Divorce hotels coming to a town near you
2012-05-31 11:59
So, you and your spouse are heading in opposite directions, you've tried everything, but divorce seems to be the only outcome. A Dutch entrepreneur has come up with a concept that might make the process a lot less painful than the plain old boardroom battle.
According to TravelMole Jim Halfens arranges for divorcing couples to spend a weekend at a hotel with lawyers, who take care of the paperwork while the divorcees relax around the pool or have a final meal together.Couples stay in separate rooms, while a suite is used for mediation talks.
The 33-year-old Dutchman has struck agreements with six high-end hotels in the Netherlands and now wants to take the idea to the United States, Britain, Italy and Germany.
Halfens explains that hotel staff are prepared for these special cases beforehand to avoid any awkward moments. You don"t want the hotel crew wishing you a very nice weekend and hoping you have lots of fun here," he said.
The New York Times reported that Halfens is, however, not only looking to extend his hotel chain, but also investigating the possibility of a reality show. He is apparently negotiating with two different production companies, as well as a couple of law firms.
While it may seem like a novel idea, the newspaper quoted Robert S. Cohen, the lawyer who advised New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, Christie Brinkley, Ivana Trump and other A-listers to splitsville: "It's a great gimmick, but as a practical matter it probably wouldn't work for most couples."
"The notion they"re now going to spend two days with each other at some fancy hotel seems to me not to be a very likely scenario," he added.
