We’re seeing a whole new kind of rooftop hangout from San Fran to New York to Paris and Taipei. It involves one rockin’ queen, a few hundred thousand of her closest friends, and jars upon jars of honey as a bonus.
Bee hotels. It’s what’s happening on a hotel roof near you.
The Colony Collapse Disorder is no joke. The decrease in bee populations across North America and Europe is of significant concern, so some leading hotels have taken the opportunity to help combat this problem by setting up shop for bees. Bees are a vital part of the food chain, and creating safe homes for them is key.
With the help of apiculturists, many city hotels are maintaining successful bee colonies, and they have the added reward of honey to use at their restaurants and in their spa treatments. “Honey beer” straight from the tap or a cocktail infused with a splash of liquid gold, anyone?
Tours of the Waldorf Astoria’s rooftop bee zone in New York give visitors a chance to check out the hives that produce more than 300 pounds of honey each year, according to a recent report from CNN. Not only that, but this sustainable hotel hosts over 60 herbs, fruits, and veggies alongside its bee hotels.
A jaunt across the pond to St. Ermin’s Hotel in London uncovers the UK’s first bee hotel, which has yielded enough amber nectar to contribute to the hotel’s annual honey month every September. Sustainability plus delicious offerings equals happy guests. And happy bees.
When hotels like the Fairmont, the Ritz Carlton, and the Omni join on to make a difference, change can spread as nearby businesses follow suit and awareness is raised. The Fairmont knows that those bees will enjoy their very own “Bee & Bee” and have pioneered not only the construction of bee hotels but resting hives for bees as well.
The environmental commitment of hotels near and far is continuing to grow. Combatting the worldwide honeybee colony collapse has to start somewhere, so why not on the roof?
