You are visiting Reno, but don’t like Casino’s or can’t stand the smoking? You want something a little more upscale for your trip? You are in luck – there now is an upscale boutique hotel that is completely non-smoking and doesn’t have a casino that’ll you have to go through to your room: The Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno, find out what to expect in my review after the break!
While I don’t mind visiting a casino, more for people watching than for gambling, I don’t like staying at one because of the noise, the smoking and the crowds. So, when we needed a hotel in Reno for a family visit, it took some searching to find an alternative to the casinos – and the Whitney Peak Hotel is it!
Location: The Whitney Peak Hotel is located right in the center of Reno, within easy walking distance to the casinos (if you want to sneak a peek). There are plenty of options for entertainment, dining and shopping in walking distance as well, so you don’t need a car. It’s about 10 minutes from the Reno Airport by car or taxi, making it an option for a stop-over from/to Lake Tahoe as well!
Service: Checking into the Whitney Peak Hotel was easy in a refreshing way. Without the long lines you usually have in the casinos, we walked right up to the front desk and had our keys in minutes. Staff was friendly and helpful, telling us all we needed to know about the hotel restaurants, amenities and nearby options. Housekeeping had done a nice job preparing our room and it was all clean and in perfect order. Check-out was just as friendly and fast and had us on our way, bill in hand, in minutes. While I often find service at the casino hotels to be perfunctory, the Whitney Peak was the opposite, with staff seeming to enjoy their job!
The Whitney Peak Hotel is a member of the Stash Rewards program – but I did not receive points for the stay.
Room: The room was a pleasant surprise as well: It’s a good size room and nicely renovated. The furniture is held in light woods, an accent wall is painted in plum and large photographs decorate the room! The king-size bed has a high wooden headboard, a comfortable mattress and soft sheets for a good night’s sleep. You’ll have a large work desk and chair, a flat-screen TV, fridge and a pod-coffee maker – an upgrade from the usual drip-coffee makers typically found in US hotels! All of it was in good condition and working well.
The bathroom is equally nice with a white shower-over-tub with curtain, a white vanity with a big sink and another plum-colored accent wall and some stone tiles on the wall and floors. Soap and shampoo are provided in eco-friendly dispensers with good quality products. All of it was clean and in good condition!
You have free WiFi internet access in the room, but it is pretty slow at an average 1.9Mbps – enough for email, messaging and light browsing.
Restaurant/Amenities: The stand-out feature of the hotel is the climbing wall on the outside of the hotel. At 164ft it is the tallest climbing wall in the world. There also is an indoor climbing gym – “Basecamp” and fitness center, making it one of the best equipped hotels if you want to have an active stay.
The hotel has a restaurant and bar – “Heritage” – that offers a break from the casino buffets with fresh local farm-to-table food. It was booked during our stay, so we didn’t get a chance to try it.
Also part of the hotel is the concert venue “Cargo” – there was no event during our stay and I’m not sure if a venue like this as part of the hotel is a good thing or not – but there you have it!
Conclusion: The Whitney Peak is a refreshing alternative to the loud and smoky casino hotels of Reno and I’d stay again without hesitation. The rate during our visit was $137 for a Deluxe room, but we were able to use a promotion to bring it down to $87 – a bargain for this boutique hotel room! So, if you rather visit a casino than stay in one, check out the Whitney Peak on your next trip to Reno.