09/27/09

New York Sytlist meets Houston Texas Trey Gillen

by firorlady

Trey is a personable professional stylist. I highly recommend him for haircuts, highlights, and styling. He has also cut my daughter's hair and she contantly gets comments on the cut. He is WONDERFUL!!!

• Pros: Trey Gillen
• Cons: Location Far from where I live

09/19/09

Go See Juan

by Reprah

Best cut, color, and styling ever! Juan is a true professional from consultation to finishing touches. His color formulations are fresh and natural. He stays up to date with sophisticated and elegant styling and cutting techniques. I get more compliments on my hair now that ever and I have tried most of the high end Houston salons. Juan is a warm and sincere person who can actually have a conversation with you. If you're not sure what direction to go with your cut and color, he gives expert guidance. You will not be disappointed. His blowouts are the longest lasting in town.

• Pros: Great work and friendly service
• Cons: Manager needs to update the music choices

09/06/09

Great Massage Therapist

by vazjr

I was a previous frequent visitor to the Urban Retreat West location prior to 2005. I stopped going to this spa because I'd moved away, but a friend had given me a $200.00 gift cert to this place in 2006. I never used it, had misplaced it, until finally rediscovering it while unpacking boxes in my move back to Houston this year. Unbelievably, I contacted Jade in Sales and she said I could still use it! How awesome was that?! Thanks to Urban Retreat, I had a great experience at this location with massage therapist, Sandra. The salt scrub was excellent and so was the massage she gave me afterward, and her courteous and professional attitude was great. I was turned off from getting massages before, but she turned me right back around.

Suggestions: the attentiveness from receptionists or support staff were minimal as you're only told to go or find the changing room, with no help in locating your robes/sandals, and wherever else you're supposed to go. This could be fixed if your aesthetician is the one that brings you from the reception lobby to the changing area, which is my experience at other spas. The interior is not very impressive and needs updates for what you would expect at a River Oaks area spa and price levels attached to it. The customer bathrooms/showers weren't functioning right, so those were closed. I managed to communicate with a service worker with limited english, and she led me across the public lobby to find a bathroom in the employee area across from their dishwasher. I also had to trek across the public lobby again to take a shower after my salt scrub, as they have no Vichy shower there. Being seen in front of several others in only a size too small robe, and with colorful stuff on my face or hair doesn't phase me, but I'm sure that others might not be comfortable with that.

This spa needs some work, but I still recommend it thanks to the great customer service I received from Jade and particularly Sandra, and I'll definitely consider returning.

• Pros: Very accomodating, courteous, and professional, good cookies
• Cons: poor spa layout, outdated and cluttered decor, utility issue