Indigo Car Hire > Blog > scotland

Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Book Your Holiday in September

August 23, 2017 Travel Advice Comments Off on Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Book Your Holiday in September
Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Book Your Holiday in September

We know that for most people in the northern hemisphere, September means tucking away the suitcases for another year as school and work beckon you back to daily routines. If you can possibly manage it though, autumn is the best time of the year to travel. Here are ten reasons why you should book your holiday in September.

#1 Shorter Line-Ups
Regardless of which tourist attraction you’d like to visit, September promises much shorter line-ups. You’ll get to see the Van Gogh museum without queuing for hours in the hot sun, and there won’t be ten other people standing between you and the sunflowers.

#2 Selection
You’ll probably be able to stay in the accommodation of your choice without worrying about overbooking or getting the room beside the kitchen. If you’re hiring a car, you’ll have a full selection of compacts, SUVs and premium vehicles.

#3 Price
Almost everything is going to be less expensive. Accommodations, car hire companies, and excursion outfits all lower their prices in the shoulder season when the bulk of the tourists have gone home.

#4 Back to Business
Many smaller business owners in Europe take their holidays in August. By the time September rolls around, everyone’s back to work. All the little boutiques and restaurants will be open, and many of them will be offering great deals.

#5 Special Events
In order to extend the tourist season, many popular destinations hold special events and festivals in September. Scotland has a national “open house” where you can visit places not normally accessible to the public. Barcelona has its fiesta, and Bonn hosts a Beethoven festival. They’re literally everywhere.

#6 No Kids
We seem to love our own, but other people’s – not so much. The kids are back in school, so you can holiday in September throughout North America and Europe pretty much child-free.

#7 The Heat is Off
Asia has cooled down considerably by September, so China and Japan welcome you to a lovely climate where you can visit world-renown attractions without the crowds.

#8 Unique September Activities
There are some things on your bucket list that can only be done in September. Maybe its spring skiing in New-Zealand, or going on safari in Africa when the animals are most plentiful. It’s amazing how many unique things can only be seen or done if you book your holiday in September.

#9 You’ll Find a Spot on the Beach
The fabled beaches of the Mediterranean are just as warm, scenic and plentiful in September – but if you go in autumn, you might actually find the perfect empty place to spread your towel.

#10 September is Glorious All Over the World
The southern hemisphere is shaking off winter and emerging to spring flowers and warmer weather. The northern hemisphere is leaving behind the heat and humidity of summer and enjoying balmy days and cooler nights. Really, its going to be lovely, no matter where you go.

Remember that if you book your holiday in September, your money is going to stretch a lot further than in the peak summer months. Treat yourself to a room with a view or hire the convertible you always wanted to try. In September, anything’s possible.

Read more

Newsflash Indigo Offers Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland

April 27, 2015 Newsflash Comments Off on Newsflash Indigo Offers Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland
Newsflash Indigo Offers Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland

Newsflash Indigo Offers Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland

Starting from 1 of May we are offering Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport. Until now, car rental without a credit card at Aberdeen Airport was not possible due to many insurance restrictions.

However, recently we teamed up with an important car rental supplier and we arranged some amazing deals for you.
Not only that we are accepting debit cards but our deal has some unique features:

Among the debit cards accepted are also: Solo cards, Switch cards, Cirrus cards, Post Pay cards and many others. If you cant find your card type on this page, please call us directly and one of our reservation agents will check whether its accepted or not.

Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport has never been easier now, you simply contact Indigo Car Hire, explain your requirements and we will find you the right supplier for you. We’ll do all the leg work!

Aberdeen International Airport is an important travel hub in the area. The airport is located 5 miles away from the city centre and it operates both scheduled and charter flights.

The main condition for this amazing deal is that you must fly to the Aberdeen Airport and you also must present the return ticket at the car rental desk.
You will also have to pay a deposit, which will be returned after you will return the car without any damage.

Other Car hire Offers at Aberdeen Airport

Nicknamed “The Granite City”, Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland. Hosting a wide range of cultural activities and cultural attractions, Aberdeen is an important tourist destination in Scotland.
Aberdeen is also a major financial centre being in the top most liveable city in the UK.

For more information about Car Hire With Debit Card at Aberdeen Airport, or in any location in UK, please contact us over the phone on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or via email on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk

Read more

New location for the Car Hire Office at Inverness Train Station

March 2, 2015 UK Comments Off on New location for the Car Hire Office at Inverness Train Station
New location for the Car Hire Office at Inverness Train Station

New location for the Car Hire Office at Inverness Train Station

We happily announce that we have a new location for the Car Hire Office at Inverness Train Station.
Our partner’s car hire office in Inverness Train Station was relocated and now is just a stone’s throw away.
The new office is located only 300 meters outside of the train station which makes it very easy to reach.

Our supplier on this location offers also another great feature, which is: key drop boxes. That means you can drop your vehicle even when the office is closed.

Inverness is the gateway to the Highlands and is regarded as the the capital of the Highlands of Scotland.
Inverness Train Station is the last train station along the Highland main line connecting the South of Scotland with the North.

Inverness Train Station Car Hire Deals

Hiring a car at Inverness Train Station tends to be a very popular choice for the tourists who want to travel towards the the Highlands of Scotland.

Because we work with a number of different car hire companies in Inverness, we are confident we will be able to find the right vehicle for you.

Whether you are only making a short journey and need a small economy car or planning on going on a driving holiday and tour of the stunning North of Scotland and need something more substantial like a large saloon car or even people carrier, we have the best choices.

So here are our best Inverness Train Station Car Hire Deals:

  • Debit Card Car Hire Inverness Train Station
  • Free One Way Car Hire Inverness Train Station
  • Low Deposit Car Hire Inverness Train Station
  • Young Driver Car Hire Inverness Train Station

For more information about Inverness Train Station Car Hire, or in any location in Inverness, please contact us over the phone on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or via email on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk

Read more

News Flash Severe weather warnings all over UK

January 29, 2015 Newsflash Comments Off on News Flash Severe weather warnings all over UK
News Flash Severe weather warning all over UK

News Flash Severe weather warnings all over UK

The blizzard which hit the USA east coast earlier this week and caused serious problems in New York, Boston and New Jersey, now moved to UK.

Severe weather warnings were issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland and today in England. The meteorologists predicted between 5 and 15 cm of snow in the north side of England.

bullet13:45 UPDATE Manchester Airport activity is back to normal but flights are subject to delays.

bullet12:15 UPDATEManchester Airport is still closed at the moment and the snow is cleared from the runways.

bullet11:45 ROADS UPDATE

  • Queueing traffic due to snow on M56 in both directions between J7 A556 (Bowdon) and J1 M60
  • Queueing traffic due to snow on M60 in both directions between J25 A560 / A6017 (Bredbury) and J7 A56 (Stretford)
  • Very slow traffic due to earlier broken down vehicle on M62 Westbound between J23 A640 / A643 (Huddersfield) and J22 A672 (Rishworth Moor), congestion on M62 to J25 A644 (Brighouse)
  • M62 Westbound exit slip road closed due to accident and recovery work at J21 A640 (Milnrow)
  • A57 Snake Pass in both directions closed due to snow between Hurst Road (Royal Oak Inn, Glossop) and A6013 (Ladybower Reservoir)
  • A624 closed due to snow between A57 High Street West / B6105 Norfolk Street and A6016 Turnlee Road
  • A628 Woodhead Pass closed due to snow between A616 (Flouch roundabout) and A57 Woolley Lane / A57 Mottram Moor / Wedneshough (Gun Inn Traffic Lights)
  • A635 Holmfirth To Greenfield Road closed due to snow between A6024 Woodhead Road (Holmfirth) and A669 Chew Valley Road (Greenfield)

bullet11:30 UPDATEA6 London Road is being blocked by two lorries in Hazel Grove, Stockport. people are abandoning their cars.

bullet11:00 UPDATE The driving conditions are very difficult in Mottram / Broadbottom due to heavily snowing.

bullet10:45 UPDATE North West motorway: the worst affected area from snow on the M60 is junction 25 up to junction 7

bullet10:00 UPDATECurrently heavy snow started to fall in Manchester area in: Oldham, Tameside, Stockport and Manchester City.

bullet11:00 UPDATE Due to the snow fall, the flights were being stopped from landing and taking off on Manchester Airport and many bus services were cancelled.

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said:

We have currently suspended all departures and arrivals for a short period of time, whilst we are in the process of clearing both runways of snow so we can resume operations as quickly as possible.
The safety and security of all of our passengers is of paramount importance and we ask for them to come to the airport as normal but to check with their airline for any further update.

bullet09:45 UPDATE Rail network mentioned that the snow is causing problems between Manchester and York.

bullet09:45 UPDATE There is also a disruption on Northern Rail services between Buxton and Hazel Grove due to the snow.

We all know that driving in winter can be dangerous and there are a lot of things we can do to make sure we are doing it as safely as possible. Check our winter driving tips here:

Top 5 Essential Items For Winter Driving
Winter Condition Driving In Europe
Best Cars For Winter Driving p.1
Best Cars For Winter Driving p.2

For any information about Car Rental in any location in UK, please contact us over the phone on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or via email on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk

Read more

Glasgow Commonwealth Games

July 10, 2014 Scotland, UK Comments Off on Glasgow Commonwealth Games

There is no better time to visit this historic city.

The 2014 Commonwealth games will begin in Glasgow on the 23rd of July and continue until the 3rd of August. The motto of the games is “PEOPLE, PLACE, PASSION” . If you are planning to go along to watch you may well be flying into Glasgow airport. At Indigo, as well as meeting your standadrd car hire needs, we can also offer a unique meet and greet service from that airport, perfect especially if you are inviting clients and offering any type of corporate hospitality to visiting VIPs and want to make a good impression.

Celtic Park, located in the East End of Glasgow, will hold the opening ceremony, whereas Hampden Park, on the South Side and Scotlands national football stadium, will be the site of the close. The games will see 17 sports played over 11 days by athletes from 71 countries and territories. It will be Scotlands biggest ever multi-sport event and will have more events and Para sport medals than any other Commonwealth games.

The events are:

glasgow commonwealth games

  • Aquatics
  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Boxing
  • Cycling
  • Gymnastics
  • Hockey
  • Judo
  • Lawn Bowls
  • Netball
  • Rugby Sevens
  • Shooting
  • Squash
  • Table Tennis
  • Triathalon
  • Weightlifting
  • Wrestling

There will be 13 venues in total, and besides the opprtunity to watch some world class sport, why not hire a car and also explore Glasgow, which is the largest City in Scotland and the third largest in the United Kingdom.

A historic city, Glasgow is well known for the football rivalry between Celtic and Rangers. It is also a city with many amenities for cultural activities, curling, opera, ballet and art, having a large selection of museums. In 1990, Glasgow was designated European City of Culture. If your tastes are cultural the Kelvingrove Art Museum is a must as is the Victorian Necropolis, Glasgow´s Victorian City of the Dead. Other places of interest are the Peoples Palace and Winter Gardens, the Merchant City, The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and the Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel.

It is also the Gateway to the Highlands and the Islands of Scotland. If you have rented a car, you will be able to explore the breathtaking scenery that Scotland has to offer, and maybe even get a glimpse of Nessie at Loch Ness or visit the beautiful Glencoe Valley, with its dramatic cliff faces and steep slopes. Glencoe is especially haunting for its treacherous history of the slaughter of the MacDonald Clan by the English. Fort William, Ben Nevis, and Loch Lomond are all also in day trip distance of this vibrant City.

Glasgow is also renowned for its music scene, having many live music venues, pubs and clubs. It is said to have the most talked-about independent music scene outside the USA. Comedy clubs are also prevalent, many famous comedians started their career in front of tough Glaswegian audiences and went on to become famous over the border too. Billy Connolly, Frankie Boyle, Kevin Bridges, Elaine C Smith and Janey Godley.

Glasgow is a great city to visit and the Commonwealth Games fortnight makes it even more attractive. If you are interested in hiring a car in Glasgow at any time or take advantage of out unique meet and greet service from Glasgow airport then our reservation agents will be happy to assist you. Contact us directly by calling +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk and we will get right back to you.

Read more

Top 10 Public Golf Courses In Scotland

July 10, 2014 Scotland Comments Off on Top 10 Public Golf Courses In Scotland

As the Scottish Open kicks in to gear at Royal Aberdeen I thought I would run through some of the best golf courses in Scotland that are open to the public. I havent personally played all of them but hope that one day I can say I have. The below information is based on what I have heard and read about playing golf in Scotland.

If you are planning a trip to Scotland to play some of these beautiful courses then please do get in touch regarding your vehicle hire needs, we have lots of availability of vehicles to accommodate larger groups with luggage and clubs. We have a wide range of vehicles fit for purpose for any size group these include:

1. St. Andrews (Old Course), Fife

Nowhere else in the world can you walk in the spike marks of every legendary figure to have played the game. Augusta National is rightfully hallowed, but Bobby Jones himself said that if he had to play only one course for the rest of his days he’d grow old on the Old Course.

2. Royal Dornoch, Dornoch

Dornoch was formed in 1877 and has been a Royal club for more than 100 years. The course is not close to major population centers and has never hosted a major tournament, but it has been the site of the Northern Open, the Scottish Ladies and the Scottish Professional Championships.

3. Turnberry (Ailsa), Turnberry

If Turnberry’s Ailsa course lacks the natural ripples and chaotic contours of other British Open rotation links, it’s easy to understand why: During World War II, 18-inch-thick concrete was poured over parts of the layout for use as runways.

4. Carnoustie (Championship), Angus

The course’s primary defense ‘the wind’ is wildly unpredictable. From one day to the next, the gales can turn, morphing an eminently playable hole into a nightmare. ‘Tis nae wind, nae golf, the Scots like to say. That’s seldom a concern at Carnoustie, where ’tis always wind.

5. Royal Troon (Old), Troon

Host of eight British Opens, Troon plays through brambles, gorse and broken sand hills. The most famous hole on the links is the “Postage Stamp,” so named because the 123-yard par 3’s green is so small. The front nine plays along the beach and then the course turns inland on the back nine.

6. Kingsbarns, Kingsbarns

Kingsbarns was built by American developers and an American architect about six miles from St. Andrews. Although a considerable amount of dirt was moved to create this links-style course, it looks as if it has always been there.

7. Cruden Bay, Cruden Bay

Drenched in quirky charm, this cult classic offers one wild seaside hole after another, including the head-scratching par-4 14th with its amazing funnel-shaped green.

8. Western Gailes, Strathclyde

A well-balanced links crossed by three burns, its higher holes offering impressive views of the Firth of Clyde and the ragged peaks of Arran. Like many of Scotland’s older links, the course is wedged between the sea and a railway. Constant changes in direction invite the wind from all angles. The greens at Western Gailes, imagainatively contoured and demanding careful approach, are among the finest in Scotland.

9. Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie), Bridge of Don

Balgownie is one of the truest linksland layouts in golf. It’s a course to test the better golfer, one who can accommodate the many variable conditions this arduous links can throw at you. Balgownie’s front nine holes rank amongst the very best in the world. No two are the same within a natural ecosystem, interspersed with rich turf and tight rolling fairways, that is a sheer delight to behold. The Balgownie course is a classic links layout – out through the dunes and back along a plateau.

10. Prestwick, Prestwick

The venues in the southwest of Scotland range from classic Open venues to one of the game’s most lovable dowagers, Prestwick, a priceless antique and birthplace of the Open Championship (1860). Prestwick hosted its last professional event in 1925, the same year competitors grumbled that success here depended a wee bit too heavily on the rub of the green. But for antiquarians with a sense of humour, this throwback of a links, sandwiched between the seashore and a railway line, has giddy surprises in store. Take, for example, the par-five third hole and its infamous Cardinal bunker. The fairway, incongruously, stops abruptly in front of a bunker big enough to sleep a brontosaurus. An elevated section of fairway, propped up by blackened timbers, swings sharply to the right above the sand pit. Forget your instincts. Follow your caddie’s instructions to the letter.

Read more

Roadside Assistance Express From Europcar

June 24, 2014 Car Hire Tips, UK Comments Off on Roadside Assistance Express From Europcar

Europcar one of the biggest car hire suppliers in Europe, is helping customers hiring and driving in Scotland, especially in remote locations with the trial of Roadside Assistance Express.

The enhanced version of its existing product aims to get customers back on the road as quickly as possible, if they should experience a breakdown.

Anyone hiring or driving a Europcar vehicle in Scotland can now purchase Roadside Assistance Express.

The dedicated phone number escalates their call to initiate the express assistance process.

With standard roadside assistance, the customer and the broken down vehicle are taken to the closest Europcar branch by one of its recovery partners.

There, the customer is given a replacement vehicle.

With the Express service, customers benefit from a replacement vehicle being brought to them, wherever they are.

Ken McCall, managaing director, Europcar UK Group, said: “We understand that customers driving in Scotland can drive to remote locations, often several hours away from a Europcar branch.

“The new Roadside Assistance Express service being trialled in Scotland is designed to save customers from having to travel to their replacement vehicle, in the event of a breakdown.

“Instead, Europcar brings the vehicle to them, allowing travellers to get on with their journey as quickly as possible.

“This is an optional service, so those customers who want the added peace of mind and convenience can book it along with their vehicle to guarantee a stress-free experience.”

Read more

Bank Account Number Not Shown On Debit Card

May 6, 2014 Car Hire News, UK Comments Off on Bank Account Number Not Shown On Debit Card
debit card car hire

Recently we got an extremely interesting question in regards to a Nat West debit card. As you may know in several of our locations we can allow debit cards as we have managed to arrange deals all over the world, typically with this however there are some restrictions. For example, the card must be in the name of the main driver. To check that your card meets all the requirements, please call or email us.

The enquiry we had however stated that their card met all of these requirements but there was no account number printed on the card, the worry for them was whether it would prevent them from being able to hire a vehicle.

After some research we found out that over the last few months many of the banks have been removing the account numbers from their new cards which includes both credit and debit cards, and it turns out that this was for security purposes.

Two of the main banks that we found out had been doing these was the Royal Bank of Scotland and like the person who had enquired Natwest. We checked with some of our suppliers to see if this was a card that they would still accept.

Many of them got back to us with the reply that as long as the drivers name is on the card and the 16 digits are across the front then this would be fine. There are however a few suppliers that will not be able to take these cards so you need to make sure that you call us in advance and notify us of your situation of not having your bank account number showing on your card.

If you are interested in hiring a car but see that there is no bank account number showing on any part of your card then please make sure you let us know and do not book online. If you want to contact one of our advisors for a quote where this can be accepted then call us on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk and we will get right back to you.

Read more

Low Deposit Minibus Hire Cowdenbeath

April 24, 2014 Car Hire Offers, UK Comments Off on Low Deposit Minibus Hire Cowdenbeath

Deposits on MPV and minibus hire tend to be quite high no matter which supplier you go to, as you may know we have arranged several deals across the world in order to try and reduce this cost, one of the locations we have recently focused on thanks to an enquiry is Cowdenbeath in Scotland.

The minibuses that we can allow for our customers to hire consist of 15 and 17 seaters with models from manufacturers like Ford, Mercedes and Renault. The deposits for minibuses tend to be a major issue with people wanting to rent larger vehicles as the amount held on your card was extreme, the deal we have managed to arrange here means that the deposit for a minibus in Cowdenbeath is around £500 which is far cheaper than the standard minibus deposit with other suppliers of between £2,000-£3,000

Please also note that with minibus hire you must have a D1 category on your licence in order to be able to drive the vehicle legally on UK roads. You can find out if you have this by viewing the back of the picture part of your licence. If you passed your test prior to March 1997 then you will have this on your licence already, however if you passed after that date you would have needed to take an extra test in order to acquire this category, without it you will not be able to drive larger minibuses on the UK roads whether you are an overseas customer or a local customer.

If you are interested in getting a minibus in the Cowdenbeath area then just simply contact our reservation agents. They will guide you through every step of the rental and make the process easy whilst also finding you the best price, if you want more information then please call us on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or alternatively you can email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk and we will get right back to you.

Read more

Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014

February 12, 2014 Events Comments Off on Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games are fast approaching set to take place on the 23rd July – 3 August, with limited tickets remaining for the event the same can be said for car hire. People have learnt their lesson from the summer Olympics and quickly snapped up a ticket for the Commonwealth as soon as they can, this reflects the car hire industry also. Hired car availability is running low, so make sure that you get your car booked fast.

There are 14 venues so getting between them it is essential to have a vehicle, the amount of venues however also works in our favour. We work with car hire companies in all of the different locations so our availability is potentially a lot higher (although you may have to travel!) It’ll be worth it. Some of the locations these venues are include…
[one_half]
Carnoustie
Cathkin Braes
Glasgow
Edinburgh
[/one_half]

[one_half_last]
Kelvingrove
Strathclyde
Scotstoun
[/one_half_last]

 

Some other venues that people may search for car hire include the large stadiums, as it can often get confusing as to what rental companies are located closest to them including…
[one_half]
Celtic Park
Hampden Park
Ibrox Stadium
[/one_half]
[one_half_last]
Emirates Arena
Athletes Village
SECC Precinct
[/one_half_last]

Rest assured however we can provide car hire at all of these locations.

There are also several more, likely chances are that if you are coming from abroad you are arriving into either Edinburgh Airport or Glasgow Airport in which we can also supply you with a hired vehicle.

Although it is a bit too early to suggest what the weather may be on the dates, well, its Scotland so it may be worth going for a larger vehicle such as an SUV or 4×4 to tackle some of the mountainous terrain. You also don’t want to miss any of your events so getting satellite navigation in car may be worthwhile however we would suggest if possible to buy your own as it would work cheaper.

Please keep in mind it is a battle against time, availability even for us is running low for the commonwealth games so make sure that you book as soon as you can or else you may be left without adequate transportation.

The quickest way to book is to contact our experienced and knowledgeable reservation agents who will help you every way possible to get a vehicle. You can contact them by calling +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk, they will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Read more
Get a quote

An duo lorem altera gloriatur. No imperdiet adver sarium pro. No sit sumo lorem. Mei ea eius elitr consequ unturimperdiet.

Get Quote

Archives