Sussex Express Reviews Tracy Walker Hair Salon: A Luxury Experience

The Sussex Express recently featured Tracy Walker Hair Salon in an article by Katherine Hollisey-McLean, describing it as "like a luxury spa." Katherine shared her experience at the salon, highlighting the indulgent treatments, expert haircare, and serene ambiance that make it truly special.

Read her full experience here.

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The gorgeous Sussex hair salon that's like a luxury spa

Katherine Hollisey-McLean

Published 5th Feb 2025, 18:12 GMT

This feature almost didn’t get written because I was too relaxed.I came back from a wash and finish at Tracy Walker Hair Salon in such a zen state of mind it was hard to put fingers to keyboard.

But I’m glad I rallied, because it would be unfair not to share what a wonderful experience it was.

Tracy, whose salon opened in Queen Street, Arundel, five years ago, kindly invited me for a treatment with her to hear about the journey she’s been on and to get a feel for the level of service she and her team offer.

Tracy, who has 20 years of experience in the industry, said: “I worked in large salons in London, and when I moved to Arundel there wasn’t a salon I wanted to work in that was like the professional salons I knew, so I decided to create one.

"Now, we have a really loyal client base. I still get my clients from London coming down on the train, and so many local people coming in, too. People want to come here and people want to work here.”

Tracy’s salon opened in February 2020, three weeks before the first Covid lockdown hit. She said that period was challenging as she was still trying to establish the business, but said the people of Arundel were ‘lovely’ as they came to her to buy the Aveda products she stocks.

Once she could open fully, she worked to build up her team. From operating with just herself and a part-time staff member in the early days, the salon now has ten members of staff. It offers Aveda colour services and bespoke cutting, but a visit to Tracy Walker’s is so much more than just getting your hair done.

Tracy has worked hard to make a visit to her salon a complete sensory experience. From the moment you walk inside, it’s warm, welcoming, and smells like a spa. As I later learn, this is down to the chakra sprays used on each client when they have their complimentary head and shoulder massage before their hair treatment starts. Tracy believes aroma is very important in helping people to settle into the space, and it definitely helped me to chill out.

The décor is sleek and elegant, curated by Tracy herself who has an interior design qualification. It feels like a boutique hotel or an upmarket spa, and is very aesthetically pleasing. Tracy has even launched a TW Lifestyle website where people can order the accessories used in the salon.

I was quickly ushered into my chair by the lovely front of house staff, and within minutes was drinking an earl grey from the most beautiful tea tray which even contained a gorgeous hand cream I could use.

As Tracy spoke to me about her journey to opening the salon, from running teams of 35 people in the capital to her slice of luxury in West Sussex, her passion was obvious. She genuinely cared about making sure I was relaxed, calm and knew I was in a ‘safe space’. And, of course, she wanted to make my hair look as fabulous as possible.

We made a ‘hair plan’ for what I wanted to achieve, and as the treatment went on she advised me on what she thought would be best for my hair.

Years of highlighting had left me with two-tone hair, that was quite yellowy at the ends. After my massage, she applied an exfoliating treatment to cleanse my scalp and rid my hair of some of the products I’d been using.

Next, I was taken to the sumptuous basin area, where I was given a foot rest, covered in a blanket and had a heated eye mask applied while my hair was washed and deeply conditioned. I have never felt this level of care while having my hair done, and it was a revelation.

Next, Tracy took me back to my chair and gave me a ‘bouncy blow-dry’, adding movement into my newly brightened hair. My scalp felt invigorated, my hair lighter and brighter, and just as importantly, I felt rejuvenated.

Tracy said: “I have tried to create a culture of hair care that people take away with them. The most important thing is people come here to have great hair, so we make sure we have their care plan so we talk about the future of their hair, inspire them and change their service a bit when they need it.

"As a hairdresser you make people look and feel great, and all of us here have the drive to do that. It’s so rewarding. We never feel like we’re going to work.”

Tracy and her team have won a host of salon industry awards, and are rated five stars on Google – with a host of glowing reviews to prove it.

Tracy is also keen to give back to the community and treats her staff like family. This month, she is offering free head and shoulder massages to anyone who comes into the salon in return for a donation to the Snowdrop Trust. She has also run yoga in the park sessions, and has bought an allotment for her team to use for meetings and with their families at weekends.

It’s amazing how much better you can feel in just an hour when you’re in the hands of an expert hair stylist. Tracy has created an experience that’s beyond just a haircut and I’d highly recommend it!