Carlo V
Google
I have been going back to St John's since 2010, and have rented every single jeep from Greg (the owner) since then. Greg is amazing and so is the majority of his team. However, I am sad to say that the older woman who is front facing to the customers, should NOT be dealing with customers directly and moving forward I will be checking out some of the other Jeep rentals in the area.
My journey to St John takes 12 hours door to door. So by the time I get to Courtesy to get my Jeep, I had already been travelling 11 hours. Coming back so many times, and being exhausted travelling, my wife and I have a system where as soon as they open the Shuttle Bus door at Courtesy (there can be 2-4 groups on the shuttle), I go in directly to do the paperwork and my wife stays with my Daughter and waits for the driver to pull out our bags.
I was sitting in the second row of the shuttle, as soon as we pulled up to Courtesy, the gentleman in the 1st row opened the sliding door, he walked out first, then I walked out behind him and bee-lined it into the office (1st) and my wife stayed behind to get our bags.
The older woman yells at me as soon as I walk in! "You can't open the shuttle door, you have to wait for the driver to open it." I kindly tell her that I did not open the door, the person in the front row opened it, I just walked out and came directly in here to get the paperwork done. She then yells at me "well you are supposed to wait for your bags." I tell her, my wife is waiting for the bags.
Then, I know the routine on the way back to return the jeep and I am always very respectful and try my best to get any sand out of the jeep, as should all people who rent jeeps on the island. I spent an hour, pulling out all the floor mats, banging them all out. Yes, there is still a little residual sand here and there, but without a vacuum, it is 90% there! The only spot I could not get clean was the cup holders, which had some sand from my Yeti's we brought to the beach (certainly easier to vacuum for Courtesy than a floor mat).
Again, we have a system, I drop my wife and daughter at the ferry with our bags (saves Courtesy a shuttle bus trip), I drive the jeep back to their office, she finds my paperwork, goes outside, starts the jeep, inspects it and starts giving me a hard time that "the emergency brake is full of sand!" I am surprised and say really!?! I walk over to check and yes, there was a small dusting of sand that made it onto the emergency brake lever. I say I am so sorry, I am not sure how it got up there, maybe my cups, and she cuts me off and starts to accuse me by saying "what are you putting your feet up there". Now... I am in my late 40's. I kindly & jokingly tell her, no way...I am not flexible the way I was in my 20's. I can barely get my foot higher than 1.5 feet high. That I have been renting Jeeps from Courtesy for close to 10 years, and have always been very respectful... She lets me go and tells me I am all set. I leave upset and walk down to the Ferry to continue my 12 hour Journey back home.
Courtesy use to be about the customer. Greg is amazing, and so is most of his team. They used to be so friendly and helpful. After the 12 hour journey, you finally get your jeep, and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
This older woman working the desk essentially ruins the 1st day and the last day on the island for us. I am already paying $1600+ for 2 weeks of a jeep rental, I don't need to be belittled and treated like an ignorant tourist. That is not me nor my family. My daughter is taught in school that you should treat people the way you want to be treated... I have always treated Courtesy with respect and treated their vehicles like they were my own, but with it being such an effort to make it on the island, and paying so much for EVERYTHING now, I don't need to be treated like this. I'd rather pay more and be welcomed on the island and welcomed back, than be attacked. This will likely be my last Courtesy Jeep rental.
