A luxury European spa chain has opened its first US location on a tiny island in the middle of New York Harbor see what it's like inside the $50 million QC NY

Brittany Chang/Insider

• Luxury European spa and resorts company QC Terme has opened it's first US location in New York.
• QC NY is filled with wellness amenities like themed saunas, massage spaces, and relaxation rooms.

New York City is known for its frenetic, maybe even chaotic, hustle and bustle energy.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And let's face it, living in a city crammed with millions of people and constant sensory overload can be exhausting.

People stand outside a subway station in Times Square, New York City. The New York City subway system is the largest in the US.      Spencer Platt/Getty Images

So it's no surprise luxury European spa brand QC Terme has scouted New York City to be the home of its first US location.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And with the global wellness market projected to reach $7 trillion by 2025 — according to the Global Wellness Institute — it seems like there's no better time to open the East Coast getaway.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source: Global Wellness Institute

QC Terme's relaxing and plush spas and hotels are scattered throughout Italy with one location in France.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source: QC Terme

Before settling on New York, the team also weighed markets like Arizona and Chicago.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In the future, QC Terme wants to continue its US expansion.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But New York has always been the company's "initial dream," Megan Reeves, a spokesperson for the company, told Insider.

Brittany Chang/Insider

According to Andrea Quadrio Curzio, the co-founder of QC Terme, New York fits the profile of a city that could appreciate QC's spaces and "ideas of wellbeing."

Brittany Chang/Insider

"The city ... takes a lot in terms of emotion," Curzio told Insider. "I've never been in a place where you have so many things and interests, but it could easily become tiring."

Brittany Chang/Insider

But luckily for the overworked and weary city dwellers, the luxury spa has finally opened on Governors Island, New York after years of proposals, planning, and construction.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The spa might be built as a getaway, but you'll never forget how close you are to the city: Almost every window provides sweeping views of the water and the adjacent skyline.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The island and its newest luxury spa filled with saunas and relaxation rooms is just a short ferry ride from Manhattan.

Brittany Chang/Insider

By its nature, Governors Island — which has a rich military history — already serves as a reprieve from the city.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source: Governors Island

It's physically distant from all the boroughs. And compared to Manhattan, it's quiet, surrounded by water, full of nature, and primarily frequented by locals during warm summer afternoons.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Even without the 660-person spa, the island is already a sleepy sanctuary.

Brittany Chang/Insider

To pay homage to the location's history, the QC team turned Governor Island's defunct army barracks into the spa retreat …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… a renovation process that first began when QC signed the lease in 2016.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And at that point, the team had already spent a decade working on the proposal and project, Janine DiGioacchino, the CEO of QC Terme USA, told Insider.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And for the past roughly six years, QC has been refurbishing the barracks, a process that included a historical and excavator expert who had to sift through all the lifted dirt.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In the future, QC NY will expand into three barracks to accommodate an additional restaurant and more massage rooms.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But for now, it's starting out with one building, which was already a $50 million investment.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Despite the location's gruff history, the spa was designed to feel like a welcoming home filled with Italian designed and imported furnishings.

Brittany Chang/Insider

There are reminders of Curzio's childhood throughout building, from the hanging globes in the lobby to the photos of his family that line the walls.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And the nearly labyrinthine hallways of the barracks make its visitors feel like they're discovering the spa's pockets of relaxation.

Brittany Chang/Insider

There are two more buildings in the works, but the first location already has a trove of spa amenities.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The upper floors are filled with a variety of saunas, relaxation rooms, and massage rooms …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… while the lower "acqua" level has steam baths, Vichy showers, hydro jets, foot baths, and even more saunas.

Brittany Chang/Insider

There's even an outdoor pool with lounge chairs and a cafe that serves alcohol, coffee, and meals.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Some of its most unique amenities include the "themed saunas," like this one designed to look like a park during an autumn afternoon …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and another that smells of pine woods in the mountain.

Brittany Chang/Insider

There's even a sauna with an arguably kitschy but cute nod to the city.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The majority of QC Terme's global guests visit with companions, and QC NY's space was designed to facilitate these social group visits.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Most of the relaxation rooms, such as the Cocoon Room shown below, are filled with plush adjacent seating, perfect for groups of people.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And many of the lounge chairs behind the outdoor pool are paired together, perfect for tanning and napping under the sun with a friend.

Brittany Chang/Insider

"Most people need to … take time for themselves and stay in a nice environment where people take care of the details and pamper [them]," Curzio said. "And part of Italian culture is to take care of these details and to truly welcome people."

Brittany Chang/Insider

QC NY was designed to be a wellness and relaxation haven for city dwellers.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But reprieve — with its fancy saunas and expensive hairdryers — comes at a cost.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Entry starts at $88 on weekdays but can go up to $116 for Fridays, weekends, and holidays.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source: QC NY

While this ticket includes access to QC NY's facilities like its saunas and pool, it doesn't include any massages, which can range up to $250.

Brittany Chang/Insider