Bees and Friends Hotels

The structure stands at the edge of our beautiful hotel garden, in a sunny and easily visible spot designed to attract as many creatures as possible. Inspired by a mountain hut belonging to our neighbour, the insect hotel was lovingly built using natural materials. Our technical team regularly maintains it, replacing old elements and adding new ones to ensure it remains a welcoming refuge for insects of all kinds.

Right on the hostel grounds, we host around six beehives, carefully tended by a local beekeeper. The honey they produce is used in our hostel, for example at breakfast. The Wild Bee Youth Shelter is located on the premises of the Leissigen Youth Hostel. This initiative is part of the Swiss Youth Hostels’ comprehensive sustainability strategy, which integrates ecological, social and economic principles.

Inspired by nature, our wild bee hotel hangs at the edge of the forest behind the hotel. It is crafted from a variety of Eastern Swiss woods, such as oak, beech, ash, hazel, and reed, with a wooden bark roof. The three-star superior hotel "Säntis – das Hotel" is located on Schwägalp, surrounded by the Nature Discovery Park Schwägalp / Säntis. As a point of contact for nature enthusiasts, our ranger welcomes guests and also tends to the wild bee home, ensuring that every visitor can discover and appreciate a little more of the natural beauty of Schwägalp.

In the idyllic Schlüsselgärtli, it's not just bees that find blooming oases — our feathered guests also enjoy a cosy home here. A little birdhouse nestled high in the tree invites them to linger and rest.

In summer, the beehives stand in the meadow right in front of the Scalottas Terroir restaurant – four traditional wooden hives. During winter, they are kept with the beekeeper in Zorten. For butterflies, wild bees, and other insects, we’ve created a flowering strip in the BergAcker, which belongs to the restaurant. Situated in Lain at 1,300 metres above sea level, the BergAcker is cultivated using permaculture principles.

We are home to around six bee colonies, located directly on the hotel grounds and cared for by a local beekeeper. The honey they produce is used throughout the hotel, including at our breakfast buffet.

The beehives are located near the herb garden at an altitude of 914 meters and were established a few years ago with the idea of producing our own honey for our guests. The inspiration came from a desire to promote sustainability and offer guests a unique experience at breakfast. The beehives are carefully tended by a local beekeeper, who looks after the bees with great dedication and expertise. Through this initiative, we also aim to preserve the region’s long-standing tradition of honey production.

In our naturally designed garden, bees and other insects find a valuable habitat. Wildflower areas with native plants, natural retreats and a variety of nesting opportunities create ideal conditions for our smallest guests. This habitat for insects has been deliberately designed as part of the wild garden and complements our commitment to promoting biodiversity. At Gasthaus Traube, it creates a diverse and vibrant space that supports nature and encourages species diversity.

High above Lake Maggiore, our eight beehives await discovery. During regular visits to the hives—protected by beekeeping suits—guests can get up close to the busy bees and even harvest their own taste of liquid gold. The honey produced is also served on the breakfast buffet and used in the hotel kitchen. Guests can also purchase jars of our honey to take home as a sweet souvenir or gift.

The Nature Paradise by Trauffer Switzerland brings an insect hotel to life as a vibrant home for small heroes of nature. Here, wild bees, butterflies, beetles and more find protected nesting spaces — a place where diverse animal families feel truly welcome. Set within a near-natural environment, our guests find everything they need: food, shelter, and room to thrive. Every corner has been crafted with attention to detail, creating a sustainable habitat that fosters biodiversity and supports ecological balance. Naturally made from Swiss wood, this nature paradise combines responsible craftsmanship with playful charm. It invites both young and old to experience the richness of nature and discover how sustainability can be truly marvellous.

Sometimes all it takes is a small house to make a big difference: at TCS Camping Solothurn stands an impressive insect hotel. Originally intended for wild bees, it has long since become a lively meeting place for a wide variety of insects. Exactly who has moved in remains their little secret. What is certain is that the hotel is well used and shows our guests how valuable even a simple refuge can be for nature.

Beatrice the Hedgehog: LUGANODANTE Boutique & Lifestyle Hotel. At the heart of the LUGANODANTE Boutique & Lifestyle Hotel, a touch of nature blends seamlessly with outstanding hospitality thanks to our Urban Farming initiative — a unique project developed in collaboration with various local associations. Among the many wonders of this initiative, one space stands out: a dedicated sanctuary for hedgehogs, where these small, fascinating creatures can find shelter, heal from injuries, and recover in a safe and welcoming environment.

The insect house right next to the entrance offers its residents close access to our herb and strawberry beds.

Sustainability has been a passionate calling at Giessbach ever since its rescue between 1982 and 1984. In 2019, efforts began to restore the historic vegetable garden from 1897. Today, herbs are harvested from our own garden, vegetables—wherever possible—come from our own fields or from the estate’s historic garden houses, and even the honey is produced by Giessbach’s own bees and is available for purchase. Naturally, all products are organic. Our beekeeper currently cares for 10 bee colonies, yielding around 400 kg of honey from the Giessbach estate each year. The peaceful, native Swiss bee species, the Carnica bee, has found a true home at Giessbach. Birds also find a safe breeding place in the park, with around 15 birdhouses offering shelter. When old trees in the nature park die, it can take decades for their trunks to decompose. During this time, they serve as deadwood habitats—an essential lifeline for thousands of species. Dead trees are among the richest and most vital ecosystems in the forest. Roughly a quarter of all forest-dwelling species depend on them. In Switzerland alone, these include dozens of bird species, hundreds of types of lichens, thousands of fungi and beetle species, and millions of microorganisms. The Giessbach Falls and their surrounding landscape have been designated a cantonal natural monument since 1950 and are protected accordingly. Thanks to the Giessbach Foundation, the Grandhotel Giessbach and its forest are now recognized as a cultural asset of national importance.

The bee and bird stations are spread throughout our entire grounds. We have three bee hotels for wild bees and several birdhouses.

Along the route of the Niesen Railway leading to the Berghaus Niesen Kulm (Typically Swiss Lodge), our colleague Markus Rubin has installed a bee hotel shaped like the iconic Niesen funicular. The exclusive Niesen honey is available for purchase at the kiosk next to the Berghaus.

Driven by passion and commitment to global climate protection, we actively invest in internal resource and energy efficiency. One example is the care of up to 150,000 bees on our hotel rooftop. This initiative not only supports the fight against bee decline, but also yields around 85 kg of sustainably produced honey each year – used at breakfast and in our fascia massage treatments in the spa.