I don't usually write reviews on Yelp, but my experience with Imperial Salon was so unfortunate that I felt I had to say something, and hopefully spare someone a similar experience as me.
I was in Copenhagen for about a week, traveling with some friends. My bangs (normal straight bangs) had grown out a bit and became quite a nuisance. I got tired of pinning them to keep them out of my eyes so I hopped on Yelp, found Imperial Salon and headed over.
I am not sure, but I think the man that cut my hair not the owner. While I was able to converse with him in English, he was not very friendly, and I was not confident that he understood what I was saying. There was a lot hesitation and silent pointing from his end. I asked for the price and he pointed to a "short length haircut" on the price menu, at 170dk = ~$25.
I asked for either a bangs trim, back to straight bangs, or for him to do side bangs for me, whichever he felt best with. I guess he opted for straight bangs because he held a comb to my eyebrows and said "here?" and I said no, and moved them further down, below my eyebrows. He grabbed my bangs and made the initial rough cut and my heart sank. They were definitely above my eyebrows already, and that was before trimming/straightening the line.
I told him that they were a bit too short for my taste, and could he try to trim as little as possible, which he did. When he finished, he asked what I thought, and I thought it was just a mess. Length aside, the line was not straight, and near the end of the bangs where it meets the rest of my hair, some of my hair was chopped short but another layer was very long. I don't know anything about cutting hair but it just looked like bad haircutting 101.
I think he could tell I didn't like it because then he started combing my bangs down and telling me "see? not too short". I had been polite up until that point, because I know that sometimes haircuts just go badly and perhaps I could have been more clear and emphatic about my tastes, but I didn't like that he tried to convince me that it was alright. It was hands down the worst haircut that I've ever gotten. From his movements and technique it didn't feel like he really knew what he was doing.
Also he started combing the rest of my hair, which is dyed half blonde (my natural hair is black). Due to the extreme bleach job required to go from black to blonde, some of my hair in the back had broken off. He started combing that part and saying something, I couldn't understand at first. Gradually it came through that (I think) he was scolding me for dyeing my hair that color? He said "not good" and "color" and "too much" or something like that. That really upset me as well, I had been really civil to him despite being very dismayed that my haircut was terrible, and now he's badgering me about my hair color?
Anyway, I went to pay and it turns out they do not accept card, and I did not have enough cash on me. I left my backpack as ransom and went searching for an ATM machine, took me a good 10-15 minutes running around to finally locate one. When I got back, my hairdresser and another man, whom I suspect is the owner, waiting outside for me. Perhaps they thought I was going to run.
I don't know why but the owner kept apologizing and he said that 100dk was enough, it was just bangs, and that he was very sorry. I said are you sure? and thanked them and left.
My guess is that the owner left the shop briefly, and left this other guy in charge, and I had the misfortune of showing up in that window and having my hair mangled. It will be alright in a few weeks when it grows out and I can have it fixed, but I did have to spend the last few days in Copenhagen with a horrid bowl-looking haircut that made me loathe to go outside. You want to look cute and feel good when you're out traveling! and not like you want to stuff your head in a paper bag.
Oh well, I took a risk and it didn't pay off. Many other people have had good experiences so I just wanted to add my two cents here. Thanks! read more
