Car or Hotel?

We've been to LA several times before and in the main we've known exactly what we're going to do once we get out of the airport but for our next trip in August we have a bit of a dilema.

As we're driving to Phoenix the day after we arrive, we've booked a night at the LAX Hilton so we can crash the night and get an early start in the morning. The car is booked through Dollar starting the afternoon we get there.

The dilema is:
1. Do we go straight to the hotel and pick the hire car up in the morning
2. Pick up the car and then drive to the hotel, our usual approach.
3. Go to the hotel get a shower etc. then go and get the car and take it back to the hotel

The other thing is will Dollar say anything if we go for option 1. as technically we would be picking up a day late.

I'm usually quite decisive on things like this but I just can't make my mind up on this one.

Maybe I should turn this into a poll and go with the winning answer:D

Miopyk

Can only speak from experience of what I normally do. As you're close to the airport anyway, I'd collect the car and then drive the short distance to the hotel. At least that way the next day is all your own.

Agree with JonB - the jet lag is gonna mess with your body clock so you may as well get the car as it will at least make you stay up a bt longer - and there's less messing arounf going back and forth from the airport to the car rental to the hotel etc

And then as he says you can do what you like the next day[y]

[Scrooge]

I have to agree with the above posters.Though you will get stuck with the cost of parking the car over night,with the jetlag you will be able to make an early start to the drive.

Dollar will probably cancel your reservation as you would be a no show.

You could always contact Dollar and change the pick-up time to first thing the next morning.

We now prefer to do this, this way we can make full use of the free drinks:).

We also pick up the car the next day so that we don't have to be careful with our drinking on the flight! You're always up really early the next day anyway so you still get a full day.

[Scrooge]

Both ways would work,the only thing im thinking is that it is a long drive to PHX and the ealier you get out of the LA area the better.

The 405 and the 10 can be a little bit of a nightmare is you leave to late in the morning.

BTW im guessing you are just going to take the 10 across the desert?

Please remember that it is a long way between rest area's.Also,I don't know what type of car your getting,but unless it has XM or Sirius bring cd's....unless of course you like country music.

Thanks for you input everyone.

I think we're going to go to the hotel and pick up the car in the morning. This was based on the fact, as pointed out, that we tend to be up and about at 5.00 am the first day or two so going and getting the car won't really be much of a pain since we'll be wide awake anyway.

BTW im guessing you are just going to take the 10 across the desert?

Yep that's the way we're going. Thought we'd stop off at Palm Springs and do a bit of shopping on the way. The car will probably be a 300c but that will be dependant on what they have in stock when we pick up.

We always take a couple of CD's to listen to in the States as we've found that some areas do seem to have a very singular choice of radio.

Thanks again

Miopyk

We always take a couple of CD's to listen to in the States as we've found that some areas do seem to have a very singular choice of radio.

Our Dollar car had Sirius Satellite Radio, 100's of channels including Radio 1, also if you are a sports fan you can listen to the Premiership matches.

Originally posted by miopyk
Thanks for you input everyone.


Yep that's the way we're going. Thought we'd stop off at Palm Springs and do a bit of shopping on the way.
We always take a couple of CD's to listen to in the States as we've found that some areas do seem to have a very singular choice of radio.

Thanks again

Miopyk

There's a good outlet centre (center) just outside of Palm Springs..I'll try and remember what it's called. There are also a number of Inn'n'Out Burger joints on the way too...but there is a point beyond which it's a whole heap of sand, rocks and testifying on the radio.

Great wind farm too...