05/22/07

A quality salon

by deerford101

In contrast to the most recent review, I had a very pleasant experience at this salon. The staff I encountered (specifically the manager, Dana) was extremely helpful and friendly. After showing me the various beds she explained the pricing and while it isn't as simple as pointing at a menu and saying "I want that" it made sense to me and was an overall bargain compared to some of the other salons I've visited. You get what you pay for in tanning and I feel confident that I have spent my money at a quality establishment that values its customers. In fact I only went in because a friend spoke highly of the place and the manager said that they get the majority of their new customers from referrals. To me, at least, that means they're doing something right. And best of all whatever package you buy can also be used at any of their other locations (though I'm pretty sure Dana is going to be getting my business).

Also worth noting: the place was very clean and well-lit; it was a nice change from some of the dingier places I have seen in LA. Nothing is more disappointing than spending a good deal of money for a "salon experience" and finding the salon to be dirty, dark and gross. This salon was far from gross!

• Pros: Friendly staff, great location, fair prices and quality beds.
• Cons: Parking can be a problem on busy weekend nights, but you can always plan for it.

05/05/07

new owners... new name... new staff... maybe (finally) a change for the good?

by hejogirl

I used to go to this place when it was called South Beach: hated it, and stopped going...

Then they lured me back with some coupon offer I found, thinking there was a new place in the neighborhood, only to find out that the same place merely changed ownership and name...

Sometimes ownership changes are for the good - and I was hoping this was going to be the case, because I live so close I can walk to it (traffic and parking is a nightmare in this area) ... but their rude and condescending salespeople far outweigh the location convenience (for me at least)...

Their coupons are deceptive; they didn't have a clear list with all the options and prices - not even on their website... (Maybe it's just me, but have you ever gone in a restaurant and ordered without getting a menu? It's such a deceptive practice - or do they tell you the price based on the size rock you wear on your finger?)

After my (unhappy) visit, I went to city search to see if it's just me... but after stumbling on some of the reports on the same company (at different locations) it seems that I'm not the only one who figured the new ownership came in with strange practices.

I wonder if the gleaming positive reviews aren't written by management or staff, because when you click on the names of who reviewed them, you can tell the same person wrote a review of all their locations... yeah right.

I'm not giving this place a "not recommended" rating, but definitely a "below average", because maybe I'm too picky... Their beds are nice, since they are -after all- a pretty new place, but the lack of decent, friendly service and their weird pricing as well as their bait-and-switch strategy just don't justify me patronizing them or recommending the place to my friends...

There's a new place in WeHo I'm testing right now, but won't comment until I'm more confident with their consistency...

• Pros: modern beds, great location for people who live in the Fairfax area
• Cons: staff, unclear prices, "special offers" aren't really that special...

04/15/06

I Love the Place!

by mopredo

This place is fantastic, and it's incredibly fun to be there at all different times because there have been some actors from CBS walking in for a quick tan. Very cool. Yeah, sometimes the parking can be a nightmare - you just have to pick the right time to go. For me, it is well worth it. Absolutely love the place and the staff.