How 150,000 bees are helping the environment and feeding guests at Sunderland hotel

Around 150,000 bees are creating a real buzz at a Sunderland hotel.

Sunderland Hilton Garden Inn has installed bee hives on the hotel roof in Monkwearmouth, with the plan of using any honey produced for breakfast.

The hives are not only part of a plan to give guests a unique experience, but also to help support the environment.

Bees play a vital part in the world’s eco system, as they facilitate pollination which plays an integral role in crop growth, along with enhancing biodiversity.

Installing the hives at the hotel is part of an ongoing programme of new initiatives, which follows on from a major refurbishment of the public areas and will also see a refresh of the rooms.

Currently there are five hives, housing around 30,000 bees in each one, which will be helping to pollinate flowers in and around the city.

Gareth Freeman, General Manager at the hotel, said when the honey is ready, it will be a great talking point for guests.

“We are very excited about being able to offer our own honey,” he said.

“We’ve already managed to have a small taste and it’s delicious – really light and floral. Cutting down on food miles and using local and seasonal food wherever possible are all important to us.

“And what could be more local than offering honey that’s been produced right here at the hotel?”

To mark a decade since it opened its doors in Vaux Brewery Way, the Hilton is undergoing a £150,000 spruce up.

The new look was unveiled in April and included a revamped lobby area, bar and public seating areas, which all feature colourful furniture and eye-catching artwork.

The hotel’s 141 bedrooms are also undergoing an upgrade, as part of a rolling programme of refreshing the facilities.

The Hilton Garden Inn’s Karbon Grill is also sporting a new look, with new chairs aimed at giving it a more contemporary feel.

Since opening, the hotel has proved particularly popular on matchdays and with business travellers.