Why hotels are creating buzz about bees

Bees are vital to our agricultural systems, responsible for one in every three bites of food we take.

But many species are endangered due to factors like habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change, making bee conservation efforts especially critical.

Those efforts have long been the domain of nonprofits, government agencies, and universities.

But today, hotels are starting to shoulder some of that responsibility, carving out safe spaces for bees to thrive on their properties and making them a central part of the guest experience, per Forbes.

A sweet remedy to a sticky situation

Like bees, these pollinator-friendly hotels, which number in the thousands, can be found on almost every continent.

Some work with conservation groups to design their programs, many of which give guests the chance to suit up and interact with the bees, learn about local beekeeping traditions, and taste fresh honey.

• One&Only Gorilla's Nest in Rwanda partners with a French nonprofit that teaches beekeeping skills to local women, who then guide hotel guests through interactive sessions.
• Beekeepers at Tuscany’s Castelfalfi hotel are reviving an age-old honey-processing method to give guests an idea of what honey tasted like before modern technology.
• The Cashel Palace Hotel in Ireland, virtually the only place where Native Irish Black Honey Bees still exist, is a no-frills designated bee sanctuary for the endangered species.

Beyond conservation, hotels are also incorporating bees into their wellness programs, restaurant and bar menus, and other activities:

• For a real buzz, Tennessee’s Southall Farm & Inn, which has 8m bees and three national honey awards under its belt, offers an eight-course tequila and honey tasting.
• Sound meditations set to the hum of bees and honey-infused spa treatments are available at more than a few buzzy hotels.
• At Carmel Valley Ranch in California, guests can make candles out of beeswax harvested from an onsite apiary.

Beyond bees

The rise of hotel beekeeping comes as interest in ecotourism grows and sustainability remains a priority for travelers, with hotels increasingly creating guest experiences around a natural world threatened by climate change.

• Water has become a luxury at high-end hotels, taking the form of high-tech filtration systems or water tastings led by sommeliers.
• As light pollution makes natural light harder to come by, some hotels are promoting darkness as an amenity, offering onsite astronomers and observatories for guided stargazing opportunities.

Sooo, the catalyst behind these trends is a little bleak to think about — but perhaps a vacation and that eight-course tequila-and-honey tasting could take your mind off of it?