After hearing many ladies swearing by the skillful people at Royal Nails, we tried getting manicures twice at their Heliopolis branch. The first time was a failure, they said they only had 30 minutes before they closed, were already fully booked and that we need to call and book an appointment for the following day. Their opening times were 10 to 7pm, rather inconvenient for most working women, but it was conveniently close.

So a few months later, after the initial anger worn off, we decided to give it another shot.

The salon is tucked in a small side street which says a lot of its identity, really: It’s for regulars and their networks who would’ve already known and heard a lot about it, not so much for drop-ins, however. If you’re already a regular client, you’ll receive the royal treatment, if you’re a first timer, don’t expect too much.

We were asked what we were getting and we said a manicure, a pedicure and eyebrows shaping. The receptionist told us all the manicurists are tied up with other clients now, so we naively said we can wait. “You will wait?” was her response and we confirmed we can, indeed, wait — as odd as it sounded to her.

So we sat in the small waiting area observing the scene. It was obviously a closely-knitted community, the clients were all chatting with one another and with the employees. Some clients had their kids with them and two of the workers who, we had been told, were all tied up with other clients were actually baby sitting — well, technically they are tied up with other clients, but other clients’ kids, that is. It was swarming with ladies in their 50s and 60s and younger ones who seemed to be the 60s ladies’ friends’ daughters, cousins or some sort of relative.

The employees were trying to convince the ladies to get rather outdated nail polish designs and it isn’t the cool, retro design either. The lady sitting in front of me was getting her toes painted in a very clumpy-looking geometrical design and the younger lady sitting on the other side was negotiating her way out of a similar one.

The chairs and setting, however, did look professional. They had several pedicure stations and specialized stations for acrylic nails.

After about 40 minutes of waiting a chair freed up. The lady asked me what I wanted done and I repeated what I said to the receptionist and as soon as I did, the manicurist tried to negotiate with  me. “Can you just get your eyebrows and upper lips done and ditch the manicure and pedicure? We’re closing in 40 minutes and I don’t want to be late.”

At this point I was fed up and started storming out telling her if they didn’t have time for me they should have said so before I waited 40 minutes with children playing and jumping around me. The manicurist — who was apparently a novice and didn’t have enough record with the shop yet to let a client storm out — started apologizing and telling me not to be upset. When I sat back down her attitude shifted 180 degrees and she was all nice and chatty. That shift in attitude, however, doesn’t mean they kept subtly reminding me of how late I am making them, even though we finished 10 minutes before the closing time. Her colleague stood over my shoulders waiting for her to finish so they can walk home together; and that was 10 minutes to their closing time so I wasn’t even really making her late.

At the end of the session, I had bleeding cuticles — despite my constant warnings that she’s cutting me and her constant reassurances that she isn’t —  poorly shaped nails and too thinly shaped eyebrows.

The manicure, pedicure, eyebrows shaping and upper lip threading cost LE100, which is a decent price compared to other upscale nail salons.

To sum it up, if you’re a regular or happen to know a regular, by all means go. If you’ve never been and don’t have a specific manicurist you know there, do not bother.

Royal Nails Heliopolis • 3 Hassan Youssry Street (behind City Stars) • Tel. +2 (02) 2419-7787

Royal Nails has branches in Zamalek, Maadi and Mohandessin.

Editor’s tip: If you live around Nail Salon (the area surrounding the Abdel Kader Fahmy hospital) and need a decent enough mani-pedi, try Hend at a very dodgy hairdresser on Abdel Rahman Ibn El Hakam street.