pricing and payment options with IdeaMerge
Please click here for an explanation of our excellent pricing and payment options.
reservation and booking
In accord with the automobile rental industry standard,
reservations may be made for a vendor's particular vehicle category
(what we might call a vendor's "group") only, not for a specific vehicle.
Which is to say,
although the various images, model numbers and vehicle specifications presented
throughout the IdeaMerge motorhome rental pages — especially on the
vehicle-specification pages — are carefully selected to accurately
and precisely indicate the vehicle that you will get, the vehicle model
(and layout) you get might not be identical to what is indicated by said
information.
In the very unlikely event that
a vehicle in the reserved category is not available upon the pick-up date, the
rental company reserves the right to substitute a comparable or larger vehicle
with the same equipment and the capacity to accommodate the number persons you have delineated (in terms of, say, adults and children) as being in your party. In this case there will be no additional charge for a larger
vehicle. However, the higher ancillary costs associated with a larger
vehicle — such as ferry charges,
tolls, and fueling costs — are to be borne by the customer.
Of course IdeaMerge will not charge your credit card unless the vendor you select does have availability in the
particular vehicle category you select.
After you place a complete online reservation request with IdeaMerge (i.e. including your credit card details), IdeaMerge will straightaway query the vendor.
If a vehicle in the selected vehicle category of that selected vendor is indeed have available, we will immediately book the rental with that vendor and charge your card —
binding you per the cancellation policy noted below. Either way, we will then inform you as soon as possible,
often within an hour but most certainly within 24 hours
(or perhaps 48 hours if you enter the reservation request on a Friday or Saturday,
since the booking facilities of some vendors are closed on weekends).
cancellation fees
We require the aforementioned downpayment and prepaid balance because the vendor
imposes a schedule of considerable cancellations fees. Necessarily reflecting that schedule of fees,
our cancellation policy is as follows:
changes
rental duration
The minimum effective rental duration is 3 nights.
age and license
The minimum age limit for renters and other drivers
is only 20 years and the maximum is 70 years.
However, said drivers must have possessed their valid, non-provisional drivers
license for at least one year prior to the pick-up date.
Van Italy also requires of any such driver an International Drivers License (IDL), otherwise
known as an International Driving Permit (IDP).
See our "Resources" page for a discussion of this international document, which you can procure at the local office
of you nation's auto club, whether or not you are a member of such club.
IdeaMerge is not responsible if such licensed driver is not present
to operate the vehicle upon the pick-up occasion and throughout the duration
of the rental. No refunds will be extended to the client if such absence precludes
the actual use of the rental.
The vehicle may be driven only by the renter or by the additional,
qualified drivers specified on the rental contract. There is no charge for these
additional drivers. The additional drivers do not need to be present
upon the pick-up occasion.
Regardless of who is driving the vehicle,
the renter is liable for the operation of the vehicle.
The vendor Van Italy requires the client to check the vehicle's fluid levels every 1000 kilometers or more frequently
and to upon such check increase those fluids to adequate levels if necessary.
breakdown cover, and insurance
Although the camper vans in the Van Italy fleet are 10–12 years old,
they are in very good condition. The owner/operator of Van Italy travels to Germany
to buy all these vans and thus he personally discovers the best used vans.
The client should obtain the vendor's permission with respect to
any repairs (whether to the vehicular operation or to the operation of the
living facilities). Any such authorized repair expenses must be initially paid by
the client, but the receipt for the repairs must be made out in the name of the vendor Van Italy.
Upon the return occasion Van Italy will reimburse the client for such expenses insofar as the expenses
are for repaired mechanical problems that were not the fault of the client or for collision damage or
damage due to vandalism, attempted theft, hail, and such.
If the damages caused to the vehicle are clearly imputable to the customers, Van Italy will not reimburse the client for those damages.
Accidental damages are of course subject to the insurance
coverage's deductible/excess. Repair or replacement of burst tires is not reimbursible.
See our "Insurance, etc."
page for details concerning the included insurance.
The motorhome rental agreement is a contract between the customer
and the vendor and of course involves the customer in certain
responsibilities relative to the vehicle. These responsibilities
are analogous but far from identical to those typically associated
with a car rental. Motorhome and camper van rental customers typically bear more
such responsibilities than do car rental customers. The nature of
the motorhome and camper van rental industry is such that replacement motorhomes
are usually not guaranteed (although in many cases such may be
effected), as is the case with this vendor and
virtually every motorhome and camper van rental company. Instead timely service of
the rental motorhome or camper van is guaranteed and in certain cases limited
hotel stays and replacement car rentals will be covered.
The customer remains responsible for returning the rental vehicle to the
rental depot, as contracted, unless relieved of this responsibility
by the rental company (i.e. the vendor).
geographic limitations
The included insurance is effective throughout Europe, including Turkey but excluding Albania. The vehicles may not be taken to Africa (including Morocco) or Asia.
The vendor Van Italy may restrict travel to certain areas at any time without prior notice.
You are welcome to transport your
rented vehicle by ferry and/or the Channel Tunnel.
If the vehicle is stolen, the vendor is not obligated to procure
another vehicle for the client. Generally speaking, a replacement vehicle cannot
be guaranteed; yet in all cases where a replacement vehicle would
benefit the client the vendor will do its best to procure one for the
client.
Again, see our "Insurance, etc."
page for more details concerning the included insurance.
pick-up and return
The vendor will charge an
EUR1000 security deposit
to the customer's credit card
when the customer picks up the vehicle.
The card holder must be present upon said pick-up occasion and be one of the persons signing the vendor's
rental contract on that occasion.
(However, the credit card can be different than the card that was used to pay IdeaMerge for the rental.)
Debit cards, cash or travelers checks are not accepted for the security deposit; only Visa or MasterCard
credit cards are accepted, and
the charge cannot be split between credit cards.
The security deposit — minus the cost of
damages (which cost is limited only by the relevant,
per-occurrence insurance deductibles) and traffic or parking tickets
— will be credited to the customer's card within a month after the customer returns the vehicle.
In case of theft of the vehicle, the client must pay EUR2000 to Van Italy.
Note: If the client receives a ticket of for a traffic or parking violation, the client should inform Van Italy within two days, this because
if given such quick notice Van Italy often can negotiate a reduction or elimination of the fine.
The vendor provides storage of clients' luggage at their depot free of charge (but at the
clients' risk). However, clients may not park
a car at the depot during the rental.
A thorough explanation and demonstration of the rental vehicle will be provided
upon pick-up. This orientation, together with completion of the relevant
paperwork, requires approximately one hour.
The vehicle will be delivered with an ample amount of motor fuel in the tank;
you should try to return it with this same amount. If this fluid level is lower upon return,
you will be charged a minimum EUR20 refueling fee.
The water tank propane tank
will be full; but you will not be
charged if they are returned less than full.
The interior and exterior
will be clean, and the toilet tank will be empty of waste. Likewise the vehicle
should be returned clean inside and outside and empty of waste water.
Vehicles returned in an unclean condition (beds, cupboards, closets, refrigerator, cooking facility, driver's cabin, etc, included) will be
subject to a minimum cleaning fee of EUR50.
Pets are not allowed in the vehicles. However, with the vendor's permission,
and for the cost of a special EUR50 cleaning fee, blind clients who use a dog for assistance may
bring such dog in the vehicle.
Upon the pick-up occasion the vendor provides clients with a map of Italy or else of Europe
and a map of campgrounds in Italy or throughout Europe.
All Van Italy rentals include unlimited kilometers!
The rental depot address and contact number are: Van Italy, via Ludovico de Filippi 37/39, 00122 Ostia Lido (Roma); tel. +39 347 90 13 263.
(Drop the country code if calling from within Italy.)
Van Italy's shuttle transfer from/to Rome Fiumicino (da Vinci) airport or Rome Ciampino airport is available for EUR50 each way.
The shuttle can transport up to 4 adults and 2 bicycles.
Pick-up (or return) is not possible directly at airports, city centers (i.e. downtowns) or rail stations.
The Van Italy depot is open for standard pick-up Monday-Friday 9:00 to 13:00 (i.e. 9 am to 1 pm)
and 16:00 to 19:00 (i.e. 2 pm to 7 pm) and on Saturdays from 9:00 to 12:00 (i.e. 9 am to noon).
There is no surcharge for Saturday pick-up or return.
The depot is open for standard return Monday-Saturday from 9:00 to 10:30 (i.e. 9 am to 10:30 am).
Unless previously agreed, return after 10:30 am entails EUR50 per hour.
A booked afternoon return entails an extra night's worth of cost.
The depot is closed Sundays.
For every day that a vehicle is late being returned, a penalty of 4 times the daily rate will be charged.
Again, any extension of the rental duration requires prior
authorization by the rental company; and no refunds are offered for early return of the rental vehicle.
A taxi from Rome Fiumicino airport to the depot costs about EUR50 and takes about 20 minutes to cover the 12 km.
A taxi from Rome Ciampinao airport to the depot costs about EUR110 and takes about 40 minutes to cover the 40 km.
Buses run every 20 minutes from the Fiumicino airport bus terminal to the Lido di Ostia Centro
metro station 300 meters from the rental depot and 500 meters inland from said hotel.
Trains run from the Fiumicino airport to the city every 20 minutes from
roughly 6:28 am to 0:13 am (12:13 midnight), and from the city to the airport every 20 minutes
from roughly 5:29 am to 21:59 (9:59 pm). The fare is about EUR5 each way.
A special, non-stop express train runs at intervals of 20 minutes and 1 hour,
depending on the time of day; earliest departure to the airport being
7:00 am, latest being 21:15 (9:15 pm); earliest departure to the city being 7:50 am,
latest being 20:05 (8:05 pm); the cost being roughly EUR10 each way.
A late-night bus service operates to/from
Tiburtina Station between roughly 1:00 am and 5:00 am.
See Rome Shuttle
to book attractively priced group-shuttle service (about EUR42 for up to 4 people,
EUR68 for up to 8 people). Search the Web using the keywords "Rome Airport Shuttle" for other such options.
The distance between the airport and Rome downtown is 40 km and 40 minutes;
typically the cost of this trip via taxi is EUR50.
The hotel nearest the rental depot is the beachside
Hotel Ping Pong
at Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli, 84 Ostia Lido, Rome.
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