Wild Bees Have An Unlikely Advocate: Hotels
Photos courtesy of Fairmont
These days, it’s not surprising to see hyperlocal elements on a restaurant menu, from the lettuce in a restaurant salad that can come from the garden out back, and the rosemary-infused simple syrup at a craft cocktail bar that is house grown, house made.
In an effort to support and advocate for bees, undergoing a severe population decline in North America, a local ingredient that continues to gain popularity is honey. And it’s on a menu where you might least expect it: hotels.
Since 2008, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has been operating its Bee Sustainable program, today responsible for beehives on the rooftops of over 20 properties around the world. The program even spawned the creation of customized Fairmont bee hotels, wooden structures designed to attract bees (you can build your own with the help of this guide). These hotels are targeted to attract wild mason bees, an important and prolific pollinator.
“Sustainability isn’t a buzz word at Fairmont, it’s a core element of our operations and an area that our colleagues and hotels soundly embrace,” says Jane Mackie, vice president, Fairmont Brand. “Through our bee programming, rooftop herb and vegetable gardens, waste and water reduction efforts, and countless other environmental initiatives, our hotels work hard to support the broader ecosystem in meaningful and impactful ways.”
At Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver, the bees share a space with the 2,100 square foot herb garden, and even have their own “Bee Butler” who does hive tours for guests. Here, the hotel harvests about 125 pounds of honey annually. At the various Fairmont hotels with hives, the honey produced is “used by the chefs in restaurant dishes and by hotel mixologists in drinks,” says Mike Taylor, Director, Global Communications & Public Relations for Fairmont. “For example, this includes desserts, various sauces and spreads and signature cocktails. Many hotels also bottle their honey and sell it directly to guests with some proceeds going back to support local bee cooperatives.”