Reviews by Tabby

Covent Garden (Hotel)
10 November 2007

I am surprised that this is the only review. The staff are lovely - they are there when you need them but not all over you. It's almost like home from home. The rooms are good too, definitely not overpriced. I will try one of their suites next time, as they very kindly gave me a tour of some of their other rooms and the suites look fantastic.

The Ivy (Restaurant)
10 November 2007

I decided to try The Ivy because of all the hype and positive reviews. My first impression was good - the staff were polite and the restaurant generally had a nice atmosphere. The only annoying thing was, I had to book way in advance for a table as it was a Saturday night. The food was nice but didn't have the wow factor. Perhaps my expectations were too high... my husband said it was one of the best meals he has had, but I am not totally convinced.

After we had paid and as we were walking out we were asked if we enjoyed our meal, with a genuine smile. I will definitely go back, but I will order something different next time and maybe then I will be convinced that the prices are worth it.

P.S: I originally gave the Ivy 4 stars, but I have since been back and, yes, I ordered something different - much better choice this time - and my husband and I got to sit right at the front where all the celebrities normally sit. We did have a good time.

Stuart Phillips (Hair Salon)
15 September 2007

After reading the reviews on different hair salons in London I came across Stuart Phillips and, seeing that he had a staggering amount of rave reviews with only a few negatives and also that he was offering a 15% discount, I decided to go and try Stuart Phillips himself.

Although the salon had amazing reviews I was still really sceptical because everyone is different in their expectations - I mean, how good can a service really be? I must admit I am an extremely fussy person and I like things to go as near perfect as possible.

I arrived at the salon at 10.50am, my appointment booked for 11am. I was offered a choice of herbal teas, coffee or water. I did not want any of those drinks, so asked for an apple juice. Within minutes one of the apprentices had gone to a shop and bought it. (I was interested to see at the end of the appointment if they would charge me for it.)

The salon atmosphere was very nice and calm. The receptionists also seemed very professional. Stuart kept me waiting a few minutes, but then came over and introduced himself with a genuine smile and asked me to please follow him, whereupon he took me to his cutting position.

I have been to quite a few so-called top London salons but I have never experienced a hair consultation quite like this. We were still in his cutting chair at 11.30am, discussing many different styles. As I was not sure what I wanted (I have long, limp, lifeless hair) he went through what my style could look like at different lengths with different shapes, he went through hair textures and how everything would tie in to the shape of my face, he talked about my lifestyle and how that would affect my hair - it was quite amazing.

I said to Stuart (as we had been talking for half an hour) that I hoped he wouldn't rush my hair. He answered that he always gives first time clients one and a half hours, as there's a lot to discuss but that the next time I came it would be an hour. I really did trust him and I was now very relaxed, even though he was about to cut a few inches off.

The next part was the head massage. I was quite curious to see what the professionalism of the other staff was like, in this case the apprentice. I sat back in a fully reclining chair whilst they first shampooed my hair and then started to massage my head. I soon started to drift into a very relaxed state and by the time they finished (around 15 minutes later) I was wishing it could go on for longer.

It then took Stuart an hour to cut and blow-dry my hair. He explained different ways to style my hair and literally gave me the dryer so I could have a go myself and continued to teach me. I thought that was a very nice touch. He cut off about four inches and gave me long layers. My hair looks a lot thicker now and with a lovely shape.

To sum this all up, I received a one and a half hour appointment, a complimentary massage (which was amazing), a complimentary apple juice (yes, they did not charge me for that) and a complimentary herbal tea, was looked after by very professional staff and, most importantly, got the best haircut I have ever had, from a passionate hairdresser who cares about you as an individual. He may be expensive but he's worth every penny. I booked my next appointment before I left!