Mediation divorce trends come and go, but Jim Halfens, an entrepreneur in the western European nation of the Netherlands, may have developed an approach that has not been seen before.  Halfens has established a conceptual ‘divorce hotel’ intended to help Dutch couples end their marriages without using a traditional divorce attorney.  Instead, couples check into a hotel, where they will have three days of mediation sessions designed to help them reach agreement on a range of issues necessary for dissolving the marriage outside the court system.

Mediation Divorce Hotel Conceptual in Nature

The ‘divorce hotel’ concept established by Halfens is not an actual brick and mortar hotel devoted solely to serving a clientele of divorcing couples.  Instead, the mediation sessions take place in a variety of different luxury hotels, among them the prestigious Utrecht Hotel Karel the Fifth.   Once the couple has checked in, divorce mediation can begin.  "It's a divorce in three days, roundabouts, in a hotel," comments Halfens.

The only eligible couples at present are those from Holland, though Halfens has plans to expand the concept into Germany.  Since divorce laws differ nation by nation, Halfens will work through partners to spread the notion of the "divorce hotel."

The average cost for a mediated divorce using the Halfens approach is $3500.  A divorce adjudicated through Dutch courts typically costs far in excess of that amount -- often thousands of dollars more.