I have never written a review for anything. Even if I'd had a slightly bad haircut from a nice hairdresser, I'm not the kind that would moan too much, I just wouldn't go back. But after the experience I had at Hot Head hairdressers this morning I felt I had to. TERRIBLE! I was slighty late for my appointment due to traffic (I hate being even a few minutes late) which I apologised about to the chap that greeted me. He was very nice about it and said not to worry. I sat down made myself a cup of coffee, as it's self service, and waited for my stylist. I waited over 5 minutes, so it seemed she was in no desperate rush and hadn't been waiting in the wings. Good. Then she came over, said she'd get me a seat. Then she kind of pointed to one near the window and backed off to get me a cape as I struggled with my bags and coffee, wondering where I should put them. It was the same attitude from start to finish. I felt as though her mind was somewhere else entirely and my presence was an inconvenience. She checked back in the book three times so she didn't have to ask me my name, and never told me hers or made any introduction. She never asked how I was. There wasn't even the basics of good customer service there. She seemed in a dream world. I tried to explain to her in depth what I would like done to my hair and what I don't like. Did she have any suggestions for this? What did she think of that? I got very vague, unhelpfull mumbled answers. It seemed she just wanted me to shut up. So I did. I'm not a huge fan of the 'where are you going on holiday' hairdresser blab, but felt incredibly uncomfortable sitting in silence. She seemed happy enough smiling in her little dream world whilst she completely ignored me. I hadn't originally wanted much length off, but to help her reach the desired shape, I felt I had to. She seemed to be struggling. After she thought she had finished the cut, she stuck one of those blowdry machines on my head and made no attempt to style it. When I asked her if she could fix it a bit in the places where she seemed to have left big clumps, she was a rude, pretty much pushed me out of my chair and told me she didn't have time now and I'd have to come back in two hours. This was my only day off and had a lot to do, but I agreed. I waited around for a few minutes after she'd left me there, wondering if I should pay now or when I came back later. Since she ignored me completely and there is no sign or a reception or somewhere to pay, I left assuming she wanted payment when the job was finished. She then come running out the door asking me to come back to pay in a very accusitory way. After all this. I felt embarrassed, upset and angry at the way this woman had treated me throughout the last hour. I felt so far removed from the relaxed feeling you would expect to have after a trip to the hairdressers, infact I felt pretty traumatised, and confused as to what I'd just spent £35 on!!! After I asked for her name, which she mumbled at me (Janis? Joss? Jess?), she tried to make out that we must have got our wires crossed as to what I'd like from my cut. I'm sorry- but even if she'd got the stye wrong it shouldn't look as though I was attacked by a toddler with a pair of scissors! I'm embarased to admit that I actually cried on the walk home, that's how horrible this whole experience was. I'm not usually the weepy type. After reaching home and examining the extent of the damage in the mirror once again, I decided to call the salon and let them know I wouldn't be back later that day. And I gave a brief nd frank explanation to her colleauge as to why. He was nice, but it was just the old 'I'm really sorry about that' line. I'm not sure they actually care. So £35 down the drain, my hair now looks a hell of a lot worse than it did when I went in this morning. I will probably be wearing it up for several weeks before I go and pay some more money to a more professional hair stylist to correct the mistake on my head. I had went into Hot Head hoping find a place I'd be able to recommend to my friend who is new to Edinburgh, and looking for a salon she can trust with her hair. Needless to say, I will not be recommending Hot Head. I have no idea what the other stylists' skills are like. They are friendlier than this lady for sure. I hope that it is not just this one person who is bringing down the reputation for everyone else, but if it is I'd strongly recommend they get rid of her. It seems like the other reviews about this place seem to be negative aswell. Thier decor is great, yes. Their logo is sweet and the shampoo smells great. Unfortunatly I have never had such bad service or as bad a haircut in my life. In my opinion I think the place could also use reception, it's lacking in professionalism a bit and seems more careless than relaxed. I feel bad than I have nothing more positive to say about this place, but there is little positive I can take from my own experience. Don't waste your money. read more

After one visit here I can confirm i have found my new favourite hair salon. I absolutely recommend Hot Head, particularly to anyone who doesn't always enjoy the conventional hair salon experience and finds they often come across stylists who don't listen to them or hair salons they don't feel comfortable in. I have long, thick hair and I am quite particular about it (I noticed another reviewer said something similar) I finally chose Hot Head based on several recommendations from different friends, the Yelp reviews and their website, which promised they were a hair salon with a difference. It's lovely inside, the quirky decor gives the place a laid-back and comfortable atmosphere, yet it still has an air of luxury which is nice. The chairs are also arranged well, so you aren't right next to anyone else. My stylist, Mae, was really nice. She was friendly and listened to what I wanted and made me feel at ease. She also gave me a head massage whilst washing my hair which was a nice touch. Before proceeding to cut my hair, she made me a much-appreciated cup of tea, brought over a biscuit and two magazines. She proceeded to cut and style my hair perfectly! The whole experience was relaxing and satisfying, exactly as a hair cut should be. It also took exactly one hour which was great. The price for students is £35 which I thought was very reasonable. At the end, Mae gave me a business card with her name on so that on my next visit I can request for her again. All in all definitely recommend and I will definitely be returning and advising my friends to go there in the future! :) read more

I have had super long hair all of my life and recently donated it all to charity, to The Little Princess Trust. I booked into Hot head for my re-style after getting it all cut off and I couldn't have asked for a better salon to help me out! I booked my appointment through Stewart and he completely appreciated the fact that I would need a lot of advice and guidance on what new style to go for and that consultation was key! He booked me in with May who was great. They both met me at the beginning of my appointment and I showed them pictures of my hair before I cut it all off. I had brought along pictures of styles I found on the internet and talked them through with May. We chatted and she advised me on what would suit me and it was so easy to make a decision. She made me feel so comfortable and confident. She took pictures of my hair before and after the re-style and I really felt like a valued customer, having a unique experience. I felt like May (and Stewart) were genuinely concerned for my hair, that they gauged the level of input I needed from them perfectly and that they listened to me, understood what was needed and came through with it! The hair cut was great. It was only the 2nd time I have been to a salon in my life, having had the same hairdresser all my life, who comes to my home and tidies up the split-ends of my excessively long hair! I had a great experience at Hot Head and the hair style I asked for (and discussed with May) was exactly as I expected it to be. Big thumbs up for customer service, the consultation, the hair cut and the cup of tea! read more

After receiving their striking mailouts through the post I was very interested by the idea of Hot Head - their aesthetic and the whole 'tea & biscuits' thing really appealed to me. I've been needing to get my eyebrows done so I decided to go for that first to see how I felt about the place before committing my money and hair. As I was out anyway I popped in to make an appointment and unfortunately the five minutes I spent in the salon has put me off going back. They didn't seem to have a receptionist which is understandable in a small place but the layout and the way the girl approached me immediately made me feel like I was bothering them. I said that I would like to make a booking but she told me that that it's a separate company downstairs and that I would have to phone to make a booking. Her manner was not rude but it was certainly dismissive. It might not sound like a big deal going home and phoning up instead of making a booking then and there but it did not feel like good customer service - It didn't encourage me to go back and I got them done elsewhere instead. I appreciate that if the companies operate separately there is probably not much she could do - but they promote and name their businesses as connected and it's not unusual to come in off the street and make a booking over the counter... Some of the other comments I've read here seem to back up the overall impression I got which is nice decor, good idea but a bit 'too cool for school' when it comes to service. read more

I went to Hot Head for a trim in April 2010 as I was looking for a hairdresser in Edinburgh to cut & colour my hair for my wedding in June 2010. We live in the South but were getting married in Callander. Jess was great. She didn't try to persuade me into a new style, such as a fringe, which other hairdressers often do. The day before the wedding I had my hair coloured and my god-daughter had hers curled. Unfortunately the sylist that curled my god-daughters hair didn't do the curls tight enough, so the next day they had practically dropped out and I had to re-do them, which was a shame. Jess on the other hand couldn't have been more helpful. I had forgotten my straighteners and she offered to lend me some, or for me to pop back in the following day and she would straighten it again. What better service can you ask for? How many hairdressers would let you walk out of the salon with some GHD's? Fortunately my friend had remembered hers. Atmosphere is great, comfy sofas and tea, coffee and Tunnocks Wafers! Fab!! Also, 3 of us had our nails done downstairs. Brilliant service and very reasonable. Yes, it is a bit odd that they are seperate businesses, but this wasn't a problem for us as we booked the appointments on the phone. The lady doing the nails was brilliant as she made sure that she did my nails while my highlights were taking colour rather than me going downstairs after my hair was done. Perfect service. Would go back next time I am in Edinburgh for a haircut and manicure. read more

I get my hair cut regularly at Hot Head where the lovely Danielle does my hair. She is great: an extremely talented lady who knows exactly how to cut hair. Every time I leave I feel completely happy and just wish my hair would stay exactly how it had been cut and not grow! What I like about getting my hair done at Hot Head by Danielle is that everytime I go in we sit down and chat about how my hair has been; anything I didn't like from my previous cut, anything new I want to try and we talk through the best options for me this time round. There is nothing that is off limits and anything you want to try Danielle can do for you and give the best results. It's great because she takes the time to explain what's good for my hair and advise me what is best. She really does know what she's doing and it's great to be getting your haircut by someone you completely trust with it. The Hot Head salon itself is really funky and has a great buzz inside it. I'm always taking advantage of the complementary Caramel Wafers. It's nice to get your hair cut in a place that has a bit of a buzz to it and have a nice chat with the person doing your hair. Overall, Hot Head is a great place to go. Very good prices, great atmosphere and lovely staff. Whether you are male or female I would definitely recommend asking for Danielle to do your hair she is brilliant and you will love your hair after she's done it. 5 Stars it's a great place!! read more

I heard about hot head through the grapevine and decided to give it a go. Not only is it one of the most stylish looking buildings in Edinburgh, you get complimentary coffee and tunnochs biscuit on arrival, i'm already loving this place before I've even saw a pair of scissors! I was greeted by a very warm and friendly stylist named Chloe, after enjoying my biscuit and coffee Chloe sat me down and asked me what I was looking to have done with my hair. Being somewhat picky, and by somewhat I mean very, about my hair, I have often found it a huge struggle to find a stylist who can understand what I want. Not only did Chloe listen to my requests, she added her own input into what she thought might work and made sure to talk me through each step so I understood why she was doing what she was doing. For me this was great, I wasn't just sat down in a barbers chair and attacked with scissors and a comb then sent on my way. Chloe listened to my requests and gave me easily one of the best haircuts I have ever had! She explained how to manage it and how I should style it. I can confirm after doing what she said, she was completely right! I can't speak highly enough of this cracking little salon, The décor is great, everyone there was very friendly, the price was great and I was well taken care of. I will definitely be booking back in to Hot Head and asking for Chloe. read more

I have been coming to Hot Head for two years to get my hair cut. I have very curly hair, and they always do a great job. They're also really careful about asking customers what they want before going at it, which is also great. However, today they went the extra mile. I haven't had hot water in my flat for a month (long story short, my boiler is broken) and just couldn't bare washing my hair in either frigid water or a wash-tub with electric kettle hot water. So, I decided to treat myself to a blow-dry. After telling them all that was going on, they ended up washing my hair and putting it under the heater (in order to keep the curls) and didn't charge me! They also told me that if my boiler doesn't get fixed tomorrow (that's when the repairman is due to come) that I could call them up and they'd do the same again free-of-charge. Also, my hair hasn't looked this good in weeks. What happened today pretty much sums up how great Hot Head is. They give killer cuts, but even better is the fact that every girl who works there is simply kind and wonderful. They also do student discounts on Mon-Wed. I couldn't recommend this place more. read more

Had a cut at HotHead some time back and was sadly disappointed. The place is striking with fancy brick walls and interesting deco. However the service was very poor. So poor infact that even after a while I have decided to write this review. I forget the hairdressers name but she had dark hair and was quite funky. She barely spoke to me and I actually wanted the time to come to an end to get out of the situation, so uncomfortable I felt. She took a huge chunk from the back of my hair which was weird and later hairdressers have said is totally dreadful. But worse my hair was in poor condition (something I was later told by a pro) and should not have been dyed. The hairdresser did not do any consultation or tell me honestly that my hair should not have been dyed due to the condition. It was dyed and after my first wash away from the salon my hair was dreadful! I asked another professional elsewhere and they were shocked. To top it off it cost me £80 - biggest waste of money ever. Poor service, poor phone skills and pants hairdresser!! read more

Hot Head used to have a place just a few doors down from here, but moved on, expanded and got themselves their own place where they could strip the walls bare. Literally - the brick and stone walls are as striking as some of the haircuts that walk out of the place. Maybe its just me, but i like it when you go to get a haircut and they give you a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit or two when you go in through the door. They know what they're doing when it comes to hair too, which a lot of places that are more expensive don't. Whether you've got obscenely big hair, thinning on top, or thick curls (like my girlfriend, who swears she'd never go elsewhere in Edinburgh for a cut) then i'd say at least pop in and hear them wax lyrical about what wonders they could work with yours. I personally used to never like to spend more than four pounds at any old barbers, but i've been won over, and'll definately keep going back for my dose of hot-headedness... read more

I have been going to Hot Head for years now and have had a consistantly good service. I have got to know that its a family run business and they take great pride about the way they deliver their level of care. It's hour appointments by senior stylists, not a junior in sight and because its hour appointments I always get asked in some detail what I am after and the time spent on getting the right result. The Salon is one of the most relaxing and individual salons in Edinburgh more like a large sittingroom in someones house. When the stove is lit in the winter months, probably the cosiest. You feel at home the moment you walk through the door. you hear a lot of laughter from both stylists and clients, again a lot to do with the place and it's atmosphere. Do you know what! If you don't like hair salons or the way they make you feel..then check out the Hot Head experience for something a wee bit different! read more

Never written a review, so here goes Had my hair cut today (for the second time) by Sabrina at Hothead. I will not be back. Firstly, the salon has no atmosphere at all. Each stylist was working while I was in but at points there was absolute silence in the salon. I mean, LOOMING SCREAMING SILENCE. When I get my hair cut I like to chat with the stylist. This does not apply at Hothead. The silence was awful, excruciating and painful. Really, really bad. Secondly, I had asked for my hair to be cut short. I wasn't happy with the length Sabrina had left it at and so naturally, I asked her if I could have it a bit shorter. I was told, in no uncertain terms, that it wouldn't be possible as it wouldn't blend with the rest of the cut. £28 later, I left feeling cold and a bit ripped off to be honest. Would not recommend. read more

Absolute disaster and a rip-off! If you know exactly what you want, then you may have luck in getting it done. But, do not go with any hopes of getting useful suggestions. I felt like crying when I left the shop because she had done exactly what i had asked her not to !!! I have curly hair and i precisely told her not to make it look like a basket toppled on my head and that is precisely what she ended up doing. She was talking all this fluff of using the right products and styling it properly etc..But, then, thats that..I went there for a hair cut Paid 30 quid for a stupid job which has made my hair to go into far worse condition. I have to just wait for it to grow now to undo the damage that has been caused! All the Bohemian chic (of the shop) doesn't hold if there isn't proficiency in the job !! read more

I really do love Hot Head. I've gotten my hair cut here twice and it has been excellent both time. I have pretty curly hair and they've cut it so it looks great both times, I completely trust when I come in that they'll know what to do with it. This time I went in cause my hair was crazy crazy long and I wanted to chop it all off and donate it. Little did I know but if you are donating hair to Little Princess Trust, Hot Head will cut your hair for free and ship it off for you! (I'm going to donate what I would have paid to get it cut, which I recommend everyone else do!) So because of this I was getting a pretty extreme cut, going from hair that touched my waistband when wet to now floating around my shoulders. I am so so happy with the cut. If you are a curly girl you are in safe hands here :) read more

Hot Head is my favourite Edinburgh Hairdressers. There are a few reasons for this. 1) My hairdresser, Claire, is amazing!! Not only is she a lovely person, full of good chat and stories, but she's a great hairdresser, and always does my hair just as I ask if not better. 2) Its a really funky salon with lots of cool touches - including Tunnocks tea cakes on tap for all customers - WIN! 3) The whole attitude of the salon is so laid back and chilled. No pretentious nonsense, just lovely people, cutting hair well and enjoying what they do. 4) It's so reasonably priced! Another plus; while I'm letting my colour sink in I don't have to sit like a statue on the seats, I can kick back on a sofa, read a magazine, have a natter and tuck in to a teacake. I'd completely recommend hot head to anyone. read more

I get my hair chopped regularly here as I love the laid-back vibe of the place & the interior is super-funky. There is a nice little sofa corner where you can chill with a coffee & choccy biscuit if you need to wait at all, or even if you are waiting on your friend getting their hair cut. This time around I took my kids in for their haircut, 2 boys aged 2 & 4. I reckon it's probably a hairdressers nightmare when faced with fidgety young 'uns but Lousie (the owner & stylist) had agreed to do the both of them in one sitting. She was very patient & understanding with them & we managed to get both of their barnett's chopped with no tears & little fuss - success! What's more they both came out with funky little styles which I was very happy with. Well done on all counts HOTHEAD! read more

This was actually my first hairdressing experience I have ever had, due to saving money in the past by trimming my locks myself! I have long, fine hair and have always been protective of the length. However, it was getting scruffy and I became increasingly intrigued by the prospect of appearing neat. Several friends had warmly recommended Hot Head, in particular for their skilled stylists and for customers with long hair. It was lovely. Danielle was my stylist and took her time listening to my ideas for a simple trim and style. She communicated well what she was going to do and did it with care and attention. I had absolute confidence in her abilities- I suspect she is very capable with all hair types and styles. Enjoying the neat look now :) Thanks! read more

I've been getting my hair cut, coloured, hi-lighted, restyled etc by Jess for many years now and I have never once been anything but absolutely delighted with the outcome. I love the salon, the laid back atmosphere & I have always found Jess to be very attentive, friendly and professional. Having tried several much more expensive salons in Edinburgh, I was delighetd to find Jess & Hot Head and I would never try another other slaon again. I've recommended loads of my friends to Jess and they too have always been very happy with their hair do's and have become loyal customers of both the salon & Jess. Peanutandthecity - maybe you were just having a bad day as your comments certainly do not reflect the experiences I've had over the past 3-4 years read more

Hot Head is an amazing salon because it feels so homely and chilled out. Arriving for your appointment extra early is a bonus as you can chill on the sofas read magazines and have some tea coffee and biscuits (all free!) The cost is another bonus. Your getting amazing cuts colour hair ups etc you name it and it's affordable. Claire Wilson is my hairdresser. She will always check in with me to see what I want done. She is friendly bubbly and I totally trust her with my head of hair. Cut and colours always of the highest standard. I've been in to get my hair done for a wedding and was showered in compliments she done such a good job. I recommend this salon and when you call ask for Claire! read more