中国网站品牌栏目（频道）
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 Heartbreak Hotel: The Carlton Ambassador hotel in Hague, Netherlands - one of several locations Jim Halfens uses as part of his 'Divorce Hotel' concept |
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A Dutch entrepreneur has offered couples the chance of a weekend away with a difference - by staying in a hotel where he will help them finalise their divorce. Jim Halfens' 'Divorce Hotel' allows pairs intent on breaking up to get quick divorces by staying for two days in their accommodation and coming out as two all-but-separated people. The Netherlands-based firm aim to talk couples through alimony, splitting assets, visitation rights for children and any other outstanding marital issues to help finalise a divorce. Their two-day process of drawing together documentation by having the two parties, lawyers, and mediators all in the same hotel for a weekend aims to quicken a process which can normally be drawn out for weeks or months. The concept was created by Jim Halfens, whose website says the company offers 'an affordable 5-star divorce made-to-measure'. Mr Halfens uses high-end hotels around the country, putting up the couple in separate rooms (if they wish) and providing mediators and legal advice for a set fee. Once the divorcing couple leave the hotel at the end of their stay, the only thing left to do is show the agreement to a judge, as required in Dutch law, which can take a couple of weeks. The company assesses couples when they apply for the service, to make sure they are suitable for the process and not caught up in a bitter dispute. It then ensures both parties' wellbeing during the stay. Mr Halfens said he was inspired to create the company after watching a college friend go through a painful separation. 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.' The idea has become so popular that several television companies in America are looking at making it into a documentary series. Mr Halfens is also looking to expand into other countries, suggesting that the USA and Germany could be next on the list. (Read by Emily Cheng. Emily Cheng is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies) |
一位荷兰企业家为夫妇们提供了一个不一样的周末度假方式——通过让他们住进一家旅馆来帮助他们成功离婚。 吉姆•哈尔芬斯的“离婚旅馆”让那些下决心分手的夫妇在旅馆里待上两天就能迅速离婚，当他们走出旅馆时，已经是两个不相干的人。 这家荷兰公司让夫妇们对赡养费、财产分割、子女探视权和其他未解决的婚姻问题一一进行讨论，目的是帮助他们达成离婚。 在周末的两天时间里，夫妇双方、律师和调解人都会在同一个旅馆里，一起起草文件，这样可以加快离婚进度，通常要拖上几周或几月的离婚事宜在两天里就可办完。 这一概念是由吉姆•哈尔芬斯开创的，他的网站上称，公司提供“五星级经济离婚专用房”。 哈尔芬斯在全国各地开办了高级旅馆，让夫妇两人住在不同的房间里（如果他们希望这样的话），还提供明码标价的调解人和法律咨询服务。 当要离婚的夫妇在周末结束时离开旅馆时，他们要做的只剩下一件事，就是按荷兰法律的规定把离婚协议呈交给法官，通常需要几周时间。 该公司在收到这一服务的申请时会对提出申请的夫妇做一下评估，确保他们适合这种程序，不会产生激烈的争执。 然后该公司还要确保双方在住旅馆期间安然无恙。 哈尔芬斯说，他之所以会产生创立这一公司的灵感，是因为看到一个大学朋友经历了痛苦的离婚。 他告诉《纽约时报》说：“他日渐消瘦，再也无法感受到生活的乐趣，每次你看到他们，他们都在吵架——这太可怕了。 “离婚协商过程拖了五个月。我坚信一定有另一种方法。” 他的想法非常受欢迎，美国好几家电视公司正考虑把它拍成系列纪录片。 哈尔芬斯也打算将离婚旅馆扩张到其他国家，他指出，美国和德国可能是下一个目标地。 相关阅读 （中国日报网英语点津 陈丹妮 编辑：Julie） |
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Vocabulary: outstanding: 未解决的；未完成的 made-to-measure: 定做的 put up: 供给……住宿 |
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