Heavenly Nail Spa — Local services in Palo Alto

I’ve been going to Heavenly Nail Salon for about three months, and for a while, I truly thought I had found my nail tribe. The place seemed promising at first, and I was genuinely excited to have a regular spot I could rely on. But after my most recent visit, all of that trust and comfort has been completely shattered.

Today’s appointment was nothing short of a nightmare. I had booked a Gel-X service and specifically requested a certain technician—something I’ve done before without issue. The owner, Mimi (you can’t miss her), confirmed my request, only for me to arrive and find out the tech wasn’t there. I later realized this is a common and deceptive practice: the owner will tell you what you want to hear just to secure the payment, with no regard for truth or client experience.

The tech I ended up with was clearly inexperienced and careless. She cut my natural nails all the way to the skin without asking, then filed them down so aggressively that they became paper thin, to the point where my nail beds were exposed—especially on my thumbs. I was left in physical pain and complete shock. It honestly looked like my hands had been through a meat cutter.

When I brought up my concerns, the owner offered a small discount to “make things right.” But I politely declined, because I don’t believe she deserves any more of my hard-earned money. This wasn’t just a bad appointment—it was deeply disrespectful, and I left feeling upset, angry, and hurt.

To make things even worse, the salon has inconsistent and shady pricing practices. I’ve been quoted one price beforehand, only to be charged something entirely different in person, with no clear explanation. My services every 2-3 weeks aren’t different, so why is the pricing different? The lack of transparency is unacceptable.

And!!!!!!! Here is something everyone should know: the owner actively asks clients to leave 5-star reviews in exchange for a $10 discount. That’s not just unethical—it’s illegal, and it calls into question the validity of many of the glowing reviews you see here. It’s a tactic that misleads customers and inflates the salon’s reputation falsely.

In the midst of all the frustration, there was one bright moment: after seeing how upset I was (yes, I was actually IN TEARS) one of the other techs kindly offered to redo my nails herself so I wouldn’t leave in complete embarrassment. Her compassion and kindness meant the world in that moment, and I’m truly grateful to her for stepping up when no one else would. Thank you, Cindy!!

But unfortunately, that one technician’s heart doesn’t change the fact that this business is built on dishonesty, manipulation, and a lack of care for its clients. I gave this salon multiple chances. I invested my time, my money, and my trust for three months—and today, all of that was erased in one incredibly disappointing experience.

Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. There are plenty of salons in Palo Alto with skill, integrity, and respect for their clients. Heavenly Nail Salon is not one of them.

PS: Tammy, Sara and Cindy-...

I've been going to this nail salon for the past four months, and unfortunately, I can no longer justify staying a customer. While I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, there are just too many issues that have added up over time. First and most importantly, they do not prioritize the health of your nails. Every time I go, they file so aggressively that it actually hurts. On multiple occasions, they've filed down so much that it hit the sensitive skin under my nails. It's painful and unnecessary. Nail care should never feel like that. Your nails will never turn out how you anticipated them to, I have a lot of trouble speaking up for myself and the smallest occasions where I do. Annoyance is showed immediately. I've witnessed certain workers that get mad at others for asking simple questions, especially when it comes to pricing. Another big issue is the inconsistency in pricing. Prices seem to change every visit without explanation, even for the exact same services. I got a classic set with a pink colors and it was $60, the next time I came in I got the same set but in white and it was $75. The last time I went, I got SHORT french tips and tell me why it was $90. No design. Nothing. They raise the price of your set especially if you're paying for more than just your nails, because it's easier to hide the individual price. It's extremely frustrating and makes it hard to trust the business. On top of that, setting an appointment doesn't mean much here. Even with an appointment, l've had to wait a long time --often 30 minutes or more - just to be seated. And if you ask for a specific technician and they confirm over the phone that the person is there, chances are they actually won't be when you arrive. I also want to mention that the owner comes off as very money-hungry. I can tell that most of the workers there don't even like the owner, she's extremely bossy and all up in your face with little to no experience on nails. I was tolo I'd get $10 off my service if I left a good review --that's the only reason I initially posted something positive. But after months of poor treatment and painful appointments, I had to be honest. If you're looking for a salon that truly cares about your nail health, your time, and a consistent experience. Then, this is not the place. I won't...

I had made an appointment online on a Saturday for the following Monday at 9am with Anna. I had to leave contact info but did not receive an email or text reminder. Generally fine, but since I was from out of town, I had actually forgotten the name of the place and location and had to go through all nail places online in Palo Alto find the one where my memory matched the webpage. I would say that could be better.

Got there at 9, but only one person was there, happened not to be Anna. I had an appointment for a mani pedi, and the appointment info had said it would be about 70 min total. Since there was only one person there, she started my manicure. The person was very friendly (her name is Mimi), and I liked the color she chose for my description of what I was looking for. However, I didn’t love the mani service. The nails were all slightly differently shaped, and the polish didn’t extend to the corners of my nail bed. She did do a thorough job on the cuticles though, cutting them twice. She did use tools that came out of an autoclaved sterile bag.

While I was getting my mani done, other technicians arrived. Among them, Anna. Anna then did my pedicure. In contrast to Mimi, the pedicure was stellar. Both in service as well as friendliness. Anna did a very thorough job on my toe nails, both shaping, cuticle work and great polishing. She helped me into my shoes and ensured I had water throughout my service.

The entire service took about 95 minutes.

Mail fingernails started crumbling after about a week of typical use. I’m attaching pictures of mani/pedi right after the service and manicure one week after manicure.

In terms of cleanliness, I would say the place has seen better days. I did not think that it was especially or nicely done. The atmosphere was meant to be a zen mediated vibe I think, but I was rather impressed by the variety of colors, wallpaper, and mirrors.

Overall, I’d come back and see Anna - but only if I can ensure I get her as...