need some reno sun at hotel pool

June 24, 2008 3:44 PM

(Reno filter) What hotels in Reno have a pool with good sun during the day?

Every website I see mentions 'pool', however it doesn't state whether it's indoor or outdoor, and I can't figure out if it is optimal for catching good rays during the day. Looking at Sands and Silver Legacy... but heard that Silver Legacy's pool is shaded during the day?

Links to sites with this info would be helpful as well =)

Oh, and close to strip would be great!!

posted by Liver Killer to travel & transportation (8 comments total)

I seem to recall that the Peppermill's pool had a waterfall *and* good sun exposure; I was there about six years ago.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 4:12 PM on June 24, 2008

Reno is NOT Vegas. Do not call it The Strip or you'll cry when you get here.

The Peppermill is not near the other casinos at all. That said, they do have a great pool. They are a couple blocks away from the Atlantis. These two casinos are located in the more "suburban" part of town, just a couple miles from the clump of casinos that Reno is otherwise known for.

There's a huge difference between the Sands and the Silver Legacy as far as quality of hotel. The Sands is CHEAP, but in a more dodgy area of town near the train tracks. It's two or three blocks from Virginia St (which you called the strip). I just called them (I live in Tahoe) and they said their pool is outdoors and they have umbrellas for their chairs.

The Silver Legacy is much nicer and is connected to a bunch of other casinos through walkways if you don't feel like sweating through a couple of blocks walking from one casino to the other. Their website says they have an outdoor pool.

This being the Nevada desert, I'm sure they provide some sort of anti-skin cancer sun shade for their guests.
posted by HeyAllie at 4:25 PM on June 24, 2008

Yeah.. be careful about the sun in the high desert. Remember that you're about 5000 feet up from sea level, the atmosphere is thinner, and will absorb less of the UV rays compared to lower elevation.

Stick with a nicer hotel imo, Reno is small and relatively cheap cab fair will take you anywhere you want to go in minutes. Silver Legacy or the High Sierra Resort are recommended from my experience, although the people watching at the Sands or Circus Circus is more entertaining. Have fun!
posted by huxley at 4:45 PM on June 24, 2008

Well, outside of the downtown area/strip, is the Atlantis. An AMAZING looking hotel (ok, if you like tiki style and bright pinks and purples) that in my mind is totally worth the short drive out of the downtown area.. even though its pool is indoors, it gets great sun because it's in a glass dome! Here's a picture of what I mean.
posted by ethel at 5:55 PM on June 24, 2008

I get free rooms at the Grand Sierra (which used to be the Hilton, which used to be the MGM Grand). They have a large pool, on ground level, with lots of room to roam. Full sun.

Don't buy drinks at the poolside bar -- too expensive. Make your way back into the casino for much cheaper drinks.

The hotel is very nice. It's off Virginia (which you can indeed call The Strip, so long as you know what you're expecting) by a few miles, which may be good or bad, depending on your preferences. The casino is good too, and the sports book is huge. They're converting a lot of the rooms into timeshares, so I'm not sure what you'd get if you were to book right now. The standard room is just fine, though.

The Silver Legacy, El Dorado, and Circus Circus are all connected. This makes for easy casino-going. I've stayed at the former two. They're okay. Nothing special. Never visited their pools.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:23 PM on June 24, 2008

I stayed at The Sands a few months ago for a conference, and the demographics seemed to be mostly retirees and budget gamblers. It seemed very cheap; more of a 'old downtown Vegas' vibe rather than 'Strip Vegas;' rooms were Super-8-esque. I'd avoid it. It's also a couple of blocks off of Virginia, so it's really not tied into the downtown (the 'biggest little city' arch, bowling stadium, etc.) as the Silver Legacy, Harrah's, etc. Silver Legacy, Harrah's, Grand Sierra all seemed nice, but can't vouch for the pools.
posted by theclaw at 7:34 PM on June 24, 2008

I lived in Reno for a few years.

The Sands hotel/casino is not fun.
The Sands pool is VERY fun in the summer - especially in the afternoons when they have their pool parties (maybe this was only Wednesdays).

Book a room at Silver Legacy or Harrah's and go hang out at the Sand's pool.

If you want a finer resort/casino experience then book a room at Grand Sierra but keep in mind that is not downtown.
posted by rlef98 at 7:44 PM on June 24, 2008

If you are planning to go to Reno in the next week or so, be aware of the wildfires that are causing a lot of smoke/smog in the area. In certain areas, you may not see much sun. The linked article indicates things are getting under control, but you may want to call first to make sure.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:42 AM on June 25, 2008