Does giving the hotel key card to the front desk count as check-out?

Doesn’t count. Check-out means that the guest formally completes the check-out procedures before leaving the hotel, including settling the room fee, returning the room card, and confirming that there are no lost or damaged items. Guests handing their room cards to the front desk only temporarily put them down. Generally speaking, they still need to go to the front desk to check out before leaving the hotel. If the guest does not formally check out, the hotel will not be able to confirm whether the guest has checked out, and will keep the room and continue to charge the room fee. Therefore, guests must ensure that they have formally checked out before leaving the hotel, otherwise unnecessary fees and disputes may occur. Therefore, giving the hotel key card to the front desk does not count as check-out.