BossArts Salon & Spa

Really torn between 4&5 stars. I will for sure be going back, but I will be sure to mention my perfume allergy before any styling products are used.
I absolutely *love* my haircut, but the scent of the last product is a little much for my perfume allergy. All of the other stuff that was used had a mild scent, and my hair looks and feels fantastic.
The welcome was super friendly, and I waited less than 5 minutes for my stylist to finish with his last client. The atmosphere was so relaxing, a nice break from my day.
I loved my experience and will be back in 5 – 6 weeks for my next cut.

I went to get a haircut because of all the positive reviews I saw here. Turns out this is such a classy place AMAZING customer service and I did not have to pay an arm or leg. They gave me a student discount too :)
This is my new favorite salon.

Great cut and color experience @ bossarts! First came to bossarts early in the fall a cut. And returned for for their colour and manicure promotion (check their fb page/​web page for promotions!). Great experience from start to finish. Always greeted with a beverage of my choice (coffees/​teas) and biscotti. I had my cut from Leah, came back months later for a dramatic ombré and manicure. Leah gave me some great recommendations for selecting the ombré style/​colour I liked, treatment post-​ombré, curling etc. Highly recommend Leah for ombres and luscious «victoria secret» curls: P

I came to Bossarts following the high rating it had on Unilocal,and it happily delivered!
I began by requesting an appointment online. I exchanged a few emails with a receptionist as to my goal/​hair type, which I think helps for the staff to properly direct you to an appropriate stylist. I conveyed what my goal was, and Leah was recommended to me.
The first thing I noticed was that my appointment slot factored in 15 minutes of a consult, which I appreciated. Upon arrival, I was greeted right away, and handed off my coat. I was offered a wonderful herbal tea, welcome on such a cold day!
I met Leah and she was very personable and professional. She spoke to me about what my goal was, and I showed her a picture of an idea. She explained how she could achieve it, while working with the existing layers in my hair. She then advised she wanted to blow my hair out first, in order to see how it naturally fell.
She gave me a wonderful wash in their wash area, which feature lay down sinks. As a taller woman, I did not let this detail go unnoticed — why don’t more salons do this? Nice detail. I also like that I wasn’t handed off to someone else.
Leah took her time moving through my hair, explaining later that she took small steps in order to be cautious in order to not take too much hair off. Towards the back of my head, I ended up having 8 cm or so taken off, so I appreciated that. As she styled, she provided me small notes on how to achieve the style, too. She also showed me an additional tip right at the end which I thought was unique.
As a fairly novice person to styling my own hair, her tips really helped me out. In between, we maintained a friendly banter about both of our professions which I think shows a genuine interest in the customer.
I am super happy with my end result, to say the least. Leah also mentioned that, if I went home and noted something I wasn’t happy with, to simply call the salon and they would be happy to accommodate a tidy up. She also recommended when to come in next in order to maintain the particular style she had created. I was also very pleasantly surprised at how competitively she was priced, bearing in mind that this is an Aveda salon that clearly places a high value on its customers. I paid less for my wash, cut & style with Leah than I have at major chains… which didn’t use such high end products.
Leah was fantastic and I’d definitely see her again.

EVERYONE GO HERE. This place is fantastic. I’m only in Ottawa for a week and wanted something different with me hair. I came in for a free consultation and Sonia came up with a plan. It turned out so fantastic!!! I can honestly say I’ve never been as happy about a salon trip! Sonia listened and advised. She gave me EXACTLY what I want and was so informative the whole way. Another thing I loved was how the rest of the stylists teamed in to help! I have A LOT of hair and it was a multi-​step process. And 3 different stylists joined in to help. I HIGHLY recommend this place, and Sonia specifically. My only sadness is that I don’t live in Ottawa to come back regularly!

I live in Vancouver but was in town for a black-​tie gala and wanted a wash and up-​do. Stopped in on a whim, as this place was around the corner from my hotel. So glad I did! Krystal is a miracle worker stylist. If I were a local, this would be my go-​to place for sure.

Love this place. I have been going there for quite a few years and finally enjoy having my hair cut. Up to date staff, and product, looking to give you what you need.
I enjoy learning about different techniques and ways to manage my hair.
Thank you Bossart.

What a fantastic experience! Been to BossArts twice, once for a cut (with Robin) and just last week for colour and ombré highlights (with Leah). Both experiences were exceptional. But especially happy with the colour session.
I went in with badly home-​dyed red (!!) hair and left with a complete hair makeover. This was my first salon colouring experience, and I admit I was very nervous and apprehensive. I find hair cuts, let alone colouring, to be a terrifying experience. I have long thick hair, which I consider a security blanket of sorts, and can be sensitive when it comes to making any changes. (Definitely not the ideal client…)
For those salon-​weary clients like myself, rest-​assured! Leah, was very sweet, knowledgeable and quite skilled. She was calming, listened to my concerns and expertly managed my expectations (getting rid of red is a process).
My hair needed some colour correcting because of the red underneath, and Leah had me back for free colour correction session a few days later. I appreciated that she was upfront about this from the outset of our consultation and that she was keen to get my hair as close to perfection as possible.
The overall salon experience was lovely as well. everyone was kind and welcoming. The salon was relaxing and comfortable (especially the sinks!). And I even enjoyed a nice glass of wine and cup of coffee during my session.
I based my decision to visit BossArts on the stellar Unilocal!reviews, and hope this (my first) review is helpful in guiding others there too :)

I just had an appointment with Leah for a hair cut. I must say I had the best experience with her. She gave me great advice regarding a style I wanted that wouldn’t necessarily work right away and we figured out what the best option for me would be. I will definitely be a return customer. The atmosphere is lovely and everyone is super nice. Very very happy!

Great team here! Everyone is super friendly, skilled and professional. It’s makes the whole experience of getting your hair done even more enjoyable.

Great service, reasonably priced and it’s a very nice, clean facility.

I went in for a cut last week with Andreja. She was great — thoughtful, politely chatty, and wants you to be happy with your cut. Upon coming into the salon, I was offered water or tea. It was a cold day, so tea was very welcome! The receptionist helped me with my jacket and bag. Shortly after sitting with my tea, Andreja came and got me. She made me feel very at ease. As I have curly hair, she recommended a dry cut to get rid of dead ends. Afterwards, she gave me a shoulder and neck massage which while short was relaxing. She then washed and blow dried my hair for a big curls style (see picture). I received compliments on the blow-​out that evening. I have waited a week to write a review so I could see how my hair is doing after a couple of washes where I let it air dry which is my normal go-​to. My hair’s curl normally takes a few days to settle after a cut. Despite, waiting I’m not entirely convinced yet that it’s working. There’s more frizz then I would expect for a new cut and it seems to be falling bulky in places. I will give it another wash, but if it doesn’t work itself out, then I may contact the salon. They told me that once I had done my hair myself, I could judge whether the hair is good to go and if it isn’t they will fix it. This policy makes me feel a lot more comfortable bringing my thick, curly (sometimes unruly) hair to the salon. This is my third time here for my own hair and I also went once with my sister, to whom I recommended the salon. My sister was over the moon in love with her haircut. She has wavy, thick hair. It did look pretty fantastic! Overall, they have fantastic customer service and professional stylists who stand behind their work. I will be going back. I also recommend if you’re looking for a comfortable but upscale location, this could be it!

It was my first time visiting BossArts. The entrance was a bit hard to find. They are attached to the hotel, but their entrance is a little further down the street. There was no visible sign so I called them from the hotel lobby and they provided me instructions on how to get there (basically exit the lobby and back on the street, then they are like 20 feet to the left). I like their setup. The raised up wash stations are comfortable. (But if you are wearing a skirt, you need to be mindful to cover your legs.) The haircut stations provide lots of privacy. I love how I can see my stylist work through the mirrors. My stylist Krystal did a fantastic job. I don’t like stylists who are too talkative and Krystal provided me the relaxing time I needed. They also offer free bangs trim in between haircuts. I’ll definitely go back for future cuts.

I had the delightful pleasure if visiting BossArts last night for a cut-​testing a new salon can always be anxiety ridden but I’d heard good things, reviews on Unilocal were good and I trust the Unilocaling community so I gave it a go.
First off booked my appointment through emails that were prompt and respectful and a mutual time was found-​in a short time frame-​it didn’t take weeks to get in. I got an email reminder the day before as well.
I was greeted by two lovely ladies, one took my coat and got me a glass of water-​my stylist was ready for me-​Andreja was lovely. She and I discussed what I wanted and off we went.
The most comfortable wash sink I’ve ever had-​not to mention the amazing Aveda products-​smelled so good and my hair is so soft now! I love the cut-it’s better than I ever could have expected, and wasn’t highway robbery when it came to paying. I’m already booked to go back for highlights and looking forward to it.
I even got a follow up asking me for my thoughts and comments-​which were all good, you know as a Unilocaler that if it wasn’t I would have said so. This is an example of how a great salon can be run-​so if you need salon/​spa services-​get yourself here quick and leave knowing you made a great choice!

I had a lovely experience at BossArts. Very well organized. I had a full dye with highlights all done by Krystal. I don’t have simple hair to work with but Krystal met the challenge and did a great job. Her work is meticulous with great technique!
I never felt rushed and Krystal would ask me every so often if I would like anything. I will definitely be going back.

This is a really fantastic hair salon. I see Krystal, because when I was looking for a new hairdresser (last fall) BossArts had great reviews, and they had a special for Krystal where you got a free haircut with a colour. I’m guessing she’s pretty new there and maybe needed to build up her client list, but trust me, the discount wasn’t because she isn’t good!
Krystal is really excellent. Also funny, friendly, and stylish! I basically have no idea what to do with my hair, and she a) gently advised a darker shade than I went in asking for, because I didn’t realize what my natural hair colour actually is, and she was totally right, and b) gave me an AMAZING cut with pretty much no guidance from me. Not knowing how to verbalize what I want has been a problem in lesser salons, not so with Krystal. She really balances the need to tell the client the truth with respecting the client’s desires — when I tentatively said she should cut my hair straight across (like my last hairdresser advised, because of thin hair), she mentioned that she thought long layers would help my volume problem more, and again, she was so right!
I also find that she only upsells products that I actually need — she doesn’t try to talk me into hairspray that she knows I won’t use, but did advise I get the conditioning treatment ($ 20) which was maybe the best $ 20 I’ve ever spent on my hair, it was a great idea. Also, she had a lot of advice for thin hair, and is the only hairdresser I’ve *ever* had who offered to teach me how to do my hair while she was styling it. She explained how to tease my hair properly, and when I forgot between appointments, explained it again! She has also offered to teach me how to do other things with my hair if I come in for a wash and blow dry sometime, which is really sweet.
Extra pros:
— WINE. You get a glass (or maybe two!) of free wine during your appointment, as long as it’s past 11 or so
— Complimentary hand soak while your colour is setting — they give you a bowl of warm water with salts in it, and smooth stones, and I love that part!
— They have this raised bed thing, so when you get your hair washed you’re actually lying down. It’s kind of awkward (and the ceiling there needs some serious repair) but it feels great, much more comfortable than the weird angle you usually have to tilt to get your hair washed at a salon. (Update: They fixed the ceiling!)
— Scalp massage!
All of those things make a trip to BossArts feel like a spa visit.
Last points: I LOVE that you can book online — on the website you fill out your availability and preferred stylist, and get an email from the receptionist pretty quickly with an opening. I find it really helpful on a busy day when I just don’t want to/​have time to make the phone call, but also having a record of the appointment is helpful later on.
Also, re: the wine, I don’t think they always offer it up front — I am usually offered water, coffee, or tea by the person who takes my coat, and Krystal will be the one to offer me wine. So, be patient, your glass of wine is coming! They may delay offering it because honestly, they may want to talk to you about your desires/​expectations before you have a drink… :) or it might depend on the time of day.
So, all things said and done, this is on the pricey end of general salon services, but I think it’s priced accurately for the service, assuming a generous tip. This is the most expensive salon I’ve gone to (as a student) but you really see the value. Always tip your stylist!

I visited BossArts on December 21^st to get my nails and hair done for a business Christmas party.
First off, I called the day of totally expecting that they’d have a maxed out schedule. They couldn’t cut my hair, but they were able to take me for the nails and up-​do. I’ll take it! lol. I was impressed that they made the effort to fit me in on such last minute notice.
When I arrived early afternoon time, there was a lady at the front with long blond hair, delicate facial features. I’m not sure if she didn’t like me or if she was having a bad day, but she was really fake. Her smile seemed so forced, lol. She did NOT offer me wine like most of the other reviews here were. All I got was coffee, tea or water so I asked for a coffee. Now, I know it’s not a coffee shop or a Tim Hortons, but the coffee was terrible. lol.
I was called in to have my nails done in the spa. The manicurist was very nice. We chatted during the procedure. I wasn’t 100% thrilled with how she shaped my nails, but not the end of the world. The paint job was great. Eventually I did get wine, in fact, I lucked out and had 2 glasses. ;-)
Next, I waited for about 10 minutes and I saw a nice gal who did my up-​do. She spent a fair amount of time on me and I appreciated that. I have been to other salon’s that rush your style and that’s not cool. She was very personable and we chatted while she did my hair. (She’s the one who got me the second glass of wine!). :-D
I had a blast. I’ve been to a good few salons in Montréal and they don’t offer wine for a beverage! Unbelievable!
Definitely Return-​Worthy!

Great experience from start to finish. Email reminder, beverage offer, consultation, scalp massage, reclined sink, good hair cut. All very professional and comfortable. They seem to really care about their clients. My stylist was Jessica, and she was very knowledgable about my hair type, style, and taste, even though she had never met me! Very happy with the visit! I will fit in a mani/​pedi next time :)

This place cares a lot about customer service — something most hair salons don’t seem to give much thought to. I visited BossArts for the first time last week and had a haircut with Alix. It is not the best cut I’ve had, but one of the better ones, and for a reasonable price to boot! (About $ 40 with tax and tip)
What really sets this place apart is the kindness and professionalism of people who work there, and the easiness with which you can get an appointment. For me, this is worth more than getting the best haircut with the most talented stylist in town. I’ve dealt with too many hair salons where staff is either not available when you are, or worse yet, treat you like a minor inconvenience. I highly recommend this place!

Sometimes you just want to be pampered, so today I decided I needed some pampering and came here and got my hair done. I‘ve been dissatisfied with the different spa salons in Ottawa (Holtz, Saab), so ever since I‘ve been on a quest to find a good salon spa and I have found it. Yay!
I called at 2:00 and they told me they could squeeze me in at 3:15. Awesome! I was a little late but nobody seemed to care. I was greeted by two friendly receptionists and one took my coat and offered me a drink. They gave me the option of coffee, herbal tea, regular tea, water, white wine, red wine. I just got a water, but the fact that there is a wine option is so nice, I can see myself relaxing at this salon with a glass of wine in my hand! Next time, next time.
It turns out the last girl that did my hair did something really strange with it, so it‘d be a little more complicated to colour my hair. Thankfully, my Stylist Renee was a pro and knew what to do. After I sat around for a while, another lovely girl named Krystal took me to this sink where I got to lie down while having my hair washed, woohoo! I got a short, but pleasant scalp massage and I found out Krystal was going to style my hair, not Renee.
Thankfully Krystal was awesome. She knew her stuff. She had my extensions beautifully curled and she skillfully and carefully curled the rest of my hair and put my extensions in. My hair looks GORGEOUS. They totally didn‘t need to do that, but they took an extra step and put a lot of effort into my hair.
All together the colour was $ 124 which wasn‘t bad, maybe a bit expensive but I‘m extremely satisfied with what I came out of the salon with. I‘ll be back Bossarts!