The Galle Face Hotel, founded in 1864, is one of the oldest hotels in the world.
History
The Hotel itself started out as a Dutch Villa called Galle Face House, which had been a meeting place for gentlemen of the colonial era. That was until four British entrepreneurs decided to use it to start a business, unaware that, by the late 19th century, it would be known as the best Hotel east of Suez.
The Hotel originally opened in 1864, borrowing its name from the charming expanse of ground known as Galle Face Green, which stretches for a kilometre by the side of the Hotel, along the coast, where, in Victorian times, it was a popular place to take a walk to take in the sea air, or a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
The Hotel was built section by section, the first being the central area that leads to the awe inspiring Ballroom, followed by the South and North wings respectively.
It was in 1894, that it became a two-storied luxury hotel, with the help of the famous architect of the time, Thomas Skinner, while between 1870 and 1894, the Galle Face Hotel Company continued to buy up land that would allow the hotel to expand to its present size.
– By Peter Marshall : History of Galle Face Hotel (The Nation)
Mignonne and The Jetliners regularly entertained guests at the Coconut Grove, the nightclub attached to the hotel. The venue was even popularised in a song. Radio Ceylon recorded music programs from the Coconut Grove as well as the Galle Face Hotel itself, presented by some of the popular Radio Ceylon announcers in the 1950s and 1960s, such as Livy Wijemanne and Vernon Corea Thousands listened to the broadcasts, particularly ‘New Year’s Eve’ dances from the Galle Face Hotel.
D. G. William (known as ‘Galle Face William’), the Lanka Sama Samaja Party trade union leader, first worked and organized workers here.
The Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke wrote the final chapters of 3001: The Final Odyssey in the hotel.
The hotel also employed the world’s oldest hospitality industry veteran and doorman, Kottarapattu Chattu (“K.C.”) Kuttan. Joining the hotel as a bell boy cum waiter in 1942, he continued to serve until his death on 18 November 2014.
