Le Bijou hotel in Zurich is offering luxury quarantine apartments that include personal chefs, daily nurse visits and even in-room coronavirus testing as part of its Covid-19 package. Samuel Ballard reports

Le Bijou hotel says that its quarantine apartments in Zurich can be operated without any staff and that its rooms can essentially be converted into “a private health centre”.

Upon arrival, guests concerned about their Covid-19 status have access to healthcare services such as nursing, food delivery and a personal chef “all with utmost hygiene and under medical control”.

The hotel has previously hosted Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Jordan Belfort (the Wolf of Wall Street).

According to CNBC, Le Bijou introduced the quarantine service after Alexander Hübner, the company’s CEO, noticed that it was taking more reservations that were 14 days or more, and fewer of its typical three-night bookings.Le Bijou hotel apartments, ZurichFeedback was that guests were using the hotel as an apartment to quarantine themselves after international travel – a trend that is expected to continue well after lockdown eases as a way of ensuring arrivals from other countries don’t reintroduce the virus to Swiss locals.

(Many countries such as the UK have already said that when flights begin again, everyone coming into the country will need to self-isolate for 14 days, whether British residents or foreigners.)

The penthouse apartments at Le Bijou costs between US$800 and US$2,000 per night, while a coronavirus test is available as an add-on for US$500. Twice-daily nurse visits will set you back US$800 per day or or 24/7 nursing care for US$4,800 a day, reportedly.Le Bijou hotel apartments, ZurichIn an interview with Slate, Hübner explained why Le Bijou’s rooms were ideally suited for quarantine: “In normal times, our business is to provide high-end accommodation with very bespoke services for high-end clientele.

“And that means that we also have very well-equipped apartments with in-room spas and in-room saunas, and all the luxury amenities.Le Bijou hotel apartments, Zurich“They’re really spacious, especially for cities. It was for us something that felt very natural to combine with quarantine services. If you’re in a five-star hotel, then how do you access the spa and all those areas that are closed down? When you stay with us, it’s a big luxury penthouse with in-room spa and in-room fitness and all those amenities.”

Health is the new wealth

Globetrender highlighted Immortality Retreats as one of the key trends in its Future of Luxury Travel Forecast.

“For the rich, death is optional. At least, that’s the dream being sold.” While Le Bijou doesn’t specifically offer some of the treatments mentioned (“quantum biology” or “age reversal”), it does offer its well-heeled clients “health restoration” in the most sumptuous of surroundings.

As the report adds: “Savvy travel companies would be wise to start reacting. Just as people seek to go abroad for plastic surgery or weight loss, they will flock to high-end spas that offer treatments to increase their lifespan.”

What’s coming next? Trend reports available to download HERE

Globetrender Future of Luxury Travel Forecast 2020-2025

Globetrender Gen Z Horizons 2020 report

Globetrender 2020 Travel Trend Forecast