1st Impressions count - Recommended, but atmosphere was let down
Overall the highlights I had were fine considering what I paid (Inc a 10% government discount) however, if so am brutally honest, my experience wasn't what I am used to expecting (and I'm not a seasoned salon attendee or I don't think of myself as very high maintenance.)
I thought the initial consultation was fine, the stylist was recommended to me by a friend who used to be a regular many years ago, was nice and my only issue is she didn't really cover the short flyaway greys at the front of my hairline during the treatment, But no major issues.
What I thought and so wasn't too impressed & thought was odd was being passed over to another stylist when stylist no.1 left half way through the appointment - it was only when the stylist no. 1 walked past me with a bike on her way out the door that she informed me...it would have been a courtesy to at least let me know before..the hair treatment itself continued fine thereafter and I gave no complaints.
However...the other thing that's made me think I likely won't make the effort to rebook was the overly loud social chatter and noise level + occasional raucous laughter in the other half of the salon out of view which grew louder the longer the appointment went on (either amongst the remaining stylists or with another client - I could not really see). I could hear quite a lot of the detail of what they were talking about - not that I was remotely interested... I appreciate it was the end of the day and working week, and it was quiet customer-wise,, but it didn't give me the impression that this business was offering an exclusive and calming experience and it certainly didn't exude an atmosphere of exclusivity or pampering - by the end I left feeling it was just one step up a greasy spoon (cafe). Paying was easy, staff offered complimentary drinks (I had 2), that was all fine. Parking was not a problem.
Overall, I'm just disappointed that my experience wasn't as good as the one my friend had told me she had experienced before. I'm not a definite 'not coming