Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: experience (19) visit (17) amazing (13) Kandy (13) hotel (12) stay (10) staff (10) feel (10) Folly (9) worth (8)
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  • 5/5 Gerold S. 4 years ago on Google
    I wanted to stay a day. It was a week. Much became clear to me only with the discovering and the different light influences of the times of day. The charming staff and the simple kitchen promoted the understanding. My creativity and energy to write my book amazed me. The place is a paradise for soul and spirit. Who wants to grasp only approximately the sense, the charisma and effect, absolutely please stay 2-3 days. An oasis which is obligatory for me during my next visit to Sri Lanka. Great People - Great Place - Great Atmosphere - Great Food
    2 people found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Amanda Z. 5 years ago on Google
    The coolest, most story telling and amazing place I've ever been. Totally worth the money for an amazing food but also the history with the building and being inside of the building. Can't find words for how cool this was. And the host and staff was super good, kind and helpful. To bad I can't stay a night there, would be super cool. Go there to treat yourself an experience, you won't regret it.
    2 people found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Laurens V. 9 months ago on Google
    Today, we had the extraordinary opportunity to explore the one-of-a-kind Helga's Folly "ANTI" Hotel in Kandy. Even though we weren't staying overnight, we couldn't miss the chance to visit this remarkable establishment. It left us in awe, and we can confidently say that we have never encountered anything quite like it before. Helga's Folly is a truly inspiring place, filled with artistic wonders. As soon as we arrived, we received a warm welcome and greetings from the staff. We immediately ordered some drinks and found a cozy spot in the foyer to fully immerse ourselves in the experience. Sitting down was key to absorbing the ambiance and appreciating the artistic essence of the hotel. The staff graciously invited us to explore the entire hotel at our leisure, from the kitchen to the dining room, and even the restrooms. Each chamber had its own unique story to tell, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of the place. Every nook and cranny seemed to be infused with creativity and artistry, making the entire experience feel like a journey through a captivating art gallery. Throughout our visit, we felt genuinely welcomed and at ease. The drinks were reasonably priced, allowing us to savor the moment without any worries. Helga's Folly is an absolute must-see for anyone visiting Kandy, especially for those with an appreciation for art and creativity. It is a place that will leave a lasting impression on art fanatics and anyone seeking a truly unique and immersive experience. In conclusion, our visit to Helga's Folly "ANTI" Hotel in Kandy was an unforgettable adventure. We were enchanted by the artistic atmosphere, the warm welcome, and the opportunity to explore every aspect of the hotel. If you find yourself in Kandy, make sure to set aside some time to visit this extraordinary place; it's a true gem that you won't want to miss.
    2 people found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Dumme K. 4 years ago on Google
    If you like a bit of bohemian weirdness this place is for you. The staff are great and the house is an amazing experience. I had a great stay but this isn't a luxury place...it has some rough edges. You have been warned so don't complain. My favourite thing was sitting on the lawn at dusk with a gin and tonic listening to Piaf. Helga and staff have made a beautiful experience i will never forget and hope to revisit soon.
    1 person found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Simona M. 2 years ago on Google
    Perfect vibe for Halloween, very artsy and a place to remember with its design. It's worth a visit
    1 person found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Parag N. 1 year ago on Google
    The place alone will keep you occupied for many hours. There's so much to see. Almost magical. A must visit in Kandy and a truly unique experience. A piece of art of it's own. Very highly recommended.
    1 person found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Kavinda K. 1 year ago on Google
    Truly magical and one of a kind experience that cannot be found elsewhere. I was completely enamored by the arts and design of the place. I noticed that most of the pieces were influenced by classic works such as Alice in Wonderland and Wind in the willows as well as its own Sri Lankan heritage. The decor is absolutely stunning, with intricate details and a bohemian flair. These details and imaginative design really brought a life to this place and made me feel like I was part of a whimsical wonderland.
    1 person found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 Natasha F. 1 year ago on Google
    What a gem in Kandy. We were so delighted to be able to stay at Helga's Folly during their soft opening. The uniqueness and story behind the hotel is fascinating, we felt as though we were staying in a museum! The team at the hotel were lovely and the food delicious. We cannot wait to come back!
    1 person found this review helpful ๐Ÿ‘

  • 5/5 ASHOk C. 1 year ago on Google
    What a gem in Kandy. We were so delighted to be able to stay at Helga's Folly during their soft opening. The uniqueness and story behind the hotel is fascinating, we felt as though we were staying in a museum! The team at the hotel were lovely and the food delicious. We cannot wait to come back!

  • 5/5 Mat T. 6 months ago on Google
    Excellent hotel experience. You can spend hours looking at the art and decoration. The night we stayed we were the only guests making it even spookier. Loved it

  • 5/5 santhosh j. 1 year ago on Google
    The coolest, most story telling and amazing place I've ever been. Totally worth the money for an amazing food but also the history with the building and being inside of the building. Can't find words for how cool this was. And the host and staff was super good, kind and helpful. To bad I can't stay a night there, would be super cool.

  • 5/5 mathew j. 9 months ago on Google
    Helgaโ€™s Folly is a must see experience, the hotel is decorated throughout in fantastic and amazing style with history in every inch The meal and service from the team was superb, fresh and authentic. We really enjoyed our time here and ended the night with a call from the owner Helga who was unfortunately sick upstairs but still made the effort to speak to us over the phone Highly recommend a visit here!

  • 5/5 Chethu V. 1 year ago on Google
    Truly magical and one of a kind experience that cannot be found elsewhere. I was completely enamored by the arts and design of the place. I noticed that most of the pieces were influenced by classic works such as Alice in Wonderland and Wind in the willows as well as its own Sri Lankan heritage. The decor is absolutely stunning, with intricate details and a bohemian flair. These details and imaginative design really brought a life to this place and made me feel like I was part of a whimsical wonderland.

  • 5/5 Padma L. 1 year ago on Google
    Oh my god what an amazing place. This is an art gallery. Don't be silly and enjoy this awesome experience. We went for dinner, They allowed us to wander around calmly. you suddenly feel a wonderfully pleasant feeling. then we sat at a table and ate whatever was served to us :) it's an experience. just feel.

  • 5/5 Theo F. 6 months ago on Google
    An absolute must visit if traveling to kandy. Such an interesting place and story behind the whole building and owners family. All explained in great detail by the amazing host. Food was so fresh and tasty starting with the freshly made warm bread and soup to the desert. You could spend hours looking around this place it really is amazing! It's a bit on the pricey side but you get what you pay for here. Would highly recommend!

  • 5/5 Isuru Umesh N. 8 months ago on Google
    Really loved the vibe of the place. Food was so fresh starting from the Bread rolls, to the dessert was amazing. Food Service was average, If you are an art lover should recommend this place to be in your bucket list. Overall nice experience and will recommend to friends. This is an iconic property which every tourist should visit..

  • 5/5 Hanaa 8 months ago on Google
    One of the most interesting and memorable places we went to in Sri Lanka - you have to try it. The food was also incredible! Will 100% be coming back next year when we visit Kandy again.

  • 5/5 The Studio At the B. 7 months ago on Google
    I never stayed over so I cant rate the rooms. An awesome, excentric venue, steeped in history. The staf, service and food were top class. Helga's Folly is highly recommended as a must visit in Kandy.

  • 5/5 Nicole B. 1 year ago on Google
    If you want to have a taste of old glamour, retro eclectic funk, Hollywood mixed with Kandy / Sri Lanka history, then you would be impressed by Helgaโ€™s Folly. Itโ€™s not for the fame hearted, but itโ€™ll trigger your curiosity & imagination to stay here. Their restaurant is exceeded my expectation, itโ€™s worth visiting even if you are not staying there. The staff are always smiley & take such good care of us like royalty. Because of Covid, the hotel is catching up with some care keeping, the bedroom is clean. Bed is slightly old but still comfy. Just keep your mind open to be surprised. This is one of our most unique stay all around the world. Iโ€™ll for sure stay here again if Iโ€™m in Kandy. If you are lucky enough to meet Helga graceful herself, please do take time to say hi for me.

  • 5/5 Chanchal T. 1 year ago on Google
    We wanted to dine here but were told that the cooking process would take at least 1 1/2 hours, so we ended up having drinks here instead. It is a wonderfully quirky and slightly grotesque (in a nice way) building, with skeletons, ghouls, unicorns and zodiac animals almost round each corner, and in every nook and cranny. They even provide crayons in case you feel the urge to draw or write about your experiences, either in the large drawing books or even on the table tops. The resident cat is cute too.

  • 5/5 okan c. 1 year ago on Google
    Oh my god what an amazing place. This is an art gallery. Don't be silly and enjoy this awesome experience. We went for dinner, They allowed us to wander around calmly. It's a creepy, shocking and tremendous feeling. While feeling fear and bewilderment, you suddenly feel a wonderfully pleasant feeling. then we sat at a table and ate whatever was served to us :) it's an experience. just feel. Call for accommodation or food and get information. Booking can also be a problem. Thank you...

  • 1/5 Stan D. 1 year ago on Google
    Avoid the place....it is a tourist trap! Looks abandoned, is dirty and they charge you a cover to have a drink.

  • 5/5 Damian R. 1 year ago on Google
    We popped in for lunch and despite not having a chef that day the owner was not only happy to host us with some delicious food, but also gave us a personal tour of the property which was beautifully and loving decorated from head to toe.

  • 4/5 Sultan A. 5 years ago on Google
    What an amazing place! So overwhelming and beautiful! So much to see in every corner, the food and drinks are expensive but I guess it's worth it if you consider the effort put in the decor, met a few volunteers who help renew the paint that live there, seems like a good deal, especially that the rooms they offer are expensive considering the location. It a great place to visit for a couple of hours enjoying a drink.

  • 2/5 Arfath S. 5 years ago on Google
    The concept is quite unique. You've got motifs decorating the walls, which is also clad with a never ending piece of horrific and fairytaylish work of art. With the hellish feel, the deer heads and deer sculls over each doorway you could sense a touch of occult art also present. But I don't think this is a great place to dine especially if you're a local. We waited 20 minutes until someone came to take our order and despite asking multiple times no one took notice, so we left. The tourists get treated well. It seems the staff needs to be trained. The dining area doesn't feel clean either. There's the smell of dust and cobwebs as you take a seat to dine. It feels like they've gone over hoard to get themselves into the horror theme. If you are particular about hygiene I suggest you avoid the place.

  • 3/5 Terence S. 5 years ago on Google
    Let me start by saying the staff here were excellent, really top notch and very attentive and washed up all our baby's bottles etc. However the facilities are VERY dated. I imagine the hotel peaked in the 90s when Kelly Jones stayed here and penned Madame Helga's, but the paint was peeling everywhere and bathroom facilities very basic. It really needs a full renovation to bring bathrooms and standards up to date, or lower to the price to around $40/night. It is definitely not worth $100 today. Instead of staying there, you can go for a drink or pay $3 to look around at the art. That said, the bed was comfy, and they provided a baby cot free of charge. The mossy nets were in good condition and the a/c worked well. The dinner was tasty but NOT worth $20. Overall it misses the mark for the price bracket the hotel charges and trades off of past glory.

  • 5/5 Rose P. 5 years ago on Google
    I loved it! If your into the weird, wacky and incredible art then you should go! We went for dinner and it was $20 for a three course meal which is pricey for Sri Lanka. However it's a dining experience where wine is served in goblets and all walls are covered in murals , stags heads, trinkets, mirrors and the obscure, that's what your paying for!

  • 3/5 Maarten van R. 5 years ago on Google
    This place is surely a unique place to visit. There's so much to see you can spend a good part of an hour just looking around. On the downside, lunch took a long time to arrive and was quite pricey for what was delivered. Also in various places the walls had crumbled leaving sharp rocks that my kids started to play with. Is it worth a visit? Yes, but just stick to a drink only.

  • 5/5 Ingelin Vilde M. 4 years ago on Google
    An amazing hidden place you must visit when in Kandy! The service is excellent and the coffee was good. The paintings and art in this place are really something unusual and exceptional. I could wander around for hours.

  • 4/5 Quentin C. 4 years ago on Google
    Really strange and quirky. Good for couple instagram shots and the food was good, especially the bread and butter ๐Ÿคค we met the owner and sheโ€™s as flamboyant as we expected her to be and her daughter who seems to manage the place now is very friendly! YES it is dusty and old and weird but what do you want when itโ€™s literally their bread and butter to be like that. You pay 25$ for the experience and little bit of that is the food. Go at night it gets real spooky! And please stop whining about one of the most creatively free place Iโ€™ve ever been!

  • 4/5 Nalanga H. 3 years ago on Google
    A hidden gem. Coffee is overpriced. The atmosphere is historic and unique. The place alone will keep you occupied for many hours. There's so much to see. Almost magical. A must visit in Kandy and a truly unique experience. A piece of art of it's own. Very highly recommended.


Call +94 812 234 571 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Hotel
    • โœ“ Wi-Fi
    • โœ“ Pool
    • โœ“ Air-conditioned
    • โœ“ Kid-friendly
    • โœ“ Restaurant
    • โœ“ Airport shuttle
    • โœ“ Bar
    • โœ“ Smoke-free

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