Ukio Reviews 715

CANNOT BE TRUSTED
I rarely write reviews, but this company deserves one. Ukio is not a reliable rental agency. Dealing with them was a complete waste of time and energy. They hold on to your money and mislead you.

I booked a month-long rental and made the full payment (€8132 ), submitted all required documents to Mel. She confirmed all was in order and to expect a confirmation email. Ukio doesn’t provide any type of confirmation receipt of payment or reservation #.
Another red flag that I initially overlooked was that she asked me to leave a 5-star review before the reservation was even confirmed.

That was the end of any proactive communication. Before payment, she called, emailed and sent texts every day until I completed the booking, then no communication.

After a week of silence, I sent multiple emails and WhatsApp messages requesting an update, but received no response. Reaching the company by phone was also nearly impossible, and when I did speak with someone, Alex, who said that I will hear from them by the end of that day. That did not happen. The next day, subsequent calls were unanswered.

It took 12 days from the time of the booking to finally hear back from Mel, who astonishingly asked, "what apartment did you book?". I had to repeatedly insist she checks her emails for the details. After I called out the incompetence and requested to speak with a manager, I received an email that my reservation was canceled, despite she previously wrote on a few occasions and even on that same day that it would be approved.

I was actually relieved to have received the cancellation given the demonstrated lack of customer service. After receiving the cancellation email, I researched Ukio online and was relieved - though not surprised - to read other reviews that corroborated my experience and mentioned other issues. There is a good reason to be suspicious about their 5 star reviews. It’s important to mention that the price of the apartment I had booked was also increased by 90%( Yes, ninety percent) online. They predictably, did not respond initially to my email requesting to be updated when the refund is processed. A week later, I received a generic email response from the company, but the refund has still not been processed. Another red flag, why not process the refund right after they canceled the reservation? It has been 28 DAYS since I booked and paid. I asked again for a manager about the refund, Mel stopped responding and I never heard from a manager after being repeatedly told that management will reach out only for those claims to be ignored is a deceptive practice. Ukio has proven itself to be unreliable and their culture is reflected in its terrible business practices. When direct communication with UKIO didn't yield anything, I had to initiate a formal dispute through AMEX to help get my refund. Ukio still hasn't refunded the money.
1. Do NOT give your bank statement, any financial information or document.
2. Do NOT believe them about the availability and prices of some of their online listings. Some properties showing availability on their site are listed as unavailable on other, more reputable rental agencies.
3. Do NOT fall for their sale tactics to get you to book an apartment quickly. They want your money for their books. In case of a refund, they’ll keep your money as long as they can, at least 28 days or longer in my case.
4. After a reservation is made, they will intentionally delay to respond to any communication and they do not answer the phone. If they do, be skeptical of what they say.
Be suspicious with Mel and the information she provides. Her job is to secure a booking though deceptive ways. They have provided misleading and false information.
The complete lack of communication and failure to return funds after a completed financial transaction is a poor and unacceptable business practice that ultimately resulted in a substantial waste of time and energy. This company demonstrates a total disregard for its customers and should not be trusted with your travel plans or money.

DECEPTIVE COMPANY
Customer service from UKIO is inadequate and deceptive. Initial assistance ends once payment is secured. After booking, staff become unresponsive to all forms of contact. The few responses given are often misleading, causing unnecessary delays. This company operates unprofessionally and appears to be experiencing severe internal issues, likely financial, which explains their lack of legitimacy and poor handling of clients. I would caution others due to their questionable business practices. This is the classic " fake it until you make it business model” .

This is the second time I have rented from Ukio and both times the process of booking and customer service has been great. Though the prices are higher than most, the properties are the best I have found in Barcelona and clearly set up for remote work if needed. All around, a great experience!

Avoid at all cost.
- The contract allows for them to relocate you to any other apartment
- Also "max. noise level of 35Db" with a fine of 5000EUR (note: a fridge makes 40Db of noice)

We had a lovely 2 month stay in UKIO’s SAPORE piso in Madrid. We were impressed with both the piso and UKIO management. The booking process was clear and our questions about the piso and location were all answered before arrival.
The unit was nicely designed, and furnished, bright, clean and up to date. The large laundry room and regular cleaning services were greatly appreciated for our long stay. The location in Chueca was fun, if a bit lively late at night, but double paned windows were a big help. Very walkable to many restaurants, bars, shopping, public transportation, and one block from Mercado San Anton.
UKIO’s customer experience representatives were responsive to our concern about AC function issues, but they continued to expect us to address the problem ourselves. This was frustrating, and somewhat amusing since, when an experienced tech finally came out 3 weeks later, he had had no idea how the floor system AC system worked. Even once the AC functioned, cooling was minimal, so we would not recommend this apartment to anyone between June and September, considering the summer temperatures in Madrid.
We would definitely consider renting this piso in the future, but maybe not in the summer. We will also look forward to renting with Ukio in the future.

This is the best place to enjoy Madrid. Specially for solo travelers. I strongly recommend it

Had a great stay in Barcelona with Ukio. Big thanks to Joe from customer service – he was super patient and helped me sort out all kinds of little apartment issues, Really felt looked after. Thanks to him, I could just enjoy the city without stress.

Diego had been amazing and very responsive. While there is a time difference, he always finds a way to connect.

Having the apartment in the Gracia district of Barcelona made our stay so enjoyable. The location was central to the architectural treasures of the city and we were surrounded by unique shops and restaurants. The unit was nicely furnished and it felt like our home away from home. When we had some maintenance issues, UKIO responded quickly. I would highly recommend UKIO. We hope to return soon.

Update 12/15/2025:

Ukio would refund me only if I signed a settlement with confidentiality and review removal—essentially a strong NDA. After weeks of negotiation, my credit card dispute was resolved in my favor, suggesting improper conduct on the part of Ukio. Consider all of this before doing business with this company.

Original:

Before getting into the primary story of my experience with Ukio, I can CONFIRM Ricardo Valente's suspicions that Ukio is pressuring customers to leave positive reviews (search for his 1-star review here). The salesperson that I worked with asked me multiple times, via WhatsApp messages and over the phone, to leave a positive review on Trustpilot for Ukio before I had even received the sublease agreement or laid eyes on the apartment at all. Verbatim quote from the salesperson in question:

"Hello, could you please leave just a 5 stars review on this link? there is no need to write nothing but it will help me a lot with my personal job 🙏🏼"

Pretty big red flag 🚩 before being rendered any type of service or accommodation.

To be fair to that salesperson, they did admit to me during one of the in-person meetings that I conducted with them later that they were operating under an incentive structure that had targets for positive reviews on Trustpilot. So it is, as usual, a problem with leadership, not the people on-the-ground.

Anyway, as if that was not scandalous enough, onto the meat and potatoes-

I reserved an apartment in Barcelona for 3 months for an up-front reservation cost of €5,910 (first+deposit+fees). It was a lot, but alright, it seemed like a premium experience, and I was in a bit of a hurry to get something secured temporarily before embarking upon a longer search for a more affordable rental. One pays more for those kinds of circumstances, and I would have been alright with that had it been a (much) better experience.

Despite repeated requests starting the day after reservation, literal weeks passed with no contract. When the contract finally arrived, it was delivered 2.5 business days before the scheduled move-in date, which was not nearly enough time to properly review a multi-page legal document.

Still, I did my best and was able to shoot back an email the same-day with several questions and clarifications regarding the contract. My email was ignored, and to this day it still sits in my inbox with no response. The sales representative that I was working with at the time didn't address my questions in this regard, either, they completely ignored me. I wonder now if they were likewise disincentivized to engage with customers on that particular topic, given that the contract itself shifts nearly 100% of all conceivable liabilities onto the customer.

As a result of all of this, I became very suspicious and concerned, so I began to request an inspection of the property prior to signing the contract. Ukio refused. I showed up to their office 3 times to discuss this in-person. They played good cop/bad cop with me and were not at all accommodating to what I thought was a reasonable request following the red-flags I had encountered by then. They mostly continued to suggest that I sign the contract and that "everything would be fine" (paraphrasing).

I ultimately decided to cancel before signing anything, which should have entitled me to a full refund. At the time of reservation, Ukio’s published cancellation policy in their terms and conditions clearly stated that penalties applied only if the reservation and the Seasonal Sublease Agreement had been signed. I never signed the agreement, therefore no penalties should have applied.

After I requested a refund, Ukio quietly modified the cancellation policy on their website. They removed the requirement for a signed contract and replaced it with new language that conveniently allowed them to keep my payment. Disturbingly, they made this change without updating the “last modified” date at the bottom of the page, making it appear as though the altered terms had always been in place.

If you are tech-savvy enough, you can find evidence of this manipulation on the web.

I also possess local copies of both the original and manipulated versions of their policy, including matching “last updated” dates, which speaks for itself.

Ukio then denied my refund based on the altered terms, not the ones I agreed to when I paid.

I have never encountered a company that retroactively edits its policies mid-dispute while pretending nothing changed. I am truly disgusted by this company.

If you value transparency, professionalism, or basic business ethics, proceed with extreme caution. I strongly advise saving every screenshot, every email, and every version of their terms if you decide to do business with them, and read everything very carefully.

I had a positive experience with this agency. The property search was smooth and convenient, and the WhatsApp communication with the agent made everything efficient and easy to manage (as there were always clarification and ongoing questions). My agent, Mel, was particularly helpful — quick with answers, proactive with alternatives, and genuinely focused on making the process feel bespoke.
The check-in procedure was clear and worked perfectly on the day (no agent, all remote and straightforward). Several issues and follow-up items that I had after check-in were handled efficiently, and everything was resolved quickly. The selection of flats was strong, and having now explored Lisbon properly, I can say the flat I chose is exactly the area and style I was hoping for.
The apartments are thoughtfully designed for comfortable everyday living. The furnishings are not high-end luxury, but they are well chosen, visually pleasant and very practical. Overall, the service, responsiveness and quality of the accommodation made the entire experience great. I would happily recommend this agency.

Our boiler stopped working on a Saturday and Ukio was very responsive and set up a tech to come out and resolve the problem on the same day! They stayed in constant communication throughout and made sure that the problem was resolved. Very pleased with the experience!

Riccardo did an excellent job giving all the answers to our questions. Perfect service.

Very smooth booking process.

Alex Crespo was amazing!

Beautiful and super comfortable apartment, strategic position and perfect service.

Great and useful company. Happy to see how they're expanding around Europe

The apartment itself is great — clean, fully furnished, warm, and very comfortable. I liked the location and the fact that cleaning is included once a month. It’s on the third floor, and there’s an elevator, which is convenient since we have a stroller. However, the elevator call button doesn’t work on our floor, so we can’t call it from there. I reported this issue, but unfortunately, my message was ignored.

The only real downside was the maintenance process. Twice during our stay we were asked to stay in so workers could come for repairs — once they even arrived during our baby’s nap time despite my warning, and another time they didn’t show up at all. I really think the company should schedule maintenance between guest stays, even if it means a short gap between bookings. It would make the whole experience much smoother and more pleasant.

Overall, I’d still recommend Ukio apartments — they offer good value and comfort — but I hope the service and communication with guests become a bit more organized.

Nuria was great, pacient and found us a perfect apartment. Thanks!!

I have had a great experience with Ukio staying in properties in Europe. The process was very well coordinated, including support. On one occasion I locked myself out and I promptly received help and guidance on how to locate the Ukio support team and borrow a spare set of keys. I have reached out to Alfred for support several times.

Highly professional reservation process. Núria made everything easy and efficiently.