WAX LYRICAL

The scheme: Eco-luxe

The scene: Hotel Screen, Kyoto, Japan

It's one thing to make an environmentally friendly B&B out of an old farmhouse; it's quite another to create a high-end design hotel focused on eco-luxe in the middle of a booming metropolis. But considering that sustainability is the big buzzword in the travel industry right now, this place is just taking it to the next level. Hotel Screen in Kyoto has 13 rooms, each created by a different artist or designer, whose visions range from the all black-and-orange Screen Suite to the Mystic Room, which is based on the idea that lots of white drapes flowing from the ceiling is soothing. Most rooms maintain traditional Japanese details, like tatami mats, sliding doors, and tables that require sitting cross-legged on the floor. The "eco" part of the "luxe" comes once a week, when the hotel turns off its lights and sets aflame a few hundred candles—presumably to conserve energy, though we'll be the first to admit that everyone looks better on Candle Night.

Hotel Screen
Tel: 800 337 4685 (toll-free)
Tel: 81 75 252 1113
Doubles from $435

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