Helgas Folly

We loved everything about Helga's Folly and definitely hope to return. The host - Helga was fantastic and we were lucky enough to talk with her. The breakfast was the best that we had all holiday.

We would have liked to have had a wider choice of Sri Lankan food available on the evening meal menu. Breakfast was so good we would have stayed for dinner too if this had been available.

This was the quirkiest most incredible hotel I have ever stayed in. Not 5 star by any means but totally fascinating with the art work and photos on every surface. It is Alice meets Bridezilla in every facet. We loved meeting Madam Helga and were fascinated by the stories and history. A unique experience!

The bathrooms could have been cleaner.

Loved the history of this place and decor (whilst not to everyone's taste!) is absolutely incredible, everywhere you look you'll find interesting artwork. The staff were friendly and we enjoyed watching the monkeys playing from our balcony.

The hotel seems a bit run down and we didn't see any other guests while we were there. The aircon in our room stopped working on the second day but luckily the ceiling fan worked and was good enough to keep us cool overnight.

Loved the fun decor and vibe of the hotel overall with the quirky decor and fascinating story as well as the art all around. The location was perfect as it was on a hill where it was quiet allowing you to collect your thoughts and lounge with a short walk to the Lake for a lovely sunset walk.

I can't think of anything. It was a good stay and met all of our expectations.

Fascinating history and definitely unique. It felt like a cross between a halloween house and Miss Havershams house in Great Expectations. It lacked the level of cleanliness that is important to me. It all felt a bit grungy. I appreciate it must be very difficult to keep clean. Staff were very friendly. Food was okay.

Grunginess

Pleasant staff. Hotel has a rich and interesting history with some beautiful art, antiques and curios in the common areas.

Rooms not up to scratch for the price. Poor quality linen, towels and pillows. Gaps in the window for mosquitos to easily enter. Rooms surface cleaned, not thoroughly cleaned. Terrible water pressure in the shower.

Like about the place? I LOVED the place. That said Helgasfolly is not to everyone’s taste, so don’t book to stay here, if you are ‘a 5 star all inclusive generic luxury hotel you can find anywhere type of person’. This hotel is unique. There is something to look at in every corner. It’s quite hard to describe. Maybe ‘Alice in Wonderland gone wrong’ but actually it is so much better than that. The staff are also quite special. We found them to be both charming and incredibly helpful. I would definitely recommend dining in the restaurant to enjoy the full experience of staying in this ‘anti hotel’ and the breakfast in the morning complete with silver teapot is a joy. Before we left Madame Helga herself rang to speak to me to check we had enjoyed our stay! I actually felt it was a privilege to stay at this property and very much look forward to returning in the future.

The art - it was weird and wacky. Our room was very spacious.Generous common areas.We loved it, but it isn't for everyone.

We felt slightly isolated given how few guests there were. The path up to the hotel was unlit, so returning after sunset was awkward.

Helga’s is just not to be missed, simple as that. Truly bonkers, joyous decor with art filling literally every inch of walls and ceiling. The food is fabulous, a small menu that is done extremely well. Soothing songs of a bygone era fill the air, and you can’t help but feel you’ve stumbled into a magical pocket between time and space, where anything is possible.

It’s all good

First of all : Helga's Folly is not like any hotel we have ever come across, and we have traveled a lot. We came for a cup of coffee and a look round 5 years ago, and swore we would stay there, and it didn't disappoint. The staff was courteious, helpful and smiling, the food exelent and abubdant and Madame Helga, now 80, is a darling, fighting to keep her home afloat, for it is her home, and all her past is everywhere. ?????????

If you are afraid of dust and cobwebs and monkeys dancing tango on the tin roof early in the morning, stay away. A lot of the rooms and the pool area could do with (a lot) of maintenance, but we didn't mind at all.

Very eccentric and like nothing you have ever stayed in

The bedrooms could have been a bit better. We had a very squeaky fan and dubious shower

a lot of love and creativity put in this anti-hotel for many years. History of a gone-by hippy era.

bathroom was very basic

We heard about Helga’s from a previous guest and were enthralled with the art work as well as the story of the property. It is a whimsical world at Helga’s - I wish I could hear the walls talk with all of the stories that have taken place there.The food was impeccable and a great place to rest for a few nights. We were also greeted with a special treat of tea with Helga.

We loved it all! It was a wonderful time.If you like things a particular way this is probably not a place for you.

Location, art, history, ambience, list of famous guests.Meeting Helga’s daughter and grandchildren.Having an unexpected and delightful phone chat with Madam Helga before I left.

My room was a bit musty and the bed especially so - which felt unhealthy.(Note you can just visit the restaurant or pay a few dollars to look around - really worth doing).

Our favourite accomodation in Sri Lanka, and quite possibly the world. If you have to opportunity to stay at Helga's while in Kandy you should grab it with both hands. It's's a place so steeped in history and imagination you'll feel lucky to have been invited inside, let alone shown the warm hospitality that we were throughout our stay (thank you all!). We can't recommend Helga's enough, our short stay left us wanting more and we can't wait to be back.

There's nothing we didn't like - to change anything about the place would be to detract from it.

As said in other reviews - Helga’s is an extraordinary experience. If you are prepared for this then you will enjoy it. Look past the layers of dust to the layers of history and you will appreciate this place for what it once was. I wish I had been here back in its glory days - it would have been absolutely wild. We had 2 nights here and ate in for one of them. The meal, while expensive, was also worth the experience of it all. We loved it and I absolutely recommend it - it’s a trip!

Forewarned is forearmed! Read the reviews and decide if it is for you.

Helga's Folly is not to be missed! Worth a visit during the day - for a small fee, non-guests can explore this quirky hotel. The food is delicious and the artwork and decorations are a discussion starter. Madame Helga was a delightful and generous host and we loved our conversation.

Interesting art everywhere

Awful atmosphere, dark dingy lighting, felt like a gothic haunted house, no bar to speak of other than a little unattended cubby hole and not much choice of food other than a set menu. Interesting place to visit but not to stay. Electrics look like fire hazard and mosquito nets have seen better days.

The art and history of the place is unmissable. The bed was very comfortable.

The towels didn’t look super fresh. Some dust could be sighted. Room smelt a bit dank from being closed up in a cold place. There had been a cyclone im told.

What an amazing hotel! Hands down the best place I have ever stayed. I honestly think it should be on the UNESCO world heritage site list. It‘s a living museum. Madame Helga came personally to say hello- what an icon! (She is virtually fashion royalty) We had to force ourselves to go and see the temple of the sacred tooth, as we could not get enough wandering around this gothic fairytale mansion!

It’s a bit far off from downtown, but staff happily ordered us a tuktuk- who was more of a guide and drove us to Ella the following day (more of a plus at the end of the day).