Hythe Community Leaders Sleepover at Martello Manor

Not many care homes invite the community in for a sleepover before the first residents arrive. At Boutique Care Homes, it is simply what they do.

On the evening of 18 June 2026, Hythe community leaders, local partners, and family members of future residents arrived at Martello Manor on Farmer Road with overnight bags in hand, ready for ‘Pillows and Prosecco’, a Boutique Care Homes tradition that takes place at every new home before the first residents move in. The idea is simple: open the doors, invite the community in, and let the home speak for itself.

It is a tradition that Founder and Managing Director Ameet Kotecha describes as one of the most important things the provider does. “Martello Manor represents everything we believe care can and should be,” he said. “Events like Pillows and Prosecco matter deeply to us. We are not just opening a care home, we are becoming part of the Hythe community. The response from local leaders and the community has been genuinely humbling, and it confirms that what we are building here is something the town can be proud of.”

Guests arrived to canapés prepared by Head Chef Boby, with magician Campbell Glazier working the room, close-up magic that set the tone for an evening guests were not expecting. Before dinner had even begun, it was clear this was no ordinary care home event. The three-course dinner that followed did not disappoint: Prawn Vol-au-Vent and Roasted Red Pepper Soup to start, mains including Pan-Fried Salmon with garlic butter, Chicken Cutlets with honey mustard sauce, and Crispy Summer Vegetable Gnocchi, followed by Orange Posset with shortbread and a Chocolate Hazelnut Slice with caramel cream. Every dish was prepared fresh on-site , as it will be every day for residents.

For Tracy West, Chairman of the Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, the evening carried particular meaning. She had attended the topping-out ceremony at the same site not long ago, when the building had no interior walls, no flooring, and electrical cables hanging from bare ceilings. “Seeing it now is simply incredible,” she said. “From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was relaxed, warm and welcoming. The whole team at Martello Manor are a real credit to Boutique Care Homes, and special compliments to Head Chef Boby for an amazing selection of delicious food.”

After dinner came the evening’s most talked-about moment: a community treasure hunt. Ian Norman, Branch Chairman of the Royal British Legion Hythe and Saltwood Branch, was gracious in defeat. “Beyond the great food and the delightfully dubious treasure hunt,” he said, “what really shone through at Martello Manor was the team’s true ethos, a deep, authentic commitment to community and care.” Tracy West, Chairman of the Hythe Dementia Awareness Forum, saw things rather differently from the winning side. “RBL Hythe and Saltwood, I’m not quite sure why you described it as a very questionable treasure hunt,” she said. “Our winning team thought it was brilliant.”

Then guests did something that very few people outside the care sector ever do: they stayed the night. They slept in the ensuite bedrooms, woke up in the home, and experienced what daily life at Martello Manor will genuinely feel like for residents. For Tani Johnson, Chief Editor of Care Home Magazine, it was a rarity worth noting. “It’s not often you get the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in a care home,” she said. “The sleepover at Martello Manor was both insightful and enjoyable. It combined moments of genuine fun with more thoughtful conversations and reflection, and left me with a clear impression of a home designed with both residents and team in mind. As always, the Boutique team were wonderful. I look forward to visiting again.”

The Right Worshipful Mayor of Hythe, Cllr Pauline Curran, was equally struck by what she found. “Exceptional facilities coupled with a warm welcome, delightful staff and restaurant quality catering,” she said.

That balance of warmth and genuine quality was no accident. Marlene Abreu, Home Manager at Martello Manor, had spent months preparing her team for this moment. “Watching them host our community guests with such warmth was a proud moment,” she said. “Martello Manor is a beautiful home, but it is the people in it that make it what it is. We cannot wait to welcome our residents and give them the same experience.”

For Jude Coveney, Admissions Manager at Martello Manor, the evening was also about something more specific: trust. Helping families make the decision to move a loved one into a care home is rarely straightforward, and Jude knows that better than most. “So much of what we do is about trust,” she said. “An evening like this one, where people can see and genuinely feel the home for themselves, does more than any brochure ever could. Inviting the community in before our first residents arrive felt like exactly the right way to start.”

Among the guests was a delegation from Hythe Town Football Club, with whom Boutique Care Homes has established a community partnership. Peter Coulson, representing the club, said: “Everyone at Hythe Town Football Club was incredibly impressed by Martello Manor and the warm, welcoming environment that has been created. We are delighted to have Boutique Care Homes as part of our community and are extremely grateful for their support of the club. We look forward to a strong partnership for many years to come.”

For Boutique Care Homes, that is precisely the point. Good care should not need explaining, it should be felt. Giving the Hythe community the chance to sleep in the home, eat the food, meet the team, and wake up the next morning with a genuine sense of what life at Martello Manor looks like is a statement of confidence. When you believe care can be unexpectedly good, you open the doors and let people find out for themselves.

For more information about Martello Manor, visit www.martellomanor.care or call 01303 768 286.

Watch the event highlights below.