Fodor's Expert Review Tolarno Hotel

Set in the heart of St. Kilda's café, bar, and club precinct, Tolarno Hotel was once a restaurant and gallery owned by beloved Melbourne artist Mirka Mora and her husband Georges, and it still has an idiosyncratic artistic bent. Recently refurbished, the rooms and common spaces are decorated with artworks by local artists and the color schemes here are very bold (red, purple, and orange dominate). The furnishings are comfortable rather than luxurious, creating a friendly, funky place to stay. Front balcony rooms give you an uninterrupted view of action on Fitzroy Street; back rooms are quieter. Rooms range from the tiny Piccolo rooms (A$99) up to the two-bedroom Georges studio (A$219).