Where To Stay In Sydney: Kogarah Airbnb Apartment

Hey, foodies and travel junkies! We're beyond excited to share our latest adventure with you all. In this blog post, we'll be sharing the nitty-gritty details of our recent Airbnb stay that had us falling head over heels in love with this beautiful destination.

The Airbnb Booking Process

I first narrowed down my search to three different apartments and shared the list with my family, who in the end agreed on this particular apartment in Kogarah simply because it was the biggest, cheapest and has two bathrooms.

Compared to the apartment I previously stayed at while in Perth, this one is definitely more accessible to most things. Uber fares from the city did not cost a bomb, the airport is only a 20 minutes drive away, just enough sea breeze coming in from the east, most train services stop at Kogarah (some express train services skip a lot of stations during peak hour) and we were never deserted while walking around the neighbourhood.

Our Sydney Airbnb Host

Silvia and Ralph owns this apartment and they have had quite a fair number of good reviews for all of their listings — all of which are in Sydney. This was my eighth time booking with Airbnb and it was yet another pleasant experience. Right from the start, Silvia was always warm and attentive. She gave quite a number of tips for our stay and was always just a text away in case we might need her, it was like having our own local guide!

The apartment itself is located right smack in front of the St George Hospital, Kogarah Arts School and TAFE NSW (the ITE equivalent in Sydney) within the vicinity — which means that there are quite a number of cheap take away food available and plenty of amenities around the area. There’s a grocery store right around the corner and for halal options, there are at least 4 eateries serving Indian, Mediterranean and Turkish food around the area. Our favourite was Kariri Chicken because the people and food there were really nice and the portion.... omg the portion.

Airbnb is just like any other service apartment or guest house. Most Airbnb apartments are actually bought solely for the purpose of renting it back out — which also means that the apartment is as heavily used as any other hotel out there. I had to make sure that I chose the right apartment and the reviews played a really important role in our choosing process.

The Sydney Airbnb Apartment

This particular apartment sleeps 4 to 6 people, with 2 single beds, 1 queen bed, a huge sofa and an extra mattress. The space is really huge to be honest, with a dedicated living space and balcony. Here are a few pictures of the two bedroom apartment that were either taken by me and our host: 

The Toilet & Laundry Room

I may have survived the sticky natural stone floors of multiple hostels and homestays in the past but I still need to have a clean toilet whenever I travel because it's just... a form of personal comfort. The only thing that my Asian self cannot stand is the fact that there wasn't any bidet in the toilet. Other than that, the toilet was really well kept.

The Kitchen

The apartment also came with a fully equipped kitchen and my mum had a joy of a time whipping up meals for us. By the time we checked out, my mom didn't want to leave! I mean, seriously, when I asked her to rate the apartment, she shouted, "10/10! When can we go back?!" Haha, it's safe to say her first Airbnb experience was a total hit!

It was super convenient to have the stove, a full sized fridge, microwave oven, full sized oven, toaster, kettle and coffee machine all within reach. There’s even an iron provided too!

Conclusion

So, let's wrap things up. On average, we'd give this place an awesome 8.5 out of 10. Of course, there were a few things we loved and a couple of tiny gripes during our stay. I missed having a bidet (once you get used to it, it's hard to let go!) and maybe having one of the bedrooms at the bottom of a flight of stairs wasn't the most convenient setup.

But despite those tiny quirks, the apartment was cozy and had all the amenities we needed. The host totally nailed it with the attention to detail and the warm welcome. Plus, the location was prime, putting us right in the heart of vibrant Sydney and surrounded by mouthwatering food options.

In the end, our Airbnb experience in Sydney was a total win. It felt like a home away from home, giving us comfort, convenience, and a taste of the city's lively vibe. We'd absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking for a super memorable and cozy stay in Sydney. Trust us, you won't be disappointed!