Name: Collective Retreats Governors Island
Address: 825 Gresham Rd, New York City, NY
Telephone: (888) 323-5826
Rating: 4.25

Exceptional

Comfortable and beautiful. Would have...

Liked: The vibe and concept was great. Having golf cart concierge was amazing. The Peak Lodge food was delicious. I would recommend and would consider coming again.
Disliked: The team was so nice, but there was a lot of misinformation. One staff member said we had to get the water ourselves, next staff member packed our ice box with water. We were told coffee was available all day, and then it wasn't. We came to dinner 5 minutes late after waiting for a very late golf cart pick up at the spa, and they refused to give us dinner, even though it's the only spot on the island to eat dinner. There was no compassion; we even asked for bread, and they made it seem like we were so wrong for even asking. The bartender continued the same vibe, unfortunately. It would be nice if there were some alternatives and clear supportive communication around it all. Made a great trip, but feel not so great on our last night. We saw the next day that the concierge had a fridge with oatmeal, and no one even mentioned that. Very unfortunate at the level of cost this trip is, it should be top-notch concierge communication. Also, it would have been nice to know ahead of time that loud party boats keep you up until 2 AM in the morning, which would have made different choices in booking if that information had been shared.

An interesting way to spend...

Liked: The tents were a good size and furnished very well. The beds were very comfy and having A/C when it was 30oc outside was a blessing. The fire pits were great and well attended, having smores around them and talking to the other guests was great.
Disliked: The choice of the drinks at the bar was poor, the breakfast was very disappointing, no hot items available and also no choice of milk. The food in the camp restaurant was very expensive but did taste nice. The staff didnt really have a lot of knowledge about the surrounding areas or transportation.

Unique experience and lovely, scenic...

Liked: The location is lovely, with excellent view of the Statue of Liberty and the harbor. It is a unique experience. The breakfast was good and enjoyed the happy hour. The tent was very clean and comfortable.
Disliked: It would be great if the shared bathrooms offered more privacy, such as a door that locked. If possible, maybe add some of these portable/trailer bathrooms that are found elsewhere on Governors Island. While not as charming, those are generally kept clean and the gender neutral bathrooms have full privacy.next time, I might choose a tent that has it’s own bathroom though it is pricey (even at off peak time, with the fees etc)

Very good

Superb

ok. not comming back

Liked: the view was great. the collective itself is ok.
Disliked: upon arrival we were advised they overbook. we were forced to stay in a tent having 2 twin beds. the air conditioned was useless. cooled a raduis of 2 feet. bed and airconditioned nailed down so we couldn't move one closer to the other. For the amount of money you an offer more than continutential breakfast i.e. omlet stand.

The staff was amazing.

Superb

Liked: We loved the curated interiors, the views, the food, and the innovative cocktails. The staff was lovely and attentive. And bring a special birthday surprise was a nice touch
Disliked: We did not expect to be woken up both nights by low party boats.

Overcharged by $130

Liked: The view was stunning. The island empties out at night and you can just enjoy the views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. The s'mores were incredible. The portable AC didn't really bring down the ridiculous temperature, but I appreciated the effort.
Disliked: When we arrived, we were shown our glamping tent and I immediately realized it wasn't the tent I'd carefully booked. (Voyager King Waterfront), but rather a Journey King Waterfront. I had chosen the Voyager for two reasons: attached bathroom and view of the Statue of Liberty. I walked back up to reception to discuss with the check in clerk on duty. She said there was some error between booking.com and Collective Retreats when the transfer of the reservation had been made and that she could clearly see what I'd booked versus what they'd checked me in to. The Journey tent had a gorgeous view of the Statue of Liberty but was quite a distance from the detached, shared bathroom in the back of the property. Being very pleasant, she showed me an Expedition tent as my only other option (all the Voyagers were already occupied, according to her). This tent had an attached bathroom but was in the back of the pack for view, with only a partial view of Manhattan (and none of the Statue of Liberty) through the front flap area. She considered the Expedition an upgrade, but I considered it a downgrade. She said she didn't have the ability to offer any refunds, only to offer me this one "upgraded" tent at no extra charge. So, the first thing I didn't like was overpaying for a tent by $130 (the difference in price between what I booked and what I received).The second thing I didn't like was the NOISE. I'd read about the party boats, but this wasn't the problem. The problem was that I awoke to a line up of large dump trucks, their engines, their back up noises and the shouts of workers at 6:55 a.m. Although I know that what is going on in the neighboring lot is beyond the control of Collective Retreats, this obviously further diminished the value of the tent we were in. The more expensive tents (like I'd booked) were on the other side of the property and would have had a quieter morning experience.