There are some parts of travel that you expect to become part of the story—the beautiful destinations, the meals you remember, the places that take your breath away. And then sometimes, there are the completely unexpected parts that become some of your favorite memories. For Mom and me on our recent trip to Oregon, one of those unexpected joys was our rental car.
First Time Renting With Alamo
This was actually my first experience renting with Alamo Rent A Car, and I originally chose them for a very practical reason: the price point was amazing. When I was comparing rental car options for our time in Oregon, Alamo offered an incredibly competitive rate, and the online booking process was refreshingly simple. Travel already comes with a million little details to coordinate, so anytime something is straightforward and easy, I appreciate it. What I didn't expect was how wonderful the experience would continue to be once we arrived.
The Most Fun Surprise
When we picked up our vehicle, the woman helping us was SO kind—I was greeted with a genuine warm welcome to Portland and she sweetly asked all about our travels before any type of business. She was truly excited we were both in Portland and then she unexpectedly received gifted us an upgrade to a Jeep Wrangler 4xe!
Y'all. Mom and I had so much fun with this car. We drove it throughout our adventures around Portland and all the way up toward beautiful Mt. Hood, and somehow the Jeep just fit the adventure perfectly. We received so many comments about it everywhere we went, which made us giggle and we truly just loved the fun added bonus to our adventure.
For me, there was another layer to it also. I owned a Jeep ("proey") for about a year before it needed a lot of work that I couldn't afford and eventually needing to sell it as Mom and I worked toward purchasing a new used car that we could share. Getting behind the wheel of a Jeep again brought back so many wonderful memories that I hadn't expected. Sometimes it really is the smallest, most ordinary things that become part of the memory of a trip.
The Customer Service Made the Difference
As much as we loved the Jeep, what impressed me most about our first Alamo experience was actually the people. From the kindness we experienced when picking up the vehicle to the incredibly easy return process, everything was simple.
Toward the end of our rental, Mom and I ended up needing the car for a few additional hours. It was one of those travel situations where having that extra time made things significantly easier for us. The wonderful people at Alamo accommodated us—and we weren't even charged for those additional hours.
That kind of kindness matters.
There are plenty of companies that can rent you a car. What makes you remember a company is how you're treated when you're standing at the counter, when plans shift slightly, or when you simply need someone to make one part of traveling easier. Alamo did exactly that for us.
Would I Rent From Alamo Again?
Absolutely. This was my first Alamo rental, but after this experience, they will be one of the first companies I check when booking future trips. The price was excellent. Booking online was easy. Our upgrade was an unexpected gift. The employees we encountered were incredibly kind. Returning the vehicle couldn't have been simpler. And somewhere between Portland and Mt. Hood, that Jeep became part of the story of our Oregon adventure.
I always want to be very clear when something I share is sponsored versus something I simply discovered and loved. This is NOT sponsored. Alamo did not ask me to write this post, compensate me for it, or know that I was going to share our experience. Sometimes you simply encounter a company while traveling that exceeds your expectations—and when that happens, I think it's worth saying so.
Alamo, you turned a first-time customer into someone who will absolutely be checking your rates first on future adventures. Thank you for the kindness, the incredibly easy experience, and an unexpected Jeep upgrade that gave Mom and me more laughs and memories than you could possibly know. From one very happy first-time customer: we can't recommend our experience enough.
This post is not sponsored or affiliated with Alamo Rent A Car in any way. We paid for our rental ourselves, and I simply wanted to share an experience that genuinely impressed us.
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