The newly added spa treatment rooms at the Swiss Cottage Leisure Center are modern, awesome, and…read moreperfect for a little self pampering when your bank account has a bit of leeway (at least until an upcoming pay day) I booked a pretty intense and lush Spa Escape package which included a Swedish massage, salt scrub and facial. All were executed amazingly, courtesy of Christina...although I was slightly embarrassed when I let out a little snore whilst dozing off during the facial...oops. Quality products, coupled with Portugese ambient tunes and your own private shower in the room. Very chill and worth the money. I would definitely pass on the manicure though. I do a decent enough job on my own nails to not pay 2000x more for a treatment in this area. NOT LEGIT peeps!

The people working in this place are SO nice and eager to make you enjoy your time…read more However, the three times I have been have been very mediocre. First, the girls seem very inexperienced and while there was nothing wrong with the waxes, there was really nothing right. I felt as if the girls had studied how to do waxing, but weren't quite comfortable doing it (especially the bikini waxing). The facial I had was relaxing but did nothing for my skin (Thalgo). I would recommend that the girls who work there go get a wax at a top salon so they can 'see how it is done.' The location is convenient if you go to the swiss cottage gym.

Avoid! Really rude and unhelpful staff, it can't be a very fun place to work as these people are…read moreall curt and miserable, not the destination if you're looking for some relaxation as well as a treatment.

Imagine that everyday in London was just as sunny as the coastline of California. People would wear…read moretank tops, don sandals and have perfectly manicured hand and pedicured feet- 24 hours a day! However, since this is not a reality, California Nail Bar is there to help and let you pretend as though everyday is summer! This nail bar offers nail extensions in either acrylic or fiberglass, along with simple manicures and pedicures all for under £35. Good service and atmosphere along with a touch of glamour!

With Christmas round the corner, Sunday Dec. 1st qualified as an 'official' nail day!…read more Only two hours after my appointment call, I found myself unsuccessfully trying to locate the perfect nude tone for my skin among their nail polishes. I was asked whether I'd like acrylics or gels, however instead of agreeing on gels I am pretty sure I got acrylics. I'm not a nail rookie and I'm positive that when the nails do not need UV cure, it's all acrylics. Going to a salon to get 'almond'-shaped nails without the staff knowing what you're talking about is scary enough. After all, 'almond'-shaped nails is a last year thing! Also, no cuticle pushing/cleaning and wrong tips placement (not size-wise, but angle-wise they looked like lifting before having the acrylic put on yet!). No gel-top coat either. My nails looked as flat as a piece of paper, no 'natural-looking' curve at all... As for the colour, I ended up with a dark pink-y nude overlay. Oh, needless to say that two of them broke the next day! Not cool... To their defence, there was minimum natural nail buffering! My technician was very cool, yet lacked of skills and trend knowledge. Affordable price, even though it seemed suspiciously cheap. Turns out that fake nails are not their strong point. UP: - Full set of acrylics for 29£. - Getting an appointment only two hours after calling. Feels like a walk in! - Minimum natural nail buffering a.k.a. no unbearable damage after taking them off. DOWN: - No trend knowledge whatsoever! - Lack of skills! At least regarding 'almond'-shaped acrylics! VERDICT: Suggest it to the b**ch that bullied you in class!

This nail bar is great! always leave with my nails looking perfect and nothing out of place…read more Everyone in there is lovely too and accommodating to what time suits you best!

What a lovely nail bar! This was the 2nd time I'd visited…read moreand I wasn't disappointed. Removal and full set was done exactly as I'd requested. The young man was extremely gentle and didn't make me feel rushed. We didn't have any conversation which was absolutely fine with me as I like to zone out. I will be making this my new nail bar and there's a reward card!

Was visiting from USA and after almost 4 weeks(eeeek) I was terribly needing refills, I am really…read morefussy about who does my nails, but had to be brave, made a appointment and they did exactly as I asked, what a beautiful job, the girl refilled my acrylic overlays perfectly, thin & smooth, then shellac on top. I like my nails square with rounded edges and she did them just the way I like them and didn't take much more than 1 hr to go the job. I think I was $40, they offered me a loyalty card but as not living in area I declined, but if I am in area again I will certainly return.

Done quick and without appointment, and all staff were pleasant and responsive (even if chattering…read morebetween themselves in their native language). I had acrylic nails done from scratch on plastic tips, topped with nail polish and a matt coat. £35 (with removal of previous acrylic). There was no queue in the salon at the time but the job seems rushed. One nail is glued on clearly crooked, and under nails are left messy with glue and plastic. Would return in an emergency.

Joshua Altback is hands down, the best in London for Brazlian Blow Dry…read more It's one of the most expensive places, but it is the best so the price is understandable. I've never had my hair as silky, smooth, shiny and beautiful as it was when I walked out of Joshua Altback's. I got the blow dry and a hair cut,. Unfortunately, I did the haircut AFTER the blow dry so it was a bit difficult for the stylist to cut my hair because it was just soooo smooth and luscious! :D I didn't care, I was too busy being happy with my new swishy, shiny hair. The person trimming my hair was absolutely meticulous. It was the first time I've ever received a haircut whilst standing! He even went as far as telling me to come back after I've washed my hair so that he could do an even neater job when its wet - I didn't think that wouldve been possible as it was already perfection. I've done the blow dry at a few other salons in London but none of them has ever been as good. The staff are all polite and professional. The person who did my treatment was an absolute sweetheart who never made me feel as though it was rushed. I even met Mr Altback himself and he said I had pretty hair! (It's true what they say, flattery gets you everywhere...)

I've been doing the Brazilian Blowout for about six years now between three salon locations and it…read moreworks really well for me. I booked an appt for a Brazilian Blowout with the Joshua Altback salon and while I'm pleased with the results, I won't be going back. Pros: --This is a nice salon in a really nice area. --They have Wi-Fi. --Both Andreea and Joshua are very nice and pay good attention to details. --Andreea gave me a towel to cover my face for when she was blow drying my hair and the chemicals were going everywhere. I have not had another salon do that before - it's a nice touch. Cons: --Andreea did my Brazilian Blowout treatment but then I was passed off to Joshua for my cut. I wasn't told in advance this would happen and frankly I would have preferred someone other than Joshua for my trim + touch up of layers. Paying 50 GBP for a trim and touch up is reaaaaaally expensive. I would have preferred someone that wasn't the owner or a senior stylist. --Joshua's daughter. She's cute and all but on this particular day she was sick and not only coughing everywhere but also passing very smelly gas. Disgusting; please don't bring your sick child to a salon and let them run around. --Cash vs. credit card. When I called to make the appt I was told by the woman on the phone that they prefer cash. It took a few rounds of back and forth conversation but she did confirm that while they do accept credit card, they prefer cash. In person upon paying for the treatment and cut I was told that the 20% new client discount was for the treatment only and not the cut. OK, not a big deal. However I was also told that if I paid with a credit card I would not receive the 20% discount. ....Are you kidding? I had to leave the salon and go to an ATM around the corner to get cash. This was NOT explained to me on the phone when I was booking the appt. --Time. Like I said; I've been doing the Brazilian Blowout for about six years between three salon locations; two in the US and one other salon in London. While the attention to detail was good, my appt took 3.5 hours with two people. I've never had another Brazilian Blowout treatment + cut that needed two people or took more than 2.5 hours to complete. It's a long time to sit.

As this place look inviting but was always empty I thought I would try it. Friendly welcome and…read moreobviously no wait for my Gellish manicure. Unfortunately it then went downhill the one manicurist was also the receptionist turning away clients rather than booking them in for later. She did however tell a lady wanting a wax to come back in 20 minutes which she did and I was then left with my hands in the drier assuming that I was just about finished. So when the drier switched off I took my hands out and started to prepare to leave only to realise that my hands were still wet. The manicurist then arrived back again and had to re-do half of my nails. During my visit the manicurist was focused more on talking to her friend who was sitting in the salon than concentrating on me. My Gellish managed to last the 2 weeks but only just. You may have guessed I will not be returning.

I took my kids to Mowgli after they spotted the swings in the window and immediately decided that's…read morewhere we had to eat. The idea of sitting on a swing while eating dinner was non-negotiable. And to be fair, it's a very cool setup. The restaurant has a fun atmosphere and the swings at the front tables are a great novelty, especially if you have kids. The food is Indian street food style, so we ordered a few different small things and tried a bit of everything. Nothing blew me away, but everything was good. This isn't the place you go expecting the most serious or mind-blowing Indian food you've ever had. It's more about the experience and the vibe. But the food holds its own, and the whole place has a fun energy to it. If you've got kids or honestly just want a slightly different restaurant experience, Mowgli is definitely worth checking out.

This was another restaurant I visited on my trip to London. Mowgli is located in SoHo. We were on a…read morefood tour and Mowgli was one of our restaurant stops. The food was excellent. Mowgli is Indian street food. We had Yoghurt chat bombs which is like a puff pastry filled with yoghurt, chickpeas and other deliciousness. I can't remember the names. We did have a curry and something like a chicken stew. All very good. We also ordered a mango drink for me and beer for the others. We did not request any special service. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant. The flavors were fantastic.

When it comes to glowing and beautiful skin, some can call themselves lucky, while others need an…read moreextra effort. I am one of the latter. A week before the Bank Holiday weekend, I have decided to book myself in for a peel in preparation for a short city break with my sister and best friend. I have called up Aesthetics Lab and booked myself in for a consultation, followed by the peel. At arrival I was greeted by a very friendly receptionist who gave me an online questionnaire to fill in. It took me 10 to 12 minutes to finish. I did arrive early for my appointment, so I had plenty of time to kill. Joanna, very lovely and extremely helpful, discussed with me my skin history, problems and needs. Once we agreed on the treatment for my skin (we both agreed that my skin is dull & congested), I have been taken to the treatment room, where I met a very lovely aesthetician. I lied down on the bed, got tucked in & was ready for my peel. First my skin was preped by cleaning my skin & cleansed. A simple procedure, however it feels really nice when done by somebody else. Its time for the peel! A specifically selected (for my skin type) liquid peel was smoothly brushed on my skin. I had to stay with the peel on my skin for couple of minutes. It felt a bit itchy and stingy as it was working its way into my skin. The peel was removed & my skin was prepared for the 2nd part of my treatment: LED lights. This was my favourite part as it felt like you were bathing under the sun. After the treatment my skin felt a bit tight, however this went away after couple of hours. I have to say that that my skin feels like a baby's skin and very happy with the end result. The whole treatment lasted around an hour & even my black heads from my nose were removed. I have not seen my skin so clean & smooth for a long time. Higly recommend Aesthetics Lab.

Amazing service and treatments for every concern. Treated my skin (acne and pigmentation) and did…read moreCoolsculpting and cellulite treatments with them. Couldn't recommend more!