Positives of the Rental Experience
Overall, the trip was amazing. We rented the RV and drove through Yellowstone and Grand Teton. The RV was located very close to the airport and had most everything that we needed for our trip.The RV owner, Justin was very thorough with the demonstration of the RV mechanics and usage. It was easy to drive and was comfortable for four adults on our trip.Cons of the Rental Experience
The RV owner, Cristina offered zero flexibility with the pick-up time of 3:00 pm, so take that into consideration with your planning. When flying across the country and limited flights into Bozeman, we wasted most of the 1st day of our trip waiting around until 3:00 pm for the pick-up. We had to fly in the night before due to the many unexpected Delta flight changes. We did ask for a revised pick-up, but were denied. The final email back to us from Outdoorsy did list this time, but it was too late by that point for us to make any changes,When initially booking (9 months prior), Cristina mentioned there would be a $50 RV drop-off charge at the airport if needed, so we met them at their home. While getting the demo at pick-up, Cristina offered to drop us back off at the airport when we were done with the trip. It came across as a courtesy offer (they are literally about 10 minutes from the airport). We gratefully accepted, but were stuck with an unexpected $50 transport fee two days after we got home taken from our security deposit. We would have opted for a much cheaper Uber had Cristina presented it as a paid service rather than a considerate offer. I did contact Cristina in advance of this review to remedy this concern, but her response was that "Our time is valuable". So just beware of fees and your timing, nothing is simply a courtesy.Justin was very friendly and helpful. He had a great attitude and knows how to provide a positive customer experience. The trip was great, but the inflexibility and unexpected charge were not consistent with other Outdoorsy experiences that I have had where the owner truly know how to provide excellent customer service for their renters (especially knowing the customers are coming from out of state).
Cristina’s answer
Thank you for your feedback Stephanie and I’m thrilled your trip was filled with amazing memories from Montana & Wyoming! It’s great to get feedback and understand how we can strive for continuous improvements. We will work with Outdoorsy to get a suggestion in to push automated notices to renters throughout the book to departure cycle on the details of their rental. All fees and T&Cs from both outdoorsy and independent RV owners are posted in the booking system and when booking renters are agreeing to those at the time of reservation. Similar to campgrounds and hotels our 3pm pick up time and 11am return time is structured to accommodate work schedules and adequate time for RV safety inspections, preventive maintenance and a thorough exterior and interior clean between each and every renter. Our luxury coach is one of the only Class C RVs in Bozeman that offers unlimited mileage, unlimited generator use and complementary bear spray which was $400 worth of complementary offerings for your specific rental. Our customers safety and enjoyment are my absolute North Star goals!! I spend time educating out of state travelers on the best ways to stay safe in the backcountry and lessons learned on how to operate our RV. You expressed concern that you needed a precise drop off time and a ride to the airport. I heard your concern and had a triple back up plan for either my daughter, or my son or my husband and I to drop you and your travel companions to the airport at precisely 10:30 am! I kept that commitment and got you to your flight on time! As for your reason for asking me for a ride last minute on day of your departure instead of booking through outdoorsy, I assumed you were familiar that Uber/Lyft are experiencing driver shortages and excessive wait times which might cause you to miss your flight. You have been one of the most organized and conscientious renters I’ve encountered as you had an entire binder with you devoted to trip planning so forgive my assumption that you were familiar with all logistical details and our prior correspondence. Again, I appreciate your feedback and apologize your expectations were not met.