How to get the lowest prices for a holiday hire car
The research reveals that the average cost of a week's car hire in summer 2025 is £369, 43% lower than the 2022 high of £652, but still 19% more than in 2019 (£310). Prices have fallen steadily since the 2022 peak, by 43% compared to 2022 (£652), 29% compared to 2023 (£520) and 3% since last summer (£380).
'There are some good deals to be had this summer when hiring a car if drivers take the time to shop around for the best prices, and don't waste money on extras from the rental desk which could have been brought from home such as sat navs and child car seats," says Ben Wooltorton, from iCarhireinsurance.com.
"It's also worth considering buying excess reimbursement insurance before you travel from a specialist insurance provider.'
And, there's still chance to shave more off your costs, say the experts.
1. Book early but look for last minute deals
Book early and shop around to get the hire car you want at a good price. For example, for a week's summer hire in Barcelona, Sixt quoted £288, while Budget quoted £129.
2. Look for free cancellation, so you can cancel if a better deal becomes available
Last summer, savvy travellers could have saved over £100 on car hire by booking closer to their departure. Prices for a week's hire fell by an average of £116 between January and July 2024 – with potential savings of up to £266 in Milan.
3. Shop around for excess protection – you could save around £190
If a hire car is damaged or stolen, the hirer is responsible for the excess amount, which can be as high as £2,000. A week's standalone excess reimbursement policy from iCarhireinsurance.com costs from £33.15 and includes damage, theft, and tyre and windscreen cover. This is a sixth of the cost compared to buying excess protection from rental companies which costs, on average, £167 for a week's theft and collision damage excess waiver and £57 for tyre and windscreen waiver - a total of £224 according to a European survey of car rental prices.
4. Avoid buying extras from the rental desk – and save around £230
Only two in five (41%) check the price of extras when booking their hire car. Expect to pay, on average, £73 for an extra driver, £85 for a sat nav and £71 for a child's car seat – a total of £229. Bring car seats from home, use a smartphone for maps and think carefully about the need of adding a second driver.
5. Take photographic evidence of existing damage
Almost two in five (39%) hire car drivers found damage on a hire car that was not highlighted on the checkout sheet. To avoid unfair damage charges, check the vehicle thoroughly at pick-up and return, and take dated photos or video proof.
6. Don't hire from the main airport or railway station
Compare the cost of hiring from the main transport hubs, i.e., the airport or railway station with the same company a short distance away, as the savings might be worth the taxi fare.
7. Use a credit card for booking and to cover the excess
Use a credit card to gain Section 75 protection under the Consumer Credit Act. This means the credit card provider will protect purchases over £100 (and less than £30,000) and you could get your money back if there is a problem.
8. Read the small print to avoid unpleasant surprises
Always read the agreement document thoroughly to make sure you are not agreeing to an upgrade or paying for the rental company's excess protection cover if you don't want it.
Recommended reading:
9. Check the fuel policy
Know the fuel policy before you drive away. If you need to return the car with a full tank, make sure you do, as the penalties can be expensive. Keep the receipt from the petrol company as evidence.
10. Mileage restrictions
Similarly, if you are planning a driving holiday check for mileage restrictions to avoid getting caught out.
11. Know how to complain
Go to the rental company within 14 days with the complaint. If a satisfactory outcome is not reached, complaints can be directed to the BVRLA in the UK whose members, including AVIS, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, are expected to adhere to its mandatory Codes of Conduct. An alternative is to contact the European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS), which offers a free service to help with unresolved complaints, but the rental must be with a company that has signed up, i.e., Alamo, AVIS, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Europcar, Firefly, Hertz, Maggiore, National, Sixt and Thrifty.
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Scotsman
2 hours ago
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Scotsman
7 hours ago
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Efteling Grand Hotel review: Sheer opulence amid a brilliantly bonkers theme park
Expect the unexpected at Efteling where there are surprises around every corner and sheer opulence greets you at the Grand Hotel. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Stepping into Efteling was like walking straight into the pages of a childhood fairytale book with surprises around every corner leaving us amused, bemused and laughing our heads off at every turn. Taking inspiration from European fables and folklore this theme park is seriously bonkers. My family and I were invited for a sneak preview of the brand new Efteling Grand Hotel ahead of its official opening this month and we simply could not wait to find out what all the fuss was about. It became immediately obvious we should expect the unexpected at this place and that maxim was no less true when it came to the hotel, set directly in the grounds of the park. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While outside you needed to watch out for giant puppets and coins flying from a donkey's backside, it was sheer splendor at the hotel with grandeur greeting you wherever you went. After a relatively chilled journey - flying into Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, hopping on a (double decker) train to 's-Hertogenbosch and taking a cab the short distance to the park - we were nonetheless grateful to arrive at Efteling to check out the place we would call home for the next couple of days. At the front gates we were welcomed by a friendly bellhop who immediately took our luggage and escorted us inside, our jaws dropping as we took in the impressive interior, reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel. There was no need for checking-in, I'd already done that on the handy app which activated our in-app key - buzzing us in with the same ease as Google Pay allows us to spend money. From the decor to the impeccably dressed staff, for whom nothing was too much trouble, this place felt rather like returning to a time when customers were treated as esteemed guests. As we entered our room, or more accurately, our suite, it was another in a long series of 'wow' moments. We stayed at the brand new Efteling Grand Hotel and it was pure luxury | Jamie Jones / National World Definitely more like an apartment than a hotel room, a short hallway led us through to a lounge complete with mini bar and views across the iconic entrance. With two separate bedrooms, one a double and the other housing two bunkbeds, there was plenty of space to stretch out. And don't get me started on the bathroom filled with divinely scented products and a bath so vast I was tempted to go for a swim. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After a short rest break the kids were champing at the bit to explore - and, if I'm honest, so was I. Passing through a private gate just for Grand Hotel guests, we had a short time to explore some of the 72 hectare site before our dinner reservation. As we meandered through the Fairytale Forest, surrounded by trees and greenery, we were all stopped in our tracks when a friendly-looking but ginormous head with great, staring eyes rose above the tree tops before taking a quick look around and disappearing back into the canopy. I did tell you to expect the unexpected. Dinner on our first night was at the Brasserie 7 which we were informed was the more informal option of the hotel's two restaurants - nevertheless it was still pretty fancy. More of that good old fashioned service was lavished upon us as we experienced a three course meal with a twist - incorporating seven magical ingredients including dragon's breath and fairy dust. And that wasn't the only magical moment during the meal - to keep young ones entertained between courses, the most adorable lift pixie joined our table, playing a quick game of noughts and crosses with my two children and making us all chuckle so much my six-year-old declared, 'my face hurts from smiling!' Absolutely pooped from a long day, we turned in for the night in the most comfortable bed known to man, but returned to Brasserie 7 the following morning for breakfast. There can surely be no better place to fill up ready for a day of adventure than this place, serving not only every breakfast food you can imagine but those you hadn't thought of as well. Continental and cooked breakfast options, you would need to stay at least a week if you wanted to sample all of the variety they have on offer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Jones / National World With a full day ahead of us we tried to cram in as much as possible, and cram we did with my 10-year-old telling me by the end it felt like we had passed days in the park since stepping out that morning. This is only made possible due to the short queues everywhere - forget lining up for hours for your favourite rides, we mostly waited no longer than 10 minutes, and a couple of times went straight back round to rejoin the end of the queue to experience a ride all over again. Ordering lunch from a kiosk using a QR code meant the children continued enjoying rides while we waited for our food which my husband collected when an alert went off on his phone. Not a minute wasted! With a young family, it was the more tame Max & Moritz rollercoaster which was a highlight and we all enjoyed a moment of tranquillity on the Gondoletta boats peacefully transporting us around a lake. The Stoomtrein (mini steam train) also gave our feet a break taking us to another area of the park in the most delightful way. However, there are some seriously big and scary rides we saw thundering past us, for anyone with older kids or who are braver than I am. We set aside some time that afternoon so we could head to the spa. Beneath the Efteling Grand Hotel lies more magic, an underground world with pool and spa that was the perfect spot to ease tired muscles after all that walking - families of all ages have been catered for there with a baby pool, just a few centimetres deep complete with floating toys, a toddler pool, deeper swimming pool and whirlpool. The spa offers a steam bath, sauna and ice cold shower, and has an extra room for massages too. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What made the experience even more enjoyable is the fluffy bathrobes and slippers in every room mean you can get ready for your swim there, taking the lift straight down to the spa, and when you're finished, there's no wrestling children out of soggy lycra in a small changing room, instead we simply donning the bathrobe and slippers once again and got dry and dressed in the comfort of our own suite. I find little things like this make all the difference when travelling with kids. After smartening ourselves for dinner, we headed for the refined Restaurant & Bar Mystique, and because no corner of Efteling is free from the strange and unusual, there we experienced an evening-long culinary journey quite unlike any other. First up, there isn't really a menu - you instead choose a selection of flavours by placing small stones on a slate found in the centre of the table and the chef just works with that. And if that's not strange and unusual enough for you, well, let's just say we buttered our bread using the [butter] candle which had just moments before been illuminating our table. While described as a three course meal, plate after plate of appetisers and palette cleansers were served, so many I eventually lost count. These small amuse bouche were as adorable as they were delicious, from tiny crispy tacos to sauces served from a teapot by a chef - the meal was totally weird and absolutely wonderful. The dining experience offered here is recommended for children aged 9+ - maybe due to the time it takes to move through all those plates of food - but the attention of even my youngest was held for the most part due to the anticipation of what was to come next. Both children gave most things a try, despite some of the combinations and flavours being, perhaps, for a more discerning palate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While they didn't clean every plate - which I absolutely did by the way - I was pleased they both got to try a range of food they probably wouldn't have chosen for themselves otherwise, opening their minds to different culinary possibilities in the future I hope. And they absolutely wolfed down their mains and desserts, everyone leaving the table stuffed and thoroughly entertained. This was a meal that got all of us talking and laughing together and was genuinely one of the most fun meals we've ever sat down to and - along with the delicious food - that is not something that should be overlooked. Our day finished in the most spectacular way, heading out to the Aquanura Water show. This show of water and light was akin to a fireworks display without the horrible bangs and was, in the truest sense of the word, awesome. A 14-minute musical journey through Efteling, it was the perfect way to wrap up our day at the park. Efteling theme park is brilliantly bonkers with a surprise around every corner offering memories that will last a lifetime | Jamie Jones / National World Staggered by quite how much we'd managed to cram into the previous 12 hours, we sunk into our beds and slept solidly until morning. We awoke to our final morning at Efteling, travelling home later that day, so we filled up again with a hearty breakfast and headed out. Making full use of our half-an-hour early access to the park, we headed for the Piraña - a rapid river ride which the day before had a 30-minute queue, and were able to go on twice before any crowds arrived. We laughed until our sides hurt - mostly at how wet my husband had managed to get on Piraña - and then went to get one last sweet treat before the journey home. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I couldn't leave before making one or two purchases in the luxury boutique store within the hotel where you can pick up many of the items you see around the hotel, one of those fluffy bath robes for example, along with jewellery and quality dressing up options for the children. I was unable to resist taking a little of my holiday home with me, picking up some of the shampoo and conditioner I had used in the spa following my swim, as well as an 'ambiance trigger' which is the exclusive fragrance made for and used at the hotel that you can spray around when you get home and imagine you are still there. Efteling really is bonkers, but it is brilliantly bonkers. Somewhere you can't help but enjoy, a place to make memories with the family full of laughter and nonsense. And with the new addition of the Efteling Grand Hotel, mums and dads, and grandparents too, can soak up a little luxury amid the madness. There was so much more we didn't have time to see and do there, the vastness of the place means you can fill your days and still not get around to everything, so, I guess that just means we'll have to go back. Sigh. In the meantime, fetch me that ambiance trigger…
