Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Finding short-term accommodation in Sydney

I'm trying to find someplace to stay in Sydney for about two-three weeks, starting very soon (like tomorrow or early next week). Seems silly to pay for a hotel for that whole time, and I don't want to go the hostel route. I'm thinking like a studio or small one-bedroom apartment (with a kitchen and en-suite bathroom), nothing fancy, or sharing someone's flat (for instance, if their roommate is away for a few weeks). Thinking to pay about A$300 per week, so I'm not looking for rock-bottom budget accommodation.

If this was any city in the US I'd go to Craigslist and look under "sublets/temporary." But Craigslist here doesn't seem to have much going on--nor does cracker.com.au, the only comparable site I've been able to find. There's plenty of agencies out there that do "executive" accommodations and "vacation homes," but both of which are as expensive as hotels.

Any suggestions on where else to look? Do people here advertise the old-fashioned way in the newspaper classifieds? People I've spoken to at coffee shops and such don't seem to have many ideas beyond "google short term accommodation."

(If anyone cares, I got here Monday and am spending the first three nights at a hotel near King's Cross. If I don't figure out something by tomorrow I'll just get another hotel for a few more nights.)

Thinking to pay about A$300 per week, so I'm not looking for rock-bottom budget accommodation.

I would have considered A$300 a week to be rock-bottom for short term accommodastion.
How far out are you willing to go? Or do you want to stay in the city?

Probably talking to people around The Cross may be your best bet - someone will know someone.
Try this one: A hostel may be easiest if you are wanting something that cheap for a couple of weeks.
http://www.needitnow.com.au/Sydney_cheap_accommodation.html

Please let me know where you find something for <$300/week casual rate, I've got lots of friends who'd love to use the same place.;)

I can hire out my sofa bed to you for $300/wk. :) I'm in the CBD, handy to everything.

graigslist @:-)

$300AUD is very much in Sydney. I would be looking at the $400-550pw mark if you want something in the CBD. With out having to goto Wollongong.

Look for websites targeted towards people from New Zealand, there is alot of apartments in Aussie for this market.

Sites like this might help http://www.bookabach.co.nz/

I think your best bet is

www.stayz.com.au

Cheers!

Also worth having a look at the usual suspects for furnished apartments like Quest, Meriton etc. The Park Regis Cremorne is also quite nice and has weekly rates when you call.

When I was looking for a short term place stayz had the best prices but 300 a week is very optimistic for sydney

Try http://sydney.gumtree.com.au in the shared accomodation section. Sydney rents are like Manhattan, much higher than in the rest of Australia or even in much of the US, so AUD 300 per week is going to get you a room in a 3BR apt in the CBD. But the cheapest hotel is AUD 600 a week and up -- starting to be season now and hotel rates are 50% higher than they were 2 weeks ago.

You won't get anything for $300 a week unless you are sharing. My suggestion for that money would be to try above pub accommodation like this:

http://www.bluespointhotel.com.au/accommodation

Or you could camp at cockatoo island for the week just about in your budget :-)

starting to be season now and hotel rates are 50% higher than they were 2 weeks ago.

Indeed, I was a bit surprised at the difference between my previous trip back and this one (next week), although still dirt cheap by European standards.

The Macleay is a well-managed place in Potts Point, in an excellent location.

http://www.themacleay.com/default.aspx

The apartments are recently renovated. Across the street from the Macleay is a Woolworth's Supermarket and there are lots of great restaurants, coffee places and deli's in the neighborhood. Harry's Cafe de Wheels in Woolloomooloo is a 10 minute walk from the hotel. There's a bus stop across the street and the King's Cross train station is a 10 minute walk from the front door.



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