Melbourne student opts for hotel living due to rental challenges

Hugo Hong, a Chinese international student in Melbourne, Australia, has opted to live in a hotel rather than traditional student housing or rental apartments. He is paying approximately 16.7 million VND per week for a 20-square-meter room in a hotel chain located near Southern Cross Station.

Hong cited several challenges in the Melbourne rental market as the reason for this decision. These include difficulty finding lease terms that match his nine-month study program, as most standard contracts require six months to a year. Additionally, he noted that many student apartments were either too small or raised security concerns due to lack of consistent reception staff at night. The hotel option provides him with a solution that includes utilities and requires no security deposit.