Spa Butterfly

(212) 682-6073

155 E 44th St (nr. Third Ave.)
New York, NY 10017 40.7524 -73.9742

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Neighborhoods: Midtown Center, Midtown

SPABUTTERFLY.COM

Hours:

Mon-Tue, 9am-8pm

Wed-Fri, 9am-9pm

Sat, 10am-8pm

Sun, closed

Last updated 8.30.11

Category:

Spas, Cosmetics, Skin Care, Tanning, Manicures & Pedicures, Beauty Salons

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Massage Services:

Massage

What People Are Saying About Spa Butterfly

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Between the rich patina of dark woods, bamboo-rod floral arrangements and eggshell-colored furnishings, this spa evokes a warm Asian oasis. Estheticians bustle about in white robes, enhancing services with extra touches, such as the heated aromatherapy shoulder pack, exfoliating scrub and habit-forming foot rub that are included in the standard manicure. The lengthy menu of services also boasts everything from Brazilian waxes, eyelash tints and airbrush tanning to seaweed wraps, facials and massages.

Editor's Tips

Facials:
Try the Butterfly Brief, the perfect facial treatment for the person on-the-go. Customized to meet your specific needs with a quick rejuvenating mask.
Save Time:
If you don't have time for an in-room massage, there are 10- and 15-minute chair versions you can squeeze between business meetings or train departures.
Manicures/Pedicures:
A manicure at Spa Butterfly is only $12 and they use a smoothing cream with a nail hardener.
ambiance
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. I"ve been a regular at Spa Butterfly because of their decent and pleasant services and atmosphere but lately they've become nothing but a cheap nail salon, it's very disappointing that they don't honor the reservation or returning customer as they used to
  2. recently visited the spa and absolutely loved the decor.
  3. The atmosphere gives it a warm feeling!
  4. Great atmosphere, awesome service!
  5. The rooms are very cozy and they have exceptional service.
  6. love the decor of the place.
  7. The ambiance is great and you feel relaxed right when you enter.
  8. have yet to see a spa in Manhattan that has a more inviting and relaxing atmosphere, and I was particularly impressed by the facilities of the spa.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. You receive a very nice lavendar neck wrap and complimentary drink with the pedicure, which is a nice touch.
food quality
0.0% positive
  1. She has informed me that that Kara is cruel, they have one sick day a year, and they cannot bring certain food to the job, and verbally abuse them.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. This is absolutely the best place to have your party.
  2. One of my best manicurists has been fired from that place because of retaliation.
  3. Spa Butterfly is the best place to be!
  4. feel very sad that what I thought was a great place could feel justified in having such fluctuating prices for returning customers.
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. will definitely go back and recommend this spa.
service
82.1399974822998% positive
  1. The manicurist was rude but did a great job on nails.
  2. The staff is amazing, they are friendly, very accomodating, and make every person in the spa feel like they are the only person there.
  3. The manicure was excellent; however, the customer service was terrible.
  4. with a professional staff that is cordial and attentive, without being intrusive, and music that puts you peacefully to sleep, this spa is far better then the commercialized spa businesses of midtown.
  5. Butterfly has a great staff, is a great space, and provides excellent service
  6. I've had manicures done here numerous time and the service is great!
  7. The place was clean and the staff took care of me.
  8. Worst massage of my life, terrible customer service
  9. The service was very customer friendly and all the staff I encountered were accomodating to your needs.
  10. love the services, but have continually found the front desk unhelpful and even rude.
  11. Great atmosphere, awesome service!
  12. great staff, great space, excellent service
  13. The rooms are very cozy and they have exceptional service.
  14. had my bridal shower here and the service was fantastic.
value
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. feel very sad that what I thought was a great place could feel justified in having such fluctuating prices for returning customers.
  2. And their prices could be a little more reasonable, but its worth the indulgence.
  3. If it had been $45 all the way along I would have been happy to pay it but it have the price jump $20 is ridiculous.
  4. This place is very serene and the prices are reasonable.
  5. I"ve been a regular at Spa Butterfly because of their decent and pleasant services and atmosphere but lately they've become nothing but a cheap nail salon, it's very disappointing that they don't honor the reservation or returning customer as they used to
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. also tremendously enjoyed "Office Break #3," which includes a manicure, pedicure, and 10-minute massage for $51.
1 Star Rating: Poor

03/02/12

RIDICULOUS Customer -dare I say- Service

by ErycaM

I was referred to your Spa by a colleague …and today had the poorest service experience I’ve ever experienced at your type of salon.

I walked in around 12:45pm today and was told you were booked solid until 1:30pm and to make an appointment with the technician I was referred to (Ivy) …and I did just that.

I came back to the salon at 1:25 and several clients came streaming in around about the same time. Interestingly enough they were all told there was little to no wait and they should be helped in about 10 - 15 minutes. The same woman at the front of house who made the appointment then told me I wasn’t able to request a specific technician until 2pm (after the lunch rush). I opted to go with someone else but explicitly asked if the 1:30pm appointment still stood. I was seated and told someone would be with me shortly. After 10 minutes and noticing several of the walk-ins being seated and serviced, I went back up to the front of house and asked how much longer it would take considering several people, who didn’t make appointments, were being helped before I was. I was met with “Uhhhhhh” and a blank stare. She then “looked around” to see if anyone else could help me …of course they couldn’t, everyone was busy.

I simply walked out.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/18/10

They're GREEEEAT (tony the tiger voice)!

by Deelight4

I stumbled upon this East Midtown gem when I considered getting someone I recently met (at the time) a gift certificate for her birthday, but when I heard the price for the mani/pedi package I quickly scurried away and opted for something more in the "new friend" price range. I however went back a few months later to treat myself for a mani/pedi on one of those "I only have $20 bucks left in my account but what the hell, I deserve this" days and I fell in love! I have no problem pampering and spending when it comes to me! They're not anymore expensive than any other place I've been to in the city so don't get thrown off by that earlier statement. You get what you pay for right?!

The atmosphere is relaxing and upscale. I love the layout of this place, kinda serene. You dont feel the hustle and bustle of midtown and its not a quick and cheaply done mani. I am a loyal person/customer once I find something that I like and love there is no getting rid of me; ive been going here for about 3 months now. I used to go to another establishment in Chelsea for over 7 years but hopping the train to shuttle over to the west side and head downtown after work to then go back uptown (to go home) was kinda draining and turned me off from getting mani's as frequently; so when I found this place it was a GOOD DEAL right in the area of my job and if I say so a better experience overall. Seven years compared to 3 months c'mon! Honestly speaking, going back on what I just said about having to train it around town to get to my old nail salon, I think no matter what area I was in, in the city I would make my way over to Spa Butterfly because I love the job that they do that much. I have a regular lady that I see at Spa Butterfly (I wont say her name cause I want her ALL to myself) who I just love, she gets it right EVERY time...when I ask for SQUARE I get SQUARE as if they were lean press on nails and not rounded-square or whatever the hell she feels like doing. She takes good care of me and is very sweet (even tho she barely speaks English, but still you can tell). So in conclusion head on over to Spa Butterfly, its worth it!!!

  • Pros: Relaxing, Friendly, Inviting
  • Cons: Cant think of any
4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/19/10

Great services

by prlgirl , Citysearch Contributor

Since spa butterfly is close to my job, I enjoy popping in here for a last minute manicure. They have an exceptionally clean, serene facility. They place your belongings in a basket next to your station. The nail technicians open new packets when giving you a manicure. I recently treated myself to one of their mini packages and for the first time had a pedicure and chair massage with them. It was fantastic. Their pedicures are super thorough and relaxing. And the massage I had was with one of their male massage specialists and it was fantastic. I only gave it 4 stars because I miss the lavendar neck rolls they used to give you while you received your manicure. And their prices could be a little more reasonable, but its worth the indulgence.

  • Pros: pedi, chair massage
  • Cons: prices
3 Star Rating: Average

12/28/09

Eh...

by tanekamartin

My manicurist is out of town for a month and I decided to use the time to search out other options in the city as I figure it is probably a good idea to have a back up place to get my nails done so after reading reviews for several places I decided to give Spa Butterfly at try...

Note, my bias is against large factory type nail salons which is definitely how I would describe Spa Butterfly. Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful space and looks relatively clean; I liked how they open a new package of equipment for each client. The online reservation system worked well and my technician (I believe her name was Sylvia) was ready and waiting for me when I arrived 10 mins. early.

All of that said, there is something very impersonal about the place and thought I can't say my manicure was horrific I am looking at my nails this morning, 48 hrs. after getting my manicure, and they don't look like they were professionally done. I believe I read in another review that someone suspected they thin their polishes I am might be willing to second that opinion. I have a bottle of the color I picked out and the color looks different on my nails than it normally does. Overall, I just don't feel the products they use in general are top quality and thus lead to a mediocre outcome.

  • Pros: Quick
  • Cons: Lack of pampering
1 Star Rating: Poor

10/27/09

Terrible Service

by NYC 833

Terrible Service! I received a manicure from Spa Butterfly last year after receiving a gift certificate from my employer. The manicure was excellent; however, the customer service was terrible. The manicurist was rude but did a great job on nails.

This week I was in the lurch and really needed a fill in for my UV Gel tips. I normally get them done in Brooklyn and only had them put on 2 weeks ago and should have waited but I had an important day today and wanted to make sure they looked nice. I don’t know my manicurist name since she didn’t have a name tag on like the other manicurist but she was really unfriendly and when she asked me what I needed I explained all I want is the clear UV gel fill in, have my nails cut slightly shorter and that I want the gel to be a thin layer. It was like she didn’t listen to a word I said and completely ruined my nails!

I had plenty of the white tip to work with… I only wanted them to be a little shorter, however, she cut the white part completely off and asked me after she cut the first nail if she cut it too short. I told her yes that I wanted them longer however she continued to cut the next two fingers really short. After I already explained to her that it was too short. She told me she would put extension on to fix it at no additional cost. She then proceeded to mumble to herself and left me waiting while she went in the back to talk to one of her coworkers for 10 minutes. When she returned I told her I have been getting fill in’s for years and never had someone do this and she told me her way is easier and faster. So figuring she was a professional I let her continue (What a mistake!) She did a really messy job and put a really thick layer of clear lumpy gel on my nails and had to redo the white french portion because she cut all of them uneven. When she finished they looked terrible and I told her that they look really messy and the white french was thicker on my left hand then my right. She didn’t say anything and just told me to go pay at the front desk. Since I didn’t want to make a scene at the chair I went over to the front desk and she told me the total was $85. After reading on their website UV Gel fill in’s were $70 I don’t know where the additional charges she could have added on to my total. When I asked the front desk receptionist she told me that was the price and that she couldn’t do anything because the manager left for the day. I have never had such a terrible job and still get charged a crazy amount for it. I will not be returning to Spa Butterfly and hope this review helps others.

  • Pros: Really good with just a mani
  • Cons: Customer Service, Attitude, Terrible with UV Gel

The Details on Spa Butterfly

Place Categories:

  • great excellent service
  • great staff
  • warm massage
  • beautiful space
  • more inviting atmosphere
  • great manicure
  • recommend entire spa
  • nice sea salt pedicure
  • rude manicurist
  • love mani
  • amazing hands
  • terrible customer service
  • more reasonable prices
  • great talented
  • very nice whole experience
  • absolutely loved decor
  • nice menicure
  • warm resort
  • great deco
  • nice soft lighting
  • very cozy rooms
  • loved heated aromatherapy shoulder pack
  • best place
  • helpful technicians
  • not nice spa
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