A NEW “hotel” promises the smartest accommodation around- provided you have six legs.

The insect hotel, built by members of Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF) in the grounds of The Royal Gunpowder Mills, in Waltham Abbey, promises a snug shelter for helpful creepy-crawlies.

Made out of recycled materials, including discard pallets, bricks and wood, the new dwelling caters for all kind of insects.

Bark and dead wood is used to encourage beetles and millipedes while pine cones are set out as a new home for moths and spiders.

The aim of the hotel project is to encourage the growth of creatures useful in preserving the natural ecosystem of the Mills site, in Beaulieu Drive, which contains around 80 acres of woodland.

VAEF volunteer Sally Panrucker said: ‘The group had great fun collecting different materials and then creating their own design.

“Some species, such as bumblebees, are on decline and these simple structures are ideal for insects to shelter and hibernate in during the winter.’