China’s first five-star hospital has golf course, karaoke bars

SHANGHAI: China is all set to open its first ever “five-star” hospital, which has seen massive booking ahead of its inauguration on Christmas Day.

Half of the rooms of the “five-star” hospital, which provides postnatal care to new mothers and babies, have been reserved. Traditionally, new mothers have to spend a month in confinement after giving birth in keeping with an ancient belief that the mother and child are particularly vulnerable to evil spirits during this period.

Xiyue Postnatal Hospital, meaning happiness in Chinese, is more like a holiday resort with its well-furnished rooms for mothers and children and a swimming pool, golf course, tennis courts and karaoke bars for visitors. But luxury comes at a hefty price. The cheapest room is at 40,000 yuan (about $5,000) a month while the luxury suite charges $1,250 a day.

The two-storey suite has separate bedrooms for the new mother, baby and babysitter as well as a kitchen and a karaoke bar, where the newborn can wail away the hours. The hospital predicts that business will be good with the Chinese Year of the Pig coming up that is believed to be auspicious for having a baby. The demand for postnatal services has created jobs for babysitters and nurses with postnatal hospitals mushrooming in recent years.