Car rental · Greece · File no. 018
Rent a car in Rhodes without getting played
Deposits found per agency (platforms and customer reviews)
Amounts cross-checked between booking platforms and dozens of customer reviews, not just the advertised figures.
| Agency | Indicative price /day | Deposit blocked | Excess | Counter insurance | Verdict | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loueur local via Localrent + rachat zéro franchiseTake the excess waiver (Super CDW) online to bring the excess to zero. A low hold (around 290 € on an economy car) may stay blocked and is released at return. A true zero deposit is not guaranteed in Rhodes, confirm on the contract. | 20-45 €/day | 290 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | ✓ My pick | Book |
| Comptoir aéroport, grande enseigneHold from 290 € (economy) to 1,000 € (premium), excess from 1,000 to 2,500 € and up. Observed ranges. Buy the waiver online, refuse it at the counter. | 25-50 €/day | 1,000 € | 1,500 € | Super CDW 26-39 €/day at the counter (9 €/day online) | · | |
| Marques inconnues à bas prix et brokersTripAdvisor reviews describe invented damage at return, a 500 € deposit not refunded and cash payment demanded on the spot. Unbeatable headline price, nasty surprise at return. | n.c. | Varies | Varies | Vague “all inclusive”, sold under pressure | ✗ Avoid |
⏲ Figures collected on 21 June 2026
Average market prices for an economy car (low season to high season), indicative only: they vary with the season, the model and how early you book. This is not the price paid, just a benchmark to compare.
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The big-chain option: DiscoverCars, waiver bought online
If you prefer a big chain, go through DiscoverCars and buy the excess waiver ONLINE (around 9 €/day), far cheaper than the 26 to 39 €/day charged at the counter. Note: the deposit hold stays blocked on the card (from 290 € on an economy car up to 1,000 € on premium), the online cover reimburses but does not remove the hold.
Do you actually need a car in Rhodes?
Essential as soon as you leave Rhodes town. The island is large and the major sites (Lindos, Prasonisi, the Valley of the Butterflies, the west coast) are poorly served by buses. Without a car you depend on organised tours.
When NOT to rent here
If you stay in Rhodes Old Town (medieval, pedestrian): everything is on foot and cars are banned there. Rent for Lindos, Prasonisi, the Valley of the Butterflies and the west coast, poorly served by buses.
Where you pick up the car
→ Desk right at RHO airport
- 01At Rhodes airport (RHO), the desks are in the arrivals hall, on the left as you leave baggage claim, with the big chains present.
- 02Some local agencies do a meet & greet or a shuttle to a nearby car park (car about 250 m away, Gate B).
- 03Get a signed condition report and film every side before leaving: the damage “found” at return is the dominant scam here.
The fuel trap
Norm in Rhodes: full-to-full. You leave with a full tank and return it full, without paying for fuel you did not use. Avoid the prepaid formulas returned empty. Photograph the gauge at the start.
At the counter: what they will push
To refuse politely
- The counter excess waiver at 26-39 €/day if you already bought it online at around 9 €/day.
- Any “all inclusive” insurance sold verbally, with no written detail of the excess.
To insist on
- The written detail of the excess and exactly what the waiver covers.
- A signed condition report and a video of every side before departure.
What my analysis reveals
I have not yet rented a car in Rhodes myself: this page is an analysis, not a field report. It cross-checks DiscoverCars and TripAdvisor reviews, forums and the platform pages.
The dominant trap in Rhodes is the “all inclusive” insurance that is not: they sell you cover, then at return a disputed damage (often 350 to 530 €) is billed, or the deposit (around 500 €) is held for weeks. Several travellers only got their money back by disputing the charge with their bank.
The fix: buy the excess waiver ONLINE (around 9 €/day) instead of at the counter (26 to 39 €/day), film the car at pickup and return, and avoid the unknown ultra-cheap brands. Be clear-eyed: a true zero deposit is not guaranteed in Rhodes, expect a hold, low with locals (around 290 €), much higher with the big chains.
The anxious questions (the real ones)
+Can you rent without a deposit in Rhodes?
A true zero deposit is not guaranteed in Rhodes: expect a hold, low with local agencies (around 290 € for an economy car), much higher with the big chains. Take the excess waiver online to bring the excess to zero, and confirm the terms on the contract.
+What is the most common scam in Rhodes?
The “all inclusive” insurance that is not, then a disputed damage billed at return (350 to 530 €) or a deposit held for weeks. Buy the waiver online, film the car at pickup and return, and dispute any unjustified charge with your bank.
+Do you need a car in Rhodes?
Essential to see the island (Lindos, Prasonisi, the Valley of the Butterflies, the west coast), poorly served by buses. In Rhodes Old Town, though, everything is on foot.
An agency that is not in this table?
Thinking of booking elsewhere and wondering if it is safe? Give me the agency name and the city: I will tell you straight what I know, and add it to the file if it earns its place.
Ask me what I think