QC NY Spa — Spa Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"What’s the vibe at this place? Getting to Governors Island is always an adventure, and when you step off the ferry you quickly feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. That feeling increases when you enter the hushed, white and wood lobby of QC NY, which is inside a refurbished army barrack building. Once you leave the check-in area you’ll see more people wandering between the locker rooms, lounge areas, café, and in and around the centerpiece outdoor thermal pools with uninterrupted panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. Take us into the room. How was the set-up? The session itself? Finding the massage area was a bit difficult—due to the nature of the old building it's a bit maze-like. Once there, I found my therapist to be friendly and capable. She asked a few questions about focus areas and then got to work. I liked that they offered cheaper 25-minute massages in addition to 50- and 75-minute treatments, but in the end 25 minutes just isn't enough to fully relax. That said, my masseuse was competent and followed through on my request for more pressure. In a way, I enjoyed exploring the myriad relaxation rooms with different themes, scents, and decor, like the jazz-playing Jukebox Club and the cozy Fireplace Room, but the room where everything was upside-down felt like too much pure Instagram fodder. What about after the treatment? This is where QC NY really shines. In fact, I'd almost say you can skip a treatment altogether and just get a day pass, which gives all-day access to all the impressive water and thermal facilities. We're talking multiple sauna rooms, Vichy showers, foot baths, steam baths, and the main showpiece, the outdoor spa pools, which have various jetted and water massage features and epic skyline views. Post-treatment refreshments include dried fruit and nuts, but otherwise you have to buy food and drinks from the cafe, which is overpriced with food that's pretty "meh." Robes are fluffy and the locker rooms have basic bath products, lotion, and Dyson hair dryers—a nice upscale touch. What do they do best here, then? And how can we make sure we get the most out of it? I would definitely return. QC NY is an ideal getaway in the city that does a great job of making you feel miles away from city stress—even though you can still see it from the warm bubbly pool you're relaxing in. I saw plenty of couples and friend groups, and I had a great time taking my mom. I would recommend it to pretty much anyone who needs a break, but maybe tell them not to bother scheduling an actual treatment. Instead, plan on spending 4-6 hours just enjoying the various lounges and water, sauna, and steam facilities. Oh, and to bring their own food!" - Devorah Lev-Tov
