After finishing two days of hostel life, we moved into our home for our month in Sydney, an Airbnb.
A month in Sydney accommodation review: Meeting our home in the city center through Airbnb. While planning our month-long life in Sydney, the thing we thought about most carefully was choosing our accommodation.
Because it wasn't a short trip but a life, we needed a space that would become the center of our daily lives, rather than just a pretty accommodation.
Ultimately, we decided to choose an apartment in central Sydney through Airbnb.
And this choice turned out to be very satisfying in the end.
The Airbnb Booking Process: Real-time Reviews and Location-based Comparisons
There were various Airbnb accommodations available for long-term stays of over a month in Sydney, but
the criteria we considered important were as follows:
- Accessibility to downtown Sydney
- Are there public transportation, grocery stores, cafes, and parks within walking distance?
- A layout suitable for staying with children
- Whether essential living options like AC, a washing machine, and a kitchen are included
- An accommodation with a review rating of 4.7 or higher & a host that responds quickly
While comparing several accommodations,
a description that read ‘A 5-minute walk to Darling Harbour, a 2-bedroom city-view apartment’ caught my eye, and
the reviews were quite specific and positive, which gave me confidence.
Before booking, I sent the host a few questions, and they replied quickly, so
I was able to pay with peace of mind.
Accommodation Layout: A 2-Bedroom + Living Room Configuration Perfect for a Family
The apartment we stayed in was structured with 2 bedrooms, a living room, an open kitchen, and 2 bathrooms.
The kids slept together in one room, and my husband and I stayed in the master bedroom.
- The living room was spacious, and the high ceiling gave a great sense of openness.
- In the mornings, the house was filled with natural light.
- The kitchen was well-equipped with a microwave, induction stove, oven, and tableware, so
there was no difficulty in simple cooking or preparing breakfast, and - The refrigerator was also a generous size, perfect for a week's worth of grocery shopping.
The best part of all was that it was equipped with both a washing machine and a dryer!
When staying long-term with kids, convenient laundry is a huge advantage.
A 5-Minute Walk to Darling Harbour: A Healing Point in the City
One of the decisive reasons for choosing this apartment was
the location, where you could reach Darling Harbour with a 5-minute walk.
Darling Harbour is the most popular cultural complex in downtown Sydney, and
with aquariums, museums, restaurants, shopping malls, and walking trails all clustered together,
it's a place we ended up visiting often, not just on weekends but also on weekday evenings.
In particular, during February when we stayed,
fireworks were held every Saturday night at 9 PM, so
evening walks felt even more special on those days.
In the evenings, the streets were filled with people dressed up, couples, and families, and
the fireworks bursting over the water beautifully wrapped up our weekend nights.
Being able to enjoy this kind of scenery within minutes of stepping out the door,
was a factor that raised our quality of life in itself.
What We Wished Was Better: The Condition of the Shared Spaces
The apartment itself was satisfying, but
one thing we wished was better was the shared trash area.
The dark space and disorganized bags we faced as soon as we opened the door...
It wasn't a major inconvenience, but
I did think it would be nice if it were improved, considering we had to face it repeatedly during a long-term stay.
Overall Review: For a Month in Sydney, This Home Was Enough
I believe an accommodation is not just a place to stay, but
a starting point for designing your daily life in a foreign place.
In that sense, our home in Sydney this time was
a space that perfectly suited our family.
Thanks to carefully comparing and choosing in advance through Airbnb, it was a time where we could grab both the stability of daily life and the relaxation of travel.
