Coral Reef at Key Biscayne

I’d probably stay here again, but I’d be disappointed if I’d booked it for a client. I’m a travel agent, and the actual apartment didn’t match the online photos. For the price, our experience should have been better. The unit was nice enough, but it smelled odd when we arrived. We bought candles and burned them for a day or two, which took care of the odor. I checked the bed and found hair and stained sheets. Housekeeping changed them without a problem after I reached someone in the office. Getting hold of office staff was hit or miss. Before we arrived, I called and texted several times about early check-in and never got a response. Check-in itself was confusing, and we had to ask someone where the office was. The latch on our unit door also didn’t work, so we had to keep the deadbolt locked to secure it.

The owners are warm, attentive people, and they suggested some good, affordable places to eat nearby. I was surprised by the price for a two-bedroom so close to the ocean, in such a safe area. The pool was very clean, the rooms have balconies, and I felt comfortable walking around with my children. They loved being able to walk to the beach, just a block away. I’d stay here again.

The apartment was a good size and in a convenient location, but it was poorly maintained and had only the bare minimum of furnishings. One bedroom had no working lights or outlets, and the sliding door lock didn’t work, so I was effectively in an unlocked apartment and didn’t feel safe. On our last day, I spotted a roach in the kitchen. I wanted to give this budget-friendly place a chance, but I won’t return.

The rooms are large and close to the beach, but that was the only good part. The room was dirty and the WiFi didn’t work. We also had roaches. We first saw a small bug after checking in, then later saw more and identified them as roaches through a Google search. Finding the entrance was confusing. We had to walk around until we found the lobby, which was just a room turned into one. The person at the front was nice enough and said there was a $20 daily fee for “wifi and beach access.” Our room had been left open with the key inside, which felt extremely unsafe. There didn’t seem to be any way to make sure nobody entered before we checked in. We went to the front desk to check out, but nobody was there, even though someone was supposed to be there until 10 pm. It was 7 pm. The emergency number wasn’t answered either. I asked Expedia for a full refund, but a week later they were still working on it because the hotel wouldn’t answer. I’ve called several times since checkout to ask the hotel to respond to Expedia and refund the $80 wifi and beach access fee, with no reply. I’m convinced the positive reviews here are fake.