You’ve just had major surgery. You wakeup in a warmly lit room with a Warhol print next to your bed and a tray of caviar at your side. For a second, a wave of panic washes over you — but no, you didn’t pass the pearly gates and discover the great beyond; you’re just in South Kensington’s newest healthcare facility, Memorial Houston Medical (MhM).
With custom-made Elie Saab Maison furniture, a “pop art” floor, and an emergency staircase that could double as a gallery, it’s not your average clinic. Far from the neon lights and slightly askew frescos of NHS hospitals, MhM is designed as a sanctuary to rest and heal. Part hospital, part wellness centre, it’s a place to recover from illness or surgery in comfort, luxury, and with Dorchester Collection-trained staff. Conceived as a “home away from home” — except with better art and more expensive furniture.
Housed in a former Theo Fennell jewellery boutique on Fulham Road, the facility is the second of its kind to open, with the original clinic based in Houston, Texas — references to which can be seen in the collage by Maria Rivan that was commissioned for the ground floor. Upon arrival guests are greeted by calming tones and sleek furniture, overhead there’s a light installation inspired by white blood cells, and the artwork — curated by Ackerman Studios — features a blessing of wellness in Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic. As well as being supremely stylish, everything has been chosen for a purpose, from the paint colours selected to promote relaxation, to the sofas custom-made to accommodate those with mobility issues.
Aesthetics are a key component of MhM as director Danny Shebaclo explains, “There’s been a lot of research on neuroaesthetics and the colours we chose, and the artwork we’ve chosen have all been proven to affect mood, affect healing, and just overall mental wellbeing.”
There are six in-patient rooms that all feature eucalyptus wood, percale bedding, a 65” television, and seating for family members that can double as a sleeping area if needed. Calcutta marble also features heavily throughout the facility — from the conference rooms, to the offices, to the bedrooms — with each slab handpicked in Italy by MhM’s team. Like the rest of the centre, there’s artwork throughout the rooms with one housing a Warhol print worth around £50,000. There is also a 24-carat gold map of London.
The bedrooms all have bathrooms that are slightly bigger than the living spaces I’ve had in some flats, and they feature the chicest shower seat known to man (perhaps the least likely combination of words ever used). The rooms feel luxurious and decidedly non-hospital, with attention paid to the floor layouts so that the rooms, and patients, are spaced out to ensure the utmost privacy.
While I was expecting to discover that this is the kind of place exclusive only for the likes of Kris Jenner when recovering from a face lift, I’m surprised to learn that 90 per cent of the patients they’ve welcomed in the US and plan to treat here are recovering from major operations and serious illnesses. Recently they’ve helped a woman post-hysterectomy with pain management and healing, and they are well-versed in oncology, pulmonology, orthopedics, and general post-operative care. No major operations take place in-house, but they can perform procedures that don’t require general anaesthetic and also offer cosmetic procedures on site such as eyelid surgeries, brow lifts, and chemical peels. I’m also told that their Houston facility has experience with caring for patients post-BBL surgery, many of whom apparently come to regret their decision to undergo the operation due to the postoperative pain and lengthy recovery.
You can’t put a price on health, but you can certainly put a price on a recovery room, and a stay at MhM will set you back at least £750 a night. For those with health insurance, however, if their time at MhM forms part of necessary care or treatment, then it should be fully covered without any further out-of-pocket costs. Shebaclo also underlines that despite the fact that they are far jazzier than your “average” private hospital, their prices are comparable to their London-based peers.
It seemed to me that if I had private healthcare, that this would be the place I’d want to end up in the aftermath of something unpleasant like surgery. Compared with the comfortable but sterile private hospitals I’ve seen, I’d be surprised if people wouldn’t rather take their healing with a side of Imperial caviar. Anticipating that demand for rooms might outweigh supply, Shebaclo confirmed that they are currently looking for other locations.
While I wouldn’t be able to afford to stay in MhM unless I trespassed, for those with health insurance, or deeper pockets, it’s a beautiful place to heal with a constant supply of smoked salmon and truffle nuts on hand to ease the pain. With only six beds, it’s going to be a luxury that only the select few will be able to enjoy, and a far cry from the kind of healthcare that the majority of us will ever experience. If you do ever get the chance, be sure to take advantage of the canapé menu. There’s a Foie Gras on toasted brioche that looks tempting.
From £750 a night, memorialhouston.com
