On the southern banks of the Truckee River, slightly removed from the gritty downtown, this hotel stands next to the original Reno gate, alongside the National Auto Museum and just steps from Pioneer Center. Once a beat-up Holiday Inn, this unique eight-story Tuscan-inspired offering has a subtle and sophisticated elan that stands in high contrast to the sprawling glitz and glitter of the town's other casino hotels just across the river bridge. In fact, the casino—designed as mock Tuscan ruins—is less of a focus than one would think. Instead, this hotel offers many of the features found in a boutique-hotel, being intimate in scale, excellently staffed, and offering a handful of well-chosen amenities, a full-service spa, riverside dining, wine-cellar lounge, and rooms with views and style.
Guests are greeted by uniformed valets under a soaring rustic brick clock tower that harkens to San Gimignano's famed aeries. Seated registration desks are surrounded with sun-drenched walls and intriguing oils and sculpture. Unfortunately,
the stage may be set for service, but the understaffed reception area and less-than-deferential personnel leave lots of room for improvement. Even under pressure, the team at Harrah's proves superior.
To the right (no need to wade through banks of slots here) are the riverside lounge, restaurant and wine cellar. A 24-hour cafe to one side of the casino serves all meals at all hours and specializes in pizzas from the fired oven. Most guests take the time to dine at Lexie's on the River, where chefs laboring in the exhibition kitchen produce moderately priced meals. Views from many of the tables are of the Truckee River. Daily Continental breakfast and weekend jazz performances are hosted in the adjoining lounge beneath a domed skylight encircled with pillars. At one end is a wide sweeping bar and a riverside terrace. Stairs slip down to the sexy Enoteca wine cellar, where guests can sample by the glass from 200 of the 18,000-bottle selection. They can also participate in wine tastings and auctions with the master 
sommelier. Private parties are accommodated in the intimate Tuscan Table, offering seven-course meals. Parking is free. Pets are not permitted.
A sunny teak-furnished terrace on the fourth floor has a rectangular pool, a whirlpool and potted greenery. Locker and fitness rooms overlook the river and the Strip. Guests appreciate the ease of access from their rooms to the adjoining spa, where a broad menu of health and beauty treatments restores and rejuvenates. Conference facilities include five meeting rooms and a ballroom that can host up to 600 people. Free airport shuttles, express check-out and a business center round out the offerings. Parking is free. Pets are not permitted.
Among the nicest in Reno, the stylish guest quarters open off wide well-lit hallways with golden-harvest hues. The decor is soft and soothing in a neutral palette, brightened with colorful art, contemporary furnishings, and 
inviting patterns and textures in melon and rind hues. Armoires hold minibars and large TVs with games and cordless keyboards, and desks have dual-line speakerphones, data ports with high-speed Internet access, and task lighting with outlets. The two-poster beds are one of the hotel's selling points, full of luxury threads, down pillows and comforters. Two bedside touch-lamps provide reading light. Small dining tables and two chairs sit before wide triple-draped windows. Good-sized baths have wide marble countertops below framed mirrors, hair dryers, coffeemakers, robes and plump towels. A floor of suites and premium rooms offers butler service, and smoking is limited to the second floor.
Service may lack the elan of a true boutique hotel, but the riverside Siena Hotel Spa Casino is Reno's watermark for those who want a little quiet and understated Tuscan charm along with their gambling.
