Spa Butterfly

Overpriced and rush you to get out the door. No customer service and wait around for you to tip them.

This review is for their massage services. The salon is very pretty and I’ve had a pedicure there before but don’t recall much. Today’s massage was one of my best ever. It was the basic 60 minute butterfly massage. The masseuse Henry was very good. I wish I had picked the 90 minutes!

Mani pedis are okay — but do NOT REPEAT DO NOT purchase gift certificates from these people. If the person you gift doesn’t use it within time frame, the management here refuses to honor it in any way. I gave one, and the person I gifted returned it to me. Told me they had a humiliating experience trying to use it, that the management was extremely dismissive and nasty about it. My colleague even offered to pay a penalty, but the management refused. Needless to say, I didn’t purchase gift certificates this year from them, and nor will I unless they change their policy. (There are well established other locations in NYC who will honor gift certificates without question, this just isn’t one of them.)

It is $ 34 for just a pedicure (which I don’t think is warranted). Also, they only let you tip in cash (which irritates me). They do this so that you have to use the ATM in their lobby (which they get a kickback on). I don’t like that. Otherwise, it’s fine. It’s clean, busy and they do a decent enough job but it’s overpriced and they rush you in and out. Also, the polish doesn’t last as long on my toes as it does from other (cheaper) salons.

I’ve been to many spas across NYC and Swan is one of the best facialists I’ve had. She does a great job analyzing your skin and recommending the best facial for your skin type. She also provides suggestions on what you can change in your skin care routine. She’s truly amazing!

Never ever… besides dirty pedicure bins… after paying a $ 140 bill for pedicures, the girl handed me the check and said, «tip in cash» I explained to her that I didn’t have $ 30 on me and had to leave it on my bill. she said no. When I went to leave the manager FOLLOWED ME OUT ON 44TH STREET AND INSISTED I LEAVE A CASH TIP. since when is tipping NOT optional. I offered to leave a tip and since it wasn’t cash they harassed me on the street. NEVER EVER AGAIN. Ill go somewhere clean that wants to take my tip!

I enjoy the clean facility but wow, some of the staff here are just plain insulting and rude. I came in without an appointment but was greeted very nicely by the desk receptionist. I told her I wanted a classic mani originally but then I decided that I wanted additional designs, which costs an extra $ 5 per nail (I’ll get to the pricing later). What bothered me was the Korean lady who was going to do my mani. She muttered something in Korean to another Korean staff and started laughing sinisterly when I said I wanted additional designs. I don’t know what was so funny about that so I was a bit bothered by her reaction. She ended up asking another manicurist to do my nail (who is non Korean) and she was fantastic. That Korean «ajumma» needs to brush up her attitude before servicing her clients. Anyway, as for pricing, it is $$$$, especially if you want designs. I thought my designs were pretty simple so an extra $ 5 per nail on top of the classic mani pricing ($ 13) is a bit overpriced. I guess this is the price you pay for Midtown.

I came with my wedding party to get our nails done off of a recommendation of a friend. They rushed us in and out of there like we were local office workers on a lunch break, and let’s just say my manicure was chipped by my wedding 24 hours later. Thank goodness I owned the same color so I could repaint myself.
I do not recommend whatsoever.

Great place to stop in to get a mani /​pedi /​waxing. I was in a rush and stopped by for a quick wax and was in and out in 10 minutes. It was priced competitively. The location is huge and very clean. I would definitely stop back in here next time I’m in the area.

Look at the picture of this manicure to understand why I feel the way I do.
So, the woman who did my nails was speedy quick, which was nice because I was actually there during my lunch break and needed a quick manicure; however, she ripped my cuticles and didn’t cover the whole nail with polish.
I felt like a peasant in there. They were not very nice nor interested in providing me with a luxury experience. They treat customers like cattle and try to finish as quickly as possible so that they may move on to the next one.

Very pricey and not very good unfortunately. Feel like I just wasted $ 160 on a gel mani and Brazilian. I’m better off in Tuckahoe. It’s a bummer since its near my new office and GCT. The Brazilian left all Ingrown hairs and she didn’t even tweeze. Not impressed.

Great quick manicure right outside of Grand Central Station. Top notch and fair prices.
Bring cash as it’s the only method permitted for tipping — which stinks but oh well.

I really liked the lady who did my nails — her name was Diana. She was the most attentive manicurist I’ve ever had. I am pretty simple, and I don’t particularly like it when people cut or push my cuticles. Usually I would tell whoever was doing my nails, and they would say «yes yes, sure,» and then continued to cut/​push my cuticles anyways, which I find uncomfortable. Diana listened and would ask before she did any cutting, making sure I was comfortable. And the hand massage that comes with the basic manicure was quite relaxing. I’d recommend.
basic manicure –around $ 13

I have been here on a few occasions over the past couple of years. Nice salon, but quality of work is eh.
For example, I went to get a gel manicure. I recently removed my wraps and have been getting gel manicures to prevent excessive breakage as my nails grow out.
I sit down and the woman starts asking me what kind of shellac I have used previously and I told her I don’t know, whatever my salon uses. I saw the type of bottle and I recognized the brand, CND. She went to soak my nails of the existing and when she removed the soaking material she tells me I didn’t use CND, but some other brand and she couldn’t get the existing polish off. This has never happened to me before.
So rather than letting the cotton ball soak for longer, she persisted in scraping the polish off and filing the shit out of my nails.
She was very gruff. Barely trimmed my cuticles and her filing was eh. She kept blaming my thin nails as the issue, because it wouldn’t be her lack of skill or patience?
I resigned myself to coming to the realization that this gel manicure was money down the drain. She applied base coat that was all bumpy, yet somehow it was MY nail that was bumpy (all my previous gels were pristine). She proceeds to polish my nails and not only is it streaky, but all over the cuticles and sides. I asked her to clean up some and she did, but why do I need to point this out??? Where is the pride in the work???
They charge $ 45 for a gel manicure. I gave her a less than usual tip of $ 5 and she was PISSED. So much so, she practically threw my coat at me on my way out.
My advice to this place… make sure your nail techs take the time to do a top notch job and not some bullshit nonsense. If you think that letting polish stay on cuticles and skin is acceptable, you have another thing coming.
I will not be back. I’m still too busy removing the excess gel from my finger tips. And the bitchy tech was icing on the cake.

Since Emico no longer works here, there’s nothing left in this place to set off the negatives (maybe the nice décor) and I will not be coming back. To describe my experience with the other manicurists in one word — painful! They rush through it, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re in a rush, but they are just not skilled enough. One woman cut me three times with the cuticle clippers and another one cut me we her long nails when trying to wipe the nail polish off of my skin. Not surprising given that the latter was looking off to the side half the time. Most of them also don’t speak a word of English so if you’re serious about your manicures, expect to get dirty looks if you make any comments or ask for something specific. The women at the front desk are also awkward and not friendly/​welcoming.

I came in on a week night. Really polite and excellent service. Had a sea salt pedi and mani with paraffin wax. Only complaint was that my Essie color was applied unevenly. It doesn’t look like a stellar manicure but the girl took her time. I think 3 coats would have been better for this light color. Massage chairs are eh. I’d come back.

I’d recommend people to not go here. Although the manicures are excellent (my gel manicure has last me for 4 weeks), the customer service is horrid.
I went there a few weeks ago, looking to get a pedicure, and they told me it’d be a 10 minute wait. It was a Wednesday at 1 pm. They said that going on Wednesdays would be better than 1 pm on a Thursday or Friday. I waited for 10 minutes. I then went and sat down to read a magazine, waiting another 10 minutes. They said it would be soon. Then, they sat me in a pedicure chair, which made me think that I’d be seen shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, after sitting there for more than 5 minutes, I asked the woman who had seated me if someone was coming and she said that unfortunately, she had told one of the women to come over to start my pedicure, but they won’t over to the wrong person. So, after having waited almost 30 minutes and half of my lunch hour, I left.
The customer service needs to be addressed. For a $ 32 pedicure, the customer service better be clear and concise, as well as make the customer feel like they’re being respected, instead of having their time wasted.

Love this place! The second I walked in, the décor caught my eyes. It’s so wonderfully tranquil inside.
The first time I came here, I made the mistake of going at lunch time and it was packed so I asked when they slow down and the girls at the front desk said usually 2 or later so I went in at 3 and it was perfect.
I highly suggest going in the «in between hours». After everyone is done with their lunch break and before everyone finishes work. Saturdays I noticed are also very nice and quiet here.
The green tea pedicure is one of my favorite pedicures no matter where I go and as always, it was perfect here as well. The massage was so amazing that after I finished my pedicure and was paying up front, I asked the receptionist if she did massages as well. It turned out that she was also a licensed massage therapist! I immediately asked for a deep tissue massage with her and that was wonderful as well.
I recommended this spa to everyone I know, and am on Unilocal now so that even people I don’t know would realize how amazing it is here.
I also have a facial booked for next Saturday that I am anxiously awaiting.

Full disclosure: This was my first mani-​pedi in Manhattan — and I’m from Texas. I always thought the mani-​pedis there were a-​ok, but I think NYC salons are a step up from what I’m used to. So maybe I’m an unexperienced newbie.
That being said, I loved Spa Butterfly! It was the prettiest nail salon I’ve ever been to. The décor was modern and the whole place was super clean. It was PACKED with people at 6pm (probably an after-​work rush) but I was seated and attended to immediately.
My pedicure was relatively quick but very relaxing. They put this blue bead-​like gel into the foot spa that was heavenly — I’ve never had that in a pedicure and I’m 100% sure I will ask for it from now on. The nail technicians were nice and thorough.
All in all, I enjoyed my experience here. We’ll see how other spas in the area measure up!

In LOVE! I am so happy I happened upon this place after leaving Bath and Body Works.
I have been searching for a great nail salon on the East Side for almost 8 months now. I have gone to numerous places that have disappointed me. :(
Spa Butterfly is my new go to place! Yes yes yes! So glad I found this salon!
So the good things:
1. Clean
2. Large and Spacious
3. Level of service to price ratio EXCELLENT! ($ 45 for mani/​pedi)!
4. Spa like environment
5. Spa services offered
6. Professionalism is high!
7. Take pride in customers.
I really enjoyed my experience here and I loved the unexpected jelly pedicure (jelly pedicure was standard).
My manicure was well done and the nail technician did a beautiful job at shaping my nails. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this place and I will return.