How to hide hideous carpet?

If dirty and old, maybe the landlord would be amenable to having it ripped out. If just an ugly design or color, go buy many Turkish kilims or fake Navajo rugs or cotton dhurries or something like that, on ebay or at Pier One type places, spend a lot of money, have a lot of fun. Can be patterned and interesting, or just quiet. You can get big rugs at Home Depot too. Some are quite beautiful. Lay any of these right on top.
I think that pretend-hardwood over a spongey subsurface will unnerve you and your friends to walk on (unless it’s unpadded industrial carpenting).

Or spring for a gorgeous Oriental that will last your lifetime and probably that of your heirs. Will look lovely over another rug, no matter how hideous..

Look under the carpet! might be nice restorable hardwood underneath…Sand and refinish…Easier and cheaper to clean…..

Tear it up would be my first choice.

Failing that, clean it and cover it with Oriental-style area rugs. We have hardwood floors, and once had coir rugs in every room because they were sturdy and a good value. We have since trade all but one of them in for patterned rugs, and the house looks much cozier now.

depending on the color, I have seen carpet painted like stenciling that looked very impressive! Good Luck!