The best of
Wellington. Ranked.

A CBD institution on Lambton Quay pulling in a huge, loyal following for a reason: acrylics, gel, SNS and Shellac done with proper OPI/CND product and none of the queue-jumping rush jobs some quick-fix bars pull.

Tucked just off Lambton Quay, Rose's runs a calm, spotless operation covering everything from Gel-X and Polygel to spa pedicures and lash extensions — the kind of consistency that keeps clients rebooking on autopilot.

A proper day-spa pedicure experience rather than a quick polish stop — think heated massage chairs, hot towels and mud treatments alongside manicures and facials. Popular enough that peak-time slots go fast.

Over a decade on Cuba Street doing precise acrylics, classic manicures and detailed nail art, plus lash lifts and brow shaping — a genuine neighbourhood fixture in Wellington's most eclectic strip.

Over 35 years operating in the capital gives Urban Sanctuary a different pedigree entirely — full-service facials, massage, waxing and brow work in a genuinely tranquil, escape-the-CBD setting.

Blends Ayurvedic-influenced therapy with advanced skin tech — microneedling, laser hair removal, peels and microdermabrasion — for anyone after clinical results rather than just a standard beauty-room facial.

Fiona Wilton's cottage-setting Thorndon salon has built a client base that sticks around for years, not visits — Dermalogica-based facials, electrolysis and waxing from a genuinely experienced hand.

A Kilbirnie Plaza mainstay with a big local following — reliable acrylics, gel fills and pedicures from technicians who've clearly been doing this a while, without the eastern-suburbs price hike.

Fast, well-priced and smack in the middle of Newtown's busiest strip — a solid walk-in option for a same-day manicure or pedicure without sacrificing a tidy, professional finish.

Newtown's go-to for eyebrow threading and waxing, alongside massages, facials and nail treatments — a smaller, personal-service salon rather than a volume mill, which regulars clearly value.

Run by a therapist with over a decade of experience, offering advanced facials, threading, lash lifts and waxing from a dedicated home-salon setting — worth booking ahead, it's a one-woman show done properly.

Perfectionist technicians in Lambton Square focused on medical-grade manicure and pedicure hygiene — a step up for anyone who's had a bad experience with corner-shop sterilisation standards.

Tawa's answer to the CBD nail bars — friendly, no-fuss service and consistently clean, polished acrylic and gel work that's kept northern-suburbs locals loyal without the trip into town.

A Churton Park favourite proving quality beauty work doesn't need a CBD address — solid nail and beauty treatments at genuinely good value, which is why it's become a northern-suburbs word-of-mouth regular.