At St. Ermin’s, sustainability isn’t a statement, it’s woven into the fabric of who we are. Our commitment took flight quite literally in 2011, when we welcomed thousands of honeybees to our rooftop. What began as a nurturing habitat has grown into a thriving ecosystem, reflecting our belief that hotels can play an active role in protecting urban biodiversity. From cultivating bee-friendly gardens to championing conscious travel, we’re dedicated to reducing our environmental impact while enriching the natural world around us. Here’s how we’re doing our part, and how your stay supports it.
Bees & Sustainability
Our Bees
At St. Ermin’s, we welcomed bees to our rooftop in 2011 — not as a trend, but out of a genuine commitment to sustainability. For more than a decade, we’ve nurtured our colonies by creating bee-friendly habitats and prioritising pollination over profit.
As rooftop beekeeping has become more common across London, forage has grown scarce and competition between hives has increased. Many urban colonies now struggle to find enough diverse, pesticide-free plants, and over-harvesting often leaves bees without the honey stores they need to survive winter.
We take a different approach. The well-being of our bees always comes first. In 2025, we strengthened that commitment by establishing a rural out-apiary in the West Country. Surrounded by wildflowers and open countryside, it provides a richer, more sustainable environment where our pollinators can truly thrive.
ST. ERMIN’S BEE TERRACE AND OUT APIARY
Located on the third floor, St. Ermin’s Bee Terrace is home to our rooftop hives and a bespoke Bee & Bee Hotel for solitary bees and other vital pollinators. Through full-length glass panels, guests can safely watch our gentle Buckfast bees at work — a rare window into urban beekeeping.
Our colonies thrive on pollinator-friendly planting and the bounty of nearby parks and gardens, including the flower-filled grounds of Buckingham Palace. This rich, pesticide-free forage gives our honey its signature London character. Once the bees have all they need, we enjoy the surplus.
Visitors are welcome to explore the Bee Terrace and meet our rooftop residents.
St. Ermin’s out-apiary sits on organic farmland in the peaceful West Country, surrounded by ancient woodland, wildflower meadows, and hedgerows alive with nectar. Here, far from city pressures, our bees forage freely in a truly natural environment.
The hives are housed in enclosures designed for welfare first, not honey yield. We harvest only in spring — never in late summer — ensuring the bees keep ample stores for winter.
Any surplus honey is brought back to the hotel, where it finds its way into seasonal dishes and signature cocktails.
Discover our beekeeping journey — from the arrival of our very first hive in 2011 to our latest commitment: the creation of a rural out-apiary in the West Country.
Our Gardens
Green space is a rare luxury in London, which is why we protect and enhance every inch of it. By preserving existing greenery, planting native species, and creating habitats for local wildlife, we actively support the biodiversity of our property. Our roof garden and Bee Terrace are prime examples of this commitment.
With the expertise of our gardeners at Calistoga Growers, we’ve transformed the rooftop into a thriving haven for pollinators, planting bee-friendly species in every possible space. The result is a fertile, productive landscape where tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, spring onions, French beans, potatoes, olives, clementines, apples, plums, raspberries, and blackberries flourish in purpose-built beds and pots. Alongside this abundance, you’ll also find an extensive herb garden and a working greenhouse.
Sustainability
Explore our full approach to sustainability >
