Inside the £76,000-a-WEEK rehab where royalty and the rich are treated in a private penthouse complete with a butler, chauffeur and access to a five-star spa - and lockdown's driven a surge in demand

  • Paracelsus Recovery is an exclusive rehab facility overlooking Lake Zurich 
  • CEOs, royalty and celebrities come from Europe, Russia and the Middle East 
  • The patient lives in a luxury penthouse apartment with and is treated by a team of 15 staff including a royal chef, live-in therapist and psychiatrist 
  • But the service doesn't come cheap, a month-long programme costs £245,000 With its stunning views of Lake Zurich, high-end amenities and personal butler service, you would be forgiven for thinking this spacious light-filled penthouse was part of a five-star resort. 

    In fact it belongs to £76,000-a-week Swiss rehab facility Paracelsus Recovery, where celebrities, CEOs and royalty from around the world seek treatment for issues ranging from depression to sex, alcohol and drug addiction.  

    Paracelsus, a family-run business that also has an outpost in London, accepts just one patient at a time and promises complete privacy and round-the-clock care. 

    Each patient is assigned a dedicated team of up to 15 specialists who create a personalised plan that takes in nutrition, acupuncture, and fitness, as well as traditional psychiatry, therapy and hospital treatment if required. 

    Luxury living: With its stunning views of Lake Zurich, state-of-the-art spa and gold-standard service, you would be forgiven for thinking this spacious light-filled penthouse was part of a five-star resort. In fact it belongs to £76,000-a-week Swiss rehab facility Paracelsus Recovery

    Luxury living: With its stunning views of Lake Zurich, state-of-the-art spa and gold-standard service, you would be forgiven for thinking this spacious light-filled penthouse was part of a five-star resort. In fact it belongs to £76,000-a-week Swiss rehab facility Paracelsus Recovery

    Round-the-clock care: Treatment takes place in the same well-appointed penthouse where the patient lives for the duration of the programme. Pictured, the spacious bathroom

    Round-the-clock care: Treatment takes place in the same well-appointed penthouse where the patient lives for the duration of the programme. Pictured, the spacious bathroom

    Treatment takes place in the same well-appointed penthouse where the patient lives for the duration of the programme, although they also have access to the health club and spa at the nearby five-star Dolder Grand hotel. 

    But such exclusivity doesn't come cheap. The four-week residential treatment plan costs the equivalent of £61,000, while the seven-day executive detox programme is priced at £76,000. 

    'Every patient we treat has one thing in common: they can afford to come here,' chief executive Marta Ra told Tatler.   Paracelsus has seen a surge in demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with patients presenting with new issues or existing ones that have been triggered as a result of the current situation. 

    The original Swiss clinic opened six years ago, with the UK branch opening last year in London in response to growing demand. Patients can also be treated at home anywhere in the world.

    The service starts from the airport, where the client is met by a chauffeur-driven Bentley and driven to a discreet apartment building on the shores of the lake. 

    There is no name or sign and the patient enters through a back door and travels directly to the penthouse.  

    Executive service: Patients also have access to the health club and spa at the nearby five-star Dolder Grand hotel, pictured. A chauffeur is available to take them to and from in a Bentley

    Executive service: Patients also have access to the health club and spa at the nearby five-star Dolder Grand hotel, pictured. A chauffeur is available to take them to and from in a Bentley

    Personal attention: The penthouse apartment has two bedrooms: one for the patient and one for the live-in therapist who is there 24/7. Pictured, the penthouse

    Personal attention: The penthouse apartment has two bedrooms: one for the patient and one for the live-in therapist who is there 24/7. Pictured, the penthouse

    'Some arrive in a very bad way - people so intoxicated that they have to go to a hospital nearby for two days to detoxify,' Ra, a former banker who has previously worked for Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley, explained. 

    'The people who come here very vulnerable but they are here voluntarily, they seek us.' 

    Chief executive Marta Ra, a former banker

    Chief executive Marta Ra, a former banker

    The penthouse apartment has two bedrooms: one for the patient and one for the live-in therapist who is there 24/7. 

    The patient can choose to bring their entourage but they must stay at the Dolder Grand.

    Before arriving, the patient is asked for his or her preferences on small touches including flowers, as well as any dietary requirements which are passed onto the chef. Among the culinary team at Paracelsus is a German prince. 

    Clients can also choose to take sessions with a yoga therapist, massage therapist, personal trainer and acupuncturist, in an attempt to treat their mental health illnesses and addictions holistically.

    Unlike at other rehabs, patients are allowed to continue working remotely while in the care of Paracelsus. Appointments can be scheduled around meetings and conference calls. 

    'We have had an alcoholic CEO whose company share price would crash if people knew where he was,' explained Ra. 

    Fine dining: Before arriving, the patient is asked for his or her preferences on small touches including flowers, as well as any dietary requirements which are passed onto the chef. Among the culinary team at Paracelsus is a German prince. Pictured, the living area

    Fine dining: Before arriving, the patient is asked for his or her preferences on small touches including flowers, as well as any dietary requirements which are passed onto the chef. Among the culinary team at Paracelsus is a German prince. Pictured, the living area

    'Here, they are able to carry on their work, in between appointments with the medical professionals and renowned psychiatrists.' 

    Many patients end up extending their stay at Paracelsus and care continues after they leave. 

    Speaking to Tatler, on anonymous Eastern European man, 37, who spent two weeks at Paracelsus for cocaine and alcohol addiction added: 'I spent so much money on nonsense. 

    'What I pay to Paracelsus is a fraction of the money I blew on parties with people who weren't even my friends.' 

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