The Trace Retreat Store & Spa

Melissa at Trace Retreat is great. She not only does a beautiful shellac on my nails, but wonderful pedicures. She is so knowledgeable and you can tell she really cares about the health of my nails. She is creative too and can suggest fun stuff for extra special occasions.

I have gotten 2 pedicures and 1 shellac manicure at the Trace in the last month from Melissa. She is awesome and far more than a nail tech. She is really interested in her customers and their nails. I came in via a Groupon but she rocks and I will be a frequent customer from now on. Everyone I have met there is very nice and also very professional. I also love that it is in Bellevue where I live!

I started here with a groupon for a shellac manicure and ended up buying a whole package for future appointments. Melissa is very personable and laid back. She did a great job with the shellac manicure and gave me great insight on ways to keep my nails looking healthy. I’m looking forward to trying a pedicure soon.

Let me start out by saying I had a Sharing Spree and when I called the number on the Sharing Spree it ended up being the owner’s cell number and she was not very nice about it. When the owner answered I had asked if this was Trace Retreat and she rudely said I’m the owner you need to call the spa this is my cell. I promptly apologized for the inconvenience and she gave me the number to the spa. I called to make my appointment thinking I could get in 2 weeks from when I called… WRONG they were booked. So I called back about a month later to see if I could get in sometime soon. The person who answered the phone (who wasn’t very friendly either) said «well we just ran a groupon so we are booked solid». I said well ok then tell me when I can get in. It turns out I couldn’t get in for a month (I needed an evening or weekend time) so I made my appointment for the following month! I was really frustrated that I had to wait so long but whatever not a big deal it’s just nails.
I was really looking forward to going to a spa for a mani/​pedi (I typically go to the nail shops you see in malls) because I don’t usually splurge to go to a full out spa. When I walked in I thought the front of the spa looked nice. I was walked to where they do the pedicures and manicures and was totally grossed out. It was filthy! The carpet was black and appeared to not have been vacuumed in awhile. The chairs they have for the pedicure stations are office chairs… seriously??? The tub next to mine appeared very dirty and not to mention the ledge by the pedicure station was dirty too. I almost wanted to walk out but since I had to use my sharing spree I went through with it! I also drove 40 miles to get here. If the place rocked my socks off I was planning to go back!
The girl who did my nails was good and very personable. The two complaints I have though is when she did my nails she didn’t have me soak my finger nails so she pushed my dry cuticles back… OUCHIE! I also wanted to get a french mani done and she said I can’t do that! She mentioned something that her brush had broke so I don’t know if she can do them or just doesn’t do them. When it came time to leave I had to put my shoes on and I had to brush stuff off my feet from the dirty floor. YUCK!!!
This place does have potential if they would clean up and modernize the furnishings and become friendlier!

Melissa is great. She does an awesome pedi!

This is a cool quirky place which is far better than you would expect to find next to an Ace Hardware store (no offense to those of you who like your pedicures with side of duct tape). The inside is nothing much to look at, and their ‘relaxation room’ escaped from somebody’s left over patio furniture BUT journey on oh brave souls in search of a good facial, because at the end of your long journey Lisa awaits you. This chick KNOWS your pores, and she is ready to do whatever it takes to fix them. I have a hypoallergenic reaction to air, okay, maybe not, but facials are tricky business for me and she’s the real deal. She’s smart, funny and very, very good at what she does. So go see her and pick up some peat moss from next door and you’ll be good to go.