the best. I notice that some people have complained about no TV but they need to remember that they probably wouldn't be able to understand the language anyway. Just eat out and you won't miss a TV at all :-)
Our only complaint is that the rental company actually cash in the credit card security deposit.
Roy zimmer, Winter Park, Fla, posted on 28 September 2011, vendor was DRMMy wife and my wife Cindy just got back from a two week trip to Germany with stops in Switzerland. We picked up our Drm camper van at the Frankfurt depot which is just one train stop from the airport and then less than a quarter mile nice walk from the stop. We were very happy with the people at this depot and the camper van was great, clean with everything working and in good order. Turning it in also was a very good experience and we will be going back next year for sure. The people at Motorvana in Oregon were very helpful in booking our trip and I would highly recommend them for anyone looking to travel this way. We are hooked and will not travel any other way in Europe. Make sure you either rent or bring your own GPS. With Europe maps installed. We had our own Tom Tom GPS and it will make your trip a breeze in navigating. We also used the provided Europe camping book and found that extremely helpful.
Iain and Ros Macrae, posted on 25 September 2011, vendor was DRMWe picked up our camper from DRM in Duesseldorf for a 30 day trip through Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Whilst the van was quite new we were surprised to find that it had no TV and no speakers for the radio in the main part of the van - minor inconveniences though. What did annoy us was the poor quality cooking utensils ... Handles on pots and pans were loose and had to be tightened every day! The other problem we had was on day 4 when the electric steps jammed in the open position. We called the help number and were very pleased that on a Sunday morning that the road service was out to us within 2 hours and managed to force the steps back in - but they were unable to be used for the remainder of the trip. One last gripe .... The horn didn't work either. We needed it in Italy to avoid one of those damned Vespas that duck and weave out of traffic with abandon but it didn't work so we had to head off road to avoid what would have been death for the Vespa rider. That little excursion we called the "scratch the side of the van with a tree branch deviation". DRM's response was that I could get the horn fixed and claim back the cost .... Not good enough! It should have worked (and I should have checked that it worked before taking delivery).
Apart from the gripes above the van went very well - it powered up the Grimsel Pass in Switzerland without problem and gave reasonably good fuel economy overall - 11.8ltrs/100kms ... Not bad for a big (8+meters) truck!
Bill and Sylvi Delaney, Australia, posted on 16 September 2011, vendor was DRMWe recently finished a 85 day trip around Europe, starting in Frankfurt, and travelling along the Romantic Road to Fussen, then via Munich, through Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany again (Berlin, Rostock), across to Sweden, up to Norway, then back through Sweden, across to Denmark, and through Netherlands, Belgium, into France, before finishing back in Frankfurt... whew!
For more details on our EU trip (and ongoing UK trip), check out our blog at www.motorhomevirgins.blogspot.com
Travelling from Australia, and for such a lengthy rental, we searched high and low, and Motorvana provided the best service and deal over the competition in Australia, Europe, and the US.
I was very appreciate of how responsive and open they were with us, which gave us a lot of confidence in doing the transaction.
We hired a large vehicle through DRM, who moved a vehicle to Frankfurt for us, with Motorvana's help. It was brand new on pick up, and the DRM service was very good. We flew into Frankfurt a few days before to get over the long flight, and to look at that city. Something I would highly recommend. Flying in long haul, and taking possession of a rental motorhome the same day is not advisable.
While the motorhome was in excellent condition being new, my only negative comment is that rental firms in Germany (not just DRM) don't fit out the vehicles very well. No TV, no oven, etc compared to what we have seen in New Zealand and now the United Kingdom. We knew about this, but it is a pain.
Luckily we were travelling for a long time, so it was cost effective to buy a few things to make our travel more comfortable.
The vehicle performed very well throughout. On return, all went well. We did crack a rear bumper, and knew we were going to be hit with that cost, but I was surprised that the cost seemed to be reasonable (well within the damage deposit), rather then the usual rip-off, and hopefully we will get that back from our travel insurance.
I highly recommend Motorvana, and DRM. I would definitely hire from both parties again.
I also highly recommend this form of travel to see Europe.
John and Terry-Lynn Hemmerling, posted on 30 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have dropped off the vehicle and must compliment your company. We have enjoyed the ease and professionalism displayed at every interaction. We enjoyed a lovely trip and the camper met our needs perfectly. Your staff is excellent and we feel very fairly treated over the window replacement. We will be recommending you to a few families we know who are planning a similar trip in the future. Thanks again!
The FERRERS, USA, posted on 20 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a good experience with both Motorvana and McRent in Dusseldorf. In planning the trip, our questions were answered ahead of time, every detail of the costs and terms and conditions of the rental were clearly spelled out.
The vehicle we rented was brand new and we had no problems mechanical or otherwise. We traveled for 3 months in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria.
Just a note for others' information: We had been concerned that we might run out of propane since we had such a long rental. The vehicle came with 2 bottles, and we had bought adapters for use in other countries in case we happened to run out while we were outside of Germany. We found out that there really was no reason to buy the adapters since it seems that no countries actually refill bottles, they just swap them for a full bottle. McRent had advised us not to swap our German bottles in another country. Fortunately we never ran out of propane, and if we had run out toward the end of our trip, we were back in Germany by that time, and could have exchanged an empty German bottle for a full one. In case others wonder, thought we would share this.
In any case, we live in an RV fulltime back in the USA, so we love travel by RV. We naturally rented a much smaller unit in Europe (necessary to manage the roads and campgrounds), so knew we would have much smaller space to live in for 3 months. We were very satisfied with the quality and practicality of the unit - a Dethleffs Globebus T15. And the European campgrounds are excellent!
Tom Resman, posted on 15 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyOverall we had a great adventure in Europe while renting our RV from the depot outside of Munich. We purchased the recommended TomTom GPS in the United States and it worked well. We could punch in the GPS coordinates of the campsites and always found them. The depot gave us a camping book with campsites throughout Europe. It was invaluable for finding sites in the countries we visited. The RV we received was brand new and they gave us a walk-through when we arrived. The only challenge we had sometimes was trying to find a place to park the camper around tourist sites. There were plenty of parking places for cars but campers were restricted. I recommend that you park the camper in a campsite and then take the public transportation or shuttle service to the sites. My only negative comment is when I returned the vehicle at the end of the trip. We kept the vehicle in near perfect condition. On the side of the left rear bumper there was a minor surface scratch which you could barely see. The paint was still there but the surface probably was scratched by a bush when backing up. The depot charged us 70 Euro to buff it out. At first they were threatening to charge me to replace the entire bumper. I took some pictures of the scratch and you couldn't even see them with my digital camera. I think this was just another way for them to collect some money on the rental vehicle. Overall it was a great experience but the depot ended the trip on a sour note with the charge to buff out the surface scratch.
Gleasons, Alaska, USA, posted on 15 August 2011, vendor was DRMThis was our first time renting an RV through Motorvana, but our second time renting from DRM in Frankfurt. We rented from DRM in 2004 and were happy with the RV and service. We were very happy with the service from Motorvana, as the staff always responded promptly to our email and phone calls with questions. The website is easy to use, and we always knew what the cost was without having to figure out the exchange rates. Our Condor flight directly from Anchorage to Frankfurt (about 10 hours) was a major improvement over the more than 24 hours with many plane changes we had in 2004. DRM checked us out in a nearly new RV which was just big enough for the 4 of us, including our adult daughter and 12-yr old grandson. We brought our own sleeping bags, towels and camp cook kit, but didn't bring dishes, so the staff put the kitchen kit in the motor home. In the future, we would also pay the rent for camp chairs. We brought our own Garmin GPS with European maps loaded. We enjoyed our visits in Germany and Italy, and our quick drive through Austria. We had no particular set schedule however we liked to stay away from the big cities as much as possible. The staff at all of the campgrounds were friendly and helpful. Although our RV had a shower, we found the showers in the campgrounds ranged from adequate to excellent. All of the campgrounds had wi-fi, so we were able to stay in communication with family and friends at home via the internet. There were only 2 very small problems with the RV. One was our fault: at the check out, the staff showed us how to check the oil, but we forgot that you had to use the key and turn the lock both ways to open the hood. We later found another family driving an identical RV, and they showed us how to open the hood to check the oil. Another was a very strong sewer smell coming from the bathroom. Cleaning the chemical toilet didn't stop the smell. We saw the drain plugs hanging in the bathroom, but didn't recall the staff saying anything about plugging the shower and sink drains. Putting the plugs into the shower and sink drains stopped the smell, which was coming from the gray water tank. The check in at DRM was fast and easy. We received our deposit refund within about a week. Our GPS worked well, except it wanted to take us on the toll roads, when we sometimes preferred some back roads. Once we were looking for a particular market in Heidelberg, and the GPS kept telling us to make a U-turn. After going in circles a few times, we abandoned that effort and headed straight to the campground. As we later learned, sometimes markets are located in other buildings and don't even have parking lots. The GPS was worth it's money on the return to DRM in Frankfurt, navigating us through the many highway changes and construction without a problem. Our grandson was able to play with some of the children in the campgrounds, even though he speaks no German and the children spoke little English. We never saw another American in any of the campgrounds, but we were able to meet many of the other campers from around Europe and as far away as Australia and New Zealand. We like to hike, so spent a total of about 6 days at Camping Tennsee near Garmisch. A really nice campground with very helpful people. And by camping and going to places out of the usual tourist route, we were able to see and experience many things most tourists don't even know about, such a a Roman wagon road on a hiking trail near Tennsee. Overall, the RV experience was very good. We will be sure to use Motorvana again on our next trip to Europe.
The Benoit Family, posted on 14 August 2011, vendor was McRent Germany
People tended to respond incredulously to the idea that our family was going to tour the Alps in a motor home. "You're going to what? Really…?" seemed to be the most common response. And we had our own doubts too. Would the RV be a piece of junk? What would the campsites be like? How would I do driving a motor home in the Alps or on the Autobahn? According to the internet, the Europeans vacation this way all the time; could we Americans make it work? I'll provide more details and resources below, but the short answer to all these questions is that we had a great time and experienced Europe in a way that few Americans do.
We're a bit adventurous, but are a pretty typical family: middle age parents and two boys, 8 and 11, from Illinois, USA. We tent camp (North Shore of Lake Superior, the Black Hills, and Yellowstone over the past three summers) and enjoy traveling. However, we had never used an RV before and had never been on a trans-Atlantic flight as a family. I like to come up with big ideas (Lets go to Europe in an RV!). My wife is great with the details — little things like plane reservations or actually booking the motor home.
We started planning in the mid-winter time using the internet and tour books. There really is not a lot of information about Americans doing this type of travel. Rick Steves has a few articles, there was a long discussion thread we found that focused mainly on a couple's anxiety and subsequent aborted trip, and what seemed like some latter day hippies with great color pictures and glowing reviews. After looking at a variety of RV rental agencies, we chose to go with Motorvana. The web site had pictures of the various vehicles, the prices were competitive, and I actually spoke to a customer service rep who was very helpful and spoke great English. The vehicle rental was pricey and we took all the add ons we could — extra insurance, bedding, dishes, folding chairs, and towels. Our reasoning was that renting the bedding, etc was easier than bringing it with us (we traveled without checking baggage) and less expensive that trying to buy these essentials in Europe. The insurance was more to provide some additional piece of mind in potentially difficult driving circumstances. It turned out we didn't use the insurance, but I'd probably get it again — just in case. To balance out the cost of the rental, we kept in mind that this cost included a large chunk of our lodging, rental car, and dining expenses. There was also a convenience factor as we would not have to keep packing and unpacking like you would each night at a new hotel. Fuel was an additional expense, especially at European prices; however, we would have been putting gas into a rental car anyway.
In the end, we rented "The Beast", a 23 foot diesel motor home. It was small for an American RV, but was one of the largest caravans (that's what the Europeans call an RV) we saw during our two week trip. A lesson learned for next time — book as early as possible. By mid to late spring, we had few options on which caravans were available. The Beast worked great, but something smaller would have been more maneuverable on the roads and in the campings (the European term for RV parks). We spent very little time inside beyond driving and sleeping. Even on rainy nights, the awning provided plenty of shelter to eat outside. The bathroom with a shower was an important feature for my wife when we booked the caravan. She worried that the campings would have dirty bathrooms and showers. As it turned out, we never used the caravan shower once. Even the camping with the dirtiest facilities (Munich) had acceptable restrooms (Cathleen chose not to shower there and used the bathroom reluctantly — the only place she was put off by the showers; the boys and I had no issues). The toilet was useful for late night bathroom trips when you didn't want to walk with the kids to the restrooms, but other than that got almost no usage as well.
Upon our arrival in Munich, we took a cab to the rental depot. It was about a 40 minute cab ride away. We could have used the train to get there from the airport, but chose the more expensive, but convenient route. This turned out to be a good idea because everyone was tired and our full attention was demanded at the depot. The staff there were very helpful and went over the operation of the caravan in great detail. I didn't need any type of special license to drive the Beast, in fact the staff at the caravan depot joked that with an American license, I could drive whatever I wanted. I did get and international drivers license from AAA, really just a translation of my Illinois license into a variety of different languages. We never needed it, but it seemed a reasonable precaution. A lesson for next time — everyone should pay close attention and ask questions when the depot staff are explaining things. Trying to remember a few days later how the awning set up or which plug adapter worked in which country presented a challenge that a little more care on our part would have prevented. Also, when the gentleman asks you if you're familiar with the transmission and driving characteristics, don't encourage him to gloss over the details.
For example, when he said, "Do you know how to drive a 6 speed manual transmission?" I replied, "Yes." — thinking I had driven plenty of 5 speed gasoline powered manuals here in the U.S. I turns out reverse isn't on the far right of the gear shifter and I didn't realize this until we had started driving. Luckily, we arrived at the first camping and got settled in without having to go in reverse, because I needed to look at the pictures in the German language manual to figure out that you got into reverse by pulling up the plastic ring around the shaft of the shifter, then pushing it up and to the left. No problem once I figured it out, but more attention on my part would have spared us a few anxious moments.
A much bigger problem was the difference between driving a diesel and a gas engine. I had no problems using the clutch- in fact I never stalled the Beast. But initially I struggled with the amount of fuel I provided to the engine after I shifted. I tended to stomp on the gas pedal after a shift to compensate for the Beast's lack of acceleration; after all, I was in Germany, getting ready to drive on the autobahn. In my ignorance, I was flooding the diesel engine and causing it to bog down and lose power. This caused a few panic stricken moments, as the Beast lost power on the highway and I had to pull off to the side of the road to start from first gear again. Luckily, no one rear ended us and my wife was quick with the emergency flashers! Once I figured this quirk out, I did not have any more problems with the Beast's transmission.
Now after reading the previous paragraph, you might assume that driving on the autobahn in a rented caravan was a challenging experience, but I believe it was actually easier than driving the same size vehicle here in America. Although speed limits could be higher and cars came up very quickly from behind in the left lane, vehicles in the right lane seemed to move more slowly than we're accustomed. And people did not tailgate (no matter how slowly you drove), did not pass on the right, and pulled back into the right lane as soon as they were done passing. To top it off, the traffic density also seemed much lower that we're used to here in the northern suburbs of Chicago. As a result, I was able to drive slowly and carefully early in the trip without feeling uncomfortable and, after a few days' practice, drive at the posted speed limits (as long as I allowed myself enough time and space to pass slower vehicles).
Driving in the towns and in the Alps were more harrowing at times.
Narrow and twisty country roads, mountain passes that looked barely wide enough for two cars — never mind our huge caravan and a tour bus, and urban routes that looked like they were designed for horse carts were all par for the course. There were plenty of white knuckle moments, a few truly panicy incidents (We've got to turn around here?!? I swear the street was only a few feet wider than the caravan was long.), but no accidents. Well, maybe one accident if hitting a portable plastic barrier with a side mirror counts like my wife says; however, it didn't leave a mark on the caravan and it was there a warning not to hit something more serious, so I'm sticking to my original story that there were no accidents. I drove about 1,600 kilometers over a two week period in a large, rented vehicle on unfamiliar roads with signs in a language we didn't really read across three countries. And to hear my wife tell it, I don't even drive that well! The Beast had plenty of power, handled well, and had a small turning radius for a vehicle of its size. One problematic point, we did drive slowly, slowly enough that at times I felt badly for the people stuck behind me. So next time, we'll need to multiply all expected travel times by 1.5 to have a more reasonable estimate of how long it would take us to get anywhere.
One thing that helped us navigate was that we brought a portable GPS with us. Prior to the trip, we bought and downloaded the European road maps into it from the Garmin website. The GPS performed admirably and we never were lost. But relying on GPS in Europe had the same issues that we've grown accustomed to in the United States — just more so because everything was unfamiliar. For example, one source of confusion was that the road names/highway numbers were not always the same on the signs and on the GPS. Another problem was that we couldn't find a GPS setting for "Driving an Oversized Vehicle". As a result, it often took us on roads that were the shortest in theory, but problematic in reality. An arch that was too short for our 3.3 meter tall vehicle was the least of the difficulties (Recalculating…). Addresses and roads in rural areas that were off just enough (Recalculating…) were not a big deal. Taking us with 1 kilometer of Marionplatz in the center of Munich during rush hour when all we wanted was to get on the highway that skirted the city was a much bigger issue (No chance at Recalculating… due to the traffic. We fought over that one.). We used a paper map and the map on Cathleen's I Pad to cross-reference routes when we were worried about the directions from the GPS. Obviously, this didn't give us perfect results, but I can't imagine the difficulties we would have had without the GPS.
Initially, we were using the internet to research the campings. There were problems with this approach, including discovering their exact location, reading the German web sites, and determining the quality of the services offered. We knew that the campings would not be like American National Parks campgrounds, but we didn't want to stay in a dirty, cramped, shade-less RV park either. Floundering a little, we were relieved to discover Caravan Europe 2 published by The Caravan Club of the U.K. (www.caravanclub.co.uk). This book covers all of Western Europe except France, Spain, and Portugal; those countries are in Caravan Europe 1. In addition to short reviews of campings, the book has numerous articles about caravanning and orientation articles about each country. All of the campings described in the book have been recommended by people who stayed there and submitted a review. The descriptions, particularly the abbreviations that they use and directions, can be pretty cryptic, but the information they contained was very accurate. Each entry also contains contact information, address (including GPS coordinates), and services available at the camp site. My favorite part of each entry were the quotes from the reviewers inserted at the end — they gave me a good feel for what each site might be like. I'd highly recommend this book. Every place we stayed was as advertised in the guide. We also purchased the International Camping Card before we left (Internet address). This gave us another list of campings, but more importantly acted as our identification for check in at the sites (rather than presenting our passports). It also gave 10% discounts at some of the campings which more than paid for the cost of the card.
The campings varied widely in what they offered and where they were located. Two dimensions that seem to capture the variances are family owned/company owned and rural/urban. The second dynamic, rural/urban, was the most suprising to me. We stayed at Thalkirchen, a famous camping within the Munich city limits, Camping Nord-Sam in Saltzburg, and Camping Hirzberg in the medium sized city of Freiburg. The equivalent in the U.S. would be having an RV park on the North Side of Chicago walking distance from an El station or in Boston out by Bunker Hill. I expected these places to be small, paved over, noisy, and filthy. My expectations couldn't be further from the truth. Each site had grass and trees everywhere. Thalkirchen actually backed up to a large river and abutted a park. Hirzberg had a playground across the street and a walking path along a river just beyond the park. Nord-Sam was the most urban, but the kids still found plenty of space to play badminton and to run around. City noises were much less than you'd expect in a downtown hotel and the convenience of public transportation, shopping, and restaurants more than made up for what little you heard. Using public transportation you could get from the camping to downtown Saltzburg or Munich in 20 to 45 minutes respectively. It was a 15 minute walk to the historic old town/downtown Freiburg from the camping. In all three situations, a real advantage was that we could easily get what we wanted to see and back once we figured out the public transportation. Safety was not an issue that we were concerned about in these urban campings. They were full of people, had on site staff 24 hours a day, and had gates that locked when quiet hours started (typically at 10 or 11 pm). Disadvantages to the urban campings were that the sites were somewhat smaller and that driving in and out tended to produce more than its share of white knuckle moments.
The rural campings had somewhat larger sites (realistically none of the sites were large) and tended to be in truly beautiful places. At Campingplatz Tauber-Romantik near Rothenburg ob de Tauber, Germany, we woke to the sound to cowbells from the herds on the hills above us. At Camping Manor Farm near Interlaken, Switzerland, we were surrounded by the Alps and less than 30 years from one of the glacial-fed lakes (Interlaken means between the lakes). Each camping had its own small store with basic groceries and supplies, but larger grocery runs were more difficult (longer walks or bags on the bus — and Europeans are into the Eco-green movement so either bring your own bags or expect to be charged for each plastic shopping sack you use). There was always at least one place to eat near the camping and some of the restaurants were quite good. Transportation to tourist sites was do-able, but tended to mean either longer bus rides (with a less frequent bus schedule) or longer walks. Next time, I think we would try to rent bikes to improve our mobility. What we ended up doing at some locations (castles and waterfalls names) to make up for transportation difficulties was leaving the camping early, driving to the nearby attraction, parking in the caravan/bus lot, and spending the morning/early afternoon site seeing before we moved on to another camping. The rural sites also tended to have larger play areas for the kids with soccer pitches, volleyball nets, or playground equipment. Some even had bikes and scooters for the them to ride.
The family owned/company owned dynamic was displayed most in the customer service you received. Every camping had English speaking staff who were polite, but the family owned campings tended to have staff who more passionate and helpful. Whether they were helping you with directions, restaurant recommendations, or how to use a Swiss electric outlet with a German plug, the staff of the family owned campings really demonstrated customer service above expectations. At Lech Camping near Augsberg where we stayed our first night, the staff helped Cathleen print emails that contained prescriptions for medications that she had lost going through airport security (This campsite also had a great restaurant). At Camping Hirzberg, the site was nearly filled, but the owner found a place for us. I had to back it down a very narrow 50 foot long path and into a tiny spot between two other caravans, but he found a space and gave excellent directions as I maneuvered the Beast into position. The company owned campings tended to be much larger and have more amenities such as larger stores or gift shops.
What all the campings had in common were that they were clean, quiet, and easy to use. We only had a reservation for the first night. Every other night, we showed up in the late afternoon (beware the after-lunch siesta when the offices are closed) or early evening and were always able to get a spot to stay. We traveled in June, which is just at or before the start of the high tourist season. I don't know if we could have been as lucky later in July or August when all of Europe is on vacation. The cost of camping tends to be lower, but there were additional fees for everything — each additional person, electrical use, water hook up, wireless internet, at one place showers and hot water were coin operated. However, we never spent more than 45 euro a night for the four of us. Compared to the cost of a tiny European hotel room, that seems ok. I recommend ordering bread for breakfast each morning. The campings have it delivered fresh before 8:00 and it is delicious with some local honey or jam.
We never met another American at a camping, but most Europeans speak some English. There were plenty of people from the UK (I heard that 18% of the population owns a caravan) who were on vacation. We saw caravans from all over Europe, from Norway to Greece to Slovakia. Everyone was friendly, but people weren't intrusive. We got some great recommendations on other campsites and activities in casual conversations with people. Our kids played with kids who spoke no English and had a blast. (Although I don't know what people thought of our 8 year old who ran around playing tag and yelling, "No sprechinze Deutch!" for two nights.) And on top of this cultural and fun experience, they had new places to explore and playmates to keep them busy rather then spending time bugging us or fighting with each other.
The caravanning experience also allowed us to tailor activities for our kids. We did our share of Cathedrals and museums/cultural monuments, but we were able to vary our activities so it wasn't "boring". We spent time in cities and in the countryside, at museums and out hiking, experiencing an adrenelin rush (ziplining down the side of an Alp or being lost in the Munich subway) or relaxing in the shade. Food was rarely an issue as we were able to buy enough familiar food in the grocery that the kids were willing to try a variety of foods when we ate out. A beer or three with dinner was also not an issue; we weren't driving anywhere after the Beast was set up for the night. Bed times and mornings could be a little cramped, but less so than spending time in our family tent. And the Beast offered electricity, refrigeration, and shelter from the elements.
So is a caravanning vacation for everyone? No, but, if you've got an interest in some adventure, a desire to set your own itinerary, and a motivation to see Europe in a way that few Americans will, caravanning can be an excellent choice. It was extremely enjoyable and memorable for us. Prost!
Ninik Stroud, Australia, posted on 14 August 2011, vendor was DRMOverall we had a beautiful memory with your services. Your car absolutely clean and a good conditions. We hired for 17 days in Germany, Swiss, Austria, Slovakia & Cekoslovakia on 29/6 to 16/7/2011. We drove for about 4,000 km. The GPS was great. Next time we like to go back to hire your camping car again.
Greg Newman, posted on 12 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyBoking through Motorvana was easy and more convenient than direct. The pick up in Friedberg also good, we where given all the info needed to get on our way - even the nearest IKEA for bedding. The camper was almost new and didn't miss a beat the whole trip through SWI, ITA, HUN and CZE. Would have been good to have a table a chairs in the camper - wouldn't mind paying a couple of EU extra for these (maybe you can in the booking process and I just missed it). For travelers; GPS is a must (make sure you know how to use and check the route first) - also hardcopies from viamichelin.com come in handy. Also understand the toll/vignette system of the country you are going before you get there. Thanks to Doug@Motorvana and Sussana@mcrent for a seamless experience, we'd definitely do this again.
PJ Anderson, Florida, USA, posted on 12 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a great trip thru western Europe in May and June of 2011. This was our first trip abroad and we traveled over 4,200 miles trying to see everything possible. Motorvana was great,easy to work with and had amazingly quick responses to the booking and any questions. Customer service at McRent near Dusseldorf was also excellent. They were nice enough to accomadate our early arrival and the young men who did both the check in and check out were very knowledgable and spoken wonderful English. All of the McRent RVs were very new and seemed well maintained.
Johann Badenhorst, posted on 12 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyMy family (4 people) rented a campervan from Idaemerge/McRent near Dusseldorf in June 2011 and toured 4500 km's through Europe in 30 days. As a whole I found the experience and service very pleasant. Advice to future travellers would be: 1) Find out whether you need a "vignette" at the border post - some kind of sticker you buy that serves as a road tax. 2) Be prepared to drive on very narrow roads when you leave the freeway.
The only thing I would like McRent to improve on is the supply of basic utensils like a small broom + scoop, a bucket and maybe some basic cleaning liquid. Apart from that the company is effective, transparent and trustworthy.
Gail Gilbert, posted on 11 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyI found it hard to commit to a booking agency for a Rental vehicle half a world away, but the person working after hours was very helpful and Motorvana found me the perfect camper for our group of 2 couples. We arrived at McRent Frankfurt, the paper work didn't take long and were soon on the road with some extras from there storeroom, like pegs, clothesline, bar-a-que, detergent etc (left over's from other campers). Watching the DVD proved helpful although we had hire a camper before and were delighted with camper, our only problem would be working out the fridge between gas & battery. We drove through Germany, France, Belgium & Switzerland over the amazing countryside, some of the roads were very narrow but just took our time. We followed some of Tour De France and drove up the Alp d Huez and over the Col de Galiber - the camper handled this narrow windy road just great. The staff at McRent were very helpful and would use both Idea Merge and McRent again in the near future (I hope). Regards Gail
Chester Juroska, posted on 11 August 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyMy wife and I rented a McRent RV for two people in Munich (actually Sulzemoos) and toured through southern Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. It was the same trip my son and I went on in 2003 when we used DRM. Overall the trip was wonderful and the rental process was easy. However, the renter needs to be fully aware of how far out of Munich the depot is. Some of the taxis allegedly take credit cards but the car we used with every credit card company displayed on it did not. Ask beforehand. The only other thing is that the rental companies should make clear that some countries like Slovakia and the Czech Republic require the driver to purchase a sticker to display on the wind shield which I suppose is like a road tax. The Slovakian police flagged me down and gave me a 20 euro fine for not having one and then directed me to where I should purchase it. Hungary also requires it. Other than that, the trip was great and I recommend anyone who is the slightest adventurer to do the same. Motorvana is easy to work with and I will be renting from them again the summer of 2013 to tour The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland.
Brett Gilbert, Sydney, Australia, posted on 11 August 2011, vendor was DRMFrom start to finish the service with Motorvana is excellent.
Being from Australia it is always a long trip to get over to Europe. After 24hrs on a plane you don't want any hassles hiring your camper. Well the guys from DRM Dusseldorf were fantastic. In our group we had 7 guys and hired 2 campervans. The service was great and after the tuition we were on the road in under 1 hr. We travelled in excess of 3,000km in 10 days throughout Germany on main roads and back roads all without fuss.
On this holiday however both campers returned with some damage. One of our campers suffered some side damage (Australians not used to left hand drive) and the other the awning got caught in the wind and broke. When we arrived back at the DRM depot we expected a major issue and confrontation. Not to be. We were very embarrassed that we had damaged the campers however the guys from DRM were very professional and did not make us feel bad about the incident. We filled out the necessary paperwork and obviously had to pay for the damages from the bond, however the price was reasonable and the way that the guys treated us was exceptional. Thanks guys.
I would like to recommend Motorvana to anyone who wants a trouble free holiday. The C3 Family Sport campers that we hired were modern, spacious, easy to drive and the options of bedding, crockery, table and chairs just makes the holiday a fantastic experience. This is my second year booking with Motorvana and all I can say is there definitely will be a third booking next year.
Jan Aarsen, Canada, posted on 11 August 2011, vendor was DRMWe rented a motorhome from the Frankfurt depot this past June. The pick up and drop off went very quickly and smoothly. The staff who went over the motorhome with us were very friendly. The motorhome was exactly what we were expecting and was brand new. It was easy to drive and everything operated well. Thanks
Horacio Ocariz, posted on 11 July 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe are very pleased with de caravan and with the people in Germany. We had no problems at all, neither with the vehicle nor with Frankfurt Mc Rent. It was the second time we rented a motor caravan. The first was in Spain, also good, but the treatment we received this time was better. Kind Regards. Horacio Ocariz
S Peder Olsen, posted on 9 July 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe were quite satisfied with our rental as a whole. The staff in Germany was very kind and helpful, and the get the vehicle and handing it back again went very fast and smoothly. The camping car itself was also very good. First, it was brand new, and the design etc. was also quite good. When we handed back the campingcar, we saw another way the same kind of car had the bed made. We would have preferred that way, as we during the night would not have had to climb over each other to get into or out of the bed. In short we were satisfied renting the vehicle, and would not hesitating recommending others to rent in the same way.
Lim, posted on 9 July 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyThe service from the beginning (online) to the end (caravan depot) was perfect: fast, efficient, error-free, and friendly. As inexperienced first-timers with caravans, there was no unpleasant surprises as the staff at both Motorvana and caravan depot were very informative from the beginning. The caravan we had was really nice and almost brand new! It was a wonderful trip for us with great service from Motorvana and McRent Stuttgart.
HyunHo Park, posted on 6 July 2011, vendor was DRMIt was very exciting trip for me and DRM provided almost new car less than 2,000km mileage VW California Star.
Charanpal Singh, posted on 5 July 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyIt was our first family holiday in Europe and we decided to tour Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria in a camper. I booked via Motorvana online and received the confirmation in less than a few hours. Great work Motorvana! On the day we arrived, we picked up our camper from McRent's depot in Friedberg on 30 May for an 8 day trip. Klaus was very helpful to allow us an early pickup ahead of our scheduled pickup time of 2pm. As it was our very first time traveling in a camper, we had to view a 20 min video describing all of it's features. Everything was provided as described with the only exception being the chemical for the toilet which I didn't check until the next day. I had to buy a bottle from a shop in Italy but it was pretty cheap and cost me 9 euros only. I was told the camper we got was about a year old but it was certainly in very good shape and was very clean. My wife and kids simply loved the convenience of traveling in our own camper and staying in campsites along the way. We visited Interlaken in Switzerland, Pisa, Florence and Venice in Italy, Innsbruck in Austria, Fussen, Meersburg and Stuttgart in Germany before returning our camper in Friedberg. We returned our camper slightly later that our scheduled time at 11am due to heavy rain when we travelled from Stuttgart to Friedberg and traffic was slow on that morning. But Klaus was kind enough not to charge us any extra for the late drop off (Thanks Klaus!). In my hurry, I forgot that my jacket was still on the driver's seat and I forgot to remove it, but oh well, it was my fault for not remembering. Overall, it was an extremely fun way to travel and my family and I have decided that we will surely travel by camper again on our next holiday in New Zealand.
Mike, posted on 3 July 2011, vendor was DRMMotorvana was great. Good communication and quick reply time. Everything was as advertised, no surprises. Claudia at DRM was great, with a wicked sense of humour and Mike was very helpful. The vehicle was almost new (we were the second people to drive the unit). Similar comments to others. Gas adapter needed as we were in France and everything is exchange (if it's French!) Get a higher end Tom-Tom as our old Garmin wanted to put us on a course for the nearest toll road and would only accept about 30% of French addresses. We bought a spiral bound Michelin France map. Much cheaper than in Canada. Our camper was a Karmann-Davis and had much better fluids capacity than last year's Detleff Globecar and we even had a useable shower. Great unit. Averaged about 9.5l/100km over 4,800 km and 22 days. To cook a better variety of meals buy a toaster oven (20-30 euros). Go into Frankfurt if you want to rent as the people make the difference, both Claudia at DRM or Suzanne at McRent are fantastic. You can't lose either way. Germany last year, France this year (May-Jun). Look out Italy next year!
Fatima Frensch, posted on 28 June 2011, vendor was DRMAs I was the driver most of the ride, like to talk about tourism. It was very good reception of Claudia (DRM), who gave us the MH and received back. We had a great trip through 8 countries and had no problems with the car. It was very stable, comfortable and economical. We have told friends about the trip and all say they want to try but are unsure, seem fearful, they do not know what they are missing. The catalog with the addresses of the campsites also helped much. So speak the Portuguese of Brazil, but if anyone needs a testimonial for the ease of renting and driving a MH Motorvana can give my email. So hope that the translation is readable. With good will, a catalog mail campsites and a GPS, you're going anywhere in the EU. Thanks.
Steve Fennell, posted on 18 June 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyThanks once again to Motorvana and their hire partner Mcrent. We rented through the Frankfurt office, where Susanne once again was extremely helpful (and jealous as she is a keen motorcyclist herself) and we proceeded to follow the motogp and superbikes through italy and france. The camper performed excellently and I will be using the same company again when I go back to europe.If anyone is travelling from the south of France towards Paris I highly recommend to travel via the Millau Viaduct, the highest bridge in the world,amazing experience.
Bill and Lana, posted on 25 May 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyHired a McRent Globescout last year (2010) thru Motorvana and spent 12 weeks touring thru Germany France Italy Spain and Belgium. We had a thoroughly enjoyable time. High praise for staff at McRent especially Susanne who was most helpful. This was our second hire thru Motorvana in three years and we thank them for their great service. Would certainly use them again.
Dennis and Becky, posted on 21 May 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a caravan in Frnakfurt for 30 days to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, and it was an amazing "memory-maker". We were totally impressed with Susanne, who spoke very good English and went out of her way to be sure we had a good experience. Motorvana was professional in dealing with us and we would definitely re-do the trip.
guy and micheline, posted on 11 May 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had such a terrific vacation driving around Europe in our rented camper van which became our "home away from home" - we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. THANKS!
Elisa Ortega, posted on 25 January 2011, vendor was McRent GermanyWe went a motorhome at Berlin the last week of October 2010. The motorhome was really new (very few kilometers) and nice with all the things we needed. We stayed a week travelling from Berlin to the south of Germany, visiting Munich, Fussen, Constanz and the black forest. It is very comfortable in order to sleep and also for cooking. But, once arrived at the depot, they explained us all the things required when travelling with a motorhome. It has been a really nice experience. Renting with MOTORVANA is really easy and they help you a lot!! We hope we can rent another motorhome with them next year!
The Rook Family, posted on 19 January 2011, vendor was DRMWhat a fantastic experience with this company! From the initial contact on the website, quick email confirmation, through to the collection and return of the motor-home, the service was excellent. Our trip was our honeymoon, (even though we did take our 2 year old daughter!) so we expected 5* service and received it. We collected the motor-home (which our daughter named - Ebe!) in Frankfurt and the lady was extremely helpful and spoke superb English, then drove and explored through Germany, Austria, Italy and France, returning to Germany 3 weeks later. The van was comfortable, warm (we travelled at the beginning of winter) clean and spacious for the 3 of us. Our daughter loved it and every morning we woke up singing "On the Road again, just can't wait to get on the road again".
emma appleby, posted on 10 December 2010, vendor was DRMOur experience in our VW california van was great!! We travelled in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia and czech republic. The Van was almost brand new and in great condition. It was easy to drive and had heaps of space inside to eat, sleep and relax in. Because we travelled in october it was starting to get a bit colder so we spent a lot of time in the van, so it helped a lot that it was nice and also spacious. We would recommend the california VW van to any travelling couple. We have never travelled in a van before but after our experience in the california we would definitely do it again, it was fantastic always having our luggage with us and so easy not having to pack and unpack every time we moved to a new motel. Pick up and drop off was also fairly easy and the depot is near to the train station.
Caryl Bergeron, posted on 13 November 2010, vendor was DRMEverything went well. We arrived about 1/2 hour early. So the lady at DRM took us on the tour of another vehicle along with another couple. That way we could get going earlier than expected. The location of DRM at Frankfurt couldn't be better. It's within walking distance of both the IBIS and Mercure hotels. In addition there are several stores just around the block including a Rewe, Penny market and Textil discount. We were able to stock up and get on the road quickly.
Working with Motorvana was easy and convenient. We were able to keep in contact all summer making sure everything was ready to go. No problems or issues at all.
Great job.
mark brockenshire, posted on 12 November 2010, vendor was McRent Germanywe spent a month in germany an denmark and the van we hired from the berlin depot was excellent. this is the only way to see and get about europe. being from australia driving on the other side of the road takes a bit of getting used to but you sort it out soon enough. again this being our 3rd time dealing with motorvana, the guys were great help and the service and comunication was excellent. the berlin depot was helpful and very understanding. would have no problem dealing with all these guys once again.
Paul Ireland, posted on 3 November 2010, vendor was DRMThis year's trip to Europe was another excellent experience working with Motorvana. In preparation for the trip, we had to make a number of modifications and Doug Bredesen was always quick to accommodate our needs.
We had a great trip to Europe, and working with the folks at the Frankfurt DRM location was excellent. It was again a real pleasure working with Mike and Claudia. They are very helpful and truly friendly. So both the pick-up and return went exceedingly smooth. This was very much a repeat of the first time we rented from DRM at the Frankfurt location.
Our only real problem there has nothing to with DRM or Motorvana. It is at the Airport. The DRM vehicle pick-up site is so close to the airport that the taxi drivers do not want to take us there after their long wait in the queue for a fare. It is illegal of course, but they come up with all sorts of excuses not to take us. But we are learning who to talk to (for lack of a better term - the Taxi Meister) and what actions to take to ensure we can get a lift.
So if folks run into this little glitch at the Airport, here is what you do. First, get the Registration number from the back of the cab of the cabbie who turned you down. Without this number it is difficult for the Taxi Operations to take corrective measures. Then seek out the "Taxi Meister." He is normally somewhere where he can oversee the Taxi Stand Operation, but you may need to ask someone who works at the Airport to point him out. Then go to him and explain the problem and give him the registration number. He will correct the problem.
This is not a problem when we return to Frankfurt. We come in the evening before, and stay at the Frankfurt Airport Ibis. We turn our vehicle in the next morning, walk the short walk back to the Ibis, and take advantage of their excellent shuttle service to the Airport.
Our deposit was refunded in total very shortly after our return.
Again, I want to express our appreciation working with Mike and Claudia, and hope this can be conveyed to them through DRM. They are a credit to the organization. We will be back.
Seong Oh Kim, posted on 2 November 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyMy rental process went very smoothly from A to Z. It was my very first time renting a mobile home. I did my share of researching for better terms. I liked what I got thru Motorvana.
All the information on the web site and the e-mails I received from Motorvana regarding my reservation was easy to follow. I was promised there were no hidden fees and there was none.
Picking up was easy. Originally our pick up time was 3:00PM but when I made a phone call and they let me come in at 10:00AM. We started earlier than expected.
The pickup and return location was near the airport, a short train ride from the terminal. The representative spoke perfect English. Our mobile home was new and clean. We finished our pre-rental check up quickly. I was well informed of the terms of returning our vehicle. I drove out of their parking lot within 20 min.
The mobile home was not as hard as I expected in terms of driving and parking. Although the trip computer on the vehicle was in Germany only, they did provide an English manual in the car. The inside was spacious enough for our family of 6, three adults, one teenager, one six year old, and a 17 month old baby. All the equipment and the compartments worked as they were supposed to. For six nights and seven days our family did not have any complaints.
Returning the vehicle went without any problem. I was ten minutes late but they said it wasn't a problem. I returned the vehicle with less amount of fuel than I drove off with but they said it was not much of a difference. I was not charged for the gas. The same representative came out of the office right away and we checked the vehicle thoroughly. I was informed that I need to pay for a torn window screen. I agreed and signed the paper. I checked with my credit card company and found out they deducted $50 for the broken window screen and returned the rest of my deposit within three days of the return. The whole returning process took less than 15 min. It felt like every process was clear and straightforward.
I would definitely use Motorvana to make my next reservation.
Josef turgeman, posted on 31 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a very good time with the camper van. Pickup and drop off was quick an eficiant. The vichle was excelent and very comfortable. A. we suggest to add speakers in the rare too so everybody can hear the radio/music. B. there is not enough space to put a baby chair without taking out the table. c. concider the option of pickup/dropup the vichle from the airport. Not always the flights scheduale are suitable to the opening hours of your office.
Once again thanks oue family enjoyed it very much.
Bo Nilsson, posted on 26 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe had a very good time with the camper van. Pickup and drop off was no problem at all. Fast and friendly. All went very well and we did not have a mishap. We did 6350 km all the way to Tromso in Norway and then back via Finland to Sweden and then to Germany. The only small problem we had was to get LP gas for the van. Sweden did not have the German fitting so we had to look around to get the bottles filled. If there is a possibility there should be some kind of a guide to mention were to find gas or the van should have a universal adapter that you can fit should you be in some countries that do not fit to the German one. Once again thanks and I have already given your company name to three people who were very interested to do the same as we done.
Phil and Trudy Thumath, posted on 25 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThis was the second time we had hired a van from the Frankfurt office. Once again we were very impressed by the service (thanks Susanne) and the condition of the van (very clean). Just a suggestion for the future, another couple of power sockets would be useful (for laptops, phones, i-pods etc) and the position of the sockets just outside the bathroom door is a bit awkward! Also a grill or microwave would be useful. Thanks for a great holiday! We strongly recommend your company.
Darcy and Sue, Victoria, B.C., Canada, posted on 25 October 2010, vendor was DRMwe picked up our motorhome in frankfurt which is very close to the airport as well as to a couple of hotels. claudia was very good to deal with.the pick up and drop off went smoothly and we found lots of supplies and books and maps that we were able to take with us on the trip. the motorhome was only 6 months old and perfect for the two of us. i strongly recomend taking a gps with you as the driving through europe can get a bit overwhelming without it. the only thing that we had a problem with was that the propane bottles ran out and nobody over there could help us or tell us where we could get them filled. we finally found someone in italy that could help us.the german bottles are not compatable with the italian bottles so we had to get a fitting and purchase a bottle in italy to get us through the rest of our trip. claudia and drm were great about it and reimbursed us for the bottle as well as a refund on our bill for our lost time chasing down propane. i would suggest to drm to take this into account and maybe supply fittings with the motorhomes for future travelers. all in all it was a great experience renting the motorhome from drm and traveling through europe.cant wait to do it again real soon
Paul, posted on 24 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThis is the second time we have used Motorvana and McRent Frankfurt and would recommend them both. The service from Motorvana is very good and hassle free, the van from McRent exactly what we wanted, well serviced, clean and ready to go on arrival. All staff are pleasant and helpful. We were picked up from Frankfurt airport and dropped back at the end of the trip. Would recommend this option as the depot is in the north. Travelled through Western Europe with no problems. Camping ground books were in short supply when we rented the van so an option would be to take your own and don't travel without a navigational device (Tomtom). So much easier than reading maps.
Graeme Arthur, Melbourne, Australia, posted on 21 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyPicked up our RV from Munchen on time and exactly what we ordered. Staff were very friendly and helpful with precise instructions which was terrific as this was our first experience in a van in Europe. The vehicle was clean adn relatively new. Had a great trip via the Romantic Road and throroughly recommend this trip. Munich was also fantastic and well worth a visit. Overall germany was an outstanding place to visit - the camper parks were first rate, roads sensational and very easy to navigate - we will defintely return one day.
Yumi SIN, posted on 17 October 2010, vendor was DRMGreat honeymoon with Camping car. In September, we had wonderful wedding and great honeymoon. We went Munich, interlaken and austria with Camping car. It was my 1st trip by camping car, But my husband has been about 10 experiences with camping car travel thru Motorvana from 2003. He said that he always choose the Motorvana. I know the reason!!! The staff was kind and nice. He provide us blanket by free for our wedding gift :) The car was good. When i arrived several camping place i realized that our camping car is nicer than other cars. I can say, we had wonderful honeymoon with Motorvana. I can't forget the fabulous memory.
christopher arsenault, posted on 12 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyGermany - Czech Republic - Germany.
Recently some friends and I rented a mobile home to see the sites of Germany and the Czech Republic on our time and not that of a train schedule.
The pick & drop off teams was cordial and spoke English (important as none of us spoke German). The transition from office to road and back again were smooth and provided us the confidence that our decision to rent was the correct one.
Driving and maintaining our motel on wheels was fun and easy. I would not have wanted to experience Oktober Feast any other way!
Thanks for enhancing the memories!
Traci, posted on 11 October 2010, vendor was DRMWe rented a camper with Motorvana/DRM in Germany for a week. The camper was extremely nice and clean. Alex at DRM was VERY helpful upon pick up, and provided us with a Mapsco and Camp Ground book, which was very helpful when deciding where to go. The GPS was a life saver! Neither me nor my boyfriend know the language and the first couple of days trying to navigate were a bit sketchy, but with the GPS and the books Alex gave us, we finally got the hang of it and wish we would have had more time to travel. All and all...a great experience with Motorvana and DRM! We will definitely do it agian!
John Povlsen, Denmark, posted on 11 October 2010, vendor was DRMDear Motorvana! We hired a VW California mobilhome from you for the period 07-09-10 to 28-09-10. You were very effectiv in finding a firm having the wanted car. This firma happened to be DRM - actually the Hamburg section. The car was ready and in perfect shape, as we arrived on the 07. sept. one hour earlier than expected. The instruction was perfect and the paperwork was easy. The car was nearly new (20.500 km) and clean. Our travel Hamburg, Bremen, Paris, Bourdoux, Nodern Spain to the nordeast of Portugal, three crossings of Portugal with end in Algarve southwest in Sagres, the outest point of Portugal. Our homeway was by Sevilla, Valencia, Barcelona, Lyon, Trier, Bernkastel, Hanover and Hamburg. We had no troubles with the car at all. The only problem we had was, that my vifes very old mother was hospitalized for a serius operation, so we had to go home earlier. We had the information Friday evening and had to arrive to Denmark Sunday. It was impossibel for us to reach DRM by our telefone, so we could have permission to place the motohome earlier (Sunday afternoon instead of Tuesday morning). We came through at DRM's 'nottelefone' and had the answer, that we could ring Monday morning, which was absolut no help. We solved the problem ourselves by going to the station, where we found our own car as expected. We chanced it with the motorcar and placed the key in there locked box for this. We spoke with DRM Monday morning. They had already found their VW and all where perfect. Our 1200 euro was perfectly send by VISA. We have been very pleased with your firm and our nearly 8.500 km in DRM's VW California. We would be interrested in having an auto of same standard and sice for a trip in Australia. We hope, we can be in Australia for a period of nealy to month from around 20-01-11.
Lyndon Benke, posted on 11 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe picked up a Globe 4 from McRent in Dusseldorf. We had booked a smaller van which we would have preferred (the roads are small enough in a normal-width van), but it was very roomy inside. We would recommend a smaller van after the problems we had parking. The quality of the van was incredible, it was less than a year old and fully-optioned so it was a big change from the vans we'd used in the past. Everything inside and out was top notch and we did not have a single problem from that point of view. Definitely raised the bar in terms of interior finishing and the overall performance.
John and Carolyn, Australia, posted on 5 October 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe hired a Globus 4 RV from McRent through Motorvana mid August to mid Sept - travelling for 30 days around Europe. Motorvana made it easy for our booking online and we picked up our van from Frankfurt. Klaus & his staff were extremely helpful & made it all so easy. We watched a video on aspects of the van, which is very necessary!! We borrowed some maps and books that other travellers had left, (which came in quite handy) put our gear in the RV & off we went. We left around 3.30pm in the afternoon, pouring with rain & peak hour traffic all of which made it a scary ride with a huge van in narrow lanes on the wrong side of the road and wipers & blinkers reversed etc, Then we got onto the highway & the lanes were very narrow due to roadworks in some sections. Traffic was horrendous and we found it a very stressful & a scary beginning to our trip, especially when we hit a roadwork lane marker which was too close, and damaged the casing to the passenger side mirror. Yes, the lane marker was that high & large!!
We got out of the city & picked the first camping ground we could find - which happened to be in a field right next to a swollen river & it was still pouring with rain, hence a sleepless night worried about being flooded. Day 2 was not much better getting used to driving on narrow roads & Day 3 we found even worse when our GPS sent us down extremely narrow roads right into the city of Budapest, telling us we had arrived at our destination & we hadn't. We had a scary drive through the city with lots of traffic, narrow roads,traffic lights, trams, buses, trucks, pedestrians & bike riders & all on the wrong side of the road!! We had to find our own way out of the city & evenutally reset the GPS & then found our camp ground up in the Buda hills via laneways and through a small village. By that time, we were feeling that we wanted to quit this whole episode & post the keys back to McRent and just go home.
However, after 4 lovely days in Budapest we ventured on for the rest of our month in the Euroturtle (as we affectionately named the RV) and we learnt a few lessons along the way. We enjoyed the rest of our trip, sometimes ignoring the GPS & following our own maps & streetsigns. The standard of drivers in Europe is great & very courteous & traffic flowed very well. The Autobahns are terrific where we have never seen so many trucks, but they adhere to the roadrules very well & they all travel in the far right lane unless they are overtaking, and then they get back into their lane quickly, allowing traffic to keep flowing well.
Hint: yes you definitely need a good GPS as well as good, detailed, reliable paper maps as well. We had a Tom Tom 950 which we had purchased in Australia & used it often there, where it worked well. It came with European maps, but, it is great for a car however, there was NO option to avoid unsuitable roads for a motorhome. Hence we were often sent the quickest route - which took us through narrow roads in the middle of fields, little villages, down one way streets or dead end roads, where the GPS would promptly tell you to turn around where possible (yeah, we would if we had room to - trying to turn a 22foot van in a narrow street isn't easy). Another time we were sent to turn left and there we discovered a covered bridge too low for our van!! There is a motorhome/truck option you can buy - but only from UK (not available in Australia) which we would recommend to anyone going to hire an RV for Europe. Tomtom website was not user friendly & tech support wasn't any help at all.
the van itself was extremely comfortable & the majority of camping grounds are well set up. We had not prebooked any camp grounds (which is recommended in peak summer), but in chosing a site - we always ensured they could take Motorhomes and had public transport close to the camp ground and were either 2 tent or 3 tent standard or above. To find campsites - you need to have a couple of books as not all campsites are listed in one book. We took our laptop computer & had downloaded the ACSI camp site guide, latest version, which was a great help. You can get the books as well. Plus we had 2 other campsite books to check. Not all campsites had internet access, but when they did, it was great with the laptop to plan our route, check google maps, Via Michelin road routes & campsites as well as keeping in touch with home. We didn't have all of our RV route preplanned or booked before leaving home, as we wanted to have flexibility as we travelled. We enjoyed being able to stay an extra day or 2 at our own discretion when we found a city or village that warranted more time.
Each camp ground was different - some supplied hot showers & toilet paper free & others did not! always check out the facilities when you arrive so you don't get caught in the loo with no paper!! Most have washing machines & dryers for a fee.
we used our shower in the RV only a few times for quick showers, as it was rather small but quite adequate. the Toilet onboard was very handy when travelling & in the middle of the night, however, we mainly used camp ground toilets & service centres. We only used the onboard loo for little jobs, as the toilet can get quite odorous & fills quickly (and you have to carry it to the chemical toilet outlet & empty it yourself).
Tolls - you need to buy vignettes at borders to some countries - you will see the signs & you must stop and purchase them & put them on your windscreen, otherwise you can incur fines. They are good for 10 days travel. France doesn't have vignettes, but you pay for road tolls at toll stations - quite often & VERY EXPENSIVE. One highway toll cost us 35 euros alone. So, make sure you have coins & money with you when you are travelling on the highways & we tried to drive into a toll with an operator - to help us pay. - otherwise you hold up traffic trying to sort out a machine all written in another language.
Groceries - Audi or Super U outlets are great, have big carparks & everything is available. You can get emergency supplies at most camp ground stores, but they are convenient stores at higher prices with limited stock. Oh, and you need to weigh your own Fruit & Veges in the store before going to the checkout.(there are scales & stickers available to do this).
Arrange for international driving licence before you leave Australia from your auto club (eg.NRMA) & while you are there, take your passport & arrange an international camping card. That was invaluable - you receive discounts from some camp grounds, but above all they often hold your card until you check out instead of your passport. If you accidentally leave it behind, better the card than your passport!!
Returning the van was quite quick & easy. McRent had moved premises while we were away & are now at Friedburg, which is quite a long way out of Frankfurt Main city. Cheapest way to get there and back is by suburban train from Frankfurt Hauptbanhoff (main train station). cost is only 7euros one way each. (don't hop on the country train by mistake - it is more expensive) Taxi to and from McRent is then only about 5euros. (Taxi from main airport up to McRent is about 55 euros).
You must clean out your van before return - empty toilet, fill diesel & gas tanks & ensure waste water is empty, but it wasn't too much of a hassle to do that. We put our left over groceries & maps, books etc into a shopping bag & left them at McRent for others to use. Klaus was extremely helpful when we returned the van & we lost some money for excess for the mirror damage, but the paperwork was all completed very quickly & we were on our way.
Altogether, it was a great trip, covering 5,000kms & seeing a lot of different areas, even if stressful at times.
Pflocksch/Butterworth Families, Cape Town, RSA, posted on 29 September 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThis was the first time, we were holidaying in a motorhome; what a great way to travel !! 24 days sightseeing through Europe; what an experience !! Although at times somewhat cramped with 4 adults and 2 kids the option to livbe indoors/outdoors made things really quite easy. The quality of the vehicle was tops, so were pick-up & drof-off, friendly, quick and efficient. A big Thank You to McRent in Munich !! We'll see you next year again !! Just a little TIP for those who hire for the first time: Pull in your right mirror, when you travel narrow mountain-passes in Switzerland; it could become costly otherwise. Have fun !! Regards from Cape Town.
Daniel, posted on 28 September 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyOur trip was excellent. It was no problem to get to McRent, get the paperwork done and then we were off. The vehicle gave us no trouble, and was easy to drive even thought many European roads can get quite narrow. Dropping off the vehicle was also very simple, after a simple walk-through we got our deposit back. I would recommend this to anyone.
Nigel Griffiths, posted on 27 September 2010, vendor was DRMOur Motorhome was ready ahead of time despite arriving early and we found the staff both helpful in getting us 'processed' and on the road quickly. The levels of service and standards of the vehicle was second to none. This was our first time hiring a motorhome and although we jumped in at the deep end, changing sites every day for just over two weeks we were grateful we had hired such a new and complete package from Motorvana. We will definitely be back and would again like to thank the Munich staff for their wonderful service and courtesy.
Team tour the france, posted on 27 September 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented the motorhome form Stuttgart. We got a totaly new motorhome and we had a perfect week with the tour the france and the high alps. Thanx again to the Stuttgart crew that did not over charge the small damages we got on the car. TM
Gjesdal, Norway, posted on 26 September 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe was very pleased with the car, and the people in Frankfurt where we picked up the car. When we found out, on our first night, that we missed a electrisity cable - we were told to go buy one and deliver the bill to McRent. We were refunded the money when we delivered the vehicle. Also we forgot som clothes in the car, they were sent to us when we asked if they had found this... Very good.
However, what we think was not so good... When we delivered the car, they found a small bumt - problably from a stone that hit us while driving. We had to pay 150 euro for this. Naturally we agree that we should pay, if we had been wreckless. But bumps made from stones while driving is not what I would call wreckless.
Other than that we had a very nice holiday, and are very sure that we would do this again. And next time we would problably choose McRent again :)
- Family Gjesdal
Amy H, posted on 26 September 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyHigh praise for Motorvana/mcrent. We rented a VW California Camper from the Munich office for about two weeks and travelled in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic with two adults and two children, ages 8 and 10. The van was almost brand new (only about 16,000 miles) and extremely clean. It was a pleasure to drive. Our experiences working with the staff in Munich were wonderful. We're Americans with travelers German, but the staff all spoke perfect English, which made the intricacies of renting a vehicle abroad very easy. They were pleasant, prompt and extremely helpful. There were only two downsides with the whole trip. First, the Munich depot is NOT easy to get to. It is very far from the center of Munich and requires a train ride and bus ride to arrive at a bus stop nowhere near the rental center. We didn't realize how far from the city center it was and took a cab and paid a fortune. After we returned the van, the staff drove us to the bus stop to get public transportation back to Munich which helped, but it was not easy. Secondly, the staff knew we were traveling through Austria and the Czech Republic. They did not mention that we were responsible for getting the Autobahn permit in Austria. The borders were not open the last time we traveled in Europe and we assumed that since the rental company knew we were traveling outside of Germany. We got pulled over and fined 120 euro by the Austrian autobahn police. We felt we should have been made aware that we were responsible for getting the Autobahn permit on a rental car. Otherwise, it was an amazing trip. I would give Motorvana, mcrent my highest possible recommendation.
Cheryl Rossiter, posted on 26 September 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyMy husband and I rented a motorhome from Frankfurt for 5 weeks in June/July 2010. We were very happy with the service from Motorvana and McRent. The motorhome was very comfortable for two people, it was a fiat ducato with permanent bed at the rear. Most of the equipment was provided although we did have to purchase our own teatowels etc which we hadnt thought to take. We have rented through Kea Campers in New Zealand twice in the past and all equpment was provided including towels etc so we were taken a bit unawares in this regard. The only real problem we had was with the passenger door which would not lock and we didnt discover this until we were in Prague so was difficult not speaking the language to try to have it repaired. but with the help of the caravan park owner all was fixed. All in all we had a fantastic time and were very satisfied with Motorvana and McRent. We would hightly recommend either company to others.
Kon Family, Australia, posted on 25 September 2010, vendor was DRMWe picked up the van from Frankfurt & travelled 7,000km through Europe. The van was fantastic & very comfortable for 4 adults. It was a wonderful experience - will use this company again.
Simon, posted on 16 September 2010, vendor was DRMWe rented a Rv from DRM in Munich in August 2010 through Motorvana. This was our first time of hiring and travelling in a RV. The booking process was easy and the collection of the the vehicle ok. We did arrive early due to an early flight so had to wait for sometime until our vehicle was ready. There was a fault with the exterior lights which we did not find out until we were in Italy. This should be checked before we had left. The RV was nearly new and very clean and comfortable. Easy to drive and we would defiantly do tis again and hire from DRM and Motorvana. They were also very flexible about the return time and so we had a full whole extra day as we had a late flight home.
jenni and paul varrone, australia, posted on 16 September 2010, vendor was DRMwe rented our campervan through Motorvana and picked up in munich on 27/4/2010 and returned to munich on 31/7/2010, from DRM. they were fantastic, had the vehicle ready earlier in the day than anticipated, so efficient the vehicle was brand new and we had such a good time driving through germany, austria, slovenia and then up and down the italian coast on both sides from top to bottom and total of around 9000 kms, the van was extremely comfortable, well equipped and a joy to ride, we promptly got back our holding deposit we returned the van on friday and on monday we arrived back in australia and the money was already back in my account, it was a great way to travel around as we had all the facilities, hot shower, toilet, cooking, fridge it was so good, we would highly recommend this way to travel and would recommend DRM booking through Motorvana, we would do this again and again and again.
clodisgege ginesta, posted on 12 August 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a VW camper with Motorvana this was not the first time trveling in europe we wanted a small camper so we could travel on the small road off the intersate and driving into city and village to park just like a car the VW california diesel 6 speeds standard was just wonderful we traveled 9.000 miles going around Germany Bavaria austria switzerland Italy France Spain Portugal one tip: Mc.rent should give at least an european map included with all the rented camper Rv's we loved our camper the rental "kitchen set" was pretty good we did not use the range for any cooking because we did not want to stain the shade and seat cover other than brewing coffee we ate cold cuts who were delicious and ready meals ,french bread Motorvana was helpful we were pleased with the entire process we brought our own sleeping back and other camping equipment that we left over there before leaving for the state We recommend Motorvana : Thanks Doug for your assistance in making that trip possible clodis & gege
Colin, New Zealand, posted on 5 August 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe picked up our Camper Van from McRent Frankfurt. Although it was just my partner and myself with our 4 year old son we a 6berth and it worked out really well as we could keep the table up and put our bags on the 2nd bunk. Motorvana were great: we made 2 or 3 changes prior to pick up and they responded promptly and resolved all of our issues with ease. The pick-up was easy although it can be a little rushed as they walk you through so make sure you take all the time to get the answers you need. Unless you want to pay extra the pick-up and drop off times are fairly short so it can take a bit of managing. You also need to be aware that McRent charge your security deposit direct to your credit card i.e it is charged straight away (when you pick-up the vehicle) rather than hold, so when you get it refunded you MAY possibly lose out on exchange rates (or WIN, for that matter) and will definitely lose on the conversion rates and credit card bank fees - i was out about $100USD even though we were refunded the full deposit.
Greg and Maria Bryant, posted on 3 August 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a Dethleffs Globebus T1 through Motorvana to be picked up and drop off in Mcrent Frankfurt, Germany. We able to get a reservation and confirmation from Motorvana overnight when our travel agent said it is not available. The motorhome was excellent. Plenty of room for two of us although my husband is 181cm tall. Only downside was the bed. It is positioned 145cm off the floor so for big person it is quite a struggle to get in and off. But the actual bed was excellent (firm mattress)and everything else. Pick up and drop off was excellent. McRent staff was so friendly and informative. Before you go through with the paperworks, they will show you a video about the vehicle which includes instructions and information to go about your trip around Europe. Also given, if any left, was maps, camping sites book and other books that can be helpful to your trip. My husband and I never done camping before so it is a bit nerve racking but everything went so smoothly. We travelled from 5th May to 5th July 2010. I recommend to travel this time of the year or even a few weeks earlier as the weather was just perfect not cold not hot. Although we travelled for 2 months I don't think it is enough to see all Europe. We have done 7 countries but some places we wish we could stayed longer that 3 days maximum we set up. All campsites are excellent. We didn't even use our shower in the caravan (option that you may not need). We choose to stay closer to the city because of the transportation time table. Some sites will have 24 hrs transportation but others only up to 5 - 6pm. Public transportation in Europe was excellent and also cheap. Campsites normally have information about transport and some even sells the ticket. Important factor when travelling in Europe was never to go without GPS. If you have time in your hand, try to set your GPS to a road without toll as we experienced it can be costly (sometimes up to 80 euro a day - Italy and France). Overall, the trip was excellent. If we have a chance to do it again, we will and with Motorvana again. Highly recommended.
Bill and Vogue, Australia, posted on 2 August 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyPicked up our camper in Dusseldorf. The guys there were great and really helpful. We were a little anxious about booking and paying for everything on line but the staff at McRent were wonderful answering every email enquiry we had. Everything went like clockwork. No hidden extras we got just what we expected. We hired a Fiat Ducato and there was plenty of room for the two of us. We did a lot of driving in our 6 weeks in Europe, approx. 8000km the van didn't miss a beat. We looked after "the caravan of courage" and it looked after us. Check out was great and the bond was in the bank before we got home. Thanks McRent I hope we can do it again sometime.
Claudia and Alan, posted on 1 August 2010, vendor was DRMWe rented a Fiat Karmann (DRM Group G) through Motorvana with pick up and return in Hamburg. The vehicle was in excellent/new condition. Linens were fine. Kitchen gear worked fine - we did no cooking - there is lots of good cold food available in the grocery stores. Fridge was great at keeping cheeses and meats and beverages cool. We traveled July 12 -14th during northern Europe's heat wave and while we often came home very hot and sweaty...we got in the habit of taking a cool shower and laying in bed with all of the windows open and we had a lovely sleep every night. We traveled in northern Germany, Brussels and Holland. Driving in the big cities is a bit of challenge - street names change often. Highway driving was OK although there were lots of construction projects underway which made even highways narrower than usual.
Our GPS died as we were returning the vehicle and it was very difficult to find the DRM office...it was just off the map on the Hamburg city map that we had with us. We tried repeatedly to contact the office by phone - they had told us that they would be there but apparently they don't answer the phone on Saturdays. We paid a $75. surcharge for a Saturday drop off - I think answering the phone should be part of that. We tried all of the DRM phone numbers - no one answered any of them. Our search for the DRM office was stressful although once we found our way back, vehicle check in went smoothly. We ended up using official RV campgrounds in only 2 locations - Amsterdam & Bremerhaven. Mostly we parked in the driveways at friends houses, on the street or in parking lots (paying the 6 Euros per day fee). While you can't set up grills, tables and chairs in these public areas, they were often much better located for some of the urban touring that we were doing. Only the Netherlands has a clear prohibition on what they call "wild camping". It's just as well to stay at the campground outside of Amsterdam since apparently Amsterdam has the highest rate of camper van break-ins of any country in Europe. We loved touring Europe this way although next time we might even choose a smaller vehicle to make city driving less of a strain.
Sharon and Hans Schmid, posted on 23 July 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThe booking via internet was easy and all the information necessary was supplied up front. Directions to the pick up were clear and various transport options were listed as well as the costs of these options. The staff at McRent Frankfurt were very helpful/professional and explained the procedures for disposing of waste water and refilling tanks in the van clearly. The van was spotless and in very good condition which we really appreciated. Friends had recommended the BORD ATLAS camping ground guide and McRent lent us a copy although this is not the guide that they normally issue. We found it far better than the other guides as it lists motorhome camping spots as opposed to mixed camping grounds. Because this allowed us more options, we did not have to book ahead and stayed in some beautiful spots in tiny villages, stopping or moving on at whim. GPS co-ordinates for the camping grounds are listed in the guide. We had a wonderful holiday and would definitely recommend McRent. We will hire from them in future even when traveling in other European countries.
David Reverdito, posted on 19 July 2010, vendor was DRMWe rented a campervan from DRM in Munich. The booking process through the Motorvana website was painless, as was picking up the van. The van was was almost new and spotless. The guys there were very helpful and flexible in the return time which they had no problem in changing from 10am to 5pm!
When we handed the van back after 6 great weeks without a hitch they were very quick in checking it over, and no issues whatsoever. Overall a great experience and warmly recommend both Motorvana and DRM.
Phil Johnson, posted on 16 July 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe rented a Globescout from Mcrent and were very pleased with the camper. It is a good size for 2 people, easy to drive (even on narrow streets), and comfortable to camp in. It gets the same mpg as our volvo wagon at home! Mcrent is easy to deal with but we should have purchased a campground guide before we travelled in Germany & France. A guide listing the Aires de Service in France would have been very helpful and would have saved us a lot of camping fees.
Arden Slotter, posted on 16 July 2010, vendor was DRMWe had a very successful trip, with no accidents except one scratched bumper, traveling to ten countries as planned. There were no problems with the van except that the shade-screen assembly on the side sliding door repeatedly fell off because the screw seats were stripped. We solved that with glue. We bought sheets for the bed because the ones provided were not adequate. Also we could have used a lightweight blanket in addition to the eider down comforter provided. The staff at DRM Frankfurt were most helpful and they were flexible about the exact pickup and return scheduled hours. We were completely satisfied with DRM. We are most grateful to you at Motorvana for all your help in booking the van and for answering our many questions about its use. We will be glad to recommend Motorvana to anyone interested in Europe travel. It turned out that in the van (brand new) we rented, we could make a third bed for our son traveling with us the first two weeks, using the bench seat, the table which dropped to bench height and the rotated front seats. It was not perfect but better than setting up a tent in the rain. Again, thank you for all your help.
Michele Fanamanu, posted on 16 July 2010, vendor was DRMWe are a family of 5. We hired a campervan with DRM Frankfurt. The process of uplifting the camper was made easy with clear directions to the site. The staff were friendly and helpful with clear instructions on the do's and don't in using the van and places to be careful while travelling. When we encountered an issue with the fridge in the camper a quick phonecall was all that was needed for the staff at DRM to point us in the right direction to have the problem sorted.
During our 3 months travel,we suffered some minor scrapes and lost a window, again DRM was helpful and had no problems with sorting the matter without inconvieniencing our travel.
For first time user of this mode of travel, the experience was made more enjoyable with the 'no fuss' attitude of DRM staff. Would recommend and use again.
Mari, posted on 5 July 2010, vendor was DRMMy husband and I had a wonderful 3 week trip in Germany with VW T5 Eurovan California camper. May to June is the best season in Germany with warm weather, beautiful flowers blooming and still avoiding summer vacation crowds. As we have VW T4 camper at home, we had no problem driving there. After failing to make reservation at Dusseldorf with other agencies, Motorvana found us the same model at DRM Hamburg depot, where we were able to manage to adjust our trip plan to pick up there. Our camper was waiting at the Hamburg depot and the staff is fluent in English to explain the instruction. However, most amazing thing was booking efficiency; we contacted Motorvana at 9pm NY time and the booking was confirmed at 4am the next morning, which was smoothly executed by the teamwork of Oregon and Barcelona office. As the number of vehicle is limited, we suggest to *** BOOK AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ***. DRM Hamburg office said they buy new campers every year in spring and sell most of them in autumn. So if you book in spring, you might be lucky to rent a brand new camper like us! Only negative comment is the rental kitchen set, which was old and not practical (heavy ceramic dinnerware). We greatly appreciate Motorvana's assistance and arrangement.
David Champion, posted on 1 July 2010, vendor was DRMWe rented a VW California campervan through Motorvana/DRM in Frankfurt. Motorvana was very helpful and professional. I had a number of quetions before and after we completed the rental agreement and our questions were always answered quickly and completely. I was very pleased with the entire process.
We arrived at DRM in Frankfurt and a brand new van was waiting for us. We had filled out the fast pass prior to arrival at DRM which minimized the time it took to check in. We were given a complete tour of the van and its many features. There were four adults in our group and while it was a snug fit, it worked out well. We spent 3 weeks in the van traveling approximately 5000 Km (Germany, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Scotland, England, Belgium and back to Frankfurt). The van averaged 8.5L / 100Km (approx 28 mpg). The van was very easy to drive. It had plenty of power and was very comfortable. We brought a gps, which made navigation a snap. The only thing I would caution you about, is not to trust the gps to navigate you down the most appropriate roads in western Ireland. It seems that all the roads have the same speed limit regardless of the condition (or width) of the road. Since the speed limits are all the same, the gps will find the shortest path to your destination. We travelled some pretty scenic roads on our way to Doolin (beautiful camping and great music). I'm not complaining mind you, we saw parts of Ireland you don't see on the tour buses.
I did cause some minor damage to the rear bumper of the van when I scraped a stone wall in Ireland (imagine that.... a stone wall in Ireland). When I returned the vehicle to DRM, they provided me with a good faith estimate of the cost to repair the damages and the issue was resolved in a timely manner and the remainder of my deposit was credited back to me. I was a little concerned that I was at their mercy when they determined what the cost of the damage was, but I felt I was dealt with in a very fair manner.
I feel van camping provides an economical means of touring Europe with many additional advantages. Having a vehicle provides the freedom and spontaneity to go where you please and not be limited to where the rail lines run or where the tour bus takes you. There's no need to lug your luggage with you where ever you go. It also means you don't have to be quite so stingy when packing. I enjoyed the diversity of the people we met while camping. We enjoyed getting the makings for our meals at a variety of shops and stores. It was more fun (and certainly cheaper) than eating out at restaurants all the time. The camping facilities ranged from acceptable to fantastic (a special nod to Camp Drusus (www.drusus.com) in Prague. Beautiful facilities, great restaurant and very friendly people and also Nagles in Doolin, Ireland (what a view !!!)
We took 4 ferries while on our trip. The 18 hour trip From Cherbourg, France to Rosslare, Ireland was a welcome rest from our hectic schedule.
I thoroughly enjoyed our trip and look forward to returning and I would recommend Motorvana and DRM.
Tom and Deb Ludwig, posted on 1 July 2010, vendor was DRMWe rented a VW California for 4 weeks in May and June. Friends of ours had gotten a VW through McRent two years ago, so we put in a request for a VW from McRent-Frankfurt. Unfortunately, McRent had no vehicles available for the dates we needed, but Mark Carr at Motorvana arranged a VW for us through DRM-Frankfurt. Mark was very helpful and answered all our questions in the months leading up to our camping trip.
We were very pleased with our experience at DRM-Frankfurt. The vehicle was new -- we were the first renters. The DRM staff demonstrated most of the features of the camper and carefully explained the rental guidelines.
The VW camper worked very well for us. We drove 7000 km with no problems of any kind. We had four adults in the camper (two sleeping on each of the levels), so the living space was tight, but quite manageable. We rented the kitchen set (including plates, bowls, cups, glasses, and tableware), but on the advice of our friends we did not rent the sleep set. Instead, we brought our own sleeping bags in a duffel bag as our checked baggage.
Two suggestions for anyone renting from DRM Frankfurt: 1) bring a printed copy of a local map showing the exact location of the DRM office, because the directions are a bit complicated; 2) ask for instructions about how to purchase a cardboard parking clock ("stunde"), which is not supplied by DRM but is needed on the dashboard when parking in a time-restricted free parking space.
Overall, it was a great experience. Twice in earlier years we made extended camping trips in Europe with VW campers that we purchased on a defined-price repurchase agreement. But renting through Motorvana turned out to be a very good choice for a 4-week trip!
Paul and Anne Freymond, posted on 1 July 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyWe have just returned from a 3 1/2 week trip to Germany. It was our first time renting a camper van in Europe and we were apprehensive about how feasible it was and also making arrangements through the internet. However our experience was most pleasant - Doug answered our questions completely, responded in prompt time and we found nothing amiss in booking. The scenery, the history, the food were all outstanding and being able to enjoy the camper made the trip all that more pleasant. We were impressed with the efficiency and consideration of the staff at the Munich depot - our pick up and drop off went smoothly. They were very accomodating and we would not hesitate to rent from DRM /Motorvana again.
steve fennell, posted on 30 June 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyHi all,I have just landed back in Australia after a fantastic trip around europe. I hired a compact motorhome from Mcrent in Frankfurt,and must say that the staff there were very good in their service to me. The van was delivered as a new vehicle, I was the first hirer and it drove and performed excellently. Suzanne at Mcrent was fluent in english which made the delivery process a pleasant experience. I drove 6,500klms following the motogp bike racing and the motorhome made this a great way to camp. I was unfortunate enough to collide with some timber that had fallen off a truck on the autostrada, resulting in a loss of some of my deposit, my advice is to make sure that your travel insurance includes vehicle excess loss, mine did and I should not be out of pocket for long.I would recommend Motorvana and their partner mcrent as an excellent motorhome hire option.
Aaron Stasi, posted on 26 May 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyMcRent in Duesseldorf were very helpful. I hired the van to drive down to, and then cycle all around, the French Alps and Pyrenees. The van was very suited to the task of highway driving and also in the high mountains. And importantly, it took very good care of my expensive push bike!
Dulip and Leda, posted on 23 May 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThanks Doug from Motorvana for all your assistance and prompt replies to e-mails. Thanks Klaus from McRent - Frankfurt who was very efficient and helpful.
We picked up a brand new the Compact Plus RV with 243kms from McRent Frankfurt and toured Europe for 37days. We travelled from Frankfurt to Berlin, Wroclaw, Prague, Wien, Venice, Rome, Pisa, Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam then to Copenhagen and then back to Frankfurt.
Klaus from McRent Frankfurt was very helpful. We arrived in Frankfurt Airport around 2.00pm and took a taxi to Mcrent, cost 30Eur. We had filled up all our details in the internet so there were no formalities except to pay the 1,000 Eur deposit, copies of the International Drivers Licence, passports & Australian drivers licence. Klaus asked us to see the video about the RV which in reality was not the model we were given. Klaus then showed us around the RV and we were out of McRent with a brand new the RV in less than an hour. That night we went straight to a camp site not too far from McRent. Fortunately we did not feel any jetlag, probably because we slept to European time a couple of days before as well as in the plane. Also we did not take any alcohol or carbonated drinks the previous few days.
We really had a fantastic trip. It was our very first RV experience. Saw lots of European country side, small villages. Enjoyed the driving and the scenery very much. The Compact Plus was just like a car and did 120 with ease on the motorways. We will definitely do an RV trip again, may be the US next and we strongly recommend that to anybody who wants to do Europe on a shoe string but with some comfort and flexibility to go where ever you want without fixed time tables. It is far more cheaper than by Euro Rail with no hazels to pack / unpack, carry bags, taxis, hotels. We also bought and cooked what ever we wanted. Stopped at wayside places with beautiful scenery and had a rest. Met heaps of Aussies doing the same thing. We had 5 large Aussie Flag stickers on the back of our RV, to indicate to locals that we were strangers, but it attracted many Aussies to come and talk to us at camp sites, to compare notes etc.
It was very cost effective as we did some free camping as well. The weather was really fine with no heavy rain throughout the trip.
Things to remember, A GPS is a must. Don't go without one. We picked up a Garmin Nuvi 1490T, duty free from Heathrow Terminal 4 Dickeys before flying out to Frankfurt.
We had already planned the whole trip in Google Maps and worked out our itinerary as to where we were going to be each day. The 1490T was so good with it's advance warning, that the few wrong turns we took were because we were not attentive and chatting away.
Take a roll of duct tape, a Swiss knife, Phillips & flat screw drivers, about 30 metres of 5mm thick chord for drying cloths, a few pegs, a few pens, post it pad, torch, fitted king size bed sheet, couple of pillow cases. Plenty of music CDs.
The crockery / cutlery / pots & pans provided were very basic but just enough.
We bought pillows, other necessities, grocery from Aldi & the camping shop close by to McRent in Frankfurt. We purchased from Bauhaus (similar to Bunning's) some plastic boxes to arrange cloths / food items and a $10 fan heater which came in handy in cold nights when in camp sites. Be careful of the usage of battery power when free camping. A doona is a must as it gets cold in the nights.
A Camping Card International together with an International Licence is a must before leaving Australia. All camp sites accept the CCI instead of the passports and most give discounts on charges on the CCI. We selected the camping sites from Camping Europe 2009 and used Google Maps to see exact location and the coordinates. We did not need reservations for any of the camp sites as it was the shoulder season but some camp sites do not open till mid April.
As it is not possible to get maps in English in Europe, it is recommended to take some maps from Australia. The Garmin shut down a couple of times, probably due to overheating but fortunately started again. So it is good to have a set of maps as a back up.
Almost all campsites have internet access for about $5 an hour and a laptop will assist to keep in touch with home. Also we copied all our videos & photos into DVD every few days with a back up DVD copy as well just in case one got spoiled.
Do not park the RV in public places anywhere in Europe to go sight seeing or shopping even for a few minutes as there are lots of thieves around who will break into the RV to grab whatever they can. Rome is very bad as there are lots of thieves who target RVs especially those parked in supermarket parking places.
It was a first time experience for us in driving an RV on the other side of the road, but we got used to it in about half an hour. Would have turned on to the wrong lane a couple of times but corrected myself pretty quickly. Driving in Europe was a fantastic experience. We sometimes used roads through smaller towns and villages just to enjoy the scenery. We thought that AutoBahns were very special, they are nothing more than the Gold Coast Motorway. The only difference is that there seemed to be no speed limit. The Garmin indicated the speed limit as 130. While we could only do about 120, most cars passed us at around 160 and the Ferraris, Masseratis, Porches, Benz's, Audis & BMWs were doing 180 - 200 easily. The leftmost lane is kept solely for faster cars and they always get back to the middle lane after passing the slower vehicles. Most trucks were very disciplined and were doing only about 110 and keeping to the right most lane. We hardly ever saw the Police. However, the smaller roads were different and there are many hidden cameras. We probably got snapped a few times but were informed by our friends to ignore the fines when received.
Remember to pick up vingets from a petrol station just before entering Poland, Czech Republic and Austria as they check you out at the border and the fines are up to $150.
Also you must get your tickets from the toll gates in Italy & France or the fines are exorbitant when exiting the toll road. In Switzerland they sell the vinget for about $65 at the border.
Prior to leaving camp sites, we empted grey water & chemical cassette and filled up water. We also never used the toilet for longer jobs and used service stations / restaurant / campsite toilets. Empting the chemical cassette was a simple job and not as scary as we had thought previously.
We were advised to buy bottled water for dinking and cooking and never to use water from the campervan to cook or drink as it could be contaminated. Better be safe than sorry with health problems. The shower in the campervan was good and can be filled up in service stations. Also the grey water can be discharged at safe places along the way as it really was wash / shower water only, may be not legal.
Always make sure there is someone assisting when reversing as it is pretty difficult to judge. We only went into the cities in the night when there was not much traffic. During the day, when someone is not in the RV, make sure the RV is parked in a camp site or at a friends place. We chose the camp sites close to public transport, so it was easy to get to the cities and then we used hop on / hop off city tours during the day.
The Cruse control in the Fiat was tricky but easy to use once you know how. So ask McRent how to use it as it was very useful in the Autobahns.
We were worried about driving on the other side and only English, but the driving was simple and we were well understood in all the countries.
Before returning the RV, we used a place just around the corner to get the RV washed, cost 29Eur. Dumped all the grey water and cleaned the chemical cassette. Made sure the cook top was scrubbed thoroughly with steel wool from Bauhaus.
Thanks to a number of previous reviews, when contacted they assisted us with our planning. We will be pleased to assist anyone who wants similar information. We can be contacted on "dulip@hostlands.org".
We had a fantastic tour. We definitely will do other RV trips with IderMerge.
We highly recommend Motorvana and Doug.
David, posted on 16 May 2010, vendor was DRMAfter 2 trips 30 days each, I can say that: 1. For a couple, a Camper van is the best way to tour rural areas. 2. Germany is a wonderful country for driving around, get services, and walk it's routs. 3. France and Italy, although lagging behind Germany with technical infrastructure, more that compensate with their color, charm and beauty to make a perfect holiday. 4. Motorvana services are GREAT ! (I had made a very thorough comparison on the web with other sites for similar services offered by Motorvana).
Daphnie Tsui, posted on 22 April 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThis is the first time we rented a campervan and found Motorvana online. The process was simple and easy. The photos reflected what the real campervan did look like so that was good. What was a bonus was we even got a brand new camper! The reservation was confirmed within days so very pleased with the service. Picking it up was also very straight forward. We called McRent to see if we could pick it up early and they were very friendly and helpful. Will definitely use Motorvana to book our next camper trip.
Alejandro and Florencia, ARGENTINA, posted on 18 April 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyTHIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW WE RENT WITH MCRENT THRU MOTORVANA. JUST LIKE LAST YEAR WE HAD NOTHING TO COMPLAINT ABOUT THE WHOLE RENTAL EXPERIENCE. VERY SIMPLE WEB RESERVATION WITH NO SURPRISES. THE GUYS AT MCRENT FRANKFURT WERE THE SAME FROM LAST YEAR AND THEIR KIND AND FRIENDLY ATTENTION REALLY HELPS YOU TO GET STARTED AFTER A VERY LONG FLIGHT. THE MOTORHOME WAS READY AND INSPECTED BY THE TIME WE GOT THERE, A LITTLE PAPERWORK AND THE CREDIT CARD DEPOSIT AND YOU ARE READY TO GO. THIS YEAR WE RENTED A BIGGER MODEL TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE ROOM IN THE KITCHEN AND TABLE AREA, ALL WAS OK WITH IT, ALL WE HAD TO CARE ABOUT IN THE WHOLE VACATION WAS TO FILL THE FUEL TANK. DONT FORGET YOUR GPS AND KEEP THE MAPS UPDATED SINCE SOME ROUTES ARE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT ONE AND THE GPS GETS CONFUSED AND STARTS RECALCULATING THE ROUTES. IN OUR TWO VACATIONS WE'VE BEEN TO GERMANY, AUSTRIA, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, HOLLAND, BELGIUM AND FRANCE. IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE GERMAN ROUTES ARE THE BEST!!! ALL IN GREAT CONDITION EVEN IN THE MOST REMOTE FARM AREAS. WE LOVE TO VISIT LITTLE TOWNS AND EVEN THERE THE ROUTES WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION. WE HOPE TO VISIT GERMANY AGAIN NEXT YEAR AND WITH NO DOUBTS WE WILL RENT WITH MOTORVANA AND MCRENT. THANK YOU GUYS!!!
Justin Cho, posted on 3 March 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyOn January 29, we picked up Comfort Standard T 5841 from Mcrent at offebach near Frankfurt. The motorhome was right size and was clean. I drove 3,000 Km in two weeks and it was economical and convenient with cruse control. It was my first experience with motorhome and long drive in Europe but everything went well. Winter trip is cheap and less crowded. I recommend Motorvana to every one. Winter driving TIP; Clean wind screen every time you visit gas station. Salt on the road make it difficult to keep good visibility with wiper only. Our motorhome did not have enough fluid so I had to buy one to fill up. It is very expensive in Europe. I paid 8 Euro for 1 liter at gas station.
Gord Pope, posted on 19 January 2010, vendor was McRent GermanyThought I'd give you a report of how our 5 week rental of an RV went.
It was excellent! The staff in Frankfurt were fun and helpful. The vehicle was excellent if a bit intimidating at first. Things went smoothly from start to stop and we had a terrific 5 weeks.
As a possible assist to future renters, I thought I'd put together some of the things we observed and experienced. Use it as you see fit.
The kitchen stuff provided is fine for basic plates and cutlery but the pots and frying pan leave something to be desired. See our list of things you might want to bring with you or acquire yourselves while travelling. We rented chairs and tables from Mcrent which were adequate but check them out before you leave as one chair was already broken. Cheapest folding chair we saw (and equivalent to what we rented) was 8 Euro. Cheapest table we saw was 20 Euro. So the 35 Euro rental amount is not a bad deal. Check out what they give you for kitchen stuff and look at what else they have. Anything that they have around the shop you seem to be welcome to take. The checking out process is straightforward but you need to stay focused, especially if you are not familiar with RV's. (Our situation). Our unit was almost brand new and had almost no scratches on it. But check it! I kind of wish we had a more beat up unit so that anything I did would not show. However, We did no damage. The unit was intimidatingly clean and raised some concerns as to how we would get it looking as good when we brought it back. It took us several hours to clean ours but it was raining like crazy at the time so this created additional problems. And while we passed with flying colors, they do actually give it a thorough clean before it goes out again.
Unless you are a pro at driving RV's in Europe, the advice to go to a nearby campsite for the first night is good. We went to the Mainkur campsite nearby and it was fine. BUT! For some reason, difficult for us North Americans to appreciate, many campsites in Europe close after lunch for a siesta. Mainkur is no exception. They are closed from 1 pm to 3pm. And you have to wait outside the gate. So time your arrival if you can. We also used Mainkur for the return trip and if you approach it from the Mcrent location as per their directions (Mainkur website) you pass by a convenient shell gas station where you can fill up. This station also had a vacuum unit where we were able to vacuum out much of the accumulated dirt etc. If Mainkur is your target, I recommend studying the access in some detail before you go. Their map is not a lot of help. We used Google Earth to get a photo of the turnoff and a mapping program to print out a more detailed map. If you just got off a jet plane and are jetlagged and somewhat nervous as we were, that preparation is really worth it. If you miss the campsite turnoff, getting back to it is non trivial.
Here is our list of things we either brought with us, bought while we traveled, or simply wish we had thought of:
Outside door mat, plastic flipper (if you can get hold of a Teflon fry pan), rubber spatula, SHARP paring knife, cheese grater, dish sponge, dish soap, dish towel, egg cups, wine glasses, coffee pot unless you want to use their filter system which makes a lot of coffee, rubber gloves, sink stopper, salt and pepper, other spices you like in containers, soap powder, sugar, small cutting board, oven mittlets, twist ties, paper towels, toilet paper, plastic wrap, small hand clamps, clothes pins, small kettle, better fry pan than they provide (small electric one could be ideal (220volts)), bungee cords.
Because we rented bicycles (no small feat for 5 weeks as it turned out and Mcrent does not assist with this), here is what we also took for that or wished we did: Helmets(Not used everywhere but if you are concerned), lock, pump, gloves, bag that attaches to bike. The RV is equipped with a very good bike rack. Our cost to rent for 34 days was 110 Euros per bike. Liability if bikes were lost or stolen was 250 Euros per bike. You can also buy a brand new bike for under 200 Euro at many stores in Europe. In act, the Aldi stores sold what looked to be reasonable bikes for 179 Euro. You may find someone to sell them to on your return or advertise them in the campsites on your last few nights. The concept of selling you a bike with the understanding of buying it back at say half price at the end of your stay seemed very foreign to all of the bike shops near Frankfurt that I contacted via email. Also, I could find no Craig's list or eBay equivalent to search for used bikes. The cost of shipping our own bikes from Vancouver to Europe was $200 each way per bike on Lufthansa according to their website.
The cost of diesel fuel we found to average about 1.1 Euro per litre and our mileage (literage) averaged 10.7 L/100 KM. Our trip was mostly in the lowlands of Belgium and Holland so a trip over the Alps would be more consumptive.
On a final note: USE A GPS! This was a big help to us. Practice with it at home before you leave.
Regards and thanks for your help Doug.
-Gord Pope
Greg Jones, Perth Western Australia, posted on , vendor was Rent EasyCampervan Motorvana
Picked up our van July 2019 from Grevenbroitch near Cologne. Near new condition, helpful staff quality camper. We got the 2 berth with swivel front seats on the Ducato 2.3l 6m chassis. Great combination for 2 people. Having the toilet/shower and waste tanks is mandatory for Europe. A very efficient way to get around. 11 - 12 l per 100km very economical and good compromise. Slow if you are used to a 6 cyl sedan so keep an eye on your mirrors but far better than I Imagined with such a small motor. Get the chairs and table for sure. All in all, great experience and highly recommended
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