1 /5 Persia Shokoohi: I have just moved to the area, about 2 blocks from this location. My husband and I arrived last Monday at 3:30 pm or so. He received a gel mani/Pedi. His Pedi included matte polish. I received a gel Pedi, with your standard gel paint. And a Gel X fill in with one nail needing replacement. Pedis took approximately an hour and were, per the only options presented to us on the menu, about $70-$80 tax at the lowest expense tier. Fine. Its NYC.
After the pedis, we are ushered to the normal spots where your standard hands business goes down. It is approximately 4:30.
I already had a brand new Gel X nail set in place that was beautifully done at a reasonably priced nail salon in the Mayfair area of London. Near Four Seasons Park Lane. My nails had grown a small amount but not the dangerously long amount I typically gamble with waiting to address.
Look at my review history. it is important for me to draw your attention to a few things:
A) I shared the slam dunk review from my first time at Hyde Park Nails in Tampa, with photo evidence. I became a devoted client from that time until my recent move to NYC. In that first review, you can see the perfect pointy nails I received with only words and no photo as a reference point for the experienced nail artist who just "got it."
B) I take the time to only write reviews for places that have been exceptional. Im not sure Ive even rated any place below 4 stars. I do not have a record of only doing reviews because Im a jerk or I am unaware that even the best professionals might be having a rough day.
C) While my reviews are statistically positive, theyre never for a business I may have a personal relationship in some way. I aim for honesty and objectivity about the business. I know I might consider whats pricey may not be pricey to others or more maybe expensive to most just based off of economic statistics. Ive been honest and frank. Im realistic and the response from businesses and Google users has been positive.
All this back story is important to me, in establishing that Im not inclined to write mean reviews out of spite.
So heres where Im giving sincere warning to other women, particularly those who have limited free time, time-sensitive professional, domestic, or social demands. Who are thoughtful about their spending but comfortable paying a premium for high quality service or work product that serves their needs.
So when this salon had an entire visual chart with nail shapes on the walls so clients could actually point to them when requesting the specifics of what they want from their nail tech, I immediately went to the wholly dead on graphic design of a fingernail that is the spitting image of my nails I posted in my Hyde Park Nails Google review.
I repeatedly point to the precise image on the SALON PROVIDED VISUAL MENU to reinforce the shape of nail I am paying through the nose for.
Well. Lets just say, she took 2.5 hours to do a FILL IN and one single nail replacement and heres what I got out of the dumpster fire:
She spent over an hour just filing a trimmed but square shaped set of nails into a sad and not at all finely pointed tip. Instead of clipping each side of the tips from an angle and refining from there. She cut me to bleeding 4 times.
After that hr, I asked how much longer? Surely, we are at the paint point? I say 20-30 min, right? She nervously says no no 40 min.
1 hr later, she isnt done, nails look like trash, Im late, and this is what and the photos are what I got. I called to complain and ask for a refund only those Gel X nails. Im leaving in the morning for a business trip and will have to somehow get the nails fixed because I am shaking a lot of hands and expected to be meticulous about detail in my role.
I was offered a $30 credit to use there. Thats less than the time/$ I have to spend getting it fixed, not to mention why TF would I go back there? And then the manager made me send her photo proof if I want a refund for just Gel X while Im on said business trip. Ok, I did it. NO RESPONSE.
