Molly Xu, an internet company employee. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Compared to hotels, the room I booked through a home-sharing website was not only cheaper but afforded me a totally different experience. The host shared useful city travel tips. When I travel to Shanghai, I often book a room in the city's former French Concession. I pay attention to the decoration of a house. The Shanghai house I stayed in once had distinctive features and a long history. On another occasion, I booked a room in the US, but the rental website did not state the room was near a graveyard. When I reached there, the unexpected location took me by surprise.