Hot on the heels of last week’s announcement about our second corporate member I am pleased to announce that The Bell House Hotel have also joined us!
The Bell House Hotel is located in Saxmundham, about 8 miles from Minsmere. It’s an old coaching inn that once hosted royalty! In 1737 King George II stayed at the hotel. The historic surroundings are complemented by modern food and service. Each boutique room is individually designed to provide a modern, impeccable service to all visitors. Guests can dine on European influenced cuisine or enjoy speciality coffee and afternoon tea. Food is sourced from local Suffolk farms and they host events such as wine tasting evenings. Importantly for pet owners, dogs are welcomed.
Excitingly enough, the Hotel recently won a Michelin Two Fork award for 2013 for their fine dining restaurant and in 2012 received the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence, so you can be assured of excellent hospitality.
The Bell House Hotel are offering a 10% discount to all RSPB members on accommodation and food – to be eligible for this please book in advance and present your membership card. During March to April you can book a one night stay, including cold buffet breakfast and a bottle of Los Tres Chilean White Wine and complimentary tickets to RSPB Minsmere for £99. An additional night is available for £59. For further information on these offers and for other promotions please see here or contact the Hotel directly.
Support from local businesses like The Bell House Hotel is vital in allowing us to continue our conservation work.
Did you know...
Minsmere was the first place in the UK that avocets returned to in 1947. Flooding of the sand dunes during World War Two provided the perfect habitat. In 1963 we built the Scrape - the world’s first artificial lagoon – and Avocets have been with us ever since!
Photograph taken by David Tipling
Otters are still pretty rare creatures but we are lucky enough to have two families using the reserve. Recently one of our visitors caught this brilliant photo of one walking on the ice outside Island Mere Hide.
Minsmere is a great place to see bitterns. This elusive and rare heron relies on reedbeds so we carefully manage the areas they love and are proud to host 10 booming males – out of a UK population of 100 (we did say they were rare!).
Last in my list is the silver studded blue butterfly. This gorgeous creature favours Heathland, something which Minsmere has a lot of, so we are rewarded with a large colony which can be seen during the Summer months.
All this and more is a big draw for tourists. Every year 80,000 visitors to Minsmere spend around £8 million pounds on businesses in the local area. Joining the RSPB as a corporate member means you help us to continue our work and invest in your local area for generations to come.
To find out more please contact Neil Santy at neil.santy@rspb.org.uk
Many thanks to The Bell House Hotel for their support – together we can provide a better environment for future generations.
The Scrape at dusk