This New Spa in NYC Will Make You Feel Transported to a Tranquil Wellness Oasis

The bustle of New York City might make it seem like an unlikely locale for a wellness oasis. But, in fact, you don’t need to travel for hours outside the city or head to some secluded location to find one. The newly opened QC NY Spa is an immersive wellness destination right on Governor’s Island, just a short ferry ride away from downtown Manhattan.

Part of Italian parent company, QC Terme, QC NY Spa opened its doors in March 2022, but within a much older facility. “What’s really interesting about our location is we occupy three former army barracks. So they’re over 100 years old,” says Janine DiGioacchino, CEO of QC Terme Spas and Resorts, USA. The result is a 74,000-square-foot space that blends some of the rustic charm of its historic setting with the modern vibe of any QC Spa.

Among its offerings are saunas, steam baths, several relaxation rooms, two outdoor pools, foot baths, and Vichy showers. And if that seems like a lot to choose from, know that you’re not tied to one service or another on any given visit. You’re free to enjoy the amenities and make a day out of it, sort of like a “choose your own adventure” experience.

To craft her own QC adventure, Well+Good’s Director of Creative Development and host of What the Wellness, Ella Dove, recently ferried over to the spa herself. “I have never experienced anything in New York City that feels like such an escape,” she says. “It’s amazing how quickly you sink into this vacation mindset—just because I’m looking at New York City, and I am not in New York City.”

“Immersive wellness is about the disconnection. It’s the focus on relaxation versus getting a massage and then racing on to your next appointment.” —Janine DiGioacchino, CEO of QC Terme Spas and Resorts, USA

And that’s what makes QC NY uniquely appealing: You get to press pause and immerse yourself in wellness, without the hassle of a faraway trip. “It’s one of the hardest things to explain to my New York family and friends,” says DiGioacchino. “Immersive wellness is really about the disconnection. It’s the focus on relaxation versus [going to a spa in the city], getting a massage, and then racing on to your next appointment.”

That means that in order to get the immersive experience that QC NY promises, you do need to set aside some time. “I would recommend coming in [and being prepared to] totally disconnect, give yourself five or six hours, put on a robe, put on some sandals, put your phone in the locker, and then go enjoy,” says DiGioacchino.

Throughout her visit, Dove was able to soak in all the calm and tranquility of multiple saunas, steam rooms, and relaxation zones while also spending some quiet, introspective time in some of the funkier nooks and crannies of the spa—like an “upside down” room (which looks exactly like you’d envision) and a jukebox room.

“Sometimes, it feels like in wellness, there’s a goal. You’re getting a facial to do this or you’re getting a sports massage to fix this, and QC Spa really feels like a place to just come to do nothing. And that is definitely something New Yorkers need, but probably something we can all use a little bit more of: an excuse to do absolutely nothing,” she says.

To see how the rest of Dove’s adventure unfolded and get an inside look at all the spaces of the new QC NY Spa, press play on the video above.

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