Zoom Rent A Car by Stark One in Orlando was a mixed experience, and unfortunately not one I'd rush…read moreto repeat.
The location is a bit far from ORL and sits in a somewhat seedy area along the side of the road, which wasn't the most reassuring first impression. We booked through Orbitz and got a good deal as part of our trip, but it quickly became clear why the price was lower. The shuttle drivers weren't very friendly, didn't assist with luggage, yet still expected gratuity, which felt off.
Inside the office, things were just as frustrating. Despite having several employees present, there appeared to be only one counter and one person actually helping customers. Jose was his name, and he was genuinely wonderful-efficient, kind, and doing his best under pressure. At one point, he was being snapped at by another frustrated family while still trying to assist us. It was unclear why other staff members couldn't step in to help, as the check-in process took far longer than it should have. Thankfully, since most of our paperwork was completed online, Jose was able to move us through relatively quickly once it was our turn.
The vehicle itself was disappointing. Although it had supposedly been cleaned, the seats were heavily stained and didn't feel fresh at all. We chose not to request a different car due to the heat and the already long wait, which turned out to be a mistake. That same evening-after only driving from the rental facility to our hotel and then to Disney-we returned to find the check engine light on along with an error message. We attempted to contact the company by phone and email but received no response until the following evening. In the meantime, we felt uneasy but determined it was "safe enough" to drive short distances, which limited our plans.
When customer service finally responded, they informed us they were aware of the issue and that it wasn't a concern. That explanation wasn't very reassuring-if they knew about the problem, why rent the car out in the first place? We ended up minimizing our driving and returned the vehicle as soon as possible. Checkout was similarly slow and disorganized.
Overall, while the initial deal seemed appealing, the experience didn't justify the savings. Next time, I'd strongly recommend renting directly from an airport location....sometimes convenience and reliability are worth the extra cost.