Mall of America’s Radisson Blu Debuts Honey Spa Package

For the past two years, Radisson Blu at the Mall of America has hosted honey bee colonies from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad on the hotel’s rooftop. This summer, Radisson Blu has amped up its efforts to support the honey bee population with a new series of honey-infused spa packages at Solimar Spa in partnership with Minnesota-based skincare brand Worker B (which also happens to have a retail store within the mall).

To get a taste of the hotel spa’s new offerings, I was recently treated to the “Queen Bee” staycation package, which includes a Sweet Honey Facial, a Worker B intro kit, overnight accommodations, and a taste of FireLake‘s delectable honey trio dessert upon arrival. (Not only does the Bee Squad’s rooftop bee colonies support the local bee population—excess honey from the colonies are used in menu items at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar.) Other offerings include the Honey Body Glow skin repairing treatment and scrub ($135), Lavender and Chamomile Massage ($137), Sweet Honey Manicure ($55), and Sweet Honey Pedicure ($77). 

The 60-minute Sweet Honey Facial ($115) begins with Worker B’s Raw Honey Face Wash to cleanse and lightly exfoliate, followed by a gentle peel to balance out the skin. Then, a soothing honey mask is applied to hydrate, soothe, and moisturize the skin. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive of the idea of getting honey slathered on my face—the sticky sweetness seemed antithetical to the idea of having smooth, clear skin. But in fact, honey is naturally antibacterial, so it’s great for acne treatment and prevention, and since it’s full of antioxidants, it helps slow down aging. Thanks to its moisturizing and soothing properties, it’s naturally complexion-boosting and glow-inducing. 

Not only are honey products effective, they’re natural and safe. Founded by a group of beekeepers and skincare formulators, Worker B uses bee-created ingredients—raw honey, beeswax, and propolis—in its products, which do not contain any synthetic fragrances and dyes or harmful petroleum products, parabens, and sulfates.

Immediately after the facial, my skin felt softer than a baby’s butt, plumped full of moisture and exfoliated to a T. I couldn’t stop touching it. Nearly two weeks later, as I’ve continued to use Worker B’s products (including its Raw Honey Face Wash and beeswax-infused cream) on a twice-daily basis, my skin is glow-ier than ever. Here’s my face, post-facial: 

The Bee Squad visits each of their hives every two weeks to monitor the health of the honey bees and collect data that is used to find trends and solutions to health issues that honey bees face. According to Bee Squad, one out of every three honey bee colonies has dyed each winter since 2006, because of disease and poor honey bee health due to the use of pesticides. Without the pollination that bees provide, the food supply would no doubt be impacted, as 35 percent of the global food supply and more than 80 percent of flowering plants are dependent on pollination.

Before retiring to my room for the night, I took in the honey-centric tasting menu at FireLake, which utilizes honey from the rooftop bee colonies. The restaurant offers two tasty cocktails that use honey syrup as an ingredient: the sharp and tangy “Bee’s Knees” (blended with J. Carver Barrel Gin and fresh lemon juice) and the sweet-yet-balanced “Calhoun Loon” (Prairie Organic Vodka, Domaine de Canton Ginger liquer, and pink grapefruit juice). There’s also a delicious honey-glazed, grilled-smoked pork chop, served with seasonal vegetables, a popover served with honey butter, and smoked dry-rub ribs served with honey apricot sauce. Radisson Blu’s honey spa packages and FireLake’s honey menu not only highlight the benefits of honey for skin, they spotlight the important work the University of Minnesota Bee Squad is doing. 

To book an appointment, contact Solimar Spa at Radisson Blu Mall of America, 2100 Killebrew Dr., Bloomington, 952-479-0988, MOAAppointments@solimarspa.com. To book an overnight stay at Radisson Blu Mall of America, visit radissonblu.com. To book a reservation at FireLake, visit firelakerestaurant.com. To learn more about the University of Minnesota Bee Squad, visit beelab.umn.edu/bee-squad.