Hot on the heels of biodegradable hotel key cards comes another innovation at the Marriott Melbourne where they're trialing an environmentally friendly version of the paper towel.

You may well ask (as we did), why does the Marriott in Melbourne even use paper towels at all--but apparently they have them in public areas and staff areas, but thankfully not in guest rooms. Anyways, they don't have paper towels anywhere anymore, because now they've got the (drumroll ...) Envirocane hand towel.

HotelChatter Questions: In which, the intrepid HotelChatter editors and our hotel maven readers answer hotel questions that pop into our inbox. Have a question for us? Send it along. Think you have a better answer than we gave, or better yet, want to give a vote of confidence to our answer? Comment away.

We love to be here to help, and HotelChatter reader Jamie has a quandary: where to stay in Sydney? He's trying to choose between the Travelodge Sydney or the Oaks Goldsborough Apartments and says: "We're most concerned about location!"

The Travelodge is on Wentworth Avenue, really close to the true downtown center of Sydney, while the Goldsborough Apartments are on Pyrmont Street

It's a good year and a half since we last checked into the guest reactions on Sydney's Kirketon Boutique Hotel, when we lamented that Conde Nast Traveler might have once called it Australia's Coolest Hotel but now ... well, it wasn't anymore. But apparently, the tide has turned again.

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

Melbourne might have great cakes, but it's got even better chocolate. With half a dozen excellent chocolatiers across the city center, it's hard to choose but once you've tried the chocolate mousse at Koko Black you'll be completely converted.

Koko has several locations across Melbourne and a store in Canberra now, too, but the sweetest shop is in the Royal Arcade off Bourke Street.

Head upstairs and order a sit-down chocolate meal with a smooth and steamy hot chocolate, or just buy up a selection of incredible truffles and other assorted chocolates at the front counter on the ground floor. Or do both.

Related Stories:
· Koko Black [Official Site]
· When in Melbourne: Must Have Cakes at Brunetti [Jaunted]
· Polish Cuisine in Melbourne: Borsch, Vodka & Tears [Jaunted]

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

You don't have to spend all your time eating cakes or drinking vodka to enjoy Melbourne. Just wandering the central streets of downtown Melbourne is probably going to get your camera clicking.

Melbourne has a well-deserved reputation as Australia's cultural capital and it does a much better job of supporting art, music and theater than other cities. Street art is alive and blooming in Melbourne and you can find it along heaps of alleyways running off the main streets. Just follow your nose and turn right or left--the grid layout of Melbourne makes it impossible to get lost.

For example, stumble into Heffernan Lane between Bourke and Lonsdale Streets, and you'll see the results of a "camouflaged street art" project where street signs are actually full of wise sayings. Others have spectacular graffiti and then there are lanes with cool names: There's even ACDC Lane, named after the great Aussie band. Only in Melbourne!

Related Stories:
· When in Melbourne: Must Have Cakes at Brunetti [Jaunted]
· Polish Cuisine in Melbourne: Borsch, Vodka & Tears [Jaunted]

AmandaK has left her perch in Perth, Australia and spent some time in Melbourne. This week she'll be giving us the lowdown on the hotels there. If you have a question or suggestion, send it our way and we'll get right on it.

We just heard from HotelChatter reader Jamie that he's heading to Melbourne in November and has already booked into the Rendezvous Hotel there but was wondering if he made the right decision?

Saw your posting on the hotel scene in Melbourne. I'm heading there in November and staying at the Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne. Any thoughts? Tips? Reviews? Thanks so much!

Thanks for asking, Jamie. Of course we have some thoughts!

AmandaK has left her perch in Perth, Australia and spent some time in Melbourne. This week she'll be giving us the lowdown on the hotels there. If you have a question or suggestion, send it our way and we'll get right on it.

If we're back in Melbourne during the summer season (rather than the windy, rainy winter they're having now) then our next hotel of choice will be the Novotel St Kilda. Along the Esplanade in trendy beachside St Kilda, this Novotel looks really attractive--all those palm trees evoking some kind of island stay--but is still just a short tram ride into the city center.

Some of the recent guests have

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

OMG. There is actually a heaven on earth and it's at Brunetti, Melbourne's most famous spot for cakes. You might not even be in the mood for cake--or even particularly like it--but walk into Brunetti and you will be converted for life.

All Melbournites seem to know that the best Brunetti cakes are at the Carlton branch--try to head into the City Square branch and you'll only find tourists. The best way to deal with the mind-boggling selection is to go for a few of their bite-sized cakes and if you find your favorite, take away an entire cake. It's not even expensive.

Curiously, Brunetti all started because owner Giorgio Angele came to Melbourne as the Italian chef for the 1956 Olympics. He liked it and later migrated; everyone but the Italians should be grateful for that. Don't leave Melbourne without your Brunetti sugar fix or you haven't seen Melbourne at all. Of course, we could be biased towards cakes--but all the best travelers are.

Related Stories:
· Brunettti [Official Site]
· Melbourne Travel coverage [Jaunted]

AmandaK has left her perch in Perth, Australia and spent some time in Melbourne. This week she'll be giving us the lowdown on the hotels there. If you have a question or suggestion, send it our way and we'll get right on it.

AmandaK has left her perch in Perth, Australia and spent some time in Melbourne. This week she'll be giving us the lowdown on the hotels there. If you have a question or suggestion, send it our way and we'll get right on it.

Usually we're very wary of hotels that use names evocative of a beach to grab our attention, especially when they're located downtown and far

AmandaK has left her perch in Perth, Australia and spent some time in Melbourne. This week she'll be giving us the lowdown on the hotels there. If you have a question or suggestion, send it our way and we'll get right on it.

While the hotel is technically open for business, now is not the best time to stay at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne in Australia since some renovations are still being finished up and the access in and out of the hotel isn't great.

The renos are focused on refurbishing the two lobbies and entrances from both streets (it straddles a large corner), and the Bar Deco, Plane Tree Café and some of