Really unique glamping experience in NYC with amazing waterfront views. The tents are comfortable and the setting feels like a true escape from the city. A few downsides. It is expensive, service at the restaurant was slow, and there was a party boat going late into the night which made it less quiet than expected. We stayed out when they first opened and loved it so much but then didn't have any issues with boats, and also the price was half the cost then which makes much more sense for the experience. Still a fun and memorable stay, just not quite as relaxing as it could be. read more

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There are levels to pain. Like stubbing your toe, biting your tongue, sun burn, osteosarcoma, child birth, being crucified. If you want to experience dull yet unrelenting pain then you should book a "retreat" here. Let me first explain the type of person I am as to provide some reference point. I was raised in a hot trailer park in South Texas. I worked menial jobs with bosses that would make drill sergeants seem pleasant. Oh, and my step father was an abusive alcoholic, I've been burned with cigarettes as a child. I've spent two years in prison. One of which was in Rikers island. I am absolutely not a soft person who needs life easy. All that being said. You will absolutely regret staying here unless you are a refugee from Haiti. If you are used to living without uncertainty and chaos then please heed this warning. First, our reservation. We paid 800 for a very specific reservation on their website. I paid for an upgraded room and was shown the cowboy Suite. I patiently waited over 45 mins to check in to an un busy tent at 8pm. The women seemed very uninterested and said she didn't see our reservation. I left the tent because my wife was hungry. So we had dinner at the restaurant. When I returned she tried to give me another place but it was basically a box. My wife and I insisted we had booked the cowboy suite. Much talking and deliberation I showed her my credit card charge and the amount on the app that I was charged. She said it wasn't available because and I quote, "yes we have lots of availability but they aren't cleaned until someone books them." Unfortunately they never emailed me a confirmation. I should have known something was wrong. read more

Do NOT book this! We booked a family journey tent for 4. We called the hotel to arrange the restaurant and they said we don't have a booking - but we had our Expedia confirmation. Hotel said they wouldn't honor it (same day). On their website they showed availability for 5 rooms, so we said ok can you put us in 2 separate rooms for the same price (as this was your error) they refused and were totally unreasonable and implied it was our problem. So beware- because getting over there on the ferry is very tricky and you run a strong risk that these clowns will tell you you have no bed for the night despite having a confirmed reservation. read more

The Collective on Governor's Island was a little staycation adventure that I took with a few friends. The ride on the ferry is included in your booking and there is a golf cart that can bring you from the ferry to the "campground." Some folks who packed light opted to ride in on Citibikes. The walk from the ferry was nice but could be long if you have small children or elderly people. We started off on the wrong foot since our accommodations were slated to sleep up to 4 but there was only one bed. We ended up having to add a cot that tacked an additional $100 fee to the bill. Therefore when booking, I would recommend that you contact them beforehand to ensure your party will be suitable to the room. Our booking was for August and it did get a little cool so bring a sweatshirt just in case. The room was cute and had lots of seating and pillows. Towels, hand towels and washcloths are set in your room so do be sure to ask for any extras that you may need. I recommend booking a dinner reservation for the restaurant on site as you will not find many other options. Those options are not a short walk away and have limited hours. Would I go again? Absolutely, since I now know what to expect. The Collective is a nice option to camping in the City where it feels as if you were not in the middle of NYC. Is it fancy? Not really. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth a try if you want to try something new? Sure. Pro tip: There is NO access to refrigeration on site. They do provide a sizeable cooler in the tents but you will need to request a lot of ice and they were not very giving when I was there. #2) Bathrooms are a short walk from the tents but there's a gravel road with grass and its a bit annoying if you need to pee in the middle of the night! read more

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This is a magical place. The city has done a great job with the space here. I saw this space before it was built and never imagined that it would look like this. It's not only the way it looks it's the experience you create while being here. Already the island is beautiful and fulll of history. This space, however, makes you want to stay here a couple of nights. The staff is so helpful and friendly that I ended up staying the entire day here and almost stayed the night (I kid you not). I travel a lot and no place compares to the beauty of New York. This place captures everything people dream of. The views, the people, the food. Everything is so fresh and they do have their own gardens out there. I cannot wait to go back. I love the people who work there they are awesome and give the place the authentic NY feel it has. read more

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My biggest complaint was the party cruises/booze cruises that prevented my friend & I from sleeping. The music is SO loud & deafening that it sounds like it's in your tent. I am still in a coma & I came home yesterday. The next complaint was the noise the tent made in the wind. The tent rubs against the poles and makes a lot of noise. I was told I would have a refrigerator, but there was none, so they gave me a cooler with ice. The Three Peaks Lodge was slow to serve & they made MANY mistakes, but the food was delicious & the manager comped my friend's meal. The staff was VERY friendly and helpful. Yes, they do charge too much, & although I have about 20+ mosquito bites, I still don't regret doing it - YOLO. read more

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary here, thanks in part to a generous gift certificate we had received last year. Because of the gift certificate, we decided to splurge and pay extra for a waterfront view, and I'm so glad we did. We saw a glorious sunset and loved just relaxing on the front deck, and also people watching from bed. The staff was all wonderful and friendly and helpful. The food at the restaurant was great--the chocolate lava cake was delicious. We skipped the s'mores but had fun chilling in a hammock on the lawn. Our only critique/warning is the noise from the planes, helicopters, passing cars and carts and bicycles and pedestrians in front of the tent. The provided earplugs were life savers and necessary for sleep--and a warning about the loud party boats that pass after midnight on Saturday nights. I somehow slept through it but they woke my husband up and kept him up for an hour! (Definitely not the fault of Collective Retreats, but be aware!) read more

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It's sad how the place has gone downhill. No maintenance in years, everything broken from AC to wooden boards to bathroom tent zippers. Helpless and defeated staff can't do anything. Massively expensive but that's not the issue as much as losing dinner reservations, overbooking tents, no hot water in half the showers, serving breakfast 1 hr late then immediately running out of food (which was literally just bread and fruit). I've stayed in Motel 6's that were less run down and had better service. Meanwhile a new school looms over the campground and events on land and sea interrupt any peace and quiet. There is no retreat here other than a retreat from service, sanity and any sense of luxury. It needs to close down and be replaced by a new operation. In fact it may have already gone bankrupt and we just don't know it yet... read more

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I am beyond frustrated with Collective Retreats. I booked a stay for my birthday tomorrow at the Governors Island location, but they unilaterally cancelled all my April reservations without a single word of notice or explanation. To do this just 24 hours before a scheduled trip--especially for a birthday celebration--is incredibly unprofessional and disrespectful. My entire birthday plan has been ruined due to their lack of communication and poor management. I strongly advise everyone to be cautious when booking here. They clearly do not value their customers' time or special occasions. I am still waiting for a proper explanation and compensation for this mess read more

This is my review of our very disappointing glamping experience on governors island NY. We booked through Booking.com and they had 1 basecamp left and we booked for Friday July 3 & Saturday July 4th checking out Sunday July 5th. We received confirmation of our reservation and paid $2600.00 in full for the trip. My husband and I were not only celebrating the 250th July4th holiday but our 20th anniversary together so we booked the trip and paid for overnight parking in NYC at $140.00 and the ferry to Governors Island. We were extremely excited about this trip even in the middle of a heat wave in NYC so it was literally 100 degrees by the time we got to the island. We went to check in only to be told that our reservation couldn't be found because their system didn't sync with 3rd party vendors such as Booking.com. The staff instructed me to call Collective Retreats directly which kept me on hold for like 20-30 minutes. When I finally spoke to someone they stated the same they didn't have our reservation and they didn't sync with 3rd party vendor and since we had paid for the trip up front we would have to go through Booking.com for full refund. I asked why they have rooms advertised on 3rd party vendors if their system doesn't sync with them to which they didn't have an answer. I went back to the staff who told us they only had a vacancy for Friday July 3 and they were already booked for the next day so we would have to check out the next day and we would have to leave the island before 2pm because of the 4th July holiday the ferry stops running so we would completely miss the fireworks. I explained that I had booked the reservation for the 2 nights but the staff plainly stated that they were overbooked. I agreed initially and they again had me call Collective Retreats only to be put on hold again. So the staff checking us in said she would make a second reservation for us but it would not be the base camp we originally reserved but a tent, she stated it would be another 1900.00 for the night but I explained we paid for 2 nights in full but she stated we paid through Booking.com so they don't have that money. Finally after having paid $2600.00 that I would have to get back from Booking.com and knowing we would have to leave the island by 2pm and would miss the fireworks we decided not to spend anymore money or waste any more time in the scorching heat. The staff gave us 2 complimentary drinks at the bar before we left and I had actually sent my husband to the bar while I dealt with this entire issue and he stated that the staff at the bar was slow it took them forever to get two cocktails which I needed while handling everything. For our complimentary drinks we grabbed 2 beers because we just didn't want to wait another 30 minutes for cocktail. I have to mention that the staff was nice enough but they seemed overwhelmed by the slow internet connection and this reservation chaos. Interesting side note on the ferry back to Manhattan we ran into 2 women who had the same experience as us and also had to leave the island. It was truly a disappointing experience and especially since our nations 250th anniversary and our 20th anniversary only comes one. We have a large number of people we told about our reservations and they are expecting our reviews on Collective Retreats and I will be sharing this very disappointing experience with all of them. A final side note I contacted Booking.com and they apologized for our experience and issued us a full refund. Next day we got a cancellation from Collective Retreats so I guess their system finally sync with Booking.com read more

Beautiful views of NYC Skyline. A must visit!! Glamping to another level. They have the restaurant in a large tent and a 2nd tent for private functions, beautifully decorated and AC. A bar, plenty of seats and grass for a picnic, hammocks to chill it is an all around perfect place to hangout solo or with friends. The bathrooms are super clean with showers, it takes time to get use to using this kind of facilities, but definitely an experience. Service was great, food was delicious. If you have reservations to the restaurant there is transportation provided as it is a ways from a ferry. Hands down a great experience. read more

Collective Retreats - Glamping - Vacation Rentals Near Me

Our Glamping here is multi star rated; let's start with the good 5 star stuff. Easy to get too, interesting experience, clean comfortable tents. Loved the campfires and s'mores. Views of the harbor and Statue of Liberty are fabulous. Then there are some 1 star distractions that were really annoying. Our Party of 5 had a horrible experience in the dining tent at dinner. In summary we had reservations at 7:00. 2 plates arrived at table at 7:45. Next 3 plates landed at 8:30 PM. Not good. Party boat music is loud at night and overhead helicopter noise during the day and early evening is too. Staff was a real mix. For an "upscale adventure experience" they were not the most welcoming crew. So all in all not the greatest experience but kind of cool, OK and that's why my rating and the average rating for all Yelp reviews has it pegged at 3. read more

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I am so grateful to be able to experience glamping with collective retreats at Governors Island. The experience from beginning to end was amazing and a once in a lifetime. They book fast esp on the weekends. We booked on a weekday (cheaper & was not fully booked) for 1 night. We booked the journey tent with waterfront view (you can see statue of liberty and the city). You have to take the ferry to come to governors Island. Once you enter governors island and exit the ferry, you can either walk there or txt them to arrange a time to pick you up via their golf cart. The golf carts usually are on the right side near the water fountain area (when you exit the ferry boat). The golf cart ride was fun because we sat on the back area (full view). Once you enter the facility, you have to wait till 3pm to check in. If it is early, there is a bar/restaurant where you can grab a drink or eat, or you can sit nearby and wait until they take you to your tent. There were different types of tents. The more expensive ones were on the right side of the facility (when entering). Those have private bathroom and shower in it. The left side were the journey tents (either with water view or without). I highly recommend the water view if you come here for the experience. The journey tents don't have bathroom or shower in it, but a few steps away there is a section where they have tons of bathroom with shower in it. Very convenient and super clean! We had no problem using the bathroom/shower anytime (even past 12am - very safe here). The byredo hand wash and lotion was amazing and the body wash was amazing as well! If you like those things, they sell them. The journey tent room was spacious and nice. There is a safe (if you want to put important things in it), electric kettle, tea bags, coffee packets, creamer and sugar, cups and mugs, light lamp, 2 boxed water, and bath towels. There were plenty of outlets to charge your electronics. The only complaint is the sleeping pillow was not comfy (flat with lack of cushion) and the constant helicopter and ferry noise was a bit uncomfortable (but u get use to it). They have smores by the campfire after sunset and it was delicious and fun! In the morning, they give you complimentary bkfast (tons of food and delicious). If you love yoga, it starts at 8am for 1 hr near the bar area. Checking out is at 10am. You can rent bikes (at the citibike docks - a bit far) or a bike rental shop nearby for $20 for 2 hours or $25 for all day (we did $25 for all day as we stayed overnight). You can ask for a helmet if you want. The bike was super comfy and worked. There were many food shops and spots to play (hammock section and the slides, maze and mini ziplining, etc). Staff was very attentive and friendly. It was also very safe - no one goes inside your tent. You can zip it to close it. Highly recommended! We will come back soon again! Super relaxing, like a mini vacation without having to go too far. P.S - bring bug spray! Tons of bugs ready to feast on your blood haha read more

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So first off, this island used to be owned by the U.S. Guard and walking around you can completely understand why there are people still upset today that the Coast Guard gave it away in 1998. There were 5000 Coasties living and working in one of the most ideal spots near Manhattan! However their loss is everyone else's gain, because instead of a parking lot and some barracks, the site now hosts glamping tents. The staff are genuinely nice and are committed to make everyone's experience wonderful. Currently there's several families of ducks roaming around the property and the ducklings are just adorable. The tents and beds are exceptionally comfortable and there not only a heating/ cooling unit to make the tent the right temperature, but there heating pads on the bed to make sure it's nice and cozy when you climb in at night. Some tents have bathrooms attached, and some tents do not. But the tents with the bathrooms and showers attached are well worth the money. Overall, this place is good for a romantic weekend getaway or for a family adventure. And last but not least- the s'mores. Who doesn't like being able to kick back in an Adirondack chair, roasting a s'more while watching the sun set behind Lady Liberty? Seriously, you can't go wrong with ending your day like that. read more

Collective Retreats - S'mores with Lady Liberty - Vacation Rentals Near Me

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Sorry to say, it was the worst hotel experience in my life. Booked two rooms : journey and summit. Cost 450 and 750 per night at a non busy season,the rooms look completely different with their photos online. It is the most basic room with a bare minimum service.Bed sheets and blankets has so many dirty stains, The tent makes so much noise at night, I didn't sleep at all.Stuffs in the front desk are super rude for no reason. A guy Name Alex in the concierge look like I owed his money something, English is not my first language( but good enough for people to easily understand me) but when I asked him something, he turned back with a super bad attitude: " So what is your question!?' !I highly recommend you don't waste your money, get a Tent go somewhere by yourself is a million times better idea. read more

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Weekend from hell. -not enough towels for the people staying, no conditioner or shampoo and when we asked for more someone came and stayed in our bathroom for 20 minutes doing god knows what. -INSANELY hot. we were waking up at 6am because it was a sauna in our room. there is no working AC anywhere. there are holes in the tent that let in bugs and heat, and there are so many bugs on the beds and the floors -do not expect to eat anything or be accommodated for if you have any dietary needs. they will tell you they are too busy and serve you some hard pasta -there is a party boat that blasts music from 10pm-3am every night. it sounds like it's right outside your tent -one of our room's fans sounding like an airplane taking off- it shook the entire room and clanged loudly -if you're under 21, you can't go to the spa so there's no relaxation available -everything on the island is far and expensive, after already spending a big buck on the room AVOID in the summer. not sure about the winter, but this was the fiery pits of hell. Pros: -good views -free breakfast (VERY minimal) -free s'mores -golf carts to take you places -games -shout out to christian who runs the golf carts. he needs to be saved read more

My boyfriend and I celebrated his birthday here, thanks in part to a generous "Glamping" Gift Certificate we received from our friends. I am so grateful the certificate allowed us to book a waterfront view. We saw so many amazing day to sunset to night and then morning views right from our front porch of the tent. From the very moment we stepped into the resort, we were greeted by a friendly host Felix, that allowed us to check in early and bring us right to our tent. After a day at the spa on Governors Island, we were able to come back, to change. We then ventured to have food at the restaurant and drifted to the many hammocks and firepits, to relax and enjoy a smore or two. After a long day and evening we headed back to our first-class tent to sleep. Although others critique the noise, we didn't find any unexpected noise. For goodness' sake, we are sleeping in a tent outside, so we expected some noise, but honestly the outside noises did not disturb us at all. But what was good to know Collective Retreats thought ahead and had earplugs for the light sleepers. The tent was also fully equipped with electric, a/c, coffee, cooler, ice, safe and more. The bathroom included a shower which was very nice and well maintained. Please note for a point of reference, the only camping I do is a Marriot or Hilton. After our experience we are already planning on coming back, The next morning on Sunday, the experience included continental breakfast with fresh bake goods, bagels, fruit, juice and coffee that all were delicious. We left it was pouring rain and Felix offered a ride with our luggage to ferry so we would not get drenched. Last, I didn't want to fail to mention an unexpected glitch we had, that the staff totally came through. We left some valuables behind by accident. When we realized the mistake, we called and this wonderful staff member Kate, checked the room, found what we had lost and held it for us in their safe until we could return back to retrieve. After such a positive experience we look forward to trying other Collective Retreats while heading back to this one on Governors Island. read more

A great way to end the summer and a great weekend it was. A ferry ride away and you'll feel at ease within minutes. Staff is superb, very friendly and always available to assist. Rented out a journey tent and it was more than enough room and comfort for me. Your stay comes with free breakfast and s'more roasting at sunset. If the silence and book reading gets you bored, there are lawn games, hammocks & porch seating so you can enjoy your view and fresh air. Golf carts are available to get you around with staff just shoot them a text or call! The shared bathroom was not bad at all, they were kept clean & updated through out my entire stay. This retreat is worth a visit! I did ask until when will they be open this year I was told until November 14th! I cannot wait to come back. read more

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How lucky were we to come right up on opening day of this stunning restaurant in the middle of glamming paradise surrounded by all that NYC offers! We had cocktails as the staff were setting up and got to enjoy the waterfront, the sun, and the brilliant blue sky. You are going to LOVE this place; it's really the BEE'S KNEES! read more

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What an incredible treat for the family. We absolutely love Governors Island when we day trip there from Brooklyn, but there's something immensely exciting to "live" on the island for a few nights. The Communcations leading up to our getaway was excellent and helped answer many questions we might have. Travel to the island during the week required us to get to the west side of Manhattan for a private ferry (a high powered inflatable boat). It's not far and in a small watercraft you feel all the wake. They hummed across the Hudson and the harbor where we felt like we hit 60 and the kids were screaming in excitement. Thankfully our bikes didn't bounce off the boats. Once we made it to the "camp" we were thrilled to have a smooth checkin and we're shown to our tents along with a brief rundown of what was there and offered (bonus- s'mores every night)! Our tent was thoughtfully put together with enough space to be comfortable and cozy at the same time. Coffee machine and some light snacks were provided. The kiddos tent (right next ours on the same platform was perfect for them and provided the ideal balance of privacy for everyone. We had dinner reserved for this first night and enjoyed a cocktail at the bar prior to being seated. Our food was nice, if not overly memorable. A nightcap before the fire pit was just what the doctor ordered and the views were incredible and we felt like it was mostly our own camp grounds. When we finally retired for the night the bed was great, but late into the night we heard loud music as if there was a rave on the island. It quickly died down but then started up again 25 minutes later. Helicopter traffic added to the noise interruptions and made it not as peaceful as expected. We realized the next day that the party was on a boat that was circling the island (hence the 25 minute delay between disturbances). We remedied the next night with a pair of earplugs that they had forgotten to give us upon checkin. When the kids woke up (at 7am) we told them they could get on their bikes and roam the island (since no one would be there until the first ferry at 10am arrived). They loved this "lord of the flies" freedom and promptly went all around exploring and playing until breakfast (which was a nice, small pasty, fruit & juice basket). Overall it's an incredible experience and one we will likely do again as the kids really enjoyed it and the two nights was just the right amount of time away. read more

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Had an amazing night. The tent was clean and comfortable. The bed really cozy. Bathroom well stocked with toiletries and robes. Everyone from the check in to the waiters was super friendly. Waking up to this view was a memorable experience. The food also was delicious and the breakfast delivery in the a.m. as well. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend it. Such a beautiful view read more

We wanted to get away from the city for a short trip and I heard about this place from timeout NY. We were super excited to the idea of waking up to the statue of liberty in the morning and seeing the sunset behind it too. We booked a Sunday one night stay in one of the journey tents. Lucky (or unlucky) for us, we got a tent by the water. At night, there was a party boat (who parties on Sunday night?!?!) on the Hudson River near Jersey city that blasted loud music, and the sound travelled to Governor's Island. So did not have a good night's rest unfortunately. During the day, there is a plane/chopper/boat/ferry that passes by the island every 5 friggin minutes. Way too loud! Service was excellent. The food and drinks at the restaurant and bar was excellent too. Note that the steak cut wasn't the highest quality cut so not as tender. The smores at night by the campfire is nice and cozy. Great way to meet fellow glampers. The shared bathrooms were very modern and clean, however, it really needs better bug control. Lots of weird creepy crawlers. The way they maintain the tents is how they should maintain the public washrooms. The glamp-ground is very nice. Just bad location, way too noisy and loud. read more

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My sister & I were fortunate to book 1 night here on a weekday. We tried last year and it was fully booked. I highly recommend this & it is memorable experience glamping w/ collective retreats at Governor's Island. The entire experience was excellent! We booked the journey tent with waterfront view (you can see statue of liberty and the city). The ferry ride to governors island was fast (5 minutes) and smooth. They have someone who can pick you up via golf cart and drive you there. If you decide to walk, it is a bit far. Once you are inside the retreat, there is a bar/restaurant there where you can eat or grab a drink. There are plenty of chairs to lounge around. You can also rent different types of bikes nearby to roam around the area. There is also many small shops around the area. The journey tent we booked was very comfortable and had a wonderful view of the waterfront and statue of liberty. I enjoyed every moment of it from morning to night, sundown to sunrise. The only issue is with booking the journey tent is that the bathroom/shower area is not inside the tent but a few walks away (next to the bar/restaurant). Despite that it was a few steps away from the tent, the bathroom/shower area was clean and well stocked w/ things. I liked the byredo hand wash and lotion they had. It smelled so nice! P.S - If you like the byredo hand wash or the shower gel, they sell them. The highlight of this experience was having smores by the campfire after sunset for me. I have never done this, so I was so excited when I got to experience it. The smores was delicious and fun! The next morning, they give you complimentary bkfast (tons of food items inside basket) and it was delicious. I also did the 8-9am outdoor yoga and it was nice. Staff was very friendly and attentive. I felt safe the entire time I was in the retreat. I loved it so much & will come back soon again! It was super relaxing, like a mini vacation without having to go too far. read more

I have a lot to say about this place. I've wanted to shoot the NYC skyline at night from Governors Island for a long time. When I heard about this tent thing, and a chance to spend the night, I jumped on board! I made a reservation very early on, before they had opened, and got a great price. I do think they have some things to do to make the experience nicer. I wonder if they aren't used to running this business in a humid climate because canvas isn't a great choice for things like lamps when you'll be battling mildew constantly. They need to figure out how to clean the floors better between guests. If they offer a text service to get helped by staff, someone should actually answer the texts. They need to work on some of the landscaping around the tents themselves. It would also be great if they could offer photo tours off property, even if accompanied by someone, after dark. However, those complaints aside... it's a neat concept. It's fancy camping and when the weather is good it's a nice experience. The dinner, though pricey, was actually exceptional. The staff we encountered in-person were so friendly and helpful (and did apologize for not answering texts). The bathroom were extremely well maintained and clean, and not at all smelly. We had fun the night we arrived, and I did get some of the photos I wanted... though I was disappointed not to be able to leave the campground after dark. Sadly, the next morning was so incredibly humid (and I had a headache) we just couldn't wait to get off the island (there's no place with AC to escape to). I'd also add, I'm not sure I'd return for their full price. Like I said, I got a deal (like almost 30% off). For the full price I wouldn't have felt it was worth it... and I think the price has even gone up. It was a mixed bag of good and not-so great... but overall I'm glad we did it. read more

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I've stayed here once and enjoyed it well enough. It's a cool concept, albeit a bit overpriced. And TBH it could be better executed in several ways. But despite that, I was looking forward to coming back at some point. However, after an unpleasant encounter with one of their staff yesterday, I don't think that CR will ever get another dollar from me. Was on Gov Island for the Jazz Age Lawn Party and wanted to swing by for a drink after. Approached the property and was rudely told off by a young, blonde female saying there was a private event. Let me be clear. Being asked to leave was not at all a problem. I've worked in hospitality myself and have been in her position. But tact and decency are important - especially when you need to say no. This person decided to scold me for not seeing "her" sign that was "clearly visible." (It was not.) And, for some bizarre reason, thought it needful to mention that people "pay a lot of money" for private events. Not sure why she said that. Was the implication that I couldn't afford to patronize their property? Her tone and words were dripping with patronizing disdain and quite offputting. For all of CR's grandstanding about their supposed values, they really don't deliver based on how they treat the public. read more

My husband and I stayed at Collective for my birthday this past weekend. I really hate writing negative reviews, but unfortunately, I had very high hopes for my visit and my biggest concern was my safety, which is a deal breaker for me and likely most others as well. My husband and I left our tent for dinner and came back to see furniture moved around, food in our bed, all the sides and windows closed, and a very strong smell of marijuana. Clearly someone wanted to have fun turning our tent into a hot box, but the fact that someone could just easily walk in is extremely concerning. We immediately head to the check in area to raise our concerns and all we were offered was a freshly made bed. When we were told we could head back after standing at the check in area for about 30 minutes, we were told that the people who came into our tent were removed from the property, but they were clearly still in the vicinity as we could hear and see them causing a commotion in the area. They were clearly under the influence, but I don't know if they have anything that could hurt someone. When I asked staff if the individuals were removed from the island about an hour later, I was immediately dismissed for asking about the situation and never received confirmation. No one at the property let guests know when these individuals (who may have gone into other tents too for all I know) were gone. As a result, my husband and I could barely sleep because we were concerned about our safety as we were sleeping in a tent that is simply zippered closed for "security". No one at the property ever checked back in with us or offered us anything as a result of our safety issue. While this is an island and there is security for the island, it appears very easy for someone to be able to come in and out of the Collective property. I have no idea if the people who came into our tent were paying guests or not, but all it takes is someone avoiding security when the island closes and the wide open gate onto the Collective Retreats property or the short fences to be able to get on the property. In addition, the safes in the tents are only slightly larger than a hotel safe. Given the lack of ability to lock the tent space, I would have at least expected a locker sized safe to sufficiently fit our belongings. Were are lucky that none of our belongings were stolen when the unexpected visitors came into our tent. Also, while not safety related, we paid a fee that included WiFi and we did not have WiFI in our tent. All in all, safety should be a top priority for any kind of lodging and it simply didn't exist, which is abysmal for a place that cost us $700 for 1 night. read more

Did not think it was quite glamorous camping. The tents were quite hot during late August. At the complementary fire with s'mores there were many people not staying overnight that took seats and had complementary food. Apparently they were encouraged to sit around the fire taking the place of others that actually paid for the experience. The food selection is limited. Think twice about investing in an overnight stay. read more

Beautiful luxurious glamping site perfect for a weekend getaway. My boyfriend and I stayed on a Sunday night in June, having booked 4+ months in advance. Really enjoyed the private bathroom, unparalleled view of the Statue of Liberty at night, and being able to bike all around the island. There are a lot of families who come in the summer, so expect a children's movie to be played at night. Beware the food is very pricey and there's limited food options at the site for dinner. We packed snacks and a sandwich which I'd recommend as our Glamping neighbors weren't in awe of the food served for dinner but had no other option to choose from. Overall, Governors island is truly beautiful, well maintained and full of rich history. However, one night there is plenty - think we explored the whole island twice within a few hours. read more

Collective Retreats - Luxury tent - Vacation Rentals Near Me

Stayed here recently in the outlook shelter and loved it.... We opted for this for many reasons.... While the tent seems fun it's more of a novelty to do and I'm what you call the fugaze outdoorsy type. I liked the way it looked better online (king bed, full bathroom, AC, small fridge, complimentary breakfast) it just made more sense. The outlook shelter is an equivalent of a tricked out shipping container right out of an episode of tiny homes on HGTV. King Bed is placed between a nook, it was cute. Pillows were the most uncomfortable thing and left us with stiff necks and headaches, lol. They're overstuffed and like covered in plastic I'm sure obv easier for cleaning etc.. sooo uncomfortable. Also, the room would benefit from some black out shades/curtains under the cute nice white decor they had hanging. Our eyes were wide open at 6am, we both are usually very early birds anyway but we wanted to lounge and it was impossible lol. The bathroom was a great size for us both and had a sliding door to separate the one great room, we loved it. Our shower was a little off, piping hot and then freezing cold water lol no happy medium; get in and out quick! There was a small couch in the room as well which we sat on in the mornings and enjoyed our breakfast. I'm not sure if complimentary breakfast is included in all of the rooms but it was a great assortment and kept us full for most of the day. We had a French press in the room as well so we used that. The restaurant there had phenomenal food. I'm def a food snot sometimes but this was just so good. We ordered mushroom soup, Spanish bluefin tuna, lamb chops, steak, pork tenderloin, peach cobbler... everything was great (this was between both nights). Very nice farm to table menu, highly recommend. I would for sure recommend that the collective contacts you before your arrival to set up a golf cart for transportation to the retreat. We took a ferry from south street seaport and then when we got there, no one was around. I had called previously and no one answered which seemed weird since I thought they had excellent customer service. We walked half way lugging our bags and then stopped someone who luckily worked at the retreat and she gave us a lift. Free ferry ride back on Monday which was nice, different port drop off but not far from seaport (our car was in a garage near our port of departure and we had to catch an Uber). It was a very romantic and pricey weekend lol we had wine on Adirondacks in the park, popped around the island (they had food trucks; we opted for island oyster instead), and really just chilled, ate some good food, it was relaxing and nice to just enjoy each other with some great views! Do I think it was worth the cost? Prob not, but it's romantic glamping on governors island, I'm glad we did it but I won't rush back. For sure bring your own alcohol and beers like we did with some room snacks... and DON'T forget bug spray. I maybe would rather do this in the cooler months like September or October. Shout out to Nikko, he was the best and so sweet to us, very attentive and we absolutely adored him. read more

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We visited Sept 17, 2023, after we were bumped from our original reservations the week prior, stating that a big event booked them. Error #1, that's how you treat a customer who is fully paid who took time off of work to celebrate her birthday? They offered upgrades at the same cost of what was paid, instead was given a $100 credit (that didn't go far, and by no means replace the inconvenience of both parties) . Summit 8 was a good tent and nice experience. Take your own robe, though, it was a youth size one and only one. Hsppy hour from 5-7pm.....nope! Discounted from 5-6pm, then select drink at 6pm, were included as free. Appetizers on the happy hour menu didn't belong there because you had to pay for it. Dinner- Horrific!!! Trying to be high-end with high-end prices but serve d low quality cuisine. No branzini to offer, so choices were chicken, steak, and shrimp. We both ordered shrimp fettuccine, Ceaser salad, and panne cotta. Let's start. The salad was the best thing, but who can mess up a few romaine leaves with a sprinke of cheese? Shrimp fettuccine, with a thick pesto on dried pasta... I'm sensitive to pesto. The menu did NOT state pesto was in lieu of a red or white alfredo sauce, that one is accustomed to. Panne cotta, let's call it for what it was. Vanilla yogurt with a lemon zest and 1 blackberry and 5 blueberries on the top for $18. Do you know what panne cotta is? It's a gelatin consistency, not liquid yogurt you can drink. And the shrimp, it was 1 large one, but was disgustingly overcooked, we needed a steak knife to saw through it. We needed Gordon Ramsey to shut this kitchen down!!! And then smores were ordered, but we were told there is no sorbet to go with it, so it's better to go and make your own smores by the pit. Really? At an upscale experience price? When we were leaving in the morning we asked to be picked up to be taken to the ferry, we were asked can we walk to the checkin tent? NOOOO, it was pouring down rain. And had you left out reservations to the prior week as we had planned, it would have been better weather. So Noooo, picking us up is a service you offer. Just don't eat there. The experience of glamping and the tent was good. That's about it...Ohhhhh and Simur, one of the bartenders, at the bar. He's funny and entertaining. read more

Collective Retreats - Vacation Rentals Near Me

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My friends and I had a really great time during our stay. Walter from concierge picked us up from the ferry and brought us to the campsite. He couldn't have been more accommodating. Check-in was easy and my journey tent was ready for me. The weather was somewhat chilly, so the heater in my tent was already on. The campsite was beautiful and relaxing. We had a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty and downtown Manhattan. We attended the wine tasting event with Michael, the sommelier. He too was very accommodating and well informed about the wines he served. We were fortunate to have met him. For dinner we had salmon, salad, and the lobster mac and cheese. Everything was cooked to perfection and service was excellent. The s'mores camp fire was fun, but a little chilly. We asked for blankets, but they didn't have any available for us. Overall, we had a really great time and would definitely come back again. read more

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Where do I even begin? From the moment we got to the island we had started off rough. When we got there we had asked a young girl by the ferry if she knew where we could find a bike, preferably with a basket, as our check in was 3pm and we didn't want to lug around our luggage all day. She had directed us to a bike rental location that still required us to walk a long distance nearly hiking, meanwhile at the time we had no idea that it's standard procedure for the workers to drop our bags off at our site. We ended up biking with our bags, Upon arrival to the retreat I went to see if we could leave our bags. The front desk person told us the reality that they are supposed to pick us up at the ferry location, and as mentioned, drop off our bags. Already irritated, we checked in, the worker told us where our tent was, and off we went. A plus to the frustration so far was how absolutely breathtaking the location of our tent was. The excitement of the tent was IMMEDIATELY diminished the moment we took a closer look, and stepped inside. Absolutely nothing like the pictures online, the tent was covered in bird feces. As a first impression, not the best. We shrugged it off because of how exhausted we were and our initial plan was to take a nap. We unloaded our bags, felt the cold breeze as we were close to the water and weather had dropped to 45 degrees and turned the heater on. Of course, instead of warming us up, it made us colder. To our surprise, the heat didn't work and kept blowing out cold air, turning the already cold weather into freezing. I went to the tent front desk to get help, and the house keeper came to change the heater. Of course, it didn't work. She changed it THREE times, and even then it was not working. She even had to change the heating blanket's power cord because for some reason, that was also not working. To make matters worse the safe in our tent wasn't working, so we had to walk around with all our valuables. You'd assume for 400+ a night, simple things like this could be fixed, but oh boy were we wrong. I could had paid much less at a regular campsite & not expect more. The Housekeeper Lilly was very kind, and offered us bathrobes, you know the complimentary ones we were we were suppose to get them with our stay that we didn't at first, and two extra blankets. One of the workers gave us a lock to the bathroom because we weren't even told at check in the we get a lock to lock the bathroom so no one like guests can go in. Go figure! I regret this so much it was a birthday gift for my girlfriend and I was embarrassed and cold. I knew booking it that, of course, it would be cold and I had prepared for it but I had expected more from this place to keep us warm... absolutely nothing worked. Already furious, I asked Lilly to speak to the manager who was was busy with other people, fine I understand that, however you would think she would follow up with us because for three hours we stood in the cold waiting, and nothing. After such a long, cold, and infuriating wait "their phone number is a booking # so you have to leave your tent if you need assistance" we did just that. I went to her and advised everything that had gone wrong and her her resolution was to send us packing and a free offer to send us back. I told her if she couldn't accommodate us and she blatantly said no. "I'll have a boat ready in 20 mins to get you to pier 25". Pier 25?? Now on top of all this hassle we are going to be inconvenienced even more by taking us to another pier furthest from where we parked. Just like that, no "I'm sorry please let us accommodate you", nothing. This was truly a nightmare while everyone else enjoyed themselves we were genuinely felt singled out. It makes me wonder, is it because we were the only latino couple there and didn't spend over $1000 a night? Hmm I wonder. I felt like we were treated like trash from the get go, had to figure it all out on our own and we're just basically sent home after we had complained. We were taken to a boat and out the island we went. The only compensation for any of this came from their general manager who WOULD vemo pay for our Uber to take us to our car at the ferry pier, which was only $10.00 lol wow what an insult. Thanks but no thanks I would never step foot on that island again. read more

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If you're going glamping, glamp here. Collective has meticulously thought this through. You are nestled in western region of Governors island with a front row view of the Statue of Liberty, Jersey city, and Lower Manhattan (Freedom Tower). You have the feel and smell of the great outdoors but have all the essential amenities of a hotel. You also have access to all the features and activities of Governors island. Location: Governors island is a 15 minute ferry ride from Manhattan. Collective is a 10 minute paved walk from Soisoons Landing (Ferry from Manhattan). So bring your rolling suitcases and your bling but keep your Leatherman at home. The glamping grounds are entirely fenced in so it feels exclusive and it's also very safe. All other G Island guests have to leave the island at night (other than collective guest/staff). Tent (review of Summit tent): Approximately 25 tents journey tents and 10 summit tents make up the glamping grounds. Tents include power and usb outlets, a bug netted tent layer, blankets, first aid kit, soaps, and plenty of lighting options. Now for the good stuff: comfy lux bed, electric heater, electric blanket, YETI cooler with ice, glass drink dispenser, coffee maker/press, lantern, scented candle, bug zapper, and most importantly a very clean, new and well maintained hot shower, bathroom, and toilet. Staff: All the Collective Staff were welcoming, warm, and accommodating from check-in to check-out. This was the best part of glamping. You are a stone's throw away (don't throw stones) from friendly help in case you forget something or are hungry. Pam, a sincere thanks for making our stay feel special and for all the tips and awesome recommendations. Food: Constant supply of ice cold water, coffee/tea, muffin bagels, bakery items, BBQ grilling options, and s'mores packs. Breakfast was outstanding. It helps when you have endless amounts of high quality bacon, scrambled eggs, bagels, and OJ. There was also yogurt, fresh fruit, pancakes, muffins and of course more coffee. Dinner at the restaurant tent was good but not excellent. Fried mozzarella was one of the better dinner items. If you need more food options there are plenty of other food trucks and stands on the G Island. Govenor's island (when we visited 7/27/18): For the grown ups: beer gardens, wine tasting, art installations, poetry festival, hiking, hammocks, bikes for rent, Starbucks, scenic photo shots, wings/fries truck (so good:), tacos, crepes, etc. For the kids: ice cream, NYC's longest slide, playgrounds, outdoor gardens, insects, flowers, play water fountains, crafts, climbing walls, maze, mini-golf, jumbo sized jenga, surrey bikes rentals, hotdogs, and pretzels (better than the NYC street version) For all those who are contemplating due to the price... go camping instead of glamping (but not on Governors island). You can rationalize it by comparing this to a NYC hotel with a view. This is a very unique experience you cannot find anywhere else. Totally worth it. Cheers Collective, perhaps Hudson Valley is next! govisland.com collectiveretreats.com/r... Bathroom rating: 5/5 bathrooms at the summit tents were flawless. The public trailer restrooms on the G island are well kept, air conditioned and are better than any Manhattan public bathroom. Tip: it gets muddy when it rains - be prepared for the weather of the day(s) of your glamping trip. read more

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Okay so Hubby and I were looking for something to do that was fun and different in our city and I saw the ad for collective retreats pop up on Facebook. While the rates are incredibly steep depending on the day and availability, the experience was well worth it. Here's a few things the website doesn't tell you when staying on Governors Island Collective Retreats: 1. There is no guide from the ferry to the campgrounds. I'm 7 months pregnant and was a bit annoyed at this portion considering I called ahead and was told someone would be here, thank god we came during Pinknic weekend (music festival), there were PediCabs at the pier. 2. There is no official check-in location, there's a small desk and a laptop to the far right in the main tent (3 peaks lodge). 3. Whatever events that are held on Governors Island during your stay, Collective Retreats has no control over. The music festival I mentioned was happening throughout the day from 12-930p, that meant we heard nothing but loud music until the evening. To be honest it wasn't too bad for us, hubby and I enjoyed the music but other guests weren't as pleased. Not to mention the massive amount of flood lights for the event. 4. If you can upgrade to a SUMMIT tent vs a JOURNEY tent, do it! There's AC in the summit tents vs a journey tent (only has a fan), our tent was over a hundred degrees when the sun was out, but the evenings do cool down quick in the summer since you're on the water. Sidenote: You can't leave the campgrounds after 6pm and the sun sets at 8-830pm, so staying in your tent while the sun is out will make you miserable. 5. The phone number on the website doesn't work, and reply's via email are incredibly slow. Go to the website and contact the GM Vanessa or asst GM Nick if you have any issues or questions. 6. Bring cash, while the campgrounds take credit cards, some of the restaurants on the island do not and the fee to use the ATM is ridiculous. 7. Bring food! The restaurants on the island close at 6pm and the kitchen closes at 9pm in the campgrounds. There was no BBQ option for dinner as stated on the website, and the pre fix course was $120 per person but you can buy individual items ranging from $10-$20 depending on the drink or sandwich. Plus s'mores kits are sold at $15 a piece for the bon fire. 8. There's no alcohol on the grounds because they do not have their liquor license. 9. Bring ear plugs or head phones. The party boats on the Hudson River can get a tad loud in the evening, not to mention the planes and helicopters overhead. 10. There are outlets and usb ports for charging in all the tents so no worries if you forgot your charging cubes like we did. 11. The bathroom and shower stalls are combined in a trailer for the people staying in the journey tents, located next to the Bon Fire area. 12. There's always someone on staff overnight just in case any emergencies happen and you need to get off the island (God forbid I gave birth early). Our overall experience was great, Pam was sweetheart and very accommodating! The only reason I'm giving this review 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the lack of transportation to and from the ferry. Here's a short list of things to enjoy while you're on the island should you arrive early before check in time: There's bike riding (citibike rentals or pedi bikes from blazing saddles) Ice skating (yes in the summer, kid size rink) Mini golf (for kids) An art exhibition A castle that use to be a prison Walking tours Lavender fields Grill stations Picnic Areas Restaurants A sliding hill (for kids) A Maze for kids Ziplining for kids and adults (must be 45 lbs)! And a place called hammock grove to lay in the sun. read more

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I'm giving this 2 stars not 1 due to the lovely decor of our tent. I'll break this down into a Pro / Con list: PROS: We got the Summit tent package which is beautiful. Nice, clean private bathroom Lovely decor - definitely glamping CONS: Paid a small fortune for a place that seems like it was rushed to be open. No rain contingency plan - our trip was marred by thunderstorms, which we understand they can't control the weather, but no effort was made to tell guests that the island was closing earlier. When the island shuts you cant do anything. We paid extra money to stay here when the island stays open till 11. No signage - had no idea how to find the camp ground. Staff - young, inexperienced staff. Don't seem to have the right attitude to work in hospitality. Food - you can bring food, but the food they serve is tragic. I would equate it to airplane food. Ultimately you don't get what you pay for. The price is comparable to staying in Manhattan at the Ritz read more

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I had the shrimp and grits and the grapefruit juice off of the brunch menu. The food tasted really good,it had great flavors that. The grapefruit juice was really good. Customer service was great it was a very nice calming experience. read more

Collective Retreats - Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. - Vacation Rentals Near Me

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Since we haven't stayed here yet, this is not a review about the facility, although, it is still dirt filled, incomplete field. This review, is about attitude of the working staff on site. Wifie and I were on Governor's Island today, and rode by the retreat site. Since we've read about it and we're curious about staying here, and the gates were open, with the area looking like it is still under construction, we decided to follow another Caucasian couple to walk in to the area to take a peek. We walked in to the front of Summit 2 to take a look at the direction it is facing, when a staff asked us, from another cabin away, if we are guests staying there. We replied no, and he said the area is closed to outsiders except for guests. As we turned around, we noticed the couple we followed went into Summit 6 or 7 to take a look and were just walking out. But the person did not question them. Taking a few more steps towards the gate, we saw four more Caucasian, one male and three female, walking in to check out the large tents, just as curious as we were. No questions asked. Not even as they roamed all the way to the back where the large gathering/dining tent were. The only difference? We were not white! We are Asian! The four that came in after us weren't even speaking English, but the skin color makes a HUGE difference, apparently. Quite a sad first impression for a new resort! We weren't treated in that manner atBelmont Sanctury lodge at Machu Picchu; anywhere in the Galápagos Islands; nor the Highlands of Scotland. Yet we run into this kind of situation back home in New York? Very disgusting! -------------------------------------------- This is for Peter M.: Mission statement: great! Execution: failure! I will give you a call one of these days to provide more details! Thank you read more

Collective Retreats - Concierge - Vacation Rentals Near Me

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Paid thousands of dollars for what was essentially a nice 3 hour dinner with a view. They closed the bar early at 9:30 without calling last call because the woman running the bar didn't feel like working anymore. She refused to give us a last round or sell us a bottle of wine to take to our tent. The place seemed understaffed and aside from the hostess who was amazing, all the workers seemed stressed and stretched thin. Breakfast wasn't offered. The accommodations and views are great, but they don't have anything together and overall it's not at all worth the price tag. read more

We stayed in the journey tent at Collective Retreats for our good friend's wedding and it was a blast. At first, this city girl was concerned about sharing a bathroom but it's not like that at all. The bathrooms are separate from your tent, but each one is private and comes with a sink, rain shower and toilet, and there are enough of them so you never feel like you are rushed. Everyone who works there is super nice and attentive. I was almost not going to come because of a previous review or two but they've obviously made some changes since then. I'm so glad I did. Governor's Island is a wonderful getaway if you've never been - there's art, food, bicycling and views that are breathtaking. The one thing I will say is bring a sleep mask - when the sun comes up, it's very light in the tent. read more

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I recently stayed here in one of the Journey tents. The view is amazing, but that is the only good thing I can say about this retreat. The pictures are much nicer than the actual tents. They are made of canvas so in the heat and humidity, it gets very hot inside. It was hard to sleep in as there was no netting to have the cool breeze come in. It had to be zipped up due to the bugs. During the weekday, Governor's Island closes at 6pm. They require you to go back to the retreat by then. Knowing this, they completely price gouge. They charged my friend $8 for a can of Coke. The dinner menu is very expensive. They should have some planned activities other than a movie and s'mores. Some of the staff were friendly but I find that on the most part, they were a bit rude and don't understand the hospitality business. I don't recommend staying during the weekday. Although the weekend prices are very expensive and require a 2-3 day stay. There isn't much to do on Governor's Island in general to warrant an entire weekend stay. At these prices, might as well stay at a hotel. read more