UPDATE: So this story has a happy ending: the manager Jessica called me and apologized profusely - and offered me a free facial and massage. VERY classy!!! I was impressed and have changed my rating to 4 stars from 1. That's how to handle something like this. (That said - don't book your nails with Rita!) ORIGINAL REVIEW: I have never - in my entire life - had to walk out of a mani / pedi. Rita was my manicurist and she was unbelievably rude, yelling at me that my gel was "too hard to take off," yanking my hands and feet and generally acting as if I had insulted her. She put acetone in a cut I had on my finger and then acted upset when I asked to move the acetone as it was hurting me. I honestly have never seen anything like it. If I were Corbu I would not continue to work with Rita. read more

I had a massage done by Autumn and it was amazing. She knows her stuff!!! She is very aware of the pressure she applies and asks frequently through out how the pressure is. My aches and pains felt much better when she was done. I would highly recommend her!!!! read more

Leticia is amazing when it come to my pedicures and manicures. She is the only nail technician that truly knows how to use those cuticle nippers! She removes all the dead dry skin around my fingers and toes and does a great job with the shape of my nails. My feet literally "sing" when she's done massaging them! I've been her customer for about 10 years in the Cambridge area and I will not go anywhere else because she's that good! It's worth every penny and the atmosphere at Corbu is elegant and relaxing and they use wonderful smelling products! You wont be disappointed! read more

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I've been going here for years for brow, lip, and chin waxes with Mary. Mary left for a new career, and then I don't know if they have bad management or it's a toxic workplace, but in a period of one year I saw three different estheticians who have all since left. Le was the best after Mary (I believe she might have left for a new career as well), and then there was a different person in between. Now I have most recently seen Vanessa. *If* she is still there because of the high turnover, I was very pleased with her. She is French, has a deep background in waxing and facials, and recommends products and services for your specific skin type. I was nervous constantly changing the people that were working on my brows, but she put me at ease. I hope she stays, and I will be back! read more

My friend and I went in for impromptu haircuts on a rainy day. We both needed trims badly. We had an amazing afternoon with Fran our incredible hairdresser. Not only were we both super happy with our haircuts, but Fran was so welcoming, conversational, and funny. If we weren't visitors to Boston Fran would definitely be our long time hair stylist. Thank you Fran!!! Ryan & Kira read more

Located in historic Harvard Square's Charles Hotel, Corbu is where you will find Vanessa- a seasoned esthetician from France whose experience, attention to detail, and touch make for one of the best facials you will ever receive. Vanessa is knowledgeable about all aspects of skincare. Once you receive a facial treatment with her, it will be difficult to go anywhere else. Strongly recommend booking with her, especially for traveling professionals visiting Cambridge. read more

I came here with no appointment for a spontaneous blowout on a Saturday morning at 9am and they were able to accommodate me at 9:15am. The stylist Deb was very nice and did volume with subtle waves. It was maybe not as "juicy" as a Drybar blowout but it was very decent. The service and ambiance is really what drives the 5 star review though. (I have long hair and am a veteran of blowouts so I frankly have lots of data points and have spoken to many stylists about blowout technique.) The concierge was super nice and the salon has both brightly daylit and relaxing darker areas. If you are an Oribe fan their retail selection is deep! I thought I knew Oribe and this spa carried more different lines of Oribe products than I ever knew existed. They have Oribe shampoo and conditioner at the hair wash stations too, which is not something I see often at hair salons. They stock other higher end products like Olaplex and Keratase too. Those are good gifts for women in your life who are really into hair care. The concierge kindly gave me an Oribe gift on the way out. I would go back here to buy beauty products and maybe try a massage or facial. read more

The staff in the spa are fabulous, and the facilities are lovely. The front desk staff, not so much. Like another reviewer, I was charged for a service that I did not receive, in my case due to illness. They do not seem to understand when charging a years long customer for one missed appointment, due to circumstances beyond my control, is in the short term $150 in their pocket. Long term? There are lots of great spas in Boston. read more

I would not recommend getting a manicure here, at least not by Leticia. I had the most painful, sloppy experience with the manicure. She also constantly painted over my skin and then proceeded to try to "clean" it up with her own (visibly dirty) finger nail. Not sanitary whatsoever. It did not help that the front desk receptionist was rude. When she asked me how my manicure was upon paying for the service, I said I was not happy with it and she just proceeded to give me my change. Did not inquire what I was unhappy with or said anything at all, for that matter. Overall it was a terrible experience from beginning to end. Unfortunate. read more

Corbu Spa & Salon - Terrible "manicure" - Day Spas Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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If you want to have the best massage therapy experience in the world, go to Corbu and book a massage with Autumn. She is an absolute expert, and is professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. The massage experience is the best that I've ever had in my life, and, there is a lot of magic, healing, great energy, compassion, and more with Autumn! 5 Stars!!!!! read more

Had an absolutely fantastic massage here with Anna! She was great and explained everything- I hope to return !

worst and most bizarre experience I've ever had at a spa. made two appointments while staying at the Charles hotel (for a brow/lash tint and a foot massage). No provider had showed up by 20 minutes past the scheduled tint appointment, so I told the front desk to just cancel it at that point. Came back for the foot massage which started 10 mins late (therapist said she had the time for 2PM, when the appointment was at 1:45PM as confirmed via multiple texts and emails) and the massage was not good (no pressure). The doozy was that they insisted on charging me for the brow/lash tint even though the provider had not yet showed up 20 mins past the scheduled time. And they could not have ruder the entire time, never even uttering the word sorry for the significant delay and inconvenience. Take your business elsewhere! read more

Great experience getting a pedicure here! She did a great job. Would go back and would recommend!

Autumn is awesome! I had a deep tissue massage with Autumn and she was the best! If you need to get the knots out, she's the person to see!

I had a deep tissue massage with Autumn, she found all the knots in my shoulder and back area. It really helped the pain in those areas and will be sure to ask for next time I go. read more

Another trip to Corbu- and I loved it. I wanted to get a last minute same day brow wax and my usual brow waxing place (Aveda) never has last minute appointments on a Saturday. I was able to choose from several time options. The brow wax was great and my brow area wasn't red the next day. I want to shout out to Jen, who is one of the receptionists. She did a fantastic job answering all my questions about the Decleor serums and even gave me some samples to take home when I told her it was hard to commit to buying when I didn't know how it affected my face over the course of the day. After I got my brows waxed, I went into the locker room and used the steam room. They have a steam room that's a steam/shower combo. Yay! read more

Rita expertly gave me a pedicure. My feet look and feel softer than they have been all summer. She is very sweet and kind. A true gem for Corbu. I let my toes dry afterwards in the spa relaxing room and wrote this review. I will definitely come back. A+++ read more

Corbu Spa & Salon - Day Spas Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The white hairs around my face were not colored. Youre supposed to pull the color through, and use paper to hold the color in. You know, this isnt my first time nor place getting my hair dyed. There was A TON of hair color in my right ear that wasnt cleaned. I had to clean it when i got home. I dont see well and I didnt see this until i got home and saw this in my well lighted home and bathroom. Since my ear wasnt cleaned, I got hair dye on TWO very expensive ear bud sets. For the price I paid for the service, a lot of which was done by an assistant, I expect better, and cleaner. The skin on my entire hairline, especially on my forehead, side burns, and nape are all dyed black. frankly, i expected better from a salon of corbu's quality. Additionally, you said i was getting a student discount of 20% on oribe. I got shampoo for color for 46.00. that's not discounted. thats the same price i pay on amazon, and yes the item is verified by amazon professional beauty. so, what was your original price that its now discounted to 46.00 which is what i pay on amazon?? I am VERY familiar with hair products and the Oribe line, and I feel disrespected. read more

I had a few decent experiences here, so bought my friend a gift certificate for a cut/color. She made an appointment with a stylist that the receptionist assured here was fantastic. When she went in, the stylist just started clipping away without even consulting her on what she wanted. She ended up just doing a lackluster trip. Then the stylist moved on to the color, which my friend assumed would be the same as she had - blonde with lowlights and highlights. My friend is not a very picky person at all, but left there in tears of frustration. Her hair was all one color, like she had done it herself with a bottle of Clairol. She would otherwise have been more vocal, but she didn't want to risk the relationship I had with this salon. And all told, with tax and tip, the freaking experience was FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS. I wrote the manager a note explaining our dissatisfaction, and asking if there was anything she would be willing to do to rectify the situation. I received absolutely no response, and this is 1.5 months later. I then wrote on their general mail from their website. Again, no answer. So they will take no responsibility for a bad experience and a bad stylist. And their prices are positively outrageous for the quality. Stay away or expect to be let down. read more

We were not told that there was construction going on. spent 45 minutes listening to drilling and hammering and drilling during my facial. Lee was great, but the construction ruined the whole experience. When asked if we could get some compensation, I was told that the facial I received doesn't allow for any discount, although that was not written anywhere on the website. My friend received a discount on her massage due to the noise, however I was left with an overpriced service and poor customer service at the front desk. read more

Overall nice place. We had an excellent massage here. Ambiance was pleasant. However for the price the locker rooms were small, the shower didn't work Well and they didn't have a makeup mirror. I might try another place read more

My daughter generously gave me a gift card to Corbu for Christmas and I decided to treat us both a pedicure. This will be my last time at Corbu! The pedicure was very rushed. When we arrived for a 3pm appointment at 3:02 pm, after calling to say we would be late, I had to use the bathroom. As my daughter waited for me, the nail technician, Margarita, obviously annoyed and impatient said, "Where is Patricia? We need her now. We can't wait longer." My daughter explained I was using the restroom. What happened next is a much bigger issue. When we went to select our nail polish, Margarita indicated that we could ONLY select from the Dazzle Dry section, a relatively small section out of 100 or more different nail polishes. As we rushed through our decision, Margarita was obviously annoyed and huffy. The other nail technician barely spoke at all. We were rushed through the pedicures, which cost $60 each for a classic pedicure, nothing more than you would get at a typical nail salon, definitely not a relaxed spa afternoon. At the end of the service as we checked out of the spa, my daughter trying to understand why we were pushed to use Dazzle Dry, asked whether the Dazzle Dry nail polish cost more than the other nail polish at the spa. It did! It was $7 to use Dazzle Dry, the nail polish brand Margarita told us we had to use. Typically, the cost of nail polish is included in the cost of the pedicure. It didn't occur to us that there would be an additional charge, nor that we would not be informed of the charge in advance. So, not only was our choice of nail polish limited without explanation, but we were charged another $14 for it. When we mentioned this to the receptionist, she said that she would speak to the manager, because she had heard a similar complaint earlier in the day. We will not be returning to Margaritaville, (or Corbu)! read more

Scheduled an appointment. Cleared my work calendar. Traveled across town and arrived early. When I checked in I was informed that they don't offer the service I scheduled (advertised on their website). They said their employees weren't trained enough to know how to do it. Waste of time and effort. Don't bother going there. Horrible experience. read more

Kat Builes is a brow master! I needed to find a new brow person after my lady at benefit brow bar left. I had a gift card to Corbu Spa and found good reviews about Kat for eyebrows. The reviews are accurate, she listens to what you want and checks in to make sure she is meeting your expectations while she's grooming. I will be back - highly recommend! read more

Falling somewhere between spa virgin and seasoned vet, I found Corbu to be a great spa experience. The spa itself feels tucked away, accessed by going into the small open courtyard behind the Charles Hotel. After checking in I was lead back to the ladies dressing area, complete with private lockers, steam shower and high end amenities. I was able to book an appointment mid-week when I had a Wednesday off so I had the place virtually to myself. After changing into slippers and a robe, you can enjoy a few minutes in the relaxation area: a soothing space complete with neutral colored chairs, serene music, fresh fruit, water and tea available while getting all zen with the large driftwood sculpture that stretches from floor to ceiling. After a few minutes of peace and quiet, Emma came to retrieve me for my facial. Don't ask me what she did exactly- there were organic moisturizers, and exfoliating, and extraction and high-frequency lasering, and other James Bond-y aesthetician things that Emma described in detail while I completely zoned out and enjoyed the comfortable surroundings and the hour of relaxation. I periodically peppered in a few questions- about my dermis, the weather, my current skincare regimen, etc. I got clear and detailed answers along with helpful suggestions that felt like just that: explanations of what I may want to try with my skin type but no hard sell on the spa's products or extra treatments. While it's not really in my budget to make this kind of thing a standing monthly appointment- it was well worth the cost and I plan to go back the next time I want to splurge on a spa treatment. read more

I went to Corbu Spa & Salon twice in two weeks for spa week specials and I am so glad that I did. The space is beautiful and very relaxing/soothing. When you initially show up to the spa, you are greeted by a wonderful receptionist who will bring you to the locker room so you can change into a robe. Then you'll be taken to the waiting area where you can read magazines, have some tea or water, or some fruit for snacks while you wait for your treatment. I went in for a 45 min splendor in the grass body treatment which was wonderful. I also had a 1hr massage by Leslie who was AMAZING! I told her that I had a lot of tension in my upper back so for a majority of the massage, she did a wonderful job in working out all the kinks in my back. I felt like absolute jelly after the massage and did not want to get up. Thanks again for a wonderful experience and I hope to return very soon. read more

Loved it. Small spa, pricey but it's good, clean and professional. I had a seasonal scrub, a wrap and a foot massage. Maybe not an every month thing - but for a once in awhile, special treat - why the heck not! It was a great way to start off the new year. read more

I couldn't recommend Christina more. For forty years I had me hair colored in New York and Chicago before I moved to Cambridge. Christina is by far the best colorist I've encountered. I've never received so many compliments about the color! She is also a lovely, genuine person. read more

Corbu Salon + Spa provided amazing services for my wedding day. Myself and my mother, sisters, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law all had our hair done and I and my mother also had our makeup done there. The salon manager Stephanie and assistant manager Matthew were incredibly helpful. They were able to get our entire party in only a mere weeks before the event after the original salon I had booked fell through. Christina did my hair and made a beautiful side-bun updo. John Paul (JP) did my and my mother's makeup and was incredible. In addition, the other stylists Devan and Amanda did an incredible job with updos and styling for the women in my group. On top of the excellent styling services, the salon also gave us use of their relaxation room in the spa area and allowed us to bring champagne and light snacks to get us through the day. I highly recommend Corbu Salon + Spa and their stylists Christina, Devan, Amanda and JP for wedding day hair and makeup services! read more

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I'll say this first-this place is pricy. BUT they know what they're doing. I've gotten massages here before and it's been a lovely experience. You get a locker for your things when you change into your robe and slipper and then you go wait in their relaxation wait room while they get ready for you. I don't remember seeing magazines in here but I flipped through a Le Corbusier coffee table book once. The other thing I've done here is get my nails done. The salon space is clean and well lit with some sweet sunlights on the roof. Great move or they wouldn't have any natural light. They have all of the new Essie and OPI colors to choose from plus they also have them for sale. I brought my own colors but you'll definitely have enough to pick from. This isn't the kind of place that only carries reds and pinks-they have everything! The nail tech was great. She and the woman at the front desk went and got me some nice hot tea for a cold fall day like today and made sure I was comfortable. Great hygienic technique and just for my hands, my nail tech went through something like four hand towels. Plus that little hand massage and wipe down of your arms and hands with a hot wet towel feels really nice. For your pedicure you get the same treatment but now there's some green salts in the foot bath-they smelled great! All around great service. Clean and ample space. Staff is kind and attentive. Plenty of colors for nails to choose from. Main downside is that they're pricey. mani-pedi runs you $75 without tip but come on by Mon-Wed if you're a student and you get 20% off services. It used to be that the discount was all the time but this seems to be the new policy. Plus, they typically have a space to take you as a walk-in so this really is the place to go get your nails done and be pampered after you've been running around all day and you just want someone to sit you down and make your stems pretty. read more

I happened upon Corbu Spa & Salon while strolling through the Harvard Square area one day. I thought it looked cute and quaint so I decided to duck in and check out the prices. I'm the type of person that absolutely needs a massage at least every other month in order to restore my sense of normalcy. When I'm too tense, nothing else goes right! I must have struck gold at the end of the rainbow because they actually had a spot available that morning and were able to fit me in - how convenient! I decided to get a 30 min deep tissue massage just to try it out. I was informed about the series specials (buy five of the same service, get one free!) which I think is a great idea to keep happy customers coming back and giving referrals. I had a great massage experience and would definitely consider coming here for a hot stone (my favorite!). I left feeling extremely relaxed and rejuvenated. The place is clean and has a great ambience. I had a pleasant experience with the staff as well. Their herbal cellulite and cafe mocha slimming treatments sound amazing, and I will without a doubt be booking a spa day before the summer! read more

Very hit or miss. Have been here a few times for different services. Keratin treatment - have been getting them for years, the one I had recently at Corbu was the worse and it was the same product. $100 more expensive than most places and while it usually lasts at least 2 months this one only lasted 3 weeks. Massage - had one that was amazing and one that was ok but just not the style I'd booked. Front desk staff are nice but often distracted - although they seem more professional with certain well heeled customers. The facilities also need a makeover, the changing area only fits one person at a time and the robes are ready to be replaced. read more

I got a gift card from my boss for this place about 6 months ago. I selected the CorbuLaLa and got the full experience. The massage therapists & aestheticians were wonderful. I've been back for both deep tissue massage and extractions. For my hair cut, I got Devon. And she's been my stylist since. I highly recommend her. This place isn't cheap. You get what you pay for. read more

I get my hair done by Danny and could not recommend him any higher. He highlights my blonde hair and puts up with my constant desire to evolve the color until it's "just right." He has helped bring my hair from damaged to healthy over the past six months and is always working on his own techniques to improve upon his skills. On top of his great skills with my hair, he is always in a great mood, easy to talk to, and attentive to my needs (water, magazine, etc). The salon is a bit pricey but I can honestly say that Danny is worth every penny! read more

I came to Corbu a few months ago for the hydra facial with Kat and my experience has been amazing! I had horribly painful acne on my cheek and chin area and flaky dry skin. After my treatments with her my skin is so smooth and happy now. I used so many products before and now I have a simple 3 step routine Kat found for me. She has been so amazing and helpful with my skincare journey and has so much knowledge about skin and helped me find what worked for me. She is professional and calming to the point that I fell asleep during the session. I left each session so zen and relaxed. She also makes an uncomfortable situation feel very comfortable and not awkward during any waxing sessions. I highly recommend Kat to do any of your waxing and facial services. She is the best!!! Thank you so much I will be back :) read more

love love love Kat. She does an amazing job with waxes. She is super friendly and welcoming. She doesn't make you feel awkward at all. If anything, I always look forward to going because she is such an awesome person to be around. The facility itself is clean and making appointments is super convenient. You can do it online and it is confirmed through email. I am only giving this place a 4 star because some services by other staff are not that great. I went for a massage and will not go back for that. read more

I'm giving Corfu 3 and 1/2 stars for now. First, the staff both at the Charles Hotel and Corbu were very friendly and helpful. The spa can be a little hard to find, but the front desk at the Charles pointed me in the right direction. My hair stylist Devon was also super sweet and fun to chat with. I came aimed with pictures and questions and she was really great about talking me through what we could do to solve my current blah hair. She told me that she does most of her cutting dry which made me nervous because I've never had a dry cut done before and it definitely feels weird if you aren't used to it. In the salon, my hair looked good blown out, but in this 90 degree hot mess of a weather by the time I got home to look in the three way mirror, it wasn't quite what I was looking for. However, since I did request that she cut my hair so that my natural wavy texture would shine, I am going to reserve full judgment until the next time I wash and style my hair. Devon recommended a new mousse to style my hair wavy so I'm excited to give that a try. read more

Corbu helped us plan and organize a bachelorette spa day a few weeks ago. They were great about scheduling different treatments for everyone in the group (and separate bills, which was helpful). They let us bring in our own snacks to enjoy while hanging out in their very nice relaxation room after we were done and didn't rush us out at all. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the high price, but the service was great for a splurge activity for me. read more

I've never written a negative review before, and I wasn't sure I could do it. But the alternative is to sit back while someone else has a horrible experience (and drops a lot of cash on it), and that doesn't sit right with me either. I went to Corbu for the first time in my life last weekend. I was attending a black tie event at my old college, as part of a reunion of sorts, and my boyfriend and I were staying at the Charles. We were looking through the spa menu, and I saw that Corbu offered a makeup application service. My boyfriend encouraged me to pamper myself. He said I should make it an amazing night. So I did. Boy, do I wish I hadn't done that. The woman -- who was very nice and affable -- did not know how to apply makeup. First, I asked for a thick foundation, and she informed me they didn't have any. Next, I asked for something matte so I wouldn't get shiny, and she informed me they didn't have anything matte. Apparently, they only use one makeup brand, and the line is very limited (and I'd never even heard of it before). The woman assured me that I would love the makeup, and I would look great. So I went with it. I didn't look at myself in a mirror for the first 30 minutes while she worked. Every now and then she applied something that stung and burned like crazy, but I held my tongue and tried not to cringe. When she finally rolled me around to look at myself, I wanted to cry. I looked like a crazy person. Two black eyes, face shiny and oily, and the parts of my face that burned were still red -- from the times she had removed makeup to fix her mistakes. I looked at my watch and realized I was already running late. I let her finish up but asked if she could tone down the eyes at least. When I finally got back to the room, my boyfriend came out to see me -- and froze. His first words were, "What happened to you?" Not exactly the reaction I'd paid $70 to see. He said I looked like I'd been punched, and he couldn't believe I actually paid for the service. I then had to spend time undoing what the woman did and redoing my makeup. We were late to the event, and I was out $70 that could have been better spent. I guess the moral of the story is -- do your research before making a makeup appointment, find out more about the line they're using, and be as specific as possible when describing what you want your face to look like. Otherwise, you'll end up with two black eyes and a red face. read more

I booked a massages for my husband and I about a week in advance for a pre-dinner treat (went to Rialto afterward, which was fabulous as always). When we arrived, the front desk staff said there'd been a mistake with the booking and there was only one massage. It had been INCREDIBLY clear on the phone, as I'd specified one prenatal and one hot stone massage. They were unapologetic, unprofessional, and rude about it. Needless to say, we didn't bother with the one massage. I've had services there before which were fine/unremarkable, and it felt more rundown this time, even in the waiting room. Don't bother with this place- it's definitely he low point of a lovely hotel. read more