Ponderosa - All Seasons, Pet-Friendly Excursion Camper Van

22 reviews

(4.8)

4.9

99 %

4.9

99 %

4.9

98 %

4.7

95 %

4.7

93 %

Communication

4.9

Cleanliness

4.9

Maintenance

4.9

Value

4.7

Listing Accuracy

4.7

Ryan V.

5April 2024

Jacie C.

5October 2023

Such fun time exploring AZ!

David’s answer

Thanks so much for letting us host you!! Hope you had a safe return.

2 Photos submitted by Jacie C.

Cora U.

5October 2023

Great experience! Van drives really well across all of Arizona's mountainus terrain and is cozy. Made our trip an amazing experience!

David’s answer

Thanks so much for letting us host you!! Hope you had a safe return.

Shannon

5September 2023

Awesome trip in a fab home on wheels! Communication during trip was fast and helpful. We appreciated the "amenities" - table, camp chairs, camp stove, all kitchen supplies and the fridge, cold beverages in the hot desert is divine! We loved it all!

Casey B.

5June 2023

David’s answer

Thanks so much for letting us host you!! Hope you had a safe return

Jim A.

5May 2023

Traveling the southwest was exceptional with the Ponderosa. Everything was available on this vehicle when I needed it. Very comfortable.

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Jim! We'd love to host you again in the future :)

Kathrine C.

5May 2023

We had an amazing experience renting the Ponderosa camper-van for a week long road trip around Arizona! We were impressed with the creative use of space and cleanliness. It was well-stocked and had everything we needed for camping and cooking. And the bed was spacious and extremely comfortable! We appreciated that we were able to do pick-up earlier since we had a morning flight. We highly recommend this rental!

David’s answer

Thanks so much for letting us host you!! We hope you had a safe return.

Kaely B.

5March 2023

Amazing experience, the van drives really well and all the features make for an incredible time. Would rent again in a heartbeat.

David’s answer

Thanks again for allowing us to host you for your Grand Canyon trip! Feel free to come back anytime.

Daniel B.

5February 2023

Easy pick up and drop off. Flexible and communicative. Thanks so much!

Molly B.

5December 2022

My husband and I and our dog had a AWESOME 11 days exploring Arizona in this van. One of the best experiences we have had traveling. The van, especially the bed is very comfortable.

1 Photo submitted by Molly B.

Tasmia K.

5November 2022

David’s answer

Thank you so much for renting with us, Tasmia! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

Marie D.

5November 2022

We had a fantastic week with the van, Dave was super accommodating and helpful with both the pick up and drop off, he made sure we knew everything we needed to and were ready for our trip.
The van was stocked with everything we needed throughout the trip, even going from the warm weather in the south to snow storms up north. The bed was comfortable and we always had enough blankets, we also made use of the heater in some of the cold mornings which was a nice addition.
We’ll be sure to rent out the van again the next time we head over that way!

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Marie! We'd love to host you again in the future.

1 Photo submitted by Marie D.

Courtney B.

5October 2022

Loved our weekend get away in the Ponderosa camper van. Had all the necessities stocked and made our trip a breeze. Owner was friendly and easy to coordinate with.

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Courtney! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

Dan K.

5October 2022

Absolutely the easiest rental I have ever done. Quick response on everything,

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Dan! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

1 Photo submitted by Dan K.

Breanna O.

5September 2022

We had such a great trip in the Ponderosa! It was equipped with all the things we needed for our 3 night 4 day adventure. Plenty room for myself my bf & our 11lb pup. This was our first van trip & will definitely do it again! Thanks Dave

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Breanna! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

2 Photos submitted by Breanna O.

Todd E.

5August 2022

Good

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Todd! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

Roxy H.

4July 2022

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Roxy! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

Michael L.

5July 2022

Ponderosa was awesome! It came stocked with everything you need for a weekend under the stars including a propane stove, propane canisters, more cooking utensils than I have in my own kitchen, chairs, a table, and COFFEE! Pick up and rip off were a breeze and communication with Waypoint was great. Would definitely book with them again.

David’s answer

Thank you so much for choosing us, Michael! We look forward to hopefully hosting you again soon.

1 Photo submitted by Michael L.

Shelby V.

5July 2022

David’s answer

Thanks so much for choosing us!

Socorro H.

1June 2022

We had many issues with this van during our trip. To be honest I really wanted to love this van. This was a trip I had been planning for over a year and decided to splurge on a camper van rental instead of using our tent. We rented the van for a total of 12 nights and was really excited about it.We finally made it to the end of the trip and were on the highway on our way home. We heard a loud thud, thud, thud on the roof of the van. We pulled over, peeked over the side of the van, and found that the solar panel had come loose. I messaged David to ask what we should do. He responded that we could take it down if we needed to. We made our way to the next rest stop and I had to climb on the roof. It was difficult because there was no ladder so I had to get boosted up. I found that the solar panel was held on mostly by tape. I cut the remaining tape off and discovered that there were a couple of screws under the tape. Which is why the panel didn't fly completely off. The screws had a strange head on them (kind of a starburst). I used various multi tool attachments to finally jimmy them off.
As I was up there I saw the most likely reason the roof had leaked. The fan was also installed partially with tape. If you look at the pictures provided of the roof you will see a lot of tape used on the roof.

David’s answer

Hi Socorro - first off, we want to apologize again for your experience. We know it's a privilege to get to play a small role in anyone's adventure and we are disappointed that we couldn't do our part. I know we had multiple offline conversations about your trip and the issues you encountered and provided you a refund as well as committed to resolving each for future renters. To address a few for your benefit as well as others who may read your review: the bed size is a traditional Full and for guests under 6' it should not require sleeping at an angle, but this is can be the reality for a campervan experience as it does not have the vehicle body width of a traditional RV. As for the space heater, we provide the most commonly used heater on the market for camping (Mr. Heater Portable Buddy - https://www.mrheater.com/portable_buddy_heater.html). You're right that there is a label on it with a warning, which is unfortunately confusing because as you can see on their website it is promoted for use in enclosed spaces, including tents, campers, workshops, etc. You will find this label or one like it on any space heater. As we discussed, it is also equipped with (affirmed on their website as well) an "Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) and accidental tip-over safety shut-off you can be sure that you will enjoy years of comfortable indoor safe heat". For those that want to be extra safe, we recommend just cracking a window or opening the roof fan for additional ventilation. This is what is commonly done with campervans and RVs. As for the roof, though I understand it may be unusual to see for someone who may not be familiar, each roof-mounted fixture is bolted on as well as sealed with silicone and industrial roof sealant tape. The tape is made for these purposes (sealing) and is commonly used in conversions in collaboration with the other elements mentioned. That being said, it's unfortunate that there was a screw that had come loose and caused the panel to be unhinged and we've taken steps to double reinforce its installation, as well as the cabinet door, so neither will be an issue for future guests. Additionally, we tested the fan with a high-pressure hose to demonstrate rain conditions but could not replicate a "leak". There is a sticker/guidance on the fan from the manufacturer indicating it must be fully closed if there is rain to prevent a leak and unfortunately we believe this was not done. Our goal is for the campervan to only be additive to your experience and never want it to be a detractor so for this we sincerely apologize again. We hope the refund and commitment to ensuring these issues don't arise in the future offer you some peace of mind. We wish you the very best!

3 Photos submitted by Socorro H.

Christine M.

5May 2022

This is long but bare with me, it'll be worth it!1) The Van: I cannot emphasize that this van is completely stocked with tons high quality amenities in impeccible condition. You could fly into Phoenix, Uber to Tempe to pick this van up, stop by the grocery store on your way out of town, and have EVERYTHING you need to live for days. If you don't own any camping gear, this is the van for you! We actually overpacked. It is very easy to drive, in town and on the Interstate, and it's small enough to fit in any parking place. Everything you need to cook and be comfortable in hot or cold weather is provided, as well as all the cleaning supplies you could ever need on the road including a handheld vacuum. The solar panel and battery came in handy because I work remote.
One thing to keep in mind if you are tall: My boyfriend is 6' and he was too tall for the bed which really became an issue. We ended up pulling our cooler flush with the bed to extend it and give him more room which worked well.2) Jason and David and whoever checked out the van to us. I forgot her name! Everyone was easy to communicate with and accomodating. I requested an earlier pickup which was granted. They let me pick it up 5.5 hours early! (9:30 instead of 3) which was super kind. The included mileage was very generous. There was a sale for Mother's Day so the price ended up being even less than I thought. They asked for honest feedback upon return, which was given, and they took it! I would recommend Waypoint to anyone looking for a van in Phoenix!

David’s answer

Thank you so much for the detailed review, Christine! It was an absolute pleasure hosting you both for your trip and appreciate your insightful feedback. It'll definitely help all future guests. Take care and look us up again for your next adventure!

Kenneth G.

5May 2022

Great experience! David and Jason were awesome to work with! They were very communicative and helpful. The process couldn’t have been smoother.