Ontario Travel Answers

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Rather a generic answer but why not phone or email your chosen hotel and ask them about the shuttle bus. My experience with near-airport hotels is that they run shuttle buses around the clock. The same with Alamo, call or mail the depot. All airport car rental drop-offs that I've used do have an out of hours key drop. A suggestion if leaving a car unchecked is to photograph the outside and the instrument panel with the keys turned on to show the condition of the car as well as the mileage and fuel level. That is some sort of safe guard against any dispute over the returned condition. I always do that but must say I've never had a dispute (yet).

Are you referring to Ontario California or the airport in Toronto, Ontario Canada?

Thank you for your replies. I mean Ontario in California, near Los Angeles and San Bernadino. Taking pictures is a very good idea, thank you.

Regarding car rentals. You would absolutely be best off returning the car the night before the car rental office closes. Regardless that if you take pictures etc. if there is any problem with that car after you drop it off if the car rental agency is closed you could end up in a nightmare. Car rental agencies are looking for any excuse to charge customers for the slight damage to their cars. You can read horror stories about this on many web sites. No matter what suggestions are made regarding dropping the car off after the agency has closed, it's YOU that will have to deal with any problems that occur after the agency has closed, so be wise and drop off the night before, even if you have to pay for a taxi from the hotel to the airport that will be minor to what can happen if you don't. If you want to see a list of hotels in the area that have airport shuttles, just go to a web site like priceline.com, choose ontario airport, click on ammenities and check shuttle, that will give you hotels in the area that do have shuttles. One that does offer 24 hour shuttle is the Fairfield Inn Ontario Airport.

You have posted in Ontario, California so you're fine. VT doesn't make it too clear which Ontario is in question. We lived down there for 20+ years and I'd suggest you return the car the night before. Stay in a hotel that has a shuttle service and you will have a much easier time in the morning. Type Ontario into the VT Search Window to go to the Travel Pages. (Be sure you choose Ontario, California or San Bernardino County). There is a list of airport hotels so find one with a shuttle service, check reviews here or on Trip Advisor and you'll be fine. We much preferred the Ontario Airport to LAX. It's cleaner, friendler and now, much more modern.

I'm sorry to hear that there is such a problem with returning cars out of office times in the USA. I have returned vehicles in many European countries out of office, hours and never had a problem. Often even when the office is manned (or womanned) the car is not checked on return, they just ask if there has been any problem, if there's any damage and if the tank is full. On the couple of occasions that I've rented in LA I have collected and returned the car at the hotel I've stayed at using the hotel shuttle from and to the airport. That saves on the airport tax as well.

We'ver returned our cars out of hours and not had problems. We just find it easier to take care of it the night before so we can sleep a tiny bit longer before the flight. We take the hotel shuttle from the rental car dropoff at the airport back to the hotel and then the next morning take the shuttle to the airport. Many car rental offices have shuttle services too. You may have to shuttle to the airport and then to the hotel. The only time I'd feel strange about leaving the car outside of hours is if we had damaged the car. Then I would want to talk to them and work it out before the flight. If there is no problem, take photos of the car that are timed and dated (check your camera's date & time) and you're fine. You really don't need the car because there is not much in the way of sightseeing around the Ontario Airport. I'd say do whatever makes you comfortable. Seems silly to pay for another day of rental just to return the car though. ;^)

Thank you, Sally and George. We're going to rent the car through the local automobil club and want to take the early bird special, that's why I have to decide now even though we won't fly until next summer. It's good to know that there is a shuttle from Alamo to the airport.

Did you check on the Alamo shuttle? We used a different rental company so I'm not sure Alamo has the shuttle. Be sure to check on it.

Thank you, Sally, for pointing this out. I've emailed the rental office. Luckily we still have lots of time until next summer, there's so much to think about when you travel with others.

Christine, If you don't get an answer right away, don't worry about it. This is our Thanksgiving weekend, a big holiday and many businesses are closed or on short staff . . . except the ones who are having huge sales. If you don't hear by Monday, e-mail again. With luck you will get an answer right away and it won't be a problem. Good luck.

I was lucky. I emailed them yesterday and had a reply this morning. There is a shuttle provided by the airport which serves all car rentals.That's good customer service.

Glad it all worked out. I hope you enjoy your trip. We always preferred the Ontario Airport over LAX. If you want to do something goofy while in the area, the Guasti Winery is just across the road from the airport and is a fun visit. It's small but picturesque and there used to be a pleasant restaurant on the grounds. Haven't been there in five years so don't know if it is still there. The winery has been there forever and should still be there. Have fun.

Thank you for the tip. I like visiting wineries, but there are several children in our group and I don't know if a visit there will be interesting for them.

Probably not much for kiddies at the winery. It's small and fun but not much else there. There is a picnic area and if the restaurant is still there, it's nice. There are winery workers' houses (I think still used) and it's fun to walk around but if I had children with me, I'd wait for another trip. They might enjoy the Ontario Mills Mall more. It's busy and loud and lots of things for kids.