Anecdotally I used a short-term rental because I was staying in a foreign country on a 6-month visa.

Short-term rentals jacking up prices are a problem for that country and many others, and I was contributing to the problem, but it was important for me to go and AFAIK there aren’t other options.

I wouldn’t have minded staying in the country longer but the visa and my contract don’t work that way.

EDIT: I also looked at hotels. I would’ve been fine with a half-decent hotel room that had a kitchen, but all hotels I saw were more expensive than the rental.