Car Hire
in Whistler

Hola Car Rentals is a premium partner of the leading car hire companies in Whistler, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes extra benefits that no other company can match:

• Full vehicle coverage with no excess (applies only to certain rates and itineraries)
• Toll cashback: get back up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls charged during your hire
• Premium travel medical assistance for up to 5 passengers in case of emergency, covering up to CAD 200,000 (pre-existing conditions excluded)
• No Extra Charges© guarantee: if the counter charges you for something not listed on your confirmation and not an optional add-on you accepted, Hola Car Rentals will work to remove or reimburse the charge after verification

All at no additional cost, ensuring a unique hire experience with complete protection and peace of mind during your trip in Whistler.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Whistler are clearly shown at the time of reservation and in your confirmation email, so you know exactly what you are paying before you arrive at the counter.

On top of that, every Hola Car Rentals booking includes the No Extra Charges© guarantee. This is a pricing guarantee (not insurance) that protects you if the counter in Whistler charges you for something that was not listed on your confirmation and was not an optional add-on you accepted. If that happens, Hola Car Rentals will work with the hire partner to remove or reimburse the charge after verification.

The only costs outside this guarantee are:

• Optional add-ons you choose at the counter (GPS, child seats, prepaid fuel)
• Usage-based charges (tolls, fuel shortfall, traffic fines)

Whistler has no on-site hire counters at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Instead, you collect your vehicle directly at a Whistler hire location after travelling from YVR by shuttle or other transfer.

The main pickup point for most partner brands in Whistler is Cascade Lodge, located at 4315 Northlands Boulevard, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0. Additional Whistler locations include 195 Pemberton Avenue and 1120 Commercial Place, depending on the brand shown on your booking confirmation.

Typical counter hours at Cascade Lodge run approximately 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Hours at other Whistler locations vary:

• 1120 Commercial Place: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Sunday closed
• 195 Pemberton Avenue: Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Plan your arrival in Whistler to fall within counter operating hours, as no confirmed after-hours pickup option is specified at these locations. Always verify hours on your booking confirmation, as they can change on holidays.

There are no hire car counters at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) for Whistler-based hires. To collect your vehicle in Whistler, you must first travel from YVR to Whistler, a journey of approximately 121 km along Highway 99 (the Sea to Sky Highway).

The most common option is a shuttle bus or coach service that runs directly from YVR to Whistler. Many shuttle operators offer flight tracking and door-to-door service to hotels and hire locations such as Cascade Lodge at 4315 Northlands Boulevard.

• Total travel time from YVR arrival to Whistler is typically 2 to 3 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions on Highway 99
• Allow an additional 15 to 30 minutes for counter processing at the Whistler pickup location
• Shuttles depart from the YVR arrivals area; confirm your shuttle booking in advance, especially during peak ski season

Once you arrive in Whistler, proceed to the hire counter shown on your booking confirmation with your driver’s licence, passport, and a major credit card in the main driver’s name.

Yes, winter tyres are mandatory on Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway that connects Vancouver to Whistler, from 1 October through 31 March each year.

Tyres must display either the three-peaked mountain snowflake symbol or the M+S (mud and snow) designation, and must have a minimum tread depth of 3.5 mm. This requirement is stricter than many other British Columbia highways and applies to all vehicles, including hire cars.

• Hire vehicles from partner brands in Whistler are typically equipped with compliant winter tyres during the mandatory season, but confirm this at the counter when you collect your car
• Driving on Highway 99 without compliant tyres during the mandatory period can result in fines and may affect your cover under the hire agreement
• Snow clearing on Highway 99 prioritises transit routes first, so allow extra time for your drive to or from Whistler during and after snowfall

If you are collecting your hire in Whistler outside the mandatory season, standard all-season tyres are generally acceptable, but mountain conditions can change quickly. Always check DriveBC for current road conditions before driving Highway 99.

Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler, is toll-free. Most roads in British Columbia are toll-free, and there are no congestion charges or emissions zone fees anywhere in the province.

The only tolled crossing in the Vancouver area is the Port Mann Bridge, which uses cashless, plate-based billing. If your route from YVR to Whistler takes you across the Port Mann Bridge, the toll is captured by a camera and billed to the hire company, which then charges it to your credit card along with an administrative processing fee.

• There is no cash payment option at the Port Mann Bridge
• Some partner brands offer optional toll programmes such as TollPass or PlatePass, which charge a daily convenience fee (typically US$3.95 to US$4.95 per day, capped at approximately US$30 per hire) to handle toll billing automatically
• If you do not enrol in a toll programme, the hire company will bill you for the toll amount plus an administrative fee, often weeks after your hire ends

All bookings include Tolls Cashback, which lets you recover up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Whistler hire. See FAQ below for details on how to claim.

To collect a hire car in Whistler, you must present the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid, original driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, in the main driver’s name, for the authorisation hold
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or travel tickets (required for visitors from outside Canada)

If your driver’s licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory in Canada. For licences in other non-English scripts or languages, an IDP is strongly recommended even if not strictly required.

The IDP is a translation document only and must be carried alongside your original licence. It is not accepted on its own. Obtain your IDP in your home country before travelling to Whistler, as it cannot be issued abroad.

All documents must be physical originals. Digital or scanned copies are not accepted at the Whistler hire counter.

Yes, a major credit card in the main driver’s name with the driver’s name printed on the card is required to hire a car in Whistler. Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted for the authorisation hold.

At collection, the Whistler hire counter will place a temporary authorisation hold on your credit card. For hires in Canada, this hold is typically GBP 300 to GBP 500, though some locations may hold up to approximately GBP 750 depending on the vehicle class and hire company.

• The hold reduces your available credit until the hire is closed and your bank releases it, which can take up to 15 working days after vehicle return
• The card must be physically present at the counter; virtual cards and digital wallets are not accepted for the deposit
• Even if you prepaid your booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at the Whistler counter
• Bring a backup credit card in your name in case your primary card is declined

Notify your bank of your travel plans before arriving in Whistler to prevent fraud blocks on in-person authorisations.

Yes, all bookings include Tolls Cashback, which reimburses you up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Whistler hire period.

While Highway 99 to Whistler is toll-free, you may encounter the Port Mann Bridge toll if your route passes through the Vancouver area, or other tolled crossings depending on where you drive during your hire.

To claim your Tolls Cashback after your Whistler hire:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning the vehicle
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback, followed by your reservation confirmation number
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the signed hire agreement from the Whistler counter, and a receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid

The refund is calculated as the lesser of the actual tolls paid or 5% of your booking total. For example, if your booking total is US$600, the maximum cashback is US$30. If you paid US$18 in tolls, you receive US$18 back. Refunds are issued to the original payment method within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Late submissions received after 30 days are not accepted.

Speed limits in Whistler vary depending on where you are driving, and they are strictly enforced given the high volume of pedestrians, cyclists, and outdoor users in the area.

• Municipal roads within Whistler village are capped at 30 km/h; some private or strata roads within resort areas may have even lower limits
• Highway 99 (Sea to Sky Highway) through key resort stretches runs at 80 km/h, though sections near Nordic have a reduced limit of 60 km/h
• The 80 km/h sections include hilly and curved stretches where visibility for left turns can be as short as 4 seconds, so drive with extra caution

Whistler is described as an active community, meaning pedestrians, runners, cyclists, and skateboarders share roads throughout the village. The 30 km/h municipal limit reflects this and requires constant attention, especially near schools and recreational areas.

If you are driving Highway 99 south towards Vancouver from Whistler, be aware that the road is a two-lane winding highway for most of its 121 km length. Northbound morning traffic and southbound evening traffic can create significant congestion, particularly on peak ski weekends. Always check DriveBC for current conditions before your Whistler drive.

Return your hire car in Whistler at the same location shown on your hire agreement, which for most partner brands is Cascade Lodge at 4315 Northlands Boulevard, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0. Drop off the vehicle at the Cascade Lodge lobby during counter operating hours.

The standard fuel policy is Full to Full, meaning you receive the car with a full tank and must return it full to avoid refuelling charges and service fees from the hire company, which are typically higher than retail pump prices.

The nearest fuel station to the Whistler hire return point is the Co-op at Whistler Creekside, located approximately 7 km south of Whistler Village:

• Drive south on Highway 99 towards Creekside
• Turn left at the Creekside traffic lights to reach the Co-op station
• Fill the tank there before continuing back to Cascade Lodge for drop-off

Keep your fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address. Take a photo of the full gauge on the dashboard before leaving the station. For after-hours returns, leave the receipt in the key envelope and retain a photo of the gauge for your records in case a fuel charge is disputed.

Yes, one-way hires between Vancouver and Whistler are generally available, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on the partner brand, vehicle class, dates, and the specific pickup and return locations you select.

When booking a one-way hire, the drop-off fee will be shown during the booking process under the section labelled as charges due at the destination. It will not appear on the results page but will be visible on the rate details page before you confirm. Review your hire confirmation to verify the fee before collection.

• The drop-off fee is a one-time repositioning charge set by the hire partner and is separate from fuel, tolls, and taxes
• It cannot be prepaid and is paid at the counter in Whistler or Vancouver, depending on the route direction
• Changing your return location after booking may reprice the hire and recalculate or add a drop-off fee

If the counter charges a drop-off fee that differs from what your confirmation shows, keep all paperwork and contact support after the hire is complete. The No Extra Charges© guarantee covers undisclosed counter charges that were not shown on your confirmation.

Yes, most bookings include travel assistance cover provided by Terrawind Global Protection, which can be especially useful given that Whistler is a mountain resort destination accessed via a winding 121 km highway with limited services along the route.

Cover typically includes:

• Travel insurance with medical cover for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident on Highway 99 or within Whistler
• Compensation for baggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

If you need assistance during your Whistler hire, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week before incurring expenses, as some reimbursements require prior authorisation:

• Phone (toll-free or collect): +1 888 980 9992
• WhatsApp: +1 208 910 1001
• Email: [email protected]

Have your full name and Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call. This cover applies to non-North American customers only. Canadian and US residents do not qualify for this benefit. Check your booking confirmation for the exact terms and cover limits that apply to your Whistler hire.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Whistler hire, either as part of your rate if it is included, or by paying a fee at the counter if it is not.

Check your booking confirmation for the line that reads additional driver free of charge. If it appears, the first additional driver is covered at no extra cost. If it does not appear, a daily fee applies at the Whistler counter:

• Avis, Budget, and Payless: approximately US$13 per day plus taxes, capped at US$65 plus taxes
• Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar: approximately US$13.50 per day plus taxes, capped at US$189 plus taxes
• Alamo, National, and Enterprise: approximately US$15 per day plus taxes

The additional driver must be present at the Whistler pickup counter with their own valid driver’s licence and any required documents, including an IDP if their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet. Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement.

Only drivers listed on the hire agreement are covered by protections such as CDW/LDW and liability cover. Do not allow anyone not named on the contract to drive the vehicle during your Whistler hire.

For a hire car in Whistler, two main types of cover are worth understanding before you collect your vehicle.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) reduces your financial liability for damage to the hire car itself, including collision, theft, and vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero deductible. CDW/LDW does not cover damage you cause to other vehicles or people.

Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI) covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others while driving. In Canada, provincial law requires every vehicle to carry third-party liability, so a statutory minimum is included by default when you hire in Whistler. You can purchase higher supplementary limits if you want additional protection.

• CDW/LDW covers the hire vehicle; LIS/ALI/SLI covers others
• Neither covers your personal belongings (Personal Effects Cover) or your own injuries (Personal Accident Insurance)
• Cover applies only to drivers listed on the hire agreement, so add all additional drivers at the Whistler counter
• Driving off permitted roads or in restricted areas can void your cover

Review your booking confirmation to confirm which covers are included in your Whistler rate before arriving at the counter.