Divorce Hotel
Divorce hotel, opened in Netherlands, works with 6 other hotels to provide divorce to couples in a stress-free weekend break. The idea of Dutch entrepreneur Jim Halfen’s, it offers couples a chance to spend a weekend in a 5 star hotel, where they help them finalise their divorce. So in short, couples come in on Friday and end the weekend as separated couples. Over the weekend, they are introduced to mediators and divorce lawyers. and by the time they leave on Sunday, they are divorced.
How Does The Divorce Hotel Work
Couples are first screened at the head office to check if they are suitable for availing the facilities. After a little more homework is done, a customized program is set and couples check in after two weeks. By Sunday, they walk out as singles. Once they leave the hotel, they have to show the agreement to a judge, mandatory in Dutch laws, which can take a few weeks.
The company uses comfortable and high end hotels to entertain the guests. Staff are advised to take extra care of fragile customers. The cost of this quick divorce? €2499.
Couples can stay in the same room or in different rooms, if they wish, and they are introduced to mediators and lawyers in a suite. Alimony, child care etc are taken care off. Though it might seem heartbreaking, Jim has seen some strange cases among the 16 cases Divorce Hotel has successfully undertaken.
In one of the cases he completed at the Divorce Hotel, the man ordered champagne to celebrate the end of 7 years of marriage. In another case, the couple shared a room at night as they wanted to end the marriage together after living together for 10 years.
The Idea Behind Divorce Hotel
Jim said the idea for divorce hotel came up after witnessing a college friend go through a painful divorce. He told the New York Times:
“He was losing weight, he was unable to have fun in life anymore and they were fighting every time you saw them – it was horrible. The divorce negotiations dragged on for five months. I was convinced there has to be another way.”
Divorce Hotel Video
Jim aims to launch divorce hotel in England also, and might also bring it to India !!
