Traveling in Australia I found the prices for nicer AirBnB listings were the same as many hotels or weekly apartments. It was easier to just check out weekly rentals posted in the window of of a realty office. Plus, in Australia the listed price is the price, whereas AirBnB drags in the obnoxious American custom of tacking on extra fees right at the very end of the transaction.

However, I will say that the one time AirBnB worked for me, the person was renting out their apartment like a hotel. She had a maid clean it up and even left me mini soaps. It was way better than a hotel.