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

08/27/09

Former Favorite

by Nat9

I used to be a regular at Urban Retreat West and was willing to pay a higher price for a good quality manicure and/or pedicure. The atmosphere has changed quite a bit so, although the quality of personal service remains high, the experience is not worth the higher price for the service. In recent months, there were several weeks that the receptacle for serving water dripped and was not repaired. Then it was removed and there was no more water service - only tea. I also noticed there was (and maybe still is) some sort of electrical appliance lying on the floor near the guest waiting area for manicures; not plugged in, just lying on the floor, looking tacky. Furthermore, in the past, soothing music was played in the background and the now presumably broken fountain trickled water softly. Used to be lovely. Now just ordinary. Not worth the higher price for the experience.

• Pros: high quality manicure/pedicure
• Cons: ambience going downhill

08/26/09

HORRIBLE massage and business management

by didyoureallyjustdothat

I wasn’t going to say anything until THEY called ME to put the blame of their inaccuracies on me.

I would have rated them 0 stars if I had the option.

1. Was that a massage I just paid for or did you just throw a bunch of oil on my back and rub it in??? HORRIBLE massage. When she was done, I was no less tense, but thought “Oh well. You get what you pay for" as I had only booked a 30 minute chair massage, $1 a minute.

2. They messed up my booking and have tried to throw it at me because they took me behind a certain door? As if to suggest that I should have known what that means/ how they operate (no 2 salons operate the same way, and I had never just booked a chair massage before).

Experience:

I booked a 30 minute chair massage because my back and neck are all that I needed worked on and don’t have time for a full body hour long massage anyways. At check out, the girl informs me that I owe $70 instead of $30??? (Remember now, I booked a $30 chair massage) Instead of saying "Oh I’m sorry they messed up your booking" she says "well, because they took you behind that door it was a 30 minute Deep Tissue massage". After explaining my reasoning for why I should not be charged $70 since I did not ask for a deep tissue, I end up paying $30 PLUS a NICE tip (only because I feel bad that they messed things up for her) for a crummy massage and heading out.

I tell friends what happened and they all think that I should call in and complain on how they run their business/ about the bad massage. My thought was, noooooo times are tough and I'm not going to get anyone in trouble.

Flash forward to today, about 5 minutes ago, I get a call from their manager (I assume, I have no idea who she was) basically trying to say that I should have paid the $70 as a masseuse deserves payment for their services???? NOOOOOO MAAM!!!! IF I had asked for a deep tissue, or even felt like I got one, I would have paid. Give credit where credit is due, etc etc etc. HOWEVER, when your people mess up, IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE WAY, then your business should step up and fix the problem ...NOT throw it in the clients face for them to try to fix.

THE END.

I do not recommend this salon and decided before they even called me that I will never be going back there again.

• Pros: location
• Cons: read details below

06/10/09

Great atmosphere, great service!!!

by amd6841

I have been getting my hair done by Sarah Mitchell and she is fabulous! She listens to what I want and gives her suggestions to creat a look that I love. The entire experience is first-class!

• Pros: full service salon
• Cons: traffic getting to location

06/09/09

PHILIP VAULT!!!

by aargerop

So I was referred to Philip through a mutual friend and I went to him first to style my hair on my birthday. I have extremely curly hair and Philip was able to tame it and make me look fabulous. It's always so shiny and silky every time I leave the salon and it holds up all day! My hair has never looked so good. From that point on I was hooked and I've been going to him ever since for cuts and style. He colored my mom's hair and she has never looked younger. He can work wonders with a dryer and a round brush! If you come to Houston, or live in Houston, you should be getting your hair done with Philip at Urban Retreat!

• Pros: BEST stylist in Houston!

06/09/09

PHILIP VALT AMAZING !!!!!!!!BEST IN TOWN

by clienturban

Philp knows how to handle hair - PERIOD !

HE is TALENTED TALENTED in HAIR STYLING and DESIGN

HE can color like nobody's business

HE can dry amazingly !!!! silky bouncy and fast

GREAT AT LONG THICK HAIR

He is a MASTER of the hair service and will make you feel GORGEOUS !!!!!!!!!

LOVE HIM!

HE is a JEWEL and if you are lucky enough to know this man and have him touch your hair, you are never going to go to anyone again.

• Pros: He's fast and accurate and talented

06/09/09

Philip Valt

by mpendley

Philip has been coloring, cutting, and highlighting my hair for over 2 years now and I will NEVER go to anyone else! He is the best colorist and always makes my hair look very natural blonde! From the base to the highlights - he knows exactly how to make it perfect!

All blondes (or want to be blondes) should visit Philip Valt!

• Pros: Best Blonde colorist in town!

06/03/09

Awesome visit today

by trixie11

I had frizzy, out of control hair before I found Phillip! When I starting going to him I didn't even know what a round brush was. My hair was the definition of "a bad hair day" everyday! He took the time out of his day on my first visit to teach me how to straighten my hair with just a round brush and a blowdryer ! I left his chair feeling like a new refreshed person. I would highly recommend Phillip to any one!!!! Also, if you are looking to get highlights he is the BEST in the business . People ask me all the time where I get my hair done and the answer will ALWAYS stay the same ...PHILLIP Valt

• Cons: none