While many may think the highlight of the W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is the very cool glass bottom pool overlooking the Atlantic, those of us in the know realize it’s really the freshly opened Ted Gibson Salon. Located at the entrance of this amazing ocean-front hotel, this 2000 square foot beauty zone has 10 stations, an INOA color bar, the L’Oreal Professionnel Color Atelier, and all the signature Ted Gibson touches of pink and chocolate and a pink bulbed chandelier. One of the focal points of the salon is the back wall mural of what co-owners Ted Gibson and Jason Backe call the BAE: The Blondest Asian Ever.

I stopped for a little tour, hosted by Jason Backe and the cutest Norwegian Terrier ever: Spencer. As with the New York Ted Gibson salon, celebrities are just drawn to the space. While there, Kyan Douglas, the grooming expert from “Queer Eye”, popped in as well (seems like everyone wants to meet Spencer).

While the salon is gorg and an oasis for clients, Jason points out that it is also a center for advanced education where Jason,Ted and the whole Ted Gibson team will hold quarterly academy events.  “At heart Ted and I are both teachers,” says Jason. “We love to share information. We love to be inspired by other professionals and to inspire other professionals.”

For more information about the salon or the academy, go to Tedgibsonbeauty.com. But to see the salon through the eyes of Jason, check out the tour in this video.