Name: Holiday Autos
Address: Victoria Gate Chobham Road Woking, Surrey
Rating: 1.08

“TLDR Avoid Klasswagen near Faro Airport. The low headline price appears to be offset by aggressive insurance pressure, extremely high deposits and disputes over alleged “damage” such as stone chips on the underside of the vehicle. On return, when we recorded the inspection, staff escalated the situation and called the police, who arrived within minutes to what was plainly a civil dispute. We recovered our €1,500 deposits only after sustained resistance and speaking Portuguese. Many other customers did not. ⸻ Full Review We booked two cars through Holiday Autos for collection near Faro over Christmas. Klasswagen appeared to offer the best availability at the most competitive price. In hindsight, the pricing was not a saving - it was the starting point of the problem. Klasswagen is not located at the airport itself. You are collected by shuttle and taken to an off-site yard. The transfer was functional but slow, and once inside the office we waited a long time to be seen. The atmosphere was strained and defensive. While we were completing paperwork, a couple returning their car were in a heated dispute with staff. As the gentleman walked past us, he warned that they were being charged for damage underneath the vehicle - stone chips on the chassis - which he insisted he had not caused. It seemed odd at the time. It later became relevant. At the desk, both my friend and I experienced sustained pressure to purchase Klasswagen’s additional insurance. I already hold American Express travel insurance which explicitly covers rental excess and states additional cover is unnecessary. Despite explaining this clearly, the pressure continued for nearly 20 minutes. We were told it was “illegal” to drive without their insurance and that if stopped by police we should not say we hadn’t been warned. That statement is plainly misleading. Third-party motor liability insurance is mandatory in Portugal, but that is already included in standard rental contracts. Optional excess cover is not a legal requirement. When we declined, we were required to pre-authorise over €1,500 per car. We were shown an iPad damage diagram. On my vehicle alone there were over 25 pre-existing marks recorded. We were encouraged not to bother taking our own photos or video because “everything was already on file”. Thankfully we ignored that advice and documented both vehicles thoroughly. The cars themselves were perfectly adequate and drove without issue. The real problems came at return. It had rained heavily throughout our nine-day trip. On return day it was pouring. The drop-off yard was cramped, with several vehicles being processed at once. Every single customer ahead of us was in an argument with staff over alleged damage. This was not one disgruntled renter - it was a pattern. When it was my turn, the first question asked was whether I had booked directly or via a third party. When I asked why that mattered, I was told: “We need to make our money back somehow. Why do you think it’s so cheap through those sites?” That statement alone was revealing. The staff member then criticised the car for being “muddy” despite continuous rain. I have rented vehicles across Europe for decades and have never been expected to wash one prior to return. Reasonable wear and dirt from normal use is standard industry practice. He then crouched down and inspected the underside of the vehicle - behind the wheels and beneath the bumpers - and claimed there were stone chips “that were not there before”. Stone chips on the underside of a car are an inevitable consequence of ordinary road use. They are not visible without deliberately getting on the ground. No customer is provided with a lift, inspection pit or jack at collection. Expecting renters to detect or prevent microscopic stone impact to the chassis is not consistent with normal wear-and-tear standards recognised across the industry. At this stage my friend began recording the inspection on his phone. The staff member’s demeanour escalated immediately. He claimed filming on private property was illegal and demanded deletion of the footage. When we refused, the manager called the police without attempting to resolve the dispute directly. Three police officers arrived within minutes. This was a civil contractual disagreement over alleged cosmetic damage. There was no violence, no threat, no public disorder. The speed of the police response to what was plainly a commercial dispute was unusual. Whether coincidence or familiarity, it did not feel like a first-time occurrence. My friend speaks fluent Portuguese. After a tense exchange - and with our flight departure approaching - we agreed to delete the footage purely to end the confrontation. The police instructed us to apologise to staff, which we did pragmatically. Only after sustained resistance were our deposits released. Several other customers were not so fortunate. We witnessed one family accused of causing a tiny scratch near a door handle and told approximately €2,500 would be retained. Multiple others appeared to be facing similar outcomes. The yard itself contained many cars with visible cosmetic damage, suggesting that the business priority was not immediate repair but financial recovery via deposits. The overall impression was of a model built on: • Very low headline pricing • Aggressive insurance upselling • High deposit exposure • Narrow interpretations of “damage” beyond normal wear and tear • Escalation under time pressure at return We recovered our deposits because we were confident, documented the vehicles thoroughly, and were able to communicate in Portuguese. That should not be a prerequisite for a fair rental experience. Car hire can be mildly stressful. This was something else entirely. If the economics of a rental only work when customers are charged for stone chips underneath a chassis, then the headline pricing is not genuine. Any apparent saving is outweighed by the risk, the stress, and the potential financial exposure. I would strongly advise travellers to consider whether the bargain is worth it.”

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Posted 2 weeks ago

“Our flight to Tromsø was cancelled due to the complete shutdown of operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport caused by severe freezing rain. The trip was objectively impossible. The cancellation happened in the evening, when their telephone support was no longer available. We did attempt to call, but no one could be reached. In order to avoid a no-show the next morning and unnecessary operational inconvenience, we responsibly cancelled the rental online. Absurdly, we were later told that if we had not cancelled, they might have been able to assist us — and that we should have called instead. Calling was not possible. We are therefore effectively being penalized for acting responsibly and proactively. Instead of appreciation for handling the situation transparently, the result was: no refund, no partial credit, no goodwill gesture whatsoever — despite clearly documented force majeure. This is not about demanding a full refund. It is about the complete absence of flexibility and customer consideration in an exceptional situation. We tried to act fairly. Unfortunately, that consideration was not returned.”

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Posted 2 weeks ago

“Toen wij de auto op gingen halen, later dan gepland, vanwege vertraging vliegtuig. Zei mevrouw dat onze auto niet meer beschikbaar was mede hierdoor. Ze kon ons nog een duurdere auto aanbieden, helaas was de verzekering ook een stuk duurder. Holiday autoverhuur benaderd…. Zij zeiden, sorry daar kunnen wij niets aan doen. Echt huur daar geen auto, ze kloppen je meer geld uit je zak. Echt een snert organisatie”

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Posted 1 month ago

“**Slechtste ervaring ooit.** We boekten een auto, maar de reservering werd later aangepast. Daarbij was ik er helaas aan voorbijgegaan dat ook de waarborg werd gewijzigd — en die bleek ineens boven de 2500 € te liggen. De huur verliep via Holiday Autos, maar de wagen zelf kwam van Green Motion in Boekarest. Al bij de luchthaven begon het mis: de chauffeur die ons moest oppikken was bijzonder onbeleefd en riep meteen dat we onze bagage zelf maar in de koffer moesten zetten. Nog nooit meegemaakt. Bij het opstellen van de documenten ontdekten we dat de waarborg veel hoger lag dan verwacht. We stelden voor om de boeking op naam van mijn vrouw te zetten, omdat haar kredietkaart een hogere limiet had. Dat weigerde men, tenzij we 1100 € extra zouden betalen. Ter info: ik had voor 10 dagen 250 € betaald voor een midsize auto met ruime koffer. Dat absurde voorstel hebben we uiteraard geweigerd. Ik ben vervolgens terug naar de luchthaven gegaan en heb daar een wagen gehuurd bij AutoRom. Voor 10 dagen kreeg ik een Skoda Octavia aan 620 €, met een waarborg van slechts 160 €. Het contrast spreekt voor zich. Schandalig hoe Green Motion probeerde te profiteren van de situatie, terwijl ik daar stond met mijn vrouw, dochter en schoonmoeder. De medewerker ging er duidelijk van uit dat ik wel zou toegeven.”

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Posted 2 months ago

“We had a terrible experience with holiday autos. It turned out holiday autos was just a third party site and the actual rental car agency was already closed. So we waited at the airport for 2 hours late at night with 2 children. I tried calling and viewing website but nobody would respond. I called the rental car agency and they didn’t charge holiday autos and yet holiday autos won’t refund my rental payment. I’m very unsatisfied with the customer service we received. DO NOT use holiday autos”

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Posted 3 months ago

“Very bad cheating dont rent!!”

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Posted 5 months ago

“Nigdy nie wypożyczaj od nich samochodu! Wypożyczyliśmy samochód w naszym kraju, a ostatecznie utknęliśmy na koreańskiej wyspie bez środka transportu. Podczas podróży poślubnej. Wypożyczalnia zarządała od nas dokumentu, o którym Holiday Autos nie wspomniało przed rezerwacją, ani po tym, jak im zapłaciliśmy. W wymaganych dokumentach nie było o tym mowy!! Nie zrobili nic, żeby nam pomóc. Po prostu zostawili nas bez samochodu, za który im zapłaciliśmy. Trzymajcie się od nich z daleka!”

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Posted 5 months ago

“Truth Cabin.”

Holiday Autos 5 star review on 9th August 2025

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Posted 6 months ago

“Kreditkarte angeblich nicht gültig – Fahrzeug nur gegen teure Zusatzversicherung Ich habe über Holiday Autos einen Mietwagen bei Carwiz am Flughafen Neapel (03.08.2025) gebucht. Die Fahrerin war meine Tochter. Trotz gültiger Unterlagen (Führerschein, Ausweis, Kreditkarte) wurde die Fahrzeugübergabe verweigert. Begründung: Die Kreditkarte funktioniere nicht zur Hinterlegung der Kaution. Uns wurde mitgeteilt, ein Fahrzeug gäbe es nur mit Abschluss einer Zusatzversicherung in Höhe von ca. 329 €, plus 250 € Kaution – dann „ging“ die gleiche Kreditkarte plötzlich doch. Dieses Vorgehen wirkt gezielt darauf ausgelegt, Kunden zur unnötigen Buchung teurer Versicherungen zu drängen. Eine Rückfrage bei der Kreditkartenbank ergab: Die Karte war zu jedem Zeitpunkt aktiv und gedeckt. Holiday Autos war weder telefonisch noch per E-Mail erreichbar, Carwiz zeigte keinerlei Bereitschaft zur Aufklärung oder Entgegenkommen. Bis heute keine Rückerstattung oder Antwort auf unsere schriftliche Beschwerde. Ich kann auf Basis dieser Erfahrung weder Holiday Autos noch Carwiz empfehlen. Solche Methoden haben im seriösen Mietwagengeschäft nichts verloren.”

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Posted 6 months ago

“Completely Unprofessional and Unethical Service I had a terrible experience with Autoholidays. I paid 11,000 DKK for a 14-day rental, but due to a massive forest fire in Marseille, my flight was canceled twice, making it impossible for me to pick up the car on time. Despite trying to contact Autoholidays from 13:00 to 15:15 without success, I finally reached someone who told me, bluntly, that I had lost the car because I wasn’t there exactly at 15:00. This is outrageous and unacceptable. They show no compassion or flexibility for extraordinary circumstances like natural disasters. Instead, they dismiss us and refuse a refund, claiming it’s their policy. Their behavior is unprofessional, and they seem to be operating in bad faith. Their refusal to understand the situation and their lack of empathy is shocking. I strongly advise anyone considering using Autoholidays to think twice. Their customer service is appalling, and their policies are unfair and potentially illegal. Avoid at all costs!”

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Posted 7 months ago

“I booked a car rental through Holiday Autos, including what I believed was full insurance. However, when I arrived at the OK Rent a Car desk in Spain, the agent insisted my prepaid insurance was “not valid” and pressured me into purchasing their “Premium Cover.” I was rushed into signing paperwork without understanding I was paying again for coverage I had already purchased. Despite contacting Holiday Autos for a refund, they refused, hiding behind a signed document rather than acknowledging the misleading and high-pressure tactics used at the desk. The amount I paid online was essentially disregarded, and I ended up being overcharged for something I never agreed to twice.”

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Posted 7 months ago

“I booked a car rental through Holiday Autos, including what I believed was full insurance. However, when I arrived at the OK Rent a Car desk in Spain, the agent insisted my prepaid insurance was “not valid” and pressured me into purchasing their “Premium Cover.” I was rushed into signing paperwork without understanding I was paying again for coverage I had already purchased. Despite contacting Holiday Autos for a refund, they refused, hiding behind a signed document rather than acknowledging the misleading and high-pressure tactics used at the desk. The amount I paid online was essentially disregarded, and I ended up being overcharged for something I never agreed to twice. This experience was stressful, deceptive, and unprofessional. I would strongly advise other travelers to avoid booking with Holiday Autos or OK Rent a Car to prevent similar issues.”

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Posted 7 months ago

“Title: Refused Service Despite Valid License – No Refund Issued Review: I booked a car rental through [Company Name] with Europcar at Naples Airport. Despite presenting a valid driver’s license, I was denied the vehicle at the desk—and was told I would receive a refund. The same license was accepted by another rental company (Locauto) at the same airport on the same day, proving there was no issue with the documentation. I contacted customer service to request my refund and received one email claiming the license was invalid, which is factually incorrect. Since then, I’ve been ignored, and no refund has been processed. This experience has been frustrating, dishonest, and feels like a deliberate rip-off. I paid for a service that was never provided, and my request for a fair resolution has gone unanswered. This company clearly does not stand by its policies or customer promises. I strongly advise avoiding this platform if you value transparency, accountability, or basic customer support.”

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Posted 7 months ago

“Avoid booking here. Even a minor issue—like a small typo in your name or unexpected credit card requirements—can cause major problems. For example, the reservation might go through smoothly online, but when you arrive to pick up the car, they may suddenly demand a credit card with at least six months of validity. If you’re using your spouse’s credit card, they may refuse it altogether. This can leave you with no car, a lot of hassle, or being forced to pay 3–4 times more on the spot. Avoid this kind of scam—book directly with reputable, well-known car rental companies instead.”

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Posted 8 months ago

“Gave 1 star as zero not an option You pay for a rental car plus excess for a 8 day period You turn up at the destination within the booking period to find your car has been cancelled without informing you They refuse a refund WHY you’ve paid for the rental in FULL for a period of time You’ve not abused the rental etc etc They still won’t refund you I’m sure they have rented the car again otherwise WHY is the product you’ve paid for and rented not available Total lack of any customer service If you feel it’s ok to pay for something for a period of time and NOT receive it then go ahead and rent from this very very shady company I definitely won’t go anywhere near them again or AVIS who were the company Holiday autos rented the car from as they didn’t give a damn either”

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Posted 8 months ago

“We booked a car through Holiday Autos for a recent trip to Milan. When we got to the airport to pick up our car, we were told by the car rental company that the booking had been cancelled buy Holiday Autos. We hadn't received any notification about this and the car hire company refused to show us any proof that the booking had been cancelled because of GDPR regulations. We were left with no choice but to go to another car rental desk at the airport and hire another car. When we got back to the UK, we were told by Holiday Autos that we were a ‘no-show’. So we have now been charged for the original car as well as having to hire a replacement car. Holiday Autos or whatever name they are trading under, are a scam. They will steal your money, happily leave you in the lurch and refuse to help. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.”

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Posted 8 months ago

“Extremely Disappointing Experience with Holiday Autos My brother booked an SUV through Holiday Autos for a 6-day rental, and the entire experience was incredibly frustrating. At the scheduled pick-up time, he tried calling their support multiple times, but no one answered. There was no clear guidance or assistance available. The only way to communicate was through a web chat, which wasn’t obvious or accessible in a timely manner. By the time he found it, they had already marked the booking as a "no show" and cancelled it. What’s worse is that there was no flexibility or empathy shown in resolving the issue. It felt like the system was designed to fail customers at critical moments. The lack of real-time support, poor communication, and rigid policies caused unnecessary stress and financial loss. It’s deeply disappointing to see a company profit from situations where customers are left stranded and unsupported. I would strongly caution others to think twice before booking with Holiday Autos.”

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Posted 9 months ago

“Made a booking online - 6 months ahead of holiday. Arrived at car hire centre at Warsaw airport. Was told that the booking had been cancelled without informing me. Had to rebook at obviously short notice with another supplier at a much higher price. On my return to the UK I complained to HA. Eventually - after much effort - received a refund of the original booking price - 4 months later. Tried in vain for months to get a refund of the extra approx £105 costs incurred for the new booking. Wouldn't use HA again - why book with this company when there's no guarantee they'll honour your booking and it will cost you a lot of money? Avoid.”

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Posted 10 months ago

“Beware!! Holiday Autos was not transparent about a rental car being limited to certain areas within a country, and when I got to the car rental company they told me it would cost >$1500 to use the car as planned (originally booked for ~$500 with unlimited mileage). I tried to cancel with Holiday Autos, and they told me they would not refund any of my booking because this information was already (hidden) in the terms and conditions... so I GOT NOT CAR, AND THEY STILL KEPT ALL >$500 MY MONEY! Terrible company, terrible customer service.”

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Posted 10 months ago

“I booked a car but when I went to pick it up the company didn't accept American Express and there was no information previously to note this. They also said they didn't acccept paypal (even though it says on the information they do). The email before picking it up says just bring a credit card not noting these limitations. The email link to voucher with more details on was also not working due to their website error. (they claim the details are on there). This information is deliberately held back so you have to pay for insurance directly with the rental company again.... we were massively overcharged for a 4 day car hire. Do not use holiday auto.”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
On-time Delivery	Greater than 5%
Accurate And Undamaged Orders	Greater than 72%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Email, Telephone, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.1 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult
Returns Process	Could Be Better

Holiday Autos Reviews

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