Roof beehives at Finnish hotel supply honey for breakfast

A Jyväskylä hotel now keeps beehives on its roof, with the honey served to guests at breakfast, Yle reports.

Beekeeper James Hall tends the hives on the roof of Scandic Laajavuori. He moved from New Zealand to Finland nearly 20 years ago and took up beekeeping seven years later. The rooftop apiary began five years ago after Hall proposed the idea to hotel management.

The surrounding area offers abundant forage: forests, gardens, and flowering plants such as willow, clover, and dandelion. Hall notes that lingonberry, though scarce locally, yields honey with an exceptional aroma. Each summer the hives produce about 40 kilograms of honey, which the hotel serves at breakfast and sells in jars.

Hotel director Janne Pälvimäki says the initiative aligns with the chain’s sustainability goals. The bees also support local pollination, benefiting nearby apple and bilberry crops.

Rooftop beekeeping has grown in Finland in recent years, driven by demand for local honey and concern over declining pollinators. Pertti Harmaala of the Finnish Beekeepers’ Association notes that shopping centres and other businesses have also adopted rooftop hives. Nationwide, the number of hives has risen from 70,000 in 2021 to 75,000 today.