(CNN) – Ask most new parents what they want most and they can say help with the baby, prepared meals or a good night’s sleep.
At Kai Suites, an ultra-luxurious hotel for postpartum mothers in Singapore, they can get all of these things – for a price.
The hotel, which ironically is located in a place previously occupied by a maternity ward, costs $ 18,000 ($ 13,650) for a two-week stay.
Kevin Kwee, the hotel’s owner and operator, told CNN Travel that his own experiences as a new parent gave him the idea to open Kai Suites.
“As a father of four and having traveled with my wife through different confinement experiences, I fully understand the importance of prenatal education, postpartum recovery and restoration, as well as the necessary care for the mother and baby during this period. golden – not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. “
Pregnant parents usually book their rooms when they are about 6 to 8 weeks from the estimated delivery date. As soon as the mother and baby are cleared to leave the hospital, a “guest relations officer” and a nurse will meet them at the exit, put them in a limousine and escort them to Kai Suites to settle in. .
The whole process is similar to checking in at an all-inclusive luxury, but with more medical personnel.
So far, almost all of the guests have been Singaporean residents – which is expected during a pandemic in which travel is almost always off-limits – but Kwee makes no secret that he hopes to attract an international clientele in the future.
A typical room at Kai Suites.
Courtesy Kai Suites / Gastro Sense
Kai Suites has 18 private suites and, while extended families are welcome to come and visit, only partners and spouses are encouraged to spend the night – all the better for family unity.
Another request from new parents is that they want to meet other people who are in the same situation. Kai has created shared areas where guests can meet and mingle – between massages, visits to the doctor and afternoon naps, of course.
Although this postpartum hotel is a new concept in Singapore, the practice has a rich history across Asia. In China and in Chinese-speaking communities around the world, the concept of zuo yue zi, or sitting in the lunar cycle, is still widely practiced.
During the first month after delivery, women who have given birth are often cared for by their families in specific ways, so that they have as much time and energy as possible to care for themselves and their children. This can include drinking special teas and eating healthy foods that help restore your bodies and raise your iron levels.
While some more modern Chinese consider these practices relics of a time when women had less access to health care and were more likely to die from sepsis or other postpartum illnesses, contemporary “confinement centers” are still widely used And can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Other centers, such as Nadora, in the Malaysian state of Selangor, and Gem Care, in Taipei, combine modern hotel amenities with traditional practices.
Kai Suites seems to be practicing the combination of traditional care and modern capitalism.
Although the hotel only opened in November 2020, Kwee is already looking to the future. He plans to expand the brand with the launch of a line of foods, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and health and beauty products aimed at new moms.