All the Buzz: Meet The Drake Hotel’s Bees

High above the hustle of the Gold Coast, The Drake Hotel’s honeybees check into their penthouse hive each season—basking in the sunshine, enjoying panoramic views of Lake Michigan, and doing what they do best: keeping the city blooming. At the height of summer, each hive buzzes with up to 50,000 bees—and they’re all part of The Drake’s commitment to a greener, more sustainable Chicago.

About the Bees

These busy bees are local legends in their own right, pollinating the neighborhood’s urban flora and helping keep our parks, gardens, and balconies in full bloom. Fun fact: there are over 4,000 bee species native to North America, and bees are responsible for pollinating about two-thirds of the food we eat. (Yes, that includes your apples, broccoli, raspberries, eggplants, and squash!) Without bees, our plates—and palates—would be a lot less colorful.

Want to show the bees some love? Plant native perennials in your yard or skip the pesticides. Small changes make a world of difference for our pollinator pals.

The Drake Hotel’s Famous Honey

And the sweetest part? The Drake’s honey is harvested fresh each year and featured in some of our signature recipes—like the Honey Trap and Cran Sparkle cocktails, or the drizzled-to-perfection Fillo Mozzarella Sticks at Coq d’Or. Stop by Coq d’Or and savor a taste of Real Chicago, straight from the hive. View Coq d’Or’s menu and hours here.

Crown Her Highness: Name the Queen Bee

The Drake Hotel knows a thing or two about treating royalty—after all, it’s hosted true icons like Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, the Empress of Japan, and Elizabeth Taylor. Now, it’s time to roll out the red carpet for the hotel’s own royal resident: the Queen Bee. To celebrate her reign, the hotel hosted a naming contest with the name Her Drakeness being awarded as the final winner.