BREAKING up is hard to do – and divorce can cost couples dear, not just in terms of bitter arguments but in hefty lawyers’ fees.

Which is why Divorce Hotel has opened in the UK – offering couples the chance to uncouple in comfortable civility at a hotel in York.

The idea is that couples check in to the hotel for a weekend, separate rooms of course, but pledging to settle all their affairs and seal their divorce deal in the two days. They work with a mediator and lawyer to an agreed budget. Most fees are around the £6,000-£8,000 mark, reaching £10,000 for more complex settlements.

David Leckie is the York man who has brought the concept to Britain, following its success in the Netherlands and the US.

Last month, the first couple checked into Divorce Hotel, at an undisclosed venue in York, and finalised their split over the weekend – in between watching the rugby and having a last meal together.

One major proviso for anyone considering a stay at Divorce Hotel is that they have to be on good terms with their soon-to-be ex.

“They can’t be wanting to throw furniture at each other,” says David, a trained mediator and counsellor who has worked in the field for 25 years.

“Both have got to want a positive outcome for each other,” explains David. “People have got to want to move on in an amicable fashion.”

David believes there is demand for “divorcing in a positive manner”. English law, he says, does not make this easy and tends to encourage couples to play the “blame game” leading to acrimony and expensive legal bills.

At Divorce Hotel, couples arrive with their financial affairs in order and ready and willing to get down to the nitty gritty of legally separating – without the distraction and input of third parties such as friends and relatives.

It helps couples keep focused on the task at hand. David says: “This is really good for people who want to divorce efficiently, effectively and non-acrimoniously.”

The paperwork can be finalised over the weekend and be sent to the courts, with the divorce coming through usually three months later.

There was much media interest in the first couple to use Divorce Hotel. Like the York hotel, the couple wished to remain anonymous but were happy to share their story. They had been married for 24 years, had adult children, but had grown apart and wished to separate, but remain friends.

The wife said the idea of the Divorce Hotel appealed after a troubling visit to a solicitor about getting out of her marriage. “It was a pretty harrowing experience. The things she was saying didn’t match up to the man I knew. I left feeling more traumatised.”

The couple’s experience at Divorce Hotel was a highly positive one. They spent one afternoon watching the rugby together and enjoyed a final meal in each other’s company. The husband said: “It was the first meal of our new relationship. I feel our new relationship will be a positive one.”

The wife added: “I don’t feel sad. The whole process means closure to the marriage but not closure to the relationship.”

David says at least 15 other couples have approached him with a view to booking in to Divorce Hotel and he is actively looking to set up a second one in Edinburgh and establishing others in Birmingham and London.

With almost half of British marriages ending in divorce, David believes many couples wish to separate in a civil, non-judgmental way – sharing the spirit of Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow and rockstar Chris Martin who described their separation as “conscious uncoupling”.

The process begins with David undertaking a Face Time or Skype interview with the interested parties, where he assesses their suitability for using Divorce Hotel. Specifically, he is checking that they both want to divorce, and on friendly terms, and trust each other regarding financial disclosures. Another rule is that the couple must have an agreement in place with regards to children before booking into Divorce Hotel.

If they are suitable, the couple are asked to email the paper work regarding their finances, such as the value of property and pensions. Using that information, the fee is calculated for the divorce, which includes the weekend stay at the Divorce Hotel.

David says it is not only a more efficient way to break up, but can work out cheaper too. Since couples aren’t taking an adversarial approach, they are only paying for one lawyer in the proceedings at Divorce Hotel.

David said: “Divorce can turn the most loving relationship into the most hurtful.” He would like to see the law changed so it would be easier to have a “no fault” divorce in the UK and hopes the Divorce Hotel model might contribute towards this “in some small way”.

He said: “Legally, divorce hasn’t changed since 1973 and the world had moved on since then. Within the constraints of a legal system that encourages acrimony, we are trying our best to provide a positive alternative.”

Find out more at: divorcehotel.co.uk