Offering three-storeys of fabulousness – extending well beyond the expected haircuts and blowdries – I was left less than surprised at Stuart Holmes’ national accolade of Salon of the Year following an impressive first visit to the Cheltenham headquarters.

Housed in a grand Regency building opposite the Town Hall, I was joined in my afternoon of pampering by a cosmopolitan mixture of suitably smart silver-haired ladies and yummy mummies complete with Boden-clad new borns.

On the top floor, the full experience began with a 45-minute Beaute Neuve facial using fragrant and brightening Guinot products packed with vitamins. Designed to ‘renew, repair and rebuild,’ my bubbly beautician chatted cheerfully while scrubbing, exfoliating and polishing my skin with squeaky clean and glowing results.

Thoroughly relaxed, and dare I say it more radiant, after sipping a chilled glass of water I was next shown down to the second floor hair salon to see the senior colourist, who offered expert advice on flattering colours and covering those crafty greys. Recommended a combination of warm tones from L’Oréal’s ammonia-free INOA range, I was then free to observe the frenetic ebb and flow of the salon as the cold cream was carefully painted on my hair.

From the young girl sweeping the floor to the senior stylist offering stylish tips, the team were full of smiles, slick black outfits, and superb hairstyles – naturally. The eponymous Stuart took centre stage, meanwhile, making his well-heeled clientele feel at ease with understated charm, all while making efforts to greet the myriad of customers who were sat in other stylists’ chairs.

A lively soundtrack complemented the atmosphere, swaying from 80s pop to smooth jazz, while the tasteful decor, complete with tall ceilings and soaring period windows, was given a tongue-in-cheek twist with an enviable collection of original film posters from classics including Shampoo, the musical Hairspray and the hilarious The Boy with the Green Hair.

In contrast to the peaceful reception on the first floor and the retreat-like harmony of the penthouse treatment rooms, the floor dominated by the hair salon was extremely busy and teetered between bustling and hectic, with some clients – myself included – a little squeezed in round a coffee table while their colour developed during the lunch-time rush.

At the sinks, my newly-coloured locks were washed by a vivacious teenager whose infectious enthusiasm extended to the orange chocolate shampoo she was using. While, in a commended feat of multi-tasking, my fingernails were simultaneously soaked ready for the file and glistening polish that followed, before I was back in the stylist’s chair for a quick trim and expert blow dry, all finished with a spritz of light but intensely glossy Moroccan hair oil.

Complete with a sleek and bouncy new do, shiny red nails and glowing skin, I felt a new woman sashaying down Stuart Holmes’ red-carpeted stairs. Causing industry waves, achieving national acclaim and with a growing clientèle stretching far beyond Cheltenham, despite some preconceptions I discovered Stuart Holmes is not simply a place to go for an upmarket snip but to get star treatment from top-to-toe, literally.

Michelle Byrne
12 January 2011