VW California Beach — Little Cookie
Volkswagen campervan
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
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Cookies Campers review
A family-run campervan specialist built around Volkswagen’s California range.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Cookies Campers is a family-owned Irish rental business operating from Rathcoole, southwest of Dublin. Its founders returned to Ireland in 2013 after living abroad; their campervan travels in Australia and New Zealand helped shape the choice of Volkswagen vehicles for the business.
The company rents directly to travellers and also advertises Volkswagen campervans for sale. Its rental offer centres on two commercial categories, the California Beach and Grand California.
Our verdict
Editorial review
The appeal lies in a focused choice of vehicles and an approachable start to the rental. Cookies Campers keeps the decision centred on how much living space and onboard equipment the trip needs, rather than a long list of vehicle types. The arrangement works best when the holiday can be planned around a return to Dublin: there is flexibility to travel around the island, but not to finish the rental at a different depot.
Good points
- Useful inclusions on direct bookings.Unlimited mileage and an additional driver are included in direct rentals, alongside camping furniture, gas and kitchen equipment. These inclusions reduce the number of everyday items that need to be added separately.
- Encouraging communication reports.Helpful communication and service recur in a small sample of eight customer accounts from February to August 2026. The reports are predominantly positive, though the sample also contains a dissatisfied account; they support a favourable impression of personal contact rather than a guarantee of every rental experience.
Things to consider
- Airport arrival needs a separate transfer.The vehicles are collected in Rathcoole, and Cookies Campers does not currently provide airport transfers. Travellers flying into Dublin need to allow for the cost and time of reaching the depot before the handover.
- Unsuitable for a trip with a pet.The current direct offer has no pet-friendly vans. A holiday that includes a dog or another pet therefore needs a different rental arrangement.
Vehicle categories
Cookies Campers fleet
VW Grand California — Big Cookie
Volkswagen campervan
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
The rental range offers two different ways to use a Volkswagen campervan, from the Beach’s fold-out kitchenette to the Grand California’s more complete living facilities.
The Beach has a main bed measuring 200 × 150 cm and a roof bed measuring 200 × 120 cm. Its extra travel seat does not add a fifth sleeping place. That distinction matters when matching the vehicle to the party, even before considering luggage or sleeping arrangements.
The Grand California adds a full kitchen, dining area, storage and heating, as well as its indoor bathroom. Its main bed measures 193 × 136 cm; the upper bed measures 160–190 × 122 cm.
ISOFIX is available in the advertised range, but there is no space for a travel cot. Overnight heaters work without an electrical hook-up. These are rental-category descriptions: the terms applicable to bookings from 28 January 2025 provide for category allocation rather than guaranteeing a particular make or model.
Locations
Cookies Campers pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
Ireland
-
Rathcoole, Dublin — Cookies Campers / Rathcoole Commercials Unit 200 Greenogue Business Park, Grants Lane, Rathcoole, Dublin, D24 NH96
Before booking
Practical facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Indicative rental prices | Seasonal examples for direct rentals are €169 per night for the Beach and €179 for the Grand California in September, with a four-night minimum in that pricing schedule. August examples are €239 and €269 per night respectively, with a seven-night minimum. These illustrate the seasonal price difference; they are not a quote for particular travel dates. |
| Mileage | Direct bookings include unlimited mileage. This inclusion does not establish the mileage allowance of a booking made through another channel. |
| Additional driver | An additional driver is included in direct bookings. |
| Included equipment | Direct rentals include camping furniture, gas, a kitchen kit and starter supplies. The larger van also includes toilet chemicals and toilet paper. |
| Bedding | Optional single bedding costs €30 per booking; double bedding costs €50 per booking. |
| Other optional equipment | A booster seat costs €15 per booking. An awning and a bike rack each cost €100 per booking. |
| Security per incident | For bookings governed by the terms effective from 28 January 2025, security is €3,000 per incident and must be replenished. This is security against incident exposure, not an ordinary rental charge. |
| Damage outside protection | The rental terms identify exposure of up to €9,000 for negligent roof or underside damage. Excluded damage can cost more than the security sum: that sum is not a universal limit on liability. The amount is potential damage responsibility, not a routine rental charge. |
| Changes to a booking | Under the terms effective for bookings from 28 January 2025, an amendment more than 30 nights before the rental costs €60. At 15–30 nights, it costs €175 plus any increase in the rental rate; amendments within 14 nights are unavailable. |
| Driving territory | Travel is permitted in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The vehicles may not be taken to mainland UK or continental Europe. |
| Road restrictions | The terms effective for bookings from 28 January 2025 prohibit travel on unsealed, non-public or unnumbered roads. |
| Collection and return | Pickup and return are at Rathcoole; collection or return elsewhere is not offered. Weekday pickup is 14:00–16:30, with an hour allowed for the handover. |
| Reaching the depot | Airport transfers are currently unavailable. The company estimates a taxi from Dublin Airport at €50–60 and 25–30 minutes; this is an external taxi estimate, not a rental fee. A collection connection from the Red Cow bus stop can be arranged with two weeks’ notice. Parking at Rathcoole is limited. |
| Pets | No pet-friendly vans are offered. |
| Festivals | Festival use is generally prohibited. |
| Return condition | Return the vehicle with a full fuel tank and a clean interior. |
| Roadside assistance | Assistance under the terms effective for bookings from 28 January 2025 is limited to chassis faults; it is not a promise to cover every problem with the living equipment. |
More about the company
Explore Cookies Campers
Temporary Campsite+ membership
Cookies Campers offers temporary Campsite+ membership with each hire. After booking, the renter completes a form and receives membership by email. It starts when issued and ends when the van is returned.
The programme advertises a saving of €15 per night at participating campsites and identifies nine sites on the island of Ireland. The benefit depends on the campsite’s eligibility and tariff, so it is useful when a participating site fits the trip rather than as a fixed deduction from the holiday budget. The club’s wider network does not change the vehicle’s permitted driving territory.
Quick answers
Cookies Campers FAQ
Can five people sleep in Little Cookie?
No. The California Beach has five travel seats but four sleeping places. The fifth seat does not provide an extra bed.
Which Cookies Campers vehicle has an indoor shower?
The Grand California, also called Big Cookie, has an indoor shower and a built-in toilet. The California Beach has no built-in shower.
Can I collect at Dublin Airport and return in Belfast?
No. Collection and return are at the Rathcoole depot, and airport transfers are currently unavailable. Permission to drive in Northern Ireland does not create a Belfast return option.
Does Cookies Campers include unlimited mileage?
Yes, on direct bookings. An additional driver is also included. A reservation through another channel has its own terms, so the direct offer should not be assumed to apply there.
Can I take a Cookies Campers vehicle to mainland UK?
No. The permitted territory covers Ireland and Northern Ireland, but excludes mainland UK and continental Europe.
Can I bring a dog in a Cookies Campers van?
The current rental offer has no pet-friendly vans.
Do I keep the Campsite+ membership after the rental?
No. The temporary membership finishes when the campervan is returned; it is not an ongoing membership beyond the hire.
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