If a really inexperienced traveler just be a bit wary of anything taht looks too good to be true asking for money upfront an not in trust etc. Always research a 2nd option or 2 in case you have a crap experience . .
We have used executive serviced apartments. / apartotels. Cheaper than hotel but you have cooking facility but no major cleaning or laundry. Spend your time enjoying the city .
When working long hours I have also just called friends and family friends in other cities as literally leave in morning,exercise, gym breakfast work , more work , dinner, work and just home to crash. and that way and not under their feet affecting their lives. Send a email or a facebook post and you might be surprised as I had a mate staying with a friends niece in a chokkas mining town and she would never have offered it to anyone who she didn't have a link to. Took 5 minutes and 2 calls to arrange - were the most unlikely housemate sand it worked perfectly for months. He got the contract with massive margin as he had confirmed accommodation and early start date and every other bidder had it as a massive unknown cost.
Internationally I have used the below and one way or the other have always contacted the owner and spoken so I knew it was real and all OK and even with 3 bedroom places we would say we are 2 middle age non smokers , aussies and not bringing the kids and got cheaper rates etc etc. Good to meet owner or neighbour or local agent and get keys . Just read the fine print re cleaning fees and on sheets and towels etc .
Have traveled and worked in campervan with a mix of sites and freecamping which offered great flexibility in Europe , NZ, Australia. many friends of friends and even pub carparks and supermarket carparks had spots at no to low cost and they generally knew somene in next place you were headed.
Friends have used Gumtree and had no issues but I know there has been lots of scams.
Friends have actually done houseswaps and they ave worked near perfectly and were lucky they told their insurer as das Germans wrote of the Audi. That's a phone call you don't want - we parked car in friends basement carpark , there was a water main break and car is now a fishtank what do we do? .
AirBNB can have issues and always worries me in regards to insurance etc if there is a fire and I won't let staff do it for oh&s reasons.
