Perfect Price
 Apr 14th, 2006
Advantages:
Gorgeous design, friendly people, refreshments
Disadvantages:
None really
Recommendable:
Yes
  welshgal17
About me:
♥ thank you for reading and rating! more reviews coming soon! shocked I got money from the pr...
Member since:26.02.2005
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Review rated by 46 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
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Back home for the Easter Break from University, I decided that I was fed up of my old look and opted to go for a whole new image - well not really a whole overhaul - just a new haircut would do (I'm not that rich you know - I'm a student!) With this in mind I set my sister the task of finding us both a hairdresser as our old salon has closed down. Within minutes on the internet she had found the perfect place - Andrew Price. A quick phone call got us BOTH an appointment that same day - we rang at 9am and got the appointment for 12 - I thought this showed how very well they meet the customers wants and needs.
Before I get onto the actual experience itself, as always I'll give you a bit of background information on the place and company. ANDREW PRICE
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Andrew Price, born and raised in Staffordshire, started hairdressing as a Saturday job in 1983 and soon through his talent and skills became Manager of the salon he worked at. A regular visitor to Tenby (Wales) he noticed it lacked smart, modern salons - an idea was born and Tenby became the birthplace of his first 'Andrew Price' salon. Soon to be followed by salons in Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Llanelli, and finally in Swansea in 2000. Craving excellence from all his staff he created the Training Academy in 2001 in order to educate his staff fully - this is also based in the Swansea Salon, where Andrew also still offers his services part-time for those who want the best cut money can buy.
The company are the proud
owners of an Investment in People award for the past 4 years - showing the amount of care and attention they pay to their customers, as shown by my visit below. My Experience
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When I saw the website and pictures of the Salon on the internet, I initially thought that the place would be too upmarket and high-class for someone like me and felt a bit nervous about going there. Although the area the building is in isn't really that up-market, the nervous feeling intensified when I arrived at the building and stepped inside.
The décor is very modern, fitted out in whites and silvers and with expanses of beech floors. The place almost looks like a dentist/doctors room - it has a clinical feel to it but with nice touches like the plants by the door and the gorgeous comfortable brown leather sofas.
From the moment my sister and I stepped in we were treated perfectly - our coats were taken and hung up while we visited the reception desk to sign in as it were (well really just filling out a form to register with them to receive discounts and offers). As we were early were guided to the ever so comfy sofas for a short wait then greeted and taken upstairs by our stylist Simon to the ladies salon and more comfy chairs - these ones were also leather but black, placed in the centre of the room, in front of a single mirror.
If I was impressed by downstairs then I was astounded by this floor. Everything looked so clean and calm but in fact was the total opposite with people busy buzzing round and lots of whirring and buzzing of the hair electronics being used. The room consisted of two sections - lets call them the styling area and the washing area. We were led to our chairs within the styling area and as my sisters appointment was first I sat and waited for my turn. Throughout the 45 minute wait, I was continually asked if I would like a magazine to read and offered refreshments - of which there were a whole array to choose from, from the bar behind me. There was also a small refreshments menu in front of me which I didn't get the chance to look at unfortunately.
I liked the fact that there was background music, it created a nice atmosphere and added to the general buzz of conversation from the stylists and customers. I also liked that I could see the customers both sides of the mirrors as there were gaps in between. This and the conversation around me kept me entertained while I waited for the stylist to finish the styling of my sisters hair.
At last! My turn. As I said at the beginning I was looking for a whole new style, so I told the stylist this and he suggested that he thought a short style suit me - discussing what he would do to my hair and what it would look like step by step. Once I agreed what I wanted, I was taken to the wash area to have my hair shampooed and conditioned by another stylist. One thing I forgot to say is that the stylists are all dressed in black clothes and they all have the most amazing haircuts - I wanted to be one!
The chairs here were also very comfortable and in just the right position for the sinks and for your head to rest nicely. I felt that the stylist was a bit rough with me but the overall experience was quite relaxing. While I was having my hair washed I had a quick peek around the area and noticed rows and rows of hair colours that they use for the colourings and a row of sinks, which is nice to see that they are hygienic and clean. Led back to my chair again I was offered more drinks and then he set to work on my hair, first chopping away at it as I watched more than half of it fall to the floor (nooo!), then blow-drying it, straightening it, adding some products, and chopping more off again to create more layers. All the while he seemed to be reassuring me that I was doing the right thing and giving me hints and tips about how to care for my new style.
Although he wasn't very talkative I didn't mind as I could tell he was concentrating fully on what he was doing, perfecting my style and making sure it was the right style, shape and length. The appointment lasted 45 minutes which proved to me that we were in a quality place with a quality stylist as in my old salon the appointments tended to last 15mins whatever I had done!
Once he was finished, he produced another mirror and made sure I was happy with the front and back of my new style before I left - which I was!
He then led us back down the stairs to the reception, helped us on with our coats and stayed at reception while the receptionist sorted out the bill. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful, she took our money and then explained all about the information she was handing us - a £5 off voucher for our next visit and an appointment card with the 10th appointment free! With a cheery goodbye from our stylist we left feeling very happy. My whole new hair-do came to £25 - not bad for a city centre salon - I would have paid it just for the experience of the day. My sisters only came to £20 as she didn't have a drastic change of style like I did.
PRICES
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Depending on how qualified a stylist you would like to cut your hair, the prices range accordingly.
Designers are the cheapest at £20 for a cut and finish, then we go up in price steadily for the senior designers, master designers, manager/franchisee, and then Andrew Price himself will cost you the grand price of £45 just for a cut and finish! In my opinion the designers are just as good as any of the others as Simon, my stylist, certainly was brilliant! The gents cut and finish at designer level costs just £15, going up to £32. The colour treatments start at £12 and perms at £19 - excellent value for money when you compare it to other city centre salons.
--------------------------------- I will definitely be going back there for my next appointment and maybe more. I have nothing bad to say about the place except that I think it could be a little less expensive but that is the way all salons are going so I don't really mind paying the price.
The décor and atmosphere is amazing and is very calm and tranquil.
I will be recommending it to all my friends and family and have already had a load of positive comments on my new hairstyle - thank you Andrew Price!
Contact Details
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Address:
----------
Maisie Place,
19 The Kingsway,
Swansea. SA1 5JY.
Tel/Fax: 01792 641568 http://www.andrewpricegroup.com
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16.11.2006 20:44
great review
07.05.2006 17:11
Sounds a bargain! Now I know who your sister is too! Susie x
18.04.2006 11:03
Great review. Paul