The Bee Hotel
A place of one's own, for bees who prefer it that way.
We've expanded.
The main hotel has always welcomed solitary bees. The Bamboo Suite and the Drilled Log Rooms have been popular since opening day. But demand has grown, and not every bee wants to share a building with earwigs and woodlice. Fair enough.
So we built an annexe.
The New Accommodation
The Bee Hotel is a purpose-built, standalone shelter designed for one group of guests only: solitary bees. It hangs on a sheltered fence in the garden, close to flowering plants, facing the morning sun.
The structure is made from untreated wood with rows of carefully drilled holes in a range of widths. Each hole is a single room: smooth inside, deep enough for a chain of nursery cells, and angled slightly to keep the rain out.
There are no shared corridors. No communal dining. No noise from the Pine Cone Loft next door. Just a clean, quiet, south-facing row of private chambers for bees who like things simple.
What's on offer
- Multiple room sizes, from pin-thin to pencil-width, to suit different solitary bee species
- Smooth, splinter-free interiors, drilled with care into solid wood
- South-facing position for morning warmth and good light
- Sheltered location, mounted on a garden fence surrounded by herbs and flowering shrubs
- Standalone building, separate from the main hotel for a quieter stay
The Neighbourhood
The Bee Hotel sits among herbs, flowering shrubs, and garden plants that bloom across the seasons. Foraging is close and varied. A bee checking into one of these rooms doesn't need to fly far for pollen and nectar, and the return trip is short.
The main hotel is nearby, and the broader garden provides water, shelter, and a community of other pollinators. It's a good neighbourhood.
Who It's For
The Bee Hotel is designed for solitary bees of all kinds:
- Mason bees, who seal their cells with mud
- Leafcutter bees, who line their nurseries with neat circles of leaf
- Carpenter bees, who appreciate a well-drilled hole
- Any solitary bee looking for a clean, dry, sun-warmed tunnel to call home
If you're a solitary bee and the main hotel's Bamboo Suite or Drilled Log Rooms feel a bit too busy, this is your place.
Where It Came From
The Bee Hotel was made by Tutus Loco, a South African charity dedicated to providing safe nesting sites for solitary bees. Every hotel is handmade with care, and every purchase supports conservation work.
Tutus Loco also runs the Jozi Bee Hotel Project in Johannesburg, a citizen science programme in partnership with Wits University. They've distributed 347 standardised bee hotels across the city to study urban pollination and help communities understand the insects that quietly keep their gardens alive.
You can find them at beehotels.co.za or follow them on social media at @tutusloco.
Their work is part of a growing network of insect shelters across the world. You can see the full map on our Network page.
Already a guest at the main hotel?
The Bee Hotel is an extension of The Insect Hotel, not a replacement. All other room types remain open and available. Browse the full accommodation options or meet our guests.