Day in the life: All the 'buzz' about being a hotel beekeeper
The Carneros Resort and Spa has many features you'd expect from a luxury resort in the heart of California's Napa Valley: sophisticated farmhouse style, a tranquil spa and extraordinary views of the neighboring vineyards.
However, there is one other thing that helps to maintain the resort's harmony with nature: small, black-and-yellow insects that buzz as they flit from flower to flower — bees.
The 28-acre Carneros Resort and Spa has an on-site apiary with three thriving bee colonies cared for by Rob Keller, beekeeper and founder of the Napa Valley Bee Company. TPG recently spoke with Keller to learn more about the resort and what goes into being a hotel beekeeper.
A focus on sustainability
Caring for its six-legged residents is only one example of Carneros Resort and Spa's commitment to sustainability. The resort is a member of Beyond Green, a worldwide portfolio of hotels with a proven focus on sustainability.
At Carneros, this means eco-friendly design and architecture that conserve energy and water, eco-friendly in-room amenities, and restaurants that feature organic ingredients from local purveyors.
Among its many services, Carneros Resort and Spa gives guests opportunities to commune with the nature it works so hard to protect. The resort is designed to blend in with the rolling hills and vineyards so guests can fully immerse themselves in the beauty of Napa's landscape, and complimentary bicycles are also available to further explore its natural surroundings.
The resort also provides weekly tours of its culinary garden and chicken coops; outdoor spaces to gather over wine, lawn games and live music; artisan food and wine tastings and more.
Becoming a resort beekeeper
Under the supervision of Keller, a veterinary technician and artist turned master beekeeper, guests have the opportunity to learn how the bees fit into the surrounding ecosystem and how they're cared for. Keller, in his own words, "fell in love with these little six-legged insects" after receiving his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Davis, where he began incorporating bees into his art practice.
These experiences spurred Keller to return to UC Davis and enroll in its Master Beekeeper program, where he started down the path of regenerative, or bee-centric, beekeeping.
"Regenerative beekeeping is a management philosophy that looks to regenerate — or heal — the bees. As a regenerative beekeeper, I try and think about how I can better work with the bees and what's in their best interest," Keller told TPG.
Keller has been managing bees in the Napa area for 25 years, helping people and businesses with hive management through consultations, education and safe swarm removal. About a year ago, the Carneros Resort and Spa asked Keller to start a beekeeping program at the resort.
"They called me in to help support the bee population and let me run with developing my own program," Keller said. "One of the things I like most about working with the Carneros Resort is that they are like-minded in terms of sustainability and the bees' importance to the ecosystem," he added.
Today, Keller manages the resort's log hives (pictured below), which provide a more natural environment for the bees than traditional box hives.
"On a typical day at the resort, I'll walk around the resort to monitor and check on the bees. Not necessarily to take any particular action, but to keep a pulse on the colonies," Keller said.
The day-to-day tasks of a resort beekeeper can vary immensely. On some days, the resort's tree trimmers may call Keller and tell him they found a colony of bees living in a tree, and Keller will figure out how to safely move the bees to a new location. On others, Keller might be educating guests about his practices or working with the restaurant staff to determine the best forage to plant in the culinary garden for the bees.
"It's mostly things you can plant at home like anise, fennel, oregano, rosemary, basil and other herbs," Keller explained. "They'll also cut flowers from the garden and bring them into the restaurant."
How resort guests can become a beekeeper for the day
On Saturdays, Keller leads the resort's "All the Buzz" tour. The tour gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at life in the apiary, where they learn about the life cycle of bees and their habitat. Guests can view inside the beehives and, at the end of the tour, sample honey from the hives along with cheese and wine chosen by Keller.
Keller's goal is to meet guests where they are in their knowledge of bees.
"I don't have a set curriculum; if they have a lot of experience with bees, we will talk at a higher level. If not, we can do more of an introduction," Keller said. "We will walk the grounds, look at the log hives, and try our best to find the queen. Some guests may not be immediately comfortable getting close to a bee colony, but we make sure guests are fully protected."
With Keller's guidance, guests go home with a newfound appreciation for bees and an education on how they can help protect these vital beings by planting pollinator-friendly gardens at home.
Bottom line
Bees do so much for us. Yes, they provide us with honey, but they also pollinate most of our crops.
Caring for them is an important job, and people like Keller are not only caring for bees in a way that supports their long-term health, but he is also educating guests at Carneros Resort and Spa so they can do their part.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.