Do Not Rent From KEY.co or Five Star Luxury — Evidence-Based Guest Warning

Why this page exists

My documented KEY.co and Five Star Luxury complaint

I created this site to warn future guests searching for KEY.co reviews, Five Star Luxury reviews, KEY.co complaints, or Five Star Luxury scam before paying luxury prices for a short-term rental.

This page reflects my experience and opinions, supported by screenshots of communications and exported photo evidence. I am not claiming a court has found fraud. I am saying the stay felt scam-like to me because the advertised luxury experience did not match the condition we encountered, and the response minimized our concerns after we left.

Core issues reported

Extremely uncomfortable beds causing significant back pain.
Common-area furniture that appeared heavily worn and dirty.
Bedding and towels with a strong detergent/fragrance scent.
Bathroom cleanliness concerns, including visible stains and hair.
Refusal to support a refund after guests left early.

Short version: I would not rent from KEY.co or Five Star Luxury again.

If you are comparing luxury rentals, ask for current photos, written cleanliness guarantees, mattress details, refund terms, and the legal identity of the property manager before booking.

Evidence

Screenshots from the complaint timeline

These screenshots show that the issues were raised during the stay, that photos were offered, and that KEY.co later relayed the property manager’s position that the concerns were merely cosmetic or subjective. The photo gallery documents the visible conditions guests photographed.

Text messages reporting uncomfortable beds, dirty furniture, strong fragrance scent, bathroom cleanliness concerns, and early checkout request. — **During-stay report:** guests told the host they were leaving after one night, listed the problems, offered photo evidence, and asked for a refund for the unused second night.

KEY.co email response relaying the property manager's position that reported issues were cosmetic and did not support a refund. — **Later KEY.co response:** KEY.co relayed that the property manager characterized the photos as minor cosmetic imperfections and did not support a refund or chargeback request.

Photo evidence note: the gallery below includes the exported JPG evidence photos showing the conditions guests documented during the stay.

Photo evidence

Condition photos from the rental

These photos document the visible issues guests raised: marked travertine floors, bathtub/fixture wear, stained or marked upholstery, tub-surface marks, a scuffed tissue box, and a wall mark. Click any image to open the full file.

Travertine floor with visible dark marks, chips, and grime in the grout lines. — Travertine floor: visible dark marks, chips, and dirty-looking grout.

Bathroom travertine floor showing widespread marks and discoloration. — Bathroom floor: broader view of marked and worn stone tiles.

Bathtub fixtures and wall tile with visible staining and residue. — Bathtub controls: staining/residue around fixture and stone seam.

Bathtub wall and spout area with visible staining and worn metal fixture. — Bathtub wall: visible stains near the spout and tub edge.

Close-up of light upholstery with small visible dark marks. — Upholstery close-up: visible small marks on light fabric.

Light sofa cushion with visible fabric wear and discoloration. — Sofa cushion: visible wear/discoloration on light fabric.

Sofa back cushion with visible smudging and uneven fabric coloration. — Sofa back: smudging and uneven coloration on cushion fabric.

Sofa arm and cushion showing worn, discolored upholstery. — Sofa arm: worn-looking upholstery beside the seating area.

White seat cushion with visible marks and discoloration. — White cushion: visible marks in the seating corner.

White cushion with visible spots and discoloration. — White cushion: small visible spots and discoloration.

Sofa cushions with visible fabric wear and discoloration. — Sofa cushions: worn-looking areas on light upholstery.

Sofa armrest with visible discoloration and wear. — Sofa armrest: visible discoloration on the fabric surface.

Bathtub floor with hair-like debris and faint marks. — Bathtub surface: hair-like debris and faint marks visible.

Bathtub surface with small brown marks. — Bathtub surface: small brown marks documented close-up.

Chrome bathtub spout showing visible corrosion or finish wear. — Bathtub spout: visible finish wear on chrome fixture.

Black tissue box with visible scuffs, chips, and dust. — Tissue box: scuffs, chips, and dust on bathroom accessory.

Wall with faint vertical scuff mark. — Wall: faint vertical scuff mark documented by guests.

Timeline

What happened, step by step

1

Luxury-priced stay begins

The rental was marketed and priced as a luxury experience. The nightly cost referenced in the complaint was approximately $1,600.

2

Problems became clear after one night

Guests reported poor sleep, significant back pain, dirty/worn furniture, strong fragrance/detergent scent, bathroom cleanliness concerns, and photographed visible wear/marks.

3

Guests notified the host and left early

The text screenshot shows the issues were raised at 12:19 PM, with a later message offering photo evidence and explaining that a hotel was booked instead. The exported JPEGs are included on this page.

4

Refund was requested

The request was for the unused second night because the group did not feel comfortable staying another night at the property.

5

Concerns were minimized

KEY.co later relayed the property manager’s position that the photos showed minor cosmetic issues, that comfort was subjective, and that the concerns did not support a refund.

Company response

KEY.co and the property manager did not treat this like a luxury failure.

According to the email screenshot, KEY.co said the property manager described the reported items as minor cosmetic imperfections, normal wear, or subjective comfort concerns.

That response is exactly why this site exists. When a property is sold at a luxury price, guests should not have to debate whether stained bathroom fixtures, worn furniture, strong chemical scents, poor sleep, and early departure are “minor.”

My opinion: the response protected the booking revenue more than it protected the guest experience.

Searching for KEY.co reviews or Five Star Luxury complaints?

If you found this page by searching “KEY.co scam,” “Five Star Luxury is a scam,” “do not rent from KEY.co,” “KEY.co complaint,” “Five Star Luxury Miami review,” “dirty luxury rental,” or “luxury short-term rental refund dispute,” here is the practical takeaway: get everything in writing before booking and document the property immediately upon arrival.

Before renting, ask for:

Recent, timestamped photos of beds, bathrooms, upholstery, and floors.
Written refund terms if the property is not clean or habitable.
The name of the actual property manager and owner/operator.
Confirmation that fragrance-heavy linens can be replaced if needed.
A same-day escalation path that can authorize refunds, not just “document concerns.”

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Use whichever domain is easiest to remember:

donotrentfromkey.co fivestarluxuryisascam.com

Suggested share text: “Before booking a KEY.co or Five Star Luxury rental, read this documented guest complaint and screenshot timeline.”