Why Rent a Car in Rhodes?

I learned this the hard way: landing at Diagoras Airport after a long flight with two kids and spotting a queue 200-deep at the taxi rank, I realized booking a rental was the smarter move. You drive to your resort (15 minutes to most spots, 30 to the quieter east coast), then you've got freedom. Day trips to Lindos (90 minutes south) become spontaneous instead of locked into overpriced package tours. Crete is reachable by ferry (around 10+ hours, typically €40–80) or flight (2.5+ hours, €65–120)—confirm current fares and schedules when booking.

Taxis from Rhodes Airport cost £40–60 for a single journey to your hotel. A week's car hire often undercuts that one transfer. Petrol costs roughly €1.40 per litre at the moment, and you keep your own schedule. Hiring a car in Rhodes—becomes obvious the moment you need to visit multiple beaches or villages in one day without waiting for tour operators or paying successive taxi fares. Local Rent's full details and terms are here.

What Is Local Rent?

Local Rent is an online car rental aggregator. It's not a rental company itself; it acts as the middleman between you and local rental outfits across Rhodes and 79 other destinations worldwide. You book through their site, they assign you to a local partner (a family-run business or regional operator), and you collect and return the car at that partner's location. This model has real advantages: local companies typically charge 20–40% less than Europcar or Hertz, because they don't have global overhead and corporate margins.

The trade-off (more on that in a moment) is that service quality varies slightly by which local partner you're matched with. But the numbers back it up: Local Rent holds a strong Trustpilot rating from thousands of reviews. They respond to complaints quickly, typically within 24 hours. That responsiveness matters when something goes wrong, and it shows they take the business seriously.

Pricing & How Much to Budget

Cheap car hire in Rhodes starts from around €8 to €13 per day for a small car—the kind you'd actually want to squeeze into Rhodes's narrow old-town streets. That's if you book well in advance. Seasonality shifts prices dramatically: March typically offers lower rates than summer months (often €10–15 per day for small cars, though prices vary by operator). August peaks at around €64 per day. If you can swing a late April or early October trip, you'll find the sweet spot: warm enough, uncrowded, and rental prices are 30–40% lower than summer. Booking a rental around seven days before pickup consistently secures below-average prices.

When you book through Local Rent, most quotes include insurance and unlimited mileage. You pay a deposit (typically around €300, though many vehicles don't require one at all—a huge advantage over the big chains, which often demand €1,000 upwards) and then 15 to 20% of the total rental cost upfront as advance payment. The rest you settle when you collect the keys. That spread matters if you're watching the budget closely. Luxury car hire in Rhodes Greece typically runs €60–120 per day for SUVs and convertibles, still cheaper than the main brands.

How to Book Through Local Rent

The booking process through Local Rent is straightforward. You select your pickup location—Rhodes Airport, or any of the main resort towns like Lindos or Pefkos—then your dates and vehicle type. Local Rent shows you multiple options from different local rental companies alongside pricing, deposit amounts, insurance details, and cancellation terms. Everything is transparent before you commit. Once you've chosen, you pay the advance (15–20%) through the site. You'll receive a rental voucher by email to show at collection.

Before You Book—The Honest Truth

Local Rent is reliable in the aggregate, but it's not flawless. First: vehicle condition varies. Some reviewers on Trustpilot report collecting cars with dashboard warning lights still on, minor mechanical imperfections, visible scratches, or worn tyres. That's a minority complaint among 5,300 reviews, but it happens—often because the local partner hasn't done rigorous pre-journey checks. Second: unexpected costs can appear. Customers occasionally dispute cleaning charges when they return the car, or face higher-than-quoted deposit holds that take weeks to refund. These aren't systemic; the 4.6-star rating and 86% five-star split suggest most journeys go smoothly. But they're worth knowing.

Why does this happen? Because Local Rent is an aggregator. Quality depends on which local company you're matched with, and local operators don't always meet the standards of a global chain (which has its own problems—higher prices, red tape, and worse value). You get the upside: lower costs, a direct relationship with a real local business. The downside: the occasional rough edge. Inspect the vehicle for scratches and mechanical issues before you drive away (take photos) and report anything suspicious immediately to your rental contact. The 98% response rate to complaints means issues get resolved, not ignored.

Renting Across Rhodes

Car hire at Rhodes Airport is convenient but typically pricier by 5–10% than town-centre pickups. If you can arrange pickup in a resort—say, Lindos or Pefkos—you'll save a few pounds and avoid the airport markup. Local Rent has availability across the island: the main airport, the resort towns along the east coast (Lindos, Pefkos, Kiotari), and western-side spots like Kamiros. Car hire in Lindos Rhodes Greece costs around £23 per day on average, with small cars from £19 per day. Cheapest month in Lindos is March at around £8 per day; August peaks at £34 per day. Pefkos (a quieter, more family-friendly resort just south) has similar pricing and the same challenge: narrow old-town streets mean a small car is your friend.

Once you've got wheels, the island opens up. A day trip to Crete is feasible by ferry from Rhodes Harbour (11 hours with Blue Star Ferries, €85–210 depending on cabin class), or by a short flight (2.5 hours with Sky Express or Aegean Airlines, €65–160). Rhodes Airport car hire companies through Local Rent include regional operators that compete on price and service—the upside of the aggregator model. Once you're on the road, the Greek limits are straightforward: 50 in town, 90 on country roads, 110 on expressways, 130 on motorways—similar to UK speeds but slightly different markings. Toll roads cost around €3 per journey (mostly on the national road and Athens airport freeway; Rhodes itself isn't heavily tolled).

Insurance, Cancellations & the Fine Print

Cancellation without penalty is possible up to seven days before pickup. If you cancel between one and seven days before, Local Rent charges a 6% fee of the amount you've already paid, plus they keep your advance payment. For Luxury and Convertible categories, the grace period extends to 30 days—worth knowing if you're renting a premium vehicle. Refunds are processed within 14 business days after you apply, so don't expect money back the next day; build that into your planning. The standard fuel policy is 'full-full': you return the car with the same fuel level as you collected it, so don't run it down to a red-line warning light on the motorway.

Insurance typically includes third-party liability, theft protection, fire protection, and unlimited mileage. Read the terms carefully—one Trustpilot reviewer reported a dispute over a claim denial, citing 'negligence' clauses in the fine print that made the insurer reluctant to pay out. That's rare, but it underlines the importance of understanding what you're covered for before you leave the lot. Ask your local rental partner to walk you through the policy. Greece requires drivers to be 21 or older (most rental companies enforce 23 or older) and to have held a full driving licence for a minimum of one year. Bring proof of both.

Who Local Rent Suits

Local Rent is the right choice if you want transparent pricing, flexibility, and don't mind a slight trade-off in polish for serious savings. It suits families doing a week's road trip across Rhodes, couples renting for a few days to explore Lindos, or anyone who doesn't want to be locked into an expensive airport pickup from a major chain. Prices run 20–40% below Hertz or Europcar. Deposits are reasonable—€300 on average, sometimes nothing. Cancellation is free if you change your mind up to a week before pickup. The Trustpilot rating (4.6 out of 5 from thousands of reviews) is the strongest proof.

Skip it if you absolutely must have a pristine vehicle with zero quibbles, or if you need 24-hour English-language phone support. For those edge cases, a bigger brand might be worth the premium. But for most of us? Local Rent is the sensible choice. You'll pocket the savings—often €200–400 for a week's rental compared to the majors—and enjoy the island without the worry. Inspect the car carefully at pickup, ask questions if anything looks off, and you'll have the freedom to drive Rhodes on your own terms.

For more on Soulful Travel Guy, read Intercontinental Miami Doral Review. Luxury Airport Hotel and How do you get to Gatwick airport from London?.