If you’re not already a big fan of bees, well, you definitely should be. They pollinate our food, filter our air, and are essential for maintaining wildlife habitats. Their honey is both delicious and has medicinal properties. Plus, they’re damn cute.
Now we think we’ve found the perfect Airbnb – or, should we say, Air ‘bee and bee’ – for anyone who really loves bugs. To celebrate World Bee Day (May 20), a beekeeper in southern Italy has built a rental that doubles as a bee farm. And it’s as cool as it sounds.
Guests of the ‘Wonder Bee & Bee’ will have the chance to sleep in a beehive surrounded by a colony of a million the bees. And while you may think such incessant buzzing might be loud or annoying, the so-called “bee therapy” has actually turned out to be quite relaxing. And before you ask, no, the bees are not let loose in the room with you. A special box on the ceiling lets you watch the insects work in their hive without having to worry about getting bitten.
Built by local beekeeper Rocco Filomeno, the hive was crowdfunded and cost $17,000 (£14,500). It is near the village of Grottole, in the province of Basilicata, in southern Italy, about an hour from Bari.
On the practical side, the rental includes a bedroom with two single beds, a bathroom and a toilet in a separate building. Here are some additional photos of the Filomeno hive and bee farm.
But the real hive is only half of it. The stay also includes lessons from Filomeno on bees and how to live with them, as well as a breakfast that includes lots of local honey. And just in case you thought it couldn’t be more dreamy, the hive was built in the middle of Filomeno’s own olive grove.
All proceeds from the ‘Wonder Bee & Bee’ go to the bee conservation projects of a local NGO called Wonder Cave. You can find out more on the Airbnb rental listing here.
Did you see that you could stay in this English cabin, built on stilts so the sheep could pass underneath?
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