The pick-up/return depots
are located at Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas,
Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, and Seattle / Vancouver.
The minimum official rental duration is 7 nights.
One-way rentals are possible between these depots
for the following fees:
Our online reservation software accounts for such itineraries and fees.
Clients are allowed to pick-up the rental vehicle on the day
their flight arrives — but only if the client calls El Monte RV
(tel. 800 367 6507) upon that arrival and arrives
by his/her own means at the rental depot no less
than one hour before the depot's official closing time. El Monte RV does not
provide transfer service in connection with same-day flight arrival.
Similarly, other clients who provide their own transportation to the rental
depot — i.e. who do not take advantage of El Monte RV's
transfer shuttle service — must call El Monte RV at
tel. 800 367 6507 between 8:00 am and 9:30 am on the morning of the pick-up day,
this to learn precisely when the vehicle will be ready that afternoon;
such clients must arrive at the rental depot no less than one hour before
the depot's closing time.
Customer vehicles cannot be stored at the rental depot without
prior authorization from the depot's rental manager; and nominal
charges apply, typically US$ 5 per night.
… Towing is allowed with non-one-way rentals of the
C25, CS25, C26, CS26, C28, CS28 and AS30 El Monte RV vehicles,
but a 3000 pound maximum weight applies (therefore most cars are
prohibited; small utility, motorcycle and single axle enclosed trailers no
larger than 5 feet by 8 feet are usually less than 3000 pounds).
Only one object may be towed at a time and the combined length of motorhome and object being towed cannot exceed 40 feet.
The towing surcharge is US$ 10 per night
(with a US$ 100 minimum for the AS32 vehicle, US$ 50 minimum for the other vehicles listed here). The vehicles have a
2 inch x 2 inch square receiver mounted to the rear. However, El Monte RV
neither carries nor provides nor installs a towing hitch nor assists
clients in this respect.
There are different plug-styles for electrical hook-up; 2-prong, 3-prong and 4-prong systems exist.
This feature varies year by year, model by model and manufacturer by manufacturer.
As the specific vehicle to be received is not assigned until the day of scheduled pick-up,
the clients will need to find out at the counter what plug-style is in place on their assigned unit.
Only then should one acquire an adaptor.
El Monte RV provides no insurance to cover towed items.
Standard shuttle transfer:
The shuttle service is not available at Denver; and
at Seattle / Vancouver the service is available in connection with
Vancouver, BC, airport area hotels only, not with Seattle or the Seattle area,
this for a cost of US$ 80 each way, plus US$ 6 fee to be paid
(in US$ cash to the US government) at the
border when crossing in to the USA from Canada. (Typically this trip takes about one hour. However,
due to increased security and summer traffic, a delay crossing into the USA
is possible. During the summer months the delay might be on the order
of an hour or so. El Monte RV is not responsible for refunds of any type as a
result of such delays.)
At other locations shuttle service is available and free of charge.
The client opting for this service must call the rental depot directly no
later than 9:30 am the morning of motorhome pick-up, this to
schedule transfer and the precise pick-up time.
The shuttle arrives between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
(or at the Vancouver airport area about 11:30 am) at designated hotels only.
… Transfer from the rental depot following the return occasion occurs
between 8:00 and 13:00 (8 am and 1 pm), although at the Seattle / Vancouver
depot the shuttle departs about 10:00 am;
these return transfers typically stop at the airports as well
as at the airport area hotels.
… Delays may occur during peak season and certain holiday periods;
no refunds are given for transfer delays.
Transfers are provided as a courtesy and are not financially negotiable
or refundable. Transfers to the rental depot may occasionally be subject to
restrictions or limitations beyond El Monte RV’s control. In
such circumstances, transfers may be the financial and logistical
responsibility of the renter.
Priority AM Departure (PAD):
This option guarantees a departure-ready motorhome by 11:00 am,
this for a one-time surcharge of US$ 85.
PAD departure must be booked at least 7 days in advance and
is not available at Dallas, Denver and Seattle / Vancouver.
The PAD shuttle service is restricted to those hotels
designated as PAD shuttle hotels by El Monte RV. Upon arriving at the hotel,
clients should call 800 337 2199 for recorded detailed instructions.
To meet the shuttle, clients must be at the designated point mentioned.
The PAD shuttle typically arrives between
7:15 am and 8:00 am, although it may need to arrive as early as 6:45 am.
There are no refunds for PAD surcharge if El Monte RV does not receive
PAD hotel information 7 days prior to pick up.
Luggage capacity of the El Monte RV shuttles is of course
limited and may require clients with excess luggage or oversized items
to store and later retrieve them from their hotel.
Typically the complimentary luggage capacity is
in accordance with the airline regulations: two suitcases weighing
no more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms) plus two pieces of hand luggage
per person.
Note: for motorhome travel soft-sided or collapsable bags are
the best sort to use.
Vehicle pick-up (or return) is not possible directly at locations
other than the depots.
The depots are closed during certain holidays, which are accounted for
by our online reservation software.
The depots are open for standard pick-up
Monday–Saturday (except Denver, which is closed all Saturdays)
from 13:00 to 16:00 (1 pm to 4 pm) and
Sunday (except Dallas, Denver, New York / New Jersey, Seattle* / Vancouver*,
which are closed Sundays) from 13:00 to 15:00 (1 pm to 3 pm) —
although Priority AM Departure (PAD), as described above, facilitates pick-up
between 8:00 am and 11:00 am for a surcharge of US$ 85.
In all cases clients must call ahead to El Monte RV,
as described above, to learn precisely the time the vehicle will be
ready for them.
The depots are open for standard return
Monday–Sunday, 8:00 am to 11:00 am,
i.e. mornings; this with the exception of
Denver, which is closed every weekend, and
Dallas, New York / New Jersey, and Seattle* / Vancouver*, which are closed Sundays.
Recall as well, transfer from the rental depot following the return occasion occurs
between 8:00 and 13:00 (8 am and 1 pm), although at the Seattle / Vancouver
depot the shuttle departs about 10:00 am.
* The Seattle / Vancouver depot is closed Saturdays
during October–March, and is closed every day between the last full
week of January and the first full week of February.
During October–April this depot closes an hour early; therefore the
standard pick-up window becomes 13:00 to 15:00 (1 pm to 3 pm)
A non-standard return time (i.e. an afternoon return) entails an
extra night's worth of cost.
The vendor imposes the standard pick-up and return times such that most vehicles can be prepared
during regular business hours and delivered to a client on the same day that
the vehicle is returned by the previous client. Thus the vendor doesn't lose
out on renting that vehicle for that night.
The IdeaMerge software accounts for non-standard return times.
A fee of at least US$ 50 per hour applies to unauthorized late return of the
vehicle. Authorized extensions of the rental duration are those
which occur at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled date of return.
El Monte RV provides free storage of luggage at the rental depot
(but at the client's risk).
Again, for motorhome travel soft-sided or collapsable bags are
the best sort to use.
If you want to park a car at or near the rental depot for the duration of your rental,
please contact the depot directly a day or so before your rental, this to learn whether
they happen to have room. Such parking is generally at the client's risk.
El Monte RV is not responsible for items left in the motorhome after
the client returns the vehicle and departs. El Monte RV will not mail
such items to the client; instead El Monte RV reserves the right to
donate or dispose of such items as it sees fit.
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.
No special authorization is required to travel into Canada, Yukon, the Northwest Territories
or Alaska, but travel to the latter three regions is at the
client's risk, as described our El Monte RV "Insurance" page.
The El Monte RV vehicles are allowed to travel into
Mexico if such
travel is confirmed in advance and the client purchases
directly from a southwestern USA El Monte RV rental depot
(typically upon the pick-up occasion) the vendor's
Mexico Auto Liability Insurance (MALI) to cover the specific
range of dates during which the vehicle might be in Mexico.
The cost of this MALI coverage is US$ 22 per such calendar date.
Relative to travel in Mexico, MALI provides coverage for physical damage to or total theft of the
El Monte RV rental vehicle, as well as third-party liability and medical
payments, and legal assistance (especially to aid in preventing the client
or clients from being jailed in Mexico).
El Monte RV's Roadside Assistance does not extend into Mexico;
and any repair costs, lost use, towing or fines incurred in Mexico are
the client's (i.e. customer's, traveler's, renter's) responsibility and are
not reimbursed by El Monte RV.
At the Dallas, Denver, New York and
Seattle / Vancouver
El Monte RV rental depots each motorhome
is winterized during November through April or during any other
stretch of space–time in which the ambient temperatures of the
low-altitude regions near the depot are expected to be below the freezing
point during a client's rental. Winterization means that the water is
drained from the fresh water tank, hot water heater and both waste tanks. Of
course this drainage involves the water pipes, toilet, sink, shower,
and external shower (if this latter feature is present). Once the vehicle is winterized, no water
should be put into the fresh water tank and it should not be hooked up to the public
water supply. Therefore no water at all is available from the
motorhome. The toilet, however, can still be used as long as windshield
washer antifreeze is poured down to rinse it. Pink RV antifreeze will have
been run through all the pipes and put into the black and grey tanks. If the
client removes the antifreeze and puts water into the system, the tanks and
pipes will likely crack. If this damage occurs, the client will be responsible
for repairing these systems and any other consequent damages. If the client
unwinterizes the vehicle for travel into a warmer climate, it is the client's
responsibility to have the vehicle re-winterized before returning it.
Of course upon the pick-up occasion the vendor can provide instruction regarding
the draining and rehydration of that system.
You can visit mapquest.com to generate your own
interactive maps.
