Express pedicure. I envisioned a bit of sloughing, a bit of scrubbing, a bit of filing, a bit of polishing, a bit of drying, and I'd be on my way! Hey, when you're in The City, you need things done FAST. When me and my colleague noticed the sign for Urbanbeach down the road from our office advertising express pedicures, we jumped at the chance to pamper ourselves on our lunch break. First of all, this is not your typical nail salon. Mostly because there are no pedicure seats and only one manicure station. We got our pedicures in separate rooms that looked more suited for a wax or a facial. Yes, we had to sit on those movable lounger seats. The usual polite chitchat went on while my beautician filed and polished away (apart from a quick lotion application, that was IT). Probably 20 minutes total. But then we were both told to wait in the reception for our nails to dry for at least 20 minutes. ANOTHER 20 MINUTES?? Nothing express about that! There were no nail dryers, no fun flip flops to wear on the journey home. From my vantage point, Urbanbeach seemed to have an upscale client base... what gives? My beautician came back to check on me after 20 minutes by FURIOUSLY rubbing her thumb into my big toenail, which clearly smudged the polish. I maintain that it was probably dry enough to go, but she just ruined it with her thumbrape of my toe. So, she got down on hands and knees, ON THE FLOOR OF THE RECEPTION, wiped the polish off and started again. Luckily, my friend was sitting next to me, so that I could sigh and roll my eyes with her. Otherwise, all that frustration would have come out in a much less dignified (read: british) way. Unhygenic and completely avoidable! If we didn't have to get back to work, I might have stayed sitting there, reading trashy mags and enjoying my (sort of) pampering. Instead, I had to slip and slide the short walk back to the office in what can only be described as packing foam sandals. I am still wearing them as I type this. Oh yeah, and it cost me £26. Needless to say, I won't be returning. read more

I was rather apprehensive about coming here after my bad experience with other outlets of this chain but the visit was a very positive surprise. It's friendly, clean, well equipped. Loved it! They currently have "Monday madness" running each Monday: Half price tanning on all single sessions. read more

Yep, was really pleased wit my experience here. Went in for a tan and really pleased with the results. I have never used this place before but I believe it's part of a chain. It was also quite nice as quick which is a bonus. Fairly pricey would be my only complaint but I guess you get what you pay for read more

I have been using sunbeds for 8 years, using Sun Angel sunbeds for 2 years now. They have two sun angels in Urbanbeach Cannon street, one of these worked as would be expected. The other one is older, as I was told by staff. I went in this older one twice in the period of a week before my holiday. After complaining because I did not tan at all, and spending £45 on the two sessions with them I was very disappointed to their response that I would not be receiving money back due to 'me not using the sunbeds enough' I explained I have not only been away on holidays this summer but I've also used other tanning salons local to me. Did not appreciate their assumption that I only ever exposed my skin to UV rays while in their shop. Shoddy equipment, awful customer service, the tanning salon is all over london and their sun angels work 10x better honestly do not waste your money with this dodgy shop. Not only was I not happy with my tan and had to go on holiday but they've literally robbed me. Wish I had some photo evidence here, my friends who use sunbeds could not believe I had had one sun angel let alone two. read more

Most rude place in the world! When I arrived the store, they didn't say hi and been really rude! I did French style nail, and it looks horrible! I could do much better by myself! She actually spend 5 minutes to do my nails, and when she finished. She just ask me go directly! My nail still not dry at that moment! Never go there again! read more

Have been here twice, not long after it opened (a little while ago now) once for eyelash tint and then a manicure. Eyelash tint was superb, best I've ever had and can't recommend it enough. Manicure?! Well, an encounter with a stroppy manicurist who hacked my cuticles and was generally peeved off meant that I vowed never to go back. My nails broke within 24hrs as the manicurist had filed the sides with the wrong file and I had snags upon closer inspection when I got home. It's easy to find, clean and the receptionist was super friendly and helpful. I would consider going back if I couldn't get into my usual salon. read more

I rarely write a review, In Fact this is one of my first because I'm quite laid back and I like to stay positive. great facilities in this particular unit but Jesus some of the members staff either hate there job and really don't want returning customers. Disgusting customer understanding, body language and tone of voice. Get some appraisals done if I were you. I may return to an urban beach but certainly not this one. read more

I normally don't put any review on the Internet but my experience at Urban Beach was so bad I thought it was worth spending 5 minutes to write a review. I picked one star because I could not pick 0. I went to Urban Beach (Monument branch) for 3 different purposes over the past 2 years and it has been an awful experience each time. Now, I know I will never go back and encourage my friends / acquaintances not to set foot in there. - Hollywood waxing: I did it once, it hurt so bad I almost cried and could barely walk for several days. At the time, I had just arrived to London (from France) and had been told waxing is not very developed in the UK, hence the bad experience. So I gave Urban Beach the benefit of the doubt. I now have a much better address in Angel, London (Angelica Retreat). - Second time : I went there for a a Shellac manicure. Again, the manicure barely lasted 2 weeks when the new address that I have (The Nails Advisory in Angel) is able to do a manicure that perfectly last more than a month. - Third time : I suscribed for 5 sessions sun bed (there was a special offer on the day I paid, so I had 6 sessions for the same price, instead of 5). On my first session there, I told the beautician it was my first time doing tanning and that I needed some explanation. She was so rude and clearly showed that she was annoyed spending 5 minutes with me explaining how the sun bed was working. Then, she never mentioned I had to protect my eyes !!! (which I learned at my second session with another beautician who was a bit nicer). I went there yesterday to book my 6th and last session and the beauticians told me I had already completed the 6th session. Believe me, this was not true. I am a very organised person and I keep track of all my appointments (1/6, 2/6 etc.) in my calendar. I know for sure I did not do the 6 appointments. We looked at the 6 dates one by one and I explained that there is one date that I never did but that did not make them change their mind. It's fortunate that I had this special offer with 6 sessions instead of 5 for the same price, but still, I feel extremely frustrated. CONCLUSION: NEVER GO TO THAT PLACE. Maybe the other branch in London is better, but I would assume the culture and employees are very similar so don't waste your money there. There are so many other places better than that ! Lola read more

I visited this salon in April and was treated extremely rude by the pregnant blonde manager, I left a review about that because I was so shocked that business get away with that kind of behaviour towards their client who PAY for services. Then I went back in May to give it another go as they had a great offer on everything. The facial was perfect and the beauticians are always lovely and very nice. Once at the till and the manager put through my name she saw who I was and that it was the name that left the bad review about her, she left the counter as I was standing there ready to pay. So a brunette puts through my payment and tells me she needs to have a word with me outside ( you know like when you are naughty at school)just for her to tell me I was extremely mean and vicious to post a review like that about her colleagues and that day her colleague heard terrible news and I shouldn't have posted a review about staff but about the business and if I don't remove it I will be prosecuted LOLI was so shocked I just looked at her then said my lunch break is over and I have to go. Thinking about their audacity and unprofessionalism I posted another review to mention they need to deal with rudeness and the bad reviews will stop. I guess they had to delete both of my reviews now..I'll just copy paste this message and post it everyday :) City girls, if you need a wax or anything else please go to St Pauls shopping centre, you can get everything done there and you will be treated with respect! read more