Everyone to dress in white, sip iced tea and have a ‘croqueting’ time,

As the Galle Face Hotel introduces ‘Croquet on the Lawn’

Wickets highlight the freshly mowed lawn next to The Chequerboard and meticulously pressed white linen shirts, pants, and dresses with matching hats hang in the dressing room, eagerly awaiting their debut. In the kitchen, gallons of tea steeped with paper-thin cucumber and lemon slices gleam on silver trays. The sunny tropical evenings stretch even longer, and the Galle Face Hotel, now an entertaining venue for Croquet experiences, is gradually making its debut on the fresh green grass.

With the commitment to expand its range of exceptional experiences for guests, The Galle Face Hotel is introducing ‘Croquet on the lawn’ as part of their in-house leisure activities. Throughout its history, since the 1830s, Croquet has always been a gender equalizer. It was one of the first modern coed sports that has survived through the years and has currently gained popularity as a high class sport with men and women playing together after lunch or dinner parties. While most engage in playful encounters on even plains, this game has been included in the Olympics and also has an international tournament known as the ‘Croquet Association’ which was founded to promote the sport.

By the 1920s and 1930s, croquet had become the most popular sport in socialite, literary, and Hollywood circles. This was truly the Golden Age of the sport. However the allure of Croquet felt by everyone from the young hipster to the ‘old guard’ is of no surprise.  It is still very much an engaging event that even celebrities indulge in, such as the famous rapper P Diddy who held a croquet party to celebrate him becoming the first rap performer to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Most youngsters today are familiar with the famous surreal game of Croquet played by the Queen of Hearts in the fantasy book and cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland created by Lewis Carroll.

The Galle Face Hotel will be the pioneers in this initiative as the sport of Croquet is being introduced to Asia for the very first time. The hotel also plans to establish a Croquet Club in order to further promote this activity in Sri Lanka. A monthly societal croquet tournament will be organized with food & beverages to celebrate this sport drawing crowds from across the city.

Creating only the most exclusive and memorable experiences in Sri Lanka, ‘Croquet on the lawn’ will now be available to all Galle Face Hotel guests in a dedicated space near The Chequerboard where it could be booked on an hourly basis. A Croquet set will be available upon request and it will include an explanatory booklet with information such as the history of the game, its place in colonial culture and rules & regulations on how to play the sport.

Those who visit Sri Lanka or are living in Sri Lanka can experience this international sport at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo.