Since 2007, Leisure Car Rental, a local rental company owned and managed by Jimmy Fitzpatrick, is focused on customer satisfaction over price point, and has built a loyal following through the years.
Leisure’s friendly staff look beyond the standard paperwork and formalities to take their customer’s needs into account — throughout the entire rental process.
With their recent introduction of Comprehensive Zero Deductible insurance coverage, customers never have to worry about dents, dings, a lost key — even a potential stolen car. It’s all covered under one policy. Ease of booking, affordable rental rates, and an ample fleet are points we consider when booking a rental car, and with that in mind, we rented a car during our stay on SXM.
Getting from our favourite snorkel spots to restaurants, cafés, and supermarkets – from St. Maarten to Saint Martin – and all locations in between, we were looking for a mid-size car to get us around in style and comfort.
We drove around in a zippy white Hyundai i20 hatchback, which included VIP pick-up from Princess Juliana Airport. Having a Leisure representative waiting with our name on a sign in hand as we exited baggage claim was much appreciated after a long night and morning of flying over from Vancouver!
The car was easy to handle on the island’s often narrow, occasionally weathered roads. A smart feature of the i20: When the rear camera is engaged, music volume is automatically lowered to focus on getting out of a parking space or backing up.
[Five minutes from Leisure Car Rental is Maho Beach for bucket-list-worthy plane-spotting!]
Pro tip: If you’re not accustomed to driving an SUV or larger vehicle, stick with a compact or mid-size model for ease in parking and navigating sudden traffic jams, particularly around capital cities Marigot and Philipsburg.
Via Leisure Rental’s website, you can rent a variety of cars ranging in price, from economy and compact to premium SUV models, all with free unlimited mileage. Their booking system is straightforward, and shows the type of car, seating capacity, number of doors, baggage space, and occasionally a tip about the particular model being considered for rental.
Leisure Car Rental is located at 130 Airport Road, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten. Visit them online for details, offers, and reservations. They offer free 24-hour roadside service too.
We partnered with Leisure Car Rental for the purpose of experiencing their rental car service while in SXM. Opinions, as always, remain our own.
