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Paul Brown Salon & Day Spa
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- No
18 reviews for Paul Brown Salon & Day Spa
My husband went to Paul Brown for a haircut and the lady that helped him did an outstanding job. He will definitely be going back there for his trims.
It was on the pricier side, but definitely well worth it as he only has to go back every couple months or so vs. seeing a barber every week and a half.
OVERRATED! *clap, clap, clap-clap-clap*
For some reason I bought into all the hype around this place and trusted some amateur with my precious tresses. Big mistake. All I wanted was a simple cut- a few layers, a side-swept bang, easy, right? I even brought pictures with me and everything. Apparently the "stylist" felt he knew what was better for me and gave me a cut that he liked- not what I had asked for. Now, please believe, I have no problem speaking up and I continuously kept telling him this was not what I wanted and it was not looking anything like the pictures I had brought in. But I swear, nothing was getting through his thick dome. When I left I told him I was not at all happy with it and instead of working with me to get my hair right he just gave up! Great show of professionalism. I was so furious I called and complained to the manager the next day who was very apologetic and made me an appointment with another stylist that very day at no charge. I went in and to my delight, her station was right next to the idiot who did my hair the day before! When she asked me who did my hair previously and I said him, he said "Oh yeah, she wasn't happy with her bangs." Um, yeah no sh*t Sherlock! The new stylist did her best to fix the mess he created but it still wasn't anything stellar.
Ugh. Lesson learned- I will never go here again.
I think this place is seriously overrated. Really.
I went once for a massage, and whoever I had there HURT me. Not a nice massage, it was so PAINFUL. I spoke up, and he tried not to massage so hard, but sometimes I think he just wasn't trained properly. I hurt for a WEEK after the massage, especially where he was trying to do some pressure point stuff... yup, I just ended up with bruises instead.
I've also been in for haircuts, and despite how many times I have tried to explain to the stylist what I want, they always end up doing whatever they want instead. These aren't the beginner, cheaper stylists either. Hey, if there's one thing you need to learn as a hair stylist, you need to listen to the customer and see what he/she wants, and make some recommendations on what looks good and what will work/not work based on WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS, not what YOU WANT. Sheesh!
The receptionists aren't very friendly there either. I have had better service at SUPERCUTS! Is that sad or what?!
Best place to get waxed on the island. Greg does the best eyebrow wax. I know when I go in to see him, I don't even have to take a look in the mirror to make sure it look great. It is always GREAT. And I love Bona for my brazilian wax. I'm so sad that she is moving :(
I would not have my dog's fur cut here. This place is a joke! The service is mediocre and the staff is arrogant and cocky. I do have to say that Nathan is fabulous at waxing but due to his pompous attitude I would never return. It is extremely overpriced and their products are mediocre at best. I went in to have a color and showed the stylist exactly what I wanted. When the color was done I was horrified. He saw the look on my face and told me "that is what you wanted." I complained and had another "color-specialist" re-do my hair. I ended up looking like a candy cane and she offered for me to come back so she could do it again. I had to go three times to get an acceptable color. I would say going to Fantastic Sams would be a better bet!
This is my salon of choice and I've been going to my regular stylist for over 7 years now. I won't say who, because she's already busy enough!
I would give this place 5-stars based on her skills alone, but I recently tried to book an appointment for a body wave with Misa and her lack of professionalism really turned me off.
When I called, I was told I needed to come in for a consultation before booking the appointment. So I took the time to go in, only to find out that Misa won't curl my hair because it's highlighted. I asked her what I should do to prepare it for the treatment and she said to just grow it out and not color it. I'm sorry, but did I REALLY have to waste my time and drive down there only to be told she wants virgin hair? My stylist even vouched for me and said my hair has withstood both treatments before, but Misa refused. I was seriously irked and I'm so upset that I can't get back those wasted hours. If she were truly talented, she shouldn't be afraid of what is, today, just NORMAL hair.
The prices at Paul Brown continue to escalate, which is really frustrating. I don't mind paying it for my stylist, but I wouldn't chance it on another after this latest experience!
Ummmm...honestly my experience here was quite a blur. That means it's not that memorable. It was super crowded and clustered. I saw every service goin' on while I was waiting on a row of chairs. There wasn't even a lobby or waiting room. You were just sat down in front of all the haircutting, make-up applying, consulations, etc. It was very overwhelming...being that I came there for a massage.
I asked for their combo-special-style massage and ended up getting some sort of deep tissue! The only thing I truly remember about the massage was that the lady kept moving my muscle that covered my shoulder blade. That was possibly the first time I realized my muscle could move that way. A fun time was not had by all :(
I have my hair colored/cut/styled here and I loved the results. I always saw Ian and he never ever failed me.
I also go here for brazilian waxing. Bona does a very good job and is a total sweetheart.
However, if you're looking for those spa treatments where you get massages and body wraps and you feel like a pampered princess ... I wouldn't suggest you get that done here. Don't get me wrong, everyone here is professional and courteous ... but it's just not that kind of spa. You know the ones I'm talking about: the staff calls you Ms. fill-in-the-blank, the atmosphere is serene, everyone seems to whisper and float ... you can find that kind of treatment at the Ihilani Spa (I really recommend going there if you really want to be pampered), but not at Paul Brown.
During my body wrap, I heard a worker talking on her cell phone right outside my door, I could here cabinets opening and closing ... it wasn't peaceful at all and seemed kinda generic.
But hey, if you want a great hairstyle or wax and don't mind spending all that money ... make your appointment today :)
It can be a hit or miss, depending on who you get. I've been very pleased with the services I've received, but I've seen a few stylists and would not want them, just because they have nasty hair. (meaning, it's not stylish at all and it looks like no effort was put into it.)
Everytime I'm in Hawaii, it's a necessary must to have a brow pit-stop here. Greg is the brow GOD and I am not exaggerating. I also got myself and my bridal party's makeup and hair done here and we were all really, really happy. We drove over half an hour to come to this location, just because I can't really say if the other locations are just as good.
The place is always bustling with people, that's how popular PB Salon is. I haven't been into the Day Spa, but for massage ambiance, I think I would prefer to be in a more peaceful setting.
They also have their own line of hair products - one that I will use until the day I die is the Diamond Heads Serum made from kukui nut lipids, the whole bottle lasts a few years for me.
My sister and I decided to take a chance and forego the utterly overpriced in-house spa our hotel had on the premises, saw this place's reviews on yelp, and gave it a shot.
My first thought upon walking up to the establishment: this is a salon, not a day spa! Not at all what I'm used to (think dimmed lights and aromatherapy), but I gave it the benefit of the doubt anyway and proceeded to check in with the receptionist.
She led us through the busy salon space to a bleak row of chairs lined up against a wall where others were waiting for various appointments. Again, not what I'm used to; I guess I was expecting to be whisked away to some candlelit back room where I could change into a fluffy white robe and wind down a little in preparation for my massage (maybe I've just been spoiled by other spa experiences?). After waiting a restless 15 minutes (we arrived 20 minutes early for our appointment to allow for said wind-down time), my massage therapist greeted me and away we went.
Thoughts about my treatment room: it was remarkably tiny. Seriously, I saw a tiny counter, a tiny stool, and the (thankfully) standard-sized massage table. But at least it was clean, which is all I ask at the very least. I wasn't nearly as worried about how small the room was for my sake as I was wondering how my therapist was going to manage maneuvering around the table to give me my full-body massage (she was slim, but there was literally about a foot and a half clearance from the massage table to the walls - how could that be comfortable for her at all?). Also, due to either the walls being really thin or the sheer proximity to other people in the vicinity, I could hear people's conversations in the hall and someone's nasty cough (in the treatment room next to me?) while I was receiving my massage - not exactly the most relaxing thing when you're trying to, well, relax.
Anyhow, more important than all of this is that my therapist was friendly and did a pretty good job; not the best massage I've ever had but not the worst either (that massage was actually during a different experience on vacation on Oahu too, coincidentally, but that's a whole other story). Pressure was nice and firm, and it seemed like she really cared about loosening up my back, which was the part of my body that I asked her to pay special attention to (extra star for that).
The bottom line is that I probably wouldn't come back here again because of the place's lack of ambience. I suppose you get what you pay for, and while this place has reasonable massage prices, I feel that it's not truly the pampering spa experience one would expect while on vacation on an island paradise.
After reading reviews from fellow Yelpers, I made an appointment to have my brows done by Mary at the Paul Brown Salon in Ward Center. Now, this was a big leap of faith - I was having my brows done for the single most photographed event in my life - my wedding. It had all the makings of disaster, the least of which was me having to draw in brows on the day (which by the way I have NO skill to which I can even vaguely approximate).
Mary came through. She did an awesome job, was funny to boot and I plan to see her again when I am lucky enough to be island-side. The minus-1 star is for the wait. But in the end, totally worth it.
-- Hair & Make-up for Wedding -- (4 stars)
My bridesmaids, mom, and I had our hair and make-up done here for my wedding, and my best friend's wedding. They were fast (finished ahead of schedule) and good. They're on par with hair and make-up for a wedding (believe me, I've been through 5 of these, including my own). They do travel to your location to do hair and make-up but it was way out of my wedding budget. Since they were close to the hotel in Waikiki where we were getting married, we just drove to the one in Ward Center. Aut was my stylist (I also did a pre-wedding consultation), but I can't remember the name of my make-up artist. She was really good though, and worked with me to make sure I didn't feel like a clown on my wedding day!
-- Massage -- (2.5 stars)
The massage here was okay. Nothing too spectacular. We both had 90 minute massages. The rooms were upstairs, in this tiny, tiny area. Although it felt cozy, you could sometimes hear voices and movement outside of your massage room, or in the room next door... or someone coughing in the hallway.
I drove all the way from Ewa Beach to Ward Centre for this place.
A salon that's worthy of rearranging your schedule around an appointment is worth 5 stars, at least.
I highly recommend Kim for eyebrows, she's nice, she's good at what she does, and she's worth the commute.
I used to work here. I LOVE Mary for facials and waxing... Thomas for brows and Kate for massage. I can't vouch for the rest of the staff (if they are even still there). I think it says enough that they go through so many receptionists and others that I worked there for almost a year and I still had people asking me if I was new. I felt like there were new people working EVERY week! Its an OK day spa... I think you can find others, just as good, for cheaper.
Mary is the best for brows! :)
I visited the Paul Brown hair salon for the first time today. I desperately needed a hair cut, since I am unable to visit my favourite hair genius.
I was extremely anxious after reading the reviews on Yelp. I have what is generously called "difficult" hair: very, very curly; frizzy; thick; coarse; dry hair. When it is styled correctly, however, my hair can be absolutely beautiful -- you just have to treat it right. Based on others' experiences, I had hoped that the Paul Brown stylists would be able to tame my wild hair and make it beautiful.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. As soon as I got home, I burst into tears. I can't remember the last time I cried over an awful haircut.
Kyu was my hair stylist, and I have to say, he was the roughest stylist I've ever encountered. Most are pretty gentle with my hair -- since it is extremely coarse and curly, it tangles and breaks easily. He combed my hair roughly and, when brushing it, punched me in the head with every stroke. I wish I were exaggerating. Additionally, he choked me every time he turned or touched the chair. I don't know if this is because of the length of the robe, or if he was grabbing handfuls of the robe, but every time his hands hit the chair, the robe closed around my neck, choking me. He also hit me in the eye with the straightening iron -- a major fault, no matter where you are. I can forgive some minor burning of the scalp (casualties of the style), but hitting my eye?! Every time I think about it, I become furious. He didn't apologise, or even admit that he had hurt me! I'm just lucky there's no scar or burn mark.
Finally the biggest blunder: he didn't listen to me AT ALL. I told him what I wanted in great detail -- having "difficult" hair, I've learned to be very, very specific -- and he seemed to understand. I told him a couple times I didn't want my hair straightened, since I almost never wear it straight, and I wanted to know how the curls would fall. After a mediocre (slightly too cold) shampoo, he barely cut my hair while it was still wet. He then blew out my hair and hit it with a straightening iron (which is when he smacked my eye) and then started cutting in earnest. This was two major strikes against him: NEVER cut my hair while it is straight! You never know how it will look curly! And secondly, I told him multiple times that I didn't want my hair straightened in the slightest. I wanted my curls, and he beat them into submission (literally) so he could cut my hair.
I nearly had a meltdown in the chair. Truly, I could have had a good cry sitting right there, since he kept my face covered for the majority of the session a la Cousin It. Thankfully, I made it home before the tears started to flow.
This ranks as one of the worst hair cuts I've ever received, and Kyu is one of the worst stylists I've ever met. I would have happily come back to work with another stylist who was perhaps more receptive to working with me and my hair, rather than out-right ignoring me and doing as he wishes. As a result, I have an awful haircut that needs to be fixed, and, after I complain and get my money back, I'm never going near the Paul Brown Salon again.
Definitely, emphatically NOT RECOMMENDED. If I could give zero stars, I would.
I cannot give this Salon a higher rating. There was too much attitude between the stylist and their helper, lots of complaining about each other and I was there for 4 hours to have a cut and color, in the end I paid $300, and for what? It wasnt anything special. Seems like I could have gotten the same thing done somewhere else and have the cash left over. A big let-down.
I love to go spa-ing. It's one of my favorite things to do. Since I haven't found the one absolutely perfect day spa to go to in Hawaii as of yet I have been experimenting, trying different treatments at different places and trying to keep on open mind. My visit to Paul Brown at Ward Centre was one of my least favorite spa experiences. Ever. And I've been doing this for quite awhile now. A friend and I had appointments for a Saturday morning and upon check in we where shown were we should wait, a cramped hall way in the back that had approximately 6 already occupied chairs and 20 other clients standing around with no where else to go. When our names were called, we were escorted through the glass door to the "spa" area which looked like it could at one time have been for storage and offices but was converted in order to do spa treatments. I was booked for a hot stone massage and a papaya body scrub. The massage was OK (I can't say that I've had worse but I can say I've definitely had much better ) however, it's the scrub that was particularly disgusting. The papaya product that is used smells like puke. It was hard to keep from gagging while this being scrubbed with this stuff. It may have been excusable if my skin felt softer but, it felt exactly the same. I did smell different though. I smelled like barf. I also didn't like that the "wet room" is downstairs so you have to get undressed then dressed and undressed again then redressed, when you are moved from room to room to room. Also very weird to me was that during my body scrub, the therapist/technician wore a plastic apron with knee high rubber boots, I was made to lay on a sheet of plastic and was washed down with a graden hose afterwards. I felt like the catch of the day at the fish market in Chinatown. Pretty. Nothing about my experience here was remotely relaxing. Relaxation is one of the main reasons I go to a day spa. I can't recommend anyone coming here. But especially not if you are expecting a truly pampering, treat me like a queen day spa atmosphere. My search continues....
