Sunday Times 2
Galle Face North Wing to re-open with old splendour and new look
View(s):The iconic Galle Face Hotel is nearing completion of a restoration project of its North Wing, originally built in 1864.
Keeping in time with the expected completion date, Galle Face has completed restoration of the façade, lobby areas, corridors, Grand ballroom and the Jubilee room. Meanwhile work on the Verandah restaurant, Executive Club Lounge and Sea Spray restaurant is also nearing completion. One of the latest additions to the hotel will be a new bar overlooking the Indian Ocean, making it one-of-a-kind venue in Colombo. The garden and Chequerboard will also be redone with much of the previous splendour intact.
The ambitious project was designed to preserve the grandeur and romance of the magnificent property while upgrading and modernizing the quality of guest facilities, amenities and services. The North Wing is scheduled to reopen to guests late this year while the South Wing has continued to be in operation as usual throughout the restoration.
The Galle Face Hotel was originally built by four British entrepreneurs and is among the few remaining clonial hotels in operation today in Asia. Despite many renovations over the years, the period detail of the Galle Face Hotel has been preserved in its architecture and façade.