10/16/09

No Stars

by vanfde

To start with I booked my appointment by phone 2 weeks in advance, this was my first time there ever, I was 20mins early for my appointment and the stylist that was set to do my hair was not even there,as a matter of fact he, ' the owner himself , Peter Louis , was 1hr 30 mins late for our appt. Prior to him arriving ,his assistant Jennifer greeted me after 10mins, spoke to me while she was still on her phone, told me to get ready(?) and walked away into another room,I sat there puzzled until the receptionist showed me to the changing room.

I was expecting to have a consultation prior to my straightening service, but since Peter was late, Jennifer said she would start and then he would come and look at my hair. I should have walked out at that moment., but I so needed my hair done , I had taken time off from work so I gave in thinking this will probably help as they would see my natural hair and all my frizz. Problem --- Jennifer annoyingly kept talking of other services I should come to there salon for . She tried to get me to do color with a stylist that did her hair and even introduced me to him. Embarrassingly the client he was attending to at that time was later complaining about the work he had just finished for her.

I was put under a dryer and left for about 40mins it was very hot , and when I asked for something to drink -I think for a price tag of $700+, I should have a drink of some kind-, I was given a warm glass of tap water in a smelly glass with prints and smudges all over it, not even a napkin.

When Peter finally arrived he came running into the room with his dog rambling some poor excuse of traffic, and smiling as if It were funny. He immediately proceeded to feel my hair and measure it , quickly put on some very smelly chemicals and as I tried to ask for some idea as to what he was doing to me he gave brief confusing answers and seemed annoyed that I even asked, then he ran out of the room again. He did not check on me again for about 20 mins, instead sent another assistant that hardly spoke any english to check my hair, what she did next startled me, she took the towel she used on my hair and proceeded to clean to floor around the chair I was sitting in. His dog kept nipping at my feet and bag and passing gas in the room I was in ,and all they did was laugh and walk away to the next room,never attempting to even open a window.

Peter was not there for the next 2 1/2hrs of my service and when I asked for him I was told he was either busy with other clients or on the phone. When next I saw him , he was sitting in a back room , with a girl on his lap giggling at the dog. At the end of my service I asked about tipping and I was told by the same girl he had in the room that a 20% gratuity was "NORMAL" for him and his assistant. Outrageous! FOR LACK OF ATTENTION!

I was able to talk the price of my service down and happily I did not leave a tip, nor will ever return to this salon.

What I went through in 6hrs was rude, disrespectful and unprofessional. There are too many salon in NY to put up with this joke of a business with a stylist / owner that neither knows if he is coming or going!

TIP for owner PAY ATTENTION TO THE PAYING CLIENTS.

NOTE .... there is no excuse for being late, you were not doing me a favor , I paid for my service. NOTE TO POTENTIAL CLIENTELE , AKA VICTIMS... IF YOUR DISAPPOINTED WITH THE SERVICE ,PETER ADVICES NOT PAYING FOR IT.

06/05/09

Once Again, A Job Well Done!!!

by hanza

This is my 4th straightening service with Meira, I get this done at the beginning of summer, and again, a job well done. My wild curls are tamed, my hair is shiny and healthy looking, and I love, love, love my new cut . As always, great work. I always leave very happy.

• Pros: Meira is professional, knowledgeable, pleasant.

05/20/09

Do not know how to maintain customers

by doree

After spending $700 on straightening in May, $100 on coloring in June you would think I would have been valued as a customer in August. There is no shortage of salons in NYC which in my mind translates to maintain and appreciate your client base. No receptionist, no offer of a cold drink, an appointment which was erased in the book, a $25 increase in the cost of the coloring and to top it me walking out with eggplant colored hair. It's L'Oreal home looks with Madison Avenue pricing. At least let the facade look Mad Avenue rather than Pitkin Avenue.

• Pros: Location
• Cons: Service

03/20/09

Filet mignon prices for a pile of ground chuck

by arkady23

Walk into this cozy (code word for cramped) place, where you're made to feel like you're an afterthought. The scene feels like a salon version of Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares BEFORE he knocks sense into the owners. Mr. Louis is the prototypical harried proprietor , who lacks the organizational/management skills to get things done right. His people don't seem to respect him, and the mood is simultaneously nervous and depressing. I was attended to, then ignored, then attended to. It wasn't malicious, actually. There just is no service ethos, which is sort of bad for a service establishment. To be fair, my hair turned out fine. But for the kind of money that this place charges, I can't fathom why they can't get their act together. It leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, and the feeling that professionalism has been completely abandoned.

By the way, the contrast between Peter Louis and a competitor right around the corner couldn't have been more striking. I won't name the place -- it'd make me look like a shill -- but supposedly, it's where Claire Danes goes. Anyway, get this: You enter the place, and the hair stylists are upbeat and happy. The receptionist welcomes you. Another person offers you a glass of water (with ice & lemon?) What a difference!

• Pros: ummm, yeah
• Cons: Service for the dogs, but at least it's expensive!

03/05/09

Love Love Love my straightened hair best thing i could have ever done.

by sexxyangel132

i usually dont write reviews but i read some reviews and felt compled to give my opinion.

i have been getting my hair straightened at peter louis salon by peter for the past 3 years i did go somewhere else before that and i my hair never came out as good. my hair is always silky shiny and perfectly straight and my hair is super curly and frizzy. peter and his assisant are always really friendly his assistant talks to me the whole time we chat the staff always talks to me since ive been going there for a while now. but i mainly love the way my hair looks its more important to me then anything else and i love my hair i always get complments. for the straightening and color. Tyler cuts and colors my hair and i love it.

they did sell me their products but i like using the peter louis conditioner it smells nice and keeps my hair from drying out. overall i like the service. i recomend other people to go there in fact i take my mother there to get her hair done as well.

• Pros: nice size, good staff about 10 people, perfect japanese straightening,
• Cons: hard to find parking,

02/15/09

Best Cut of my life :)

by piam22

Tyler gave me the best haircut I have ever had. I love it!!!! and will go back any time I am in New York. The Salon was relaxing and everyone was so friendly. I wish I could find a place like this in Boston. Thanks for a fabulous experience. Thank you for all the wonderful stories from your trips to china and Brazil. I would recommend Peter Louis to anyone who wants the best haircut of their lives.

• Pros: Cuts, Friendly staff
• Cons: location ... I live in Boston :(

02/14/09

I Love my Extensions!!!

by lisablumberg

I am thrilled with my new hair extensions!!! I never thought I could have such beautiful hair. Corina was so wonderful, she spent so much time with me showing me all the options. She was so sweet and I loved that she delicately removed my old extensions in order not to damage my fragile hair. My extensions have never felt so real, I can barely feel them in my hair and they match perfectly. I have two colors in my hair and she managed to get the extensions to look Exactly like my own hair. I am very pleased. Thank you so much Corina. I will definitely be referring all my friends to you!

• Pros: Professional, Very sweet staff, Excellent work
• Cons: none

10/29/08

Hair service by Mira is Wonderful ! I had a Great Experience!

by samnaty

I did ! I only read some of these reviews after my consultation. ( In a way, I'm happy I did.I may not have gone to Peter Louis Salon otherwise.) I visited the salon and met with Mira . She was very nice and took the time to explain the TR process (as i know it ) to me .We spoke for probably 20mins, but I wanted to have my hair done by her. On the day of my appointment (it took about 4 1/2 hrs, I have very curly hair), I had no complaints, she had a movie for me to look at , made me very comfortable, and most important to me , she was there from the begining of my service to the end .Mira did have an assistant, but the care of my hair was in her interest the entire service . In the end my hair was what she promised ,straight and shiny , it still feels very healthy, and I love it . In our conversation Mira said "she loves what she does and cares about her work , and I do believe that true." She gave me pointers on taking care of my hair and (a suprise) follow up call a week later .(love it)

By the way .... for the satisfaction of my service I paid under $700.(i know its according to amount of hair),but I have shoulder length ,kind of thick curly hair. Very difficult to me.....I'm a regular gal , not a mega star or anything. I can't afford much , BUT THIS WAS WELL WORTH IT . TAKE A CHANCE WITH MIRA.

.

• Pros: Mira (she's the best), location,
• Cons: parking

10/10/08

Stay away. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I've ever received. Overpriced

by DR14

I visited Peter Louis for a Japanese straightening after reading their great reviews. Very bad mistake. Before starting the process, I asked the stylist's assistant what the procedure would entail. She said they could make my hair either very straight or less so, depending on what I wanted, and the price would vary accordingly. She said Peter Louis (who would be my stylist that day) could explain in detail. However, Peter Louis started putting things in my hair (after giving me a weary grunt of a greeting) immediately. I brought up the previous question, and his answer was basically: too late, I've already started the more expensive process. No sort of apology. But fine, I realize that we're in NYC and have to put up with snobbiness in the name of beauty. However, the level of bad customer service at this place was more than daunting. He said at one point, "ew, your hair really smells. did you get a straightening done at a cheap place before?". I mean, are you kidding me? Is this really the way to speak to a customer? Regardless, I tried making conversation by asking questions, but got monosyllabic answers which did very little to help me understand the very expensive procedure I was getting done. He would walk away without warning and I would see him talking on the phone. Overall I felt like I was a burden instead of a valued customer. My hair turned out so-so, not bad, but definitely not as straight or healthy as it's been since I found another salon (which is light years ahead of Peter Louis in terms of customer service). It was also overpriced: I paid $900 including tip, and the new salon I've found (which is also a top salon) charges me $650. If you're wondering whether I'm a competitor trying to sabotage PL, the answer is no (if I was, I would name my salon, haha). Just trying to prevent other people from feeling like a fool (like I did) for paying so much for bad service.

• Pros: Location
• Cons: Bad bad bad customer service (I mean, terrible). Price

Response from this business

peteragro– February 14, 2009 at 14:30:56 PST

There is basically no difference chemically between the two processes. It is just a matter of timing. We don't give random appointments. You make your appointment with one stylist. Over a 6 hour procedure you may see me talk over the phone or even drink water during a break while your hair is processing. Ask me about your hair, not my assistants. I am known for thoroughly answering all questions. I would never say "EW your hair smells did you go to a cheap salon" Why would I care where you have been before unless it would effect what I was doing. Your other salon charges $650 but when you include products, tax and tip it comes out to $900. We charge $500 and up. You may or may not be a competitor but perhaps you are a fool. :) I have been doing Japanese Straightening over 9 years, I have done this procedure over 3000 times. I have clients who have done this procedure here over 15 times, they have beautiful healthy hair and we have interesting conversations too. See my website.

09/02/08

The best salon in the country for Japanese Hair Straightening!!! The most knowledgeable in this line of hair care!!

by hunterrose

I have been getting my hair straightened and cut by Peter for the last five years. He has done a phenomenal job each time I have gone to him. For those of you who say that they "love their hair, as a result of the services you received at this salon, but feel that you paid too much", I must say from experience that you are paying for what you get, and that is quality and perfection. Since the 1st time I have had my hair straightened @ Peter Louis, I have moved away from NYC twice, one of these moves I attempted to have my hair straightened at a different place by someone that was "highly recommended". Well, long story short my hair was ruined! I immediately returned to Peter and he helped me nurse my hair back to health, when no one else (even the lady who ruined my hair) had no idea what to do to help my hair look some what decent. I have been living in Scottsdale, AZ for the past three years and I still travel back to NYC to have Peter do my hair. I know that I am not the only one who travels great distances for these services, because almost every time I have been in the salon, there has been someone else from other places (i.e. California, North Carolina) that had traveled back specifically for Peter Louis hair straightening. The services this salon offers are excellent, done with care and precision, and are worth every penny!!!!!

• Pros: everything