The Siena is one of those properties that just can’t seem to catch a break. It’s been several different casinos, has gone under more than once, and been renovated just as many times. Perhaps this has something to do with the location – it’s at the very edge of downtown Reno, one block off the main “strip,” as it were. While being one square block away from the action may not seem like much, just think back to the last time you were a tourist. How many times did you actually go see “what’s that way?” Probably not too many. This, in conjunction with some bad business deals in the past, has made the Siena less than a main attraction.

Reno Siena Casino Hotel and Spa

The current iteration of the Siena opened in 2011, and the official website makes lots of grandiose claims, such as “…luxurious hotel rooms and suites, unrivaled world class dining, the ultimate Reno spa experience, and the fast paced action of our intimate upscale casino are sure to please even our most discerning guests.” While every business needs to do some marketing, these are exaggerations on the borderline of complete fabrication. As a local, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t even know the Siena existed if I didn’t make a habit of walking the downtown/midtown Reno areas. I’ve never heard anybody talk about it, and I’ve never seen it remotely busy.

That said, the property is rather impressive from the outside, located literally on top of the Truckee River. The tower isn’t huge, but big enough to be taken seriously as an upscale hotel/casino. The hotel lobby is full of modern furnishings, including a lot marble, and if I was looking solely at the lobby at just the right angle, I could easily believe that I was in a world-class 5-star hotel. But, sadly, that’s where the impressiveness ends.

While the casino floor is by no means shabby, it’s extremely underwhelming. It’s quite small, there was something like slot-machine music playing in the background, and… well, and nothing. That’s it. There’s nothing to the place. You can walk through the entire building in under a minute without rushing, there are about two restaurants, and basically nothing else to keep you busy outside of the lackluster casino. Sure, there’s poker, blackjack, roulette, and what appeared to be half of a craps table, but absolutely mediocre fare. It just has no substance.

Reno Siena Casino Tower at Night

I can’t say that I’d warn people away from the Siena – in fact, if you can get a room for under $80 or so per night, I’d say go for it. This appears to be a fairly quiet location that happens to be a stone’s throw from the relative hubbub of downtown. The bottom line: this isn’t the place for real gamblers, families, or anyone, really. It’s Ron Howard in a tux – no matter what he’s wearing, you’ll always just see plain little Opie underneath.

Written by Kenny Stoneman in March, 2014