Lancaster London hotel makes its own honey

On the 13th July 2009, half a million honey bees checked in to the Lancaster London, making it the first central London hotel to install beehives on its roof.

The hotel introduced the beehives due to the sharp decline in honey bees, which is having a serious effect on food production around the world. Situated next to Hyde Park, the Lancaster London is a brilliant place for the bees to flourish.

The hotel’s “Bee Team” will care for the bees and collect the 40kg of honey produced every year. Guests at the Lancaster London will be treated to fresh honey, served straight from the honeycomb in the hotel’s restaurant, Island. Pots of honey will also be offered to VIPs and “honey”mooners, while the wax from the hives will be used to create candles for gifts.

The installation of the beehives is a continuation of the Lancaster London’s commitment to protecting the environment. The hotel holds the Bronze Award from Green Tourism for London for its dedication to green initiatives, and was the only hotel to win an Award for Sustainable Tourism at the Visit London Awards 2008.

Honey Bee Facts  

• The average honey bee will produce only one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.  

• The male honey bees are called drones, and they do no work at all and have no stinger. All they do is mate. 

• Worker honey bees live for about four weeks in the spring or summer, but up to six weeks during the winter. They are all female and do all the work!

• A honey bee can fly for up to six miles, and as fast as 15 miles per hour. Usually they fly one or two miles away from their hive to forage on flowers. 

• The honey bee is the only insect that produces food eaten by man.

• Honey bees die once they have stung. So please leave them “bee”.

For more information on the Lancaster London visit www.lancasterlondon.com.