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I'm really struck by how beautiful these end up being. Using common materials to create all those small spaces seems like a very cheap and accessible project. Are there any major design considerations? Presumably what sized spaces the local insect population prefers?

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I was taught two things when building a miniature version with the kid in a forest education center:

- after drilling holes, make sure to smooth the edges; insect wings could get stuck or damaged on unnaturally rough edges that the wood drilling bits leave. - best to place the insect hotel with the openings facing west

> with the openings facing west

This also depends on the local climate and wind direction. Here it is recommended that the holes face south. That helps against rain which is commonly coming from west as this is the prevailing wind direction here.

Apparently it is also recommended that the holes be of different sizes, rather than uniform.

Size and nesting habit, yep. For example, mud daubers and allies need straight holes in wood, and so do carpenter bees, but they have different size preferences. Social wasps need different sorts of shelters entirely for their nests, and honeybees a different sort again that we conventionally call "hive boxes".

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