After I finished my previous project near Salt Lake City, where I also stayed at a Hilton property, I had to go to San Francisco for my next assignment. In these crazy times, I opted to drive rather than fly. This year we all taking more road trips anyway. Driving has one big advantage, I can take more of my gear with me, which makes my job easier. The drive from SLC to the Bay Area is roughly twelve hours and as I left Salt Lake City late to finish up there, I opted to stay overnight before continuing. As it got dark outside I started looking for a “safe” place to stay for the night. Usually, I wouldn’t mind, but with the pandemic still going on, I put a little bit more thought into where I would stay. As I wasn’t too far away from Reno, I looked to stay somewhere there before continuing the next day. As I had also an Amex Offer for a stay at a Homewood Suites By Hilton, I looked if there was one in Reno. Sure enough, there was one and the rate was perfect to also get the bonus on the Amex Offer. I booked it through the Hilton App about an hour outside of Reno while I was filling up at the gas station.
Location of the Homewood Suites By Hilton Reno
Homewood Suites By Hilton Reno is located next to I-580 just south of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The Homewood Suites By Hilton Reno itself is in a quiet area and noise pollution from the highway is no issue. The parking lot wraps around the hotel building and they also have charging stations for electric cars including a Tesla Destination Charger. Besides that, there are a bunch of restaurants and eateries in the vicinity including the Meadowood Shopping Mall.
Check-In
Check-In was very easy and simple. Even so, Hilton offers app check-in, I still used in-person check-in at the front desk as I arrived. Usually, it takes a little bit before the app check-in gets available, and sometimes even a few hours. Therefore I kept on driving. Check-in was quick and painless. I only had to show my ID and got my room keys. There is a plexiglass wall in front of each counter and the receptionist was also wearing a mask as they require from every guest entering the property. I walked down the hallway to get to the elevator. There are signs up telling you to keep your distance in the elevator and no more than two persons from different parties. Their best idea was to put a hand sanitizer station inside the elevator. You can use the time of the elevator ride to sanitize your hands.
1 King Bed Studio Suite Nonsmoking (Room 217)
My Studio Suite was on the second floor and not too far from the elevator. The door had the usual CleanStay seal on it. Right, when you walk in you have the kitchen and dining area to your left. The kitchen comes with a full-size refrigerator and is well stocked with all the kitchen utensils and all the dishware you need to cook a meal. Even that I was only staying one night there, I had to double-check as my previous room at the Hilton Hampton Inn & Suites Ogden, UT had a lot of the basic stuff missing. There is also a dishwasher, microwave, and stovetop. Next to the kitchen area is a small dining table.
From there you get to the living area with a sofa bed and a work desk and chair. The TV is shared between the living area and sleeping area and sits on top of a closet in between them. Unfortunately, this doesn’t give you a good viewing angle from either side and you have to swivel it back and forward between them both.
On either side of the King Bed, you have a nightstand with a lamp and the usual split setup of an alarm clock on one and a phone on the other. Close to the bed is a ceiling fan with lights.
The toilet and shower-bathtub combination is in a separate room which is rather small and accessible from the sleeping area. The vanity and a full-size wall closet are outside in a little niche. Inside the closet, you find the usual stuff: iron, ironing board, blankets for the sofa bed, and a suitcase stand beside the hangers for your clothes.
Public Areas
Let’s start with the lobby which is beautiful and very welcoming to hang out in usual times. During the pandemic, you just saw people passing through there to get to and from their rooms. When you walk in you see a fireplace right in front of you. In front of the fireplace are a few chairs with tables to hang out and relax. Next to the front desk is a water dispenser and brochures for local area attractions. Opposite the front desk, on the other side of the lobby is an Amazon Locker. I think it is the first time I have seen one of them inside a hotel.
Past the fireplace is the dining area which plenty of tables. This is where they usually serve breakfast and hold their evening reception. But because of the ongoing pandemic, the area is more or less closed. A few tables are available but they are spread out for distancing and some of them are marked as do not use for the same reason.
The left wing of the hotel houses the fitness center and the indoor pool. The fitness center was open but they also want you to limit your usage and keep your distance while working out. Inside the fitness center, you can find all the typical workout equipment. The pool area is completely closed as a result of the pandemic.
As you walk down the hallway of the right wing of the building, you will pass the business center with two workstations and a printer.
Further down the hallway, just before the elevator, is the guest laundry. A sign at the door requests to limit the number of people inside the room to three persons. The room is huge and they have a bunch of washers and dryers in there. It seems almost a little bit overkill but it’s nice to have. While I have been to other hotels where they have not enough washers and dryers.
The Homewood Suites by Hilton also has a few conference rooms, which are temporarily out of commission.
Dining
Dining service at the hotel is limited now to To-Go Breakfast. The breakfast box can be picked up at the front desk. You have a few limited choices. Coffee is also available right at the front desk during breakfast hours. It should be common sense to take it with you or consume it in your room during these challenging times.
There is a small marketplace next to the front desk where you can buy some essentials and snacks.
As mentioned earlier there are a bunch of restaurants in the vicinity or you can order delivery.
Conclusion
Overall it was a great stay and I was very impressed with how clean everything is. The staff was super friendly and helpful. I really liked the hotel, especially the suites with the full kitchen. Unfortunately, I stayed here just overnight. Therefore a very limited experience with long-term stays here. I can recommend a stay here, especially if you are looking for something long term.
Address:
5450 Kietzke Ln
Reno, NV 89511
USA
Phone: +1 775 853 7100
Web: hilton.com
Check-In: 3 p.m.
Check-Out: 12 p.m.
Recreation
Spa: 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily
Fitness Center: open 24 hrs daily
Dining
Breakfast:
Monday–Friday: 6:30–9:00 a.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 7:00–10:00 a.m.
Self Parking
In and out privileges
Complimentary
- Location
-
Address:
5450 Kietzke Ln
Reno, NV 89511
USA
Phone: +1 775 853 7100
Web: hilton.com - Hotel Info
-
Check-In: 3 p.m.
Check-Out: 12 p.m.Recreation
Spa: 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily
Fitness Center: open 24 hrs dailyDining
Breakfast:
Monday–Friday: 6:30–9:00 a.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 7:00–10:00 a.m. - Parking
-
Self Parking
In and out privileges
$0 per nightComplimentary
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.