Varnish Lane Friendship Heights

Excellent brow treatment and excellent many pedi. Clean, easy, relaxing, all good
******

I was visiting some family in the area, and the Elizabeth Arden had closed. I usually went there for a massage and pedicure - something nice to have since I always run. I was very impressed with Varnish Lane Friendship Heights.

It's located in a small building away from the hustle and bustle of Wisconsin avenue and feels very welcoming. The welcoming area is fully open, with a nook and corner where the chairs are. It's a very comfortable layout, and the colors, lighting, and open concept makes it seem manageable, unlike many places that smell like literal varnish with fluorescent lights. The receptionist was very friendly and accommodating, and I was greeted with a glass of cucumber water.

I was scheduled for a basic pedicure with a slight massage, and I had Emily, who was a delight. She was very thorough and took great care of me. I just relaxed into the comfy massage chair and wasn't disturbed. She provided cleaning and buffering and did a great job scrubbing the bottom of my feet before massaging them with cream. I didn't add any polish to my nails, but they were sparkling by the time I left with all the oil treatments. They do not offer water services, so you're left with your feet drying in the air at the end. Next time I'm back in the Chevy Chase area, I'll be back for sure.

Jackie provided Excellent Customer Service. I am disabled, on crutches, and have tender areas in my legs. She provided a professional pedicure and massage that was comfortable and revitalizing. She has a calm, pleasant personality and that I admire. She should be recognized for "Excellent Service!!!

My friend has been raving about this place forever and we finally went in for pedicures today. I totally get the hype! The space is beautiful, the receptionist is friendly and welcoming, they have an amazing selection of polishes, the seats are extra cozy and the pedicure was incredible!

I highly recommend and can't wait to go back!

Front desk person is very rude, has a bad attitude, and was passive aggressive. I called because there was issues with the website. She made me go through a whole list of questions and at the end we couldn't even complete the booking because she wanted to charge me for the service before I even got to my appointment. Overall her tone was very apathetic and not at all welcoming to customers trying a new location.

Outstanding....every single time!
Thanks for making the experience so consistently pleasant and professional.

Outstanding service and quality. Took me a long time to find a provider after March 2020 that could provide a consistent quality
mani/pedi experience.

I had a terrible experience at Varnish Lane in Friendship Heights that culminated with what I believe in my opinion, was the front desk manager bullying me, cutting me off and acting very aggressive and disrespectful. I have been a good customer for a long time including through a recent high risk pregnancy and this behavior is intolerable. I had a service that was running late and was finally offered to start when it was too late for me and with a technician I had previously requested not to see. I had thought they forgot the service, which they often do. The front desk manager was informed that it was too late for my service and said nothing though I was two feet away. Although she didn't say anything, she proceeded to charge me for the entire service including the late one. Further, she was not up front about it and I had to ask her for the cost of service. Usually they say we are charging $x and initially she refused to tell me! She then proceeded to bully me and act very aggressive in my opinion, cutting me off and taking a call. I very nicely asked if the matter could be elevated for consideration and she was unwilling! It was very disappointing, shocking, and disrespectful for a front desk customer service in my opinion, I wanted to warn other customers of the bullying tactics I feel I experienced, and I cannot believe this would be tolerated behavior at a place of business. I was very disappointed and hurt my how I had been treated when I had been a good customer of two Varnish Lanes over many of the years. I absolutely never imagined this type of treatment!

I joined a friend for a pedicure -- first visit for both of us. The setting was soothing, the decor attractive -- none of the harsh chemical smells I associate with getting nails done. The service staff was pleasant and attentive.
The actual pedicure was a dreadful experience that I won't repeat. The pedicure took about three times as long as any other pedicure I've ever had, and was right up there with the expensive ones in cost. My nails weren't cut as much as I would have liked, and the technician repainted so much that I found myself wondering whether she lacked experience or whether she just had a bad case of OCD. This all happened with my legs in a position so uncomfortable that I finally had to take a break from the painful cramps.

Showed up on time for my appointment to be told they were running at least 30 minutes behind and hinted that they may cut short services booked due to closing time and they might not be able to accomplish services by closing time. Then they gave me push back about my not wanting to wait for a trimmed down service. Really disappointing. I would feel differently if they called ahead to give me the courtesy of letting me know the delay and letting me chose if I wanted to drive in, particularly as they call me when they are running early and pressure me to come early. Overall, really disappointing customer service that has deteriorated over the past year or so