How to choose the most suitable Airbnb for your study abroad experience

There’s a battle waging between traditional acommodation providers and home sharing network, Airbnb.Hotels are losing their share of travelers, particularly younger generations looking for more affordable and experiential places to stay, to the short-term rental startup which has now grown to hold more than four million listings worldwide.Another slice of the market is being disrupted by this “rare profitable unicorn”, too: student accommodation. As students, it’s hard not to fall for what the service offers. It’s affordable, especially if hosts in your university area offer discounts for longer-term stay, in addition to letting you keep your dates flexible – a welcome feature for those on shorter study courses. Living spaces are more personalised than the traditional, cookie-cutter student halls or dorms. There are also reviews which can be particularly valuable for the student coming from abroad, giving them a sense of what their new home will be like and what they need to prepare for. But with so many options – there are over 300 homes listed for a one-month stay in Sydney – how do you choose? And what about all those risks that come with renting an Airbnb, like selecting a long-term space in a neighbourhood that just isn’t “you”, or contributing to an area’s gentrification or worse, getting stuck with a host you really dislike.