I lived on Vidal Sassoon's free/uber cheap student cuts throughout university, when I was short on cash but had high standards and plenty of time on my hands. I had some of the best haircuts of my life there and their wash-and-wear approach was perfect for my low-maintenance ways. Trained students take about 2-3 hours to cut your hair under the watchful eye of an instructor, typically during weekday appointments in the mid-day, so fat chance if you work conventional office hours.
Post-school, the opposite holds true about time and money, while the standards hold fast; unfortunately, my loyalty to this place hasn't. A few years back, I thought I'd thank them for the many good student cuts by way of a full-priced haircut.
Eager to relive a rockin' bob circa my uni days, I emerged instead with a trainwreck on my head that drove me to not cut my hair again for a full year and a half. If ever there was a good reason to untag facebook photos...
I've seen and heard good things coming out of here since, but I haven't had the gumption to return.
Bottom line: be careful with the 'real' cuts, and don't be afraid to ask for a re-do. Go for the student cuts, where you won't be paying enough to be disappointed, and more than likely, you'll come away with a stunning haircut.