With our diverse fleet filled with models for every occasion, it’s easier than ever to find the perfect Santa Monica car rental for your stay. Choose an economy model to easily drive around the city’s downtown and find parking or opt for a convertible to treat yourself and take advantage of the warm California weather as you drive to the beach. We also offer SUVs and minivans if you need to transport sports gear. Our bookable extras make it easy to further customize your rental to your liking, with options including GPS systems, child seats and an additional driver.
Our Santa Monica branch is situated right in the heart of the city on the property of the Shore Hotel. Once you walk into the hotel, you will find the rental desk in the lobby area. We are easily reachable by bus, which you can take to the Ocean/Colorado or 2nd/Broadway stops. If coming by car, we are directly off Highway 1 on Ocean Avenue between Broadway and Colorado avenues. When you return your rental vehicle, you will do so in the hotel’s parking lot in the area that is marked "Car Return".
Enjoy your visit to Santa Monica by exploring the iconic Santa Monica Pier that is filled with restaurants, shops, and rides. If you want to take advantage of the city’s beautiful ocean, go to the pristine Santa Monica State Beach. The Annenberg Community Beach House is also a nice place to visit for a swim, and it is known for being one of the city’s most famous historical buildings. For a fun day trip, consider traveling to the chic city of Santa Barbara that is less than a 2-hour drive.
What our customers are saying
*Our Customer Excitement Score is based on a survey sent to all customers who booked at Santa Monica/Shore Hotel. The score is an average of all customer responses.
Yes. SIXT places a temporary hold on your credit card at pickup for the amount of the deposit. For payments with debit cards, please refer to our rental information for more details about deposits. The amount depends on the location and vehicle. Please check for more details on payment information in this article.
In the U.S., generally a minimum of $200 will be charged to the payment method for security purposes. The deposit for high-value vehicles may be higher. Non-airport locations in Texas, Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Illinois have higher minimum authorization amounts. Additional details on the deposit can be found in this article.
Reservations are by vehicle category (“or similar”), not by an exact model. When a "guaranteed model" option is shown for your dates and location, selecting it reserves that specific model. Otherwise, you’ll receive a comparable car in the same group with similar size and performance subject to availability.
To extend an active rental, please visit sixt.com/service or call SIXT at +1 888 SIXT CAR (749 8227). If you return the vehicle later than agreed in the rental agreement, extra days may be charged due to the rental extension. If you do not inform us about the rental extension, we will charge an additional service fee of $20.00 USD.
Yes. Every SIXT vehicle is cleaned, inspected, and refueled before each rental. Still, we recommend reviewing the car’s condition against your rental agreement and reporting any differences right away. For added peace of mind, take photos of the vehicle at pickup and return time to keep a record of its condition.
The exact mileage policy for your booking is shown during the reservation process, so you’ll know what’s included before pickup.
Vehicles rented at most SIXT locations in the contiguous United States may be driven throughout the contiguous states. Travel into Canada must be in accordance with our geographical restrictions, which can be found in our rental information. Travel to Mexico is not allowed. If you drive outside authorized areas, a fee of $0.50 per mile will apply.
All renters and authorized drivers must present a valid, unexpired, original driver’s license at the time of rental. Renters with a non-U.S. driver's license may also need to provide a valid passport or other government-issued ID. Licenses in non-Roman alphabets (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic) must be accompanied by an international driver’s license. If the license is from a country not in the international driver’s license treaty, an official translation is required. See our rental information for full driver’s license and age requirements.
SIXT will provide any renter who has purchased the optional Extended Roadside Protection coverage with 24/7 breakdown assistance (where available) without any additional charge.
No, you don’t need to return it fully charged. You should bring the EV back with at least the same charge level it had at pickup. If the vehicle was handed over above 80%, it should be returned with at least 80%. If it was below 80%, just match that level.
If you purchased the prepaid charging option, you only need to return the car with at least 20% charge, no extra charging required. If you did not purchase this option and return the car with less charge than agreed, a recharge fee will apply at the rate stated in your rental agreement.
You can go to "Manage booking" and fill out our Lost Item form, which is also available in our article. Our team will search your car and contact you if we find your belongings.