Carmellimo - Reviews and experiences

Found online, tipped a friend; skeptical then service, delivery impressed

Overall happy — arrived on time; needed it only for moving.

I took the shuttle to the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim the morning of check-in; Michael drove, polite and low-key, clean van, smooth ride. Not flawless — bit of traffic — but solid overall, honestly.

The moment I knew I was happy was when Shami walked my bag to the elevator and had time to point out places along the route. I first noticed their stand at LAX. Ride was calm, driver knew the shortcuts. A bit pricier than the shuttle, but worth it for the quiet and that extra kindness. I tipped Shami

By the time I reached the curb at JFK I’d already heard the agent say Carmel was cheaper than Uber and could pick me up at the terminal. On the phone they said about $10.50, so I booked. Driver was polite and the car was tidy, but a 30% tip appeared and a 12‑minute ride ended up costing $150. Frustrating, though at least I arrived okay.

I was wary at first because the driver hinted about extra cash at the end. I use these rides for errands and work, so surprises bug me. But after a couple trips I noticed they were polite and the rides smooth. I started keeping change in my glove box. Not thrilled about the mystery tolls, but overall the service feels pretty reliable and it gets me where I need to go on time.

I first saw them on the airport transfer board and a colleague actually recommended trying them. Booked rides from JFK to the hotel and back — they missed both pickups. First no‑show came with a weird "wrong airport" excuse and a request for extra cash; awkward. The return just never showed. What made me satisfied was when the hotel sorted a replacement car in about 10 minutes and the company later issued a partial refund. Annoying, but relieved it worked out.

Weird thing — I almost bailed when I saw the make of the car. I’d been burned before by limo services that send whatever’s handy, so I booked nervously. The car wasn’t the showy luxury model I pictured (more like a very clean mid-size), but the driver was sharp, friendly and the ride was comfortable. For the return there was a brief mix-up with timing, they called and sorted it quickly. Not flawless, but honestly it worked — price felt fair too, and the driver had good local tips.

Standing outside the terminal at 1 a.m., coffee gone cold, I figured the SUVs would be right there — they’d confirmed the pickup the day before. We rang when we were ready, told them what we were wearing so they could find us, and were told five to seven minutes. Forty minutes later we called back, got put on hold a few times and the line kept dropping. Then someone said no cars had even been assigned. We ended up getting two Ubers instead. Main problem was the coordination, not the drivers — oddly the Ubers were on time.

another car in 20 minutes. Half an hour later, silence. Third call on an international line, hold music, then “wait 30 more minutes.” We gave up and grabbed a regular cab; funny thing, it cost only about $10 extra and the driver was actually chatty and helpful — a surprise. I’ve used other airport shuttles before that turned up, so this was disappointing. Their booking seemed okay but the reliability wasn’t there. Not what I'd expect, really.

Standing curbside, phone in hand, feeling silly and stuck — that’s the take. We booked a limo, showed up on time, and there were zero instructions on how to meet the driver. Calling them twice ended with cuts to the line after the automated message, so we stood there, repeated, and then grabbed a taxi to not miss the event. The limo never showed, and when we asked for a refund they flat-out refused, even after a TripAdvisor reply telling us to contact customer service. Other companies at least call or text. Disappointing, and I won’t risk them again.

Wrench on the passenger seat — weird, right? That’s how the trip started. Halfway to the airport the car conked out. He had tools and just stayed there, tinkering for almost an hour while blocking a highway lane. Felt unsafe. Cars were buzzing past. Nobody from the company showed up, and when we called they basically shrugged and said there was nothing they could do; their advice was to call the police, which was surreal, since none of us were local. After a tense stretch, someone finally came and hauled us to the airport. Relief, yes — and we actually made the flight. The replacement driver was fine but then hinted he expected a tip. I’ve used other shuttles that handled breakdowns better. Will think twice before booking this one again.

service needs work, delivery failed, but it wasn't a total disaster.

"Car won't start." Charming. They suggested I either sort my own ride or wait — they couldn't say if that meant minutes, hours, or days. I said I'd grab an Uber and asked them to cancel my return booking. The driver got snippy and told me not to dictate his work. For real? I mean, things break. Fine. But the tone and the vagueness made a simple pickup feel chaotic. Booked through Expedia so the process seemed normal until then. If I had booked direct I probably would have glanced at reviews first. So my advice: always have a backup ride app and maybe a little patience, but don't expect polished service. I made it to my destination, but I won't risk that again.

a small bottle of water waiting in the seat, which felt thoughtful after a long flight. All in all they flipped my low expectations into a pleasant, low-stress ride.

it was efficient and we got there safely, but the whole setup felt like a bit of a tourist trap, sketchy and untransparent. Won't use them again, but at least we made it.

the office later claimed the driver had been waiting two hours and wanted an extra $90, and despite showing them the booking confirmation that proved the pickup was scheduled later, we were stuck paying almost $300 for an 11‑mile trip. So yes, the bit that reassured me initially — the driver saying she’d wait — didn’t save us from a billing mess caused by their scheduling screw‑up. To be fair, the driver did get us to our place and helped with bags (communication was rough though; her English was limited), so it wasn’t a total disaster. Still, I’m left frustrated and probably won’t go back — buyer beware, check confirmations and be ready to push back.

the online form let me add the wheelchair and list baggage allowances, and the confirmation actually spelled out “4 bags per passenger,” which is why I went ahead. That detail was surprisingly clear — and that’s about the only thing that worked out. The rest was a mess. The driver showed up in a small Toyota Camry, not a van or anything that could handle the bags. My clients had three suitcases and the wheelchair; they ended up holding bags on their laps because there literally wasn’t room. The car was dirty — crumbs and wrappers in the door pockets, dust on the seats — and it was warm inside with no AC, so they were uncomfortable the whole ride. The driver was curt on the phone and acted annoyed when they were trying to find him in the terminal, which made them not want to say anything about the heat or the luggage. When they got to the hotel he pulled the luggage out and just left it in the street, then drove off. That felt really careless. I tried to follow up but ran into a brick wall: arrived on a Sunday, then the Monday after was a federal holiday, so no one picked up when I called. I did get an automated survey right away and when I said what happened I got an email promising customer service would reach out. Then it was radio silence for days. I called repeatedly the following week and kept being told someone would call back — I even got through on Friday to a rep named Joyce who argued that the invoice couldn’t possibly have said 4 bags per passenger (I’d emailed her the confirmation) and “forwarded” the file to a manager. After that, nothing. No follow-up, no apology, no refund, no real explanation. The company’s phone message claims they’re “world class”; that felt off. One unexpected thing: the booking interface itself was clear about the wheelchair option, which is why I trusted them initially — so I was surprised that the confirmation didn’t translate to actual service on the day. In the end my clients took a regular taxi for their return because they didn’t want to risk the same situation, and I advised them to dispute the charge. Bottom line — if you need reliable help with mobility or lots of luggage, this company didn’t deliver for us. It’s a shame, because the booking details gave me hope, but the on-the-ground experience and the lack of follow-up support made it not worth it.

I almost didn't book this transfer because the confirmation email already made a point of talking about tolls and tips before we'd even left home. It felt strange — like being told to pay up front for someone’s manners — but we shrugged it off, thinking it's probably just their policy and we'll deal with it later. I have used a few airport shuttle services before (mostly smaller local companies) and never had such an upfront tone about tipping, so yeah, I was a bit wary going in.

it was a terrifying ten minutes that thankfully didn’t ruin the whole trip — we walked away shaken but OK, and the rest of our holiday actually turned out pretty great. I’ll explain how that happened, but right up front: if you ever get picked up and the driver starts lecturing you about tolls and tips before you’ve even buckled up, don’t shrug it off — pay attention, and keep your wits about you.