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Over and down the hill - Tahoe & Reno

 
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Outside of winning machines, what do you look for in a casino?
Hot babes serving cold drinks
25%
 25%  [ 3 ]
Great restaurants
16%
 16%  [ 2 ]
Exotic carpeting
8%
 8%  [ 1 ]
Limo service (see posts regarding Reno limos on primary thread)
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Cheap eats
33%
 33%  [ 4 ]
Free bungee cords
8%
 8%  [ 1 ]
Flashy blinky lights and decor
8%
 8%  [ 1 ]
Showgirls! And plenty of them!
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Total Votes : 12

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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Sep Mon 19, 2011 7:38 pm    Post subject: Over and down the hill - Tahoe & Reno Reply with quote

The Dog and I decided to go for a quick overnight up to Tahoe and Reno to make sure we took advantage of the Harrah's promo for visiting various locations.

Early Saturday morning, there were comped rooms available at Harvey's, but by the time we committed to go, they were completely booked up. The only rooms available in Tahoe were at Harrah's for $119/night. We took up the Harrah's Reno offer for $20/night and got the reservations and set off for Tahoe.

We pulled in to Harvey's around 8pm and self-parked, hoping we would be able to come back and get our bags to check in. Nope. No available rooms.

Side note: The parking garage elevator at Harvey's is on par with the one at the Cal-Neva. Grimy.

We decided to walk through the underground tunnel over to Harrah's, stopping en route to eat at Cabo Wabo. Decent nachos, a very tasty chorizo & cheese thing, and a couple of margaritas. $38 or so and our Total Rewards points covered the tab... (yes, they finally got that fiasco figured out...)

Harrah's had no rooms, but I did hit a couple good spins on King's Crown and started the night out up by $80. The Dog had a couple of bad spins on Lord of the Rings and started the night down by $40.

We decided to see if Montebleu had any rooms. Our walk over to Montebleu was past a closed casino-y thing that seemed to be under construction. The sidewalk was littered with broken glass. Tahoe does not seem to have an open container law... if they do, it doesn't seem to be enforced. Why can't Reno be so cool?

So the Montebleu had some freeplay for The Dog which he promptly lost and then we lost a few more bucks playing Sigma Derby. We couldn't get two seats at the same table so after a roll or two of quarters, we eased back to Harvey's.

Note: Harvey's and Harrah's were PACKED! A pretty young crowd hanging out around the tables, including a $50/minimum craps table. This was the weekend of Iron Girl or something - a triathlon of some sort and that's why there weren't any rooms - or, at least, that's what the counter girl told us.

Played the Blazing 7s for a few spins and wound up even at $20 or so. It was time to head to Reno!

The drive down to Reno was long. Longer than we remembered from driving up there from Reno the last time. It was midnight when we rolled into Harrah's. We got a West tower room and promptly crashed out - we didn't even hit the machines for a quick $20!

The next morning, we got up, got some coffee and hit the machines in Harrah's. I got some good play out of my $20 in freeplay and wound up with $60 in cash! We decided to do the swipe thing at Eldo & SL, garnering an offer for a free SL bungee cord! I went to the players club to redeem the offer, but there was only one clerk who was busy servicing a high roller.

We played a few bucks in the machines there and debated playing Pai Gow, but we didn't see the lucky PG dealer so we headed back to Harrah's to check out and then get serious over at the Cal-Neva.

Without a doubt, I love the Cal-Neva the most. Did you know that you can get markers there now? You can. That just tossed SL and Harrah's off my list of casinos.

We played craps, we ate at the grill, we wandered the dingy carpets and rode the slightly sticky escalators with joy. There are acres of machines and always friendly staff. The beer pong tables are kinda lumpy looking now. Three dollar 3:2 blackjack with single deck is fun. They have real-deal coindropping machines at their hotel. The dealers are gracious when you screw up betting in craps and will help you figure out what to do in blackjack. You can comp yourself at one of the local pawnshops with Cal-Neva points because they don't have a gift shop. Their staff drinks there at the bar and plays at the sportsbook. I just love the Cal-Neva.

Not even Fremont Street in Las Vegas compares to the joy of the Cal-Neva. In fact, those comped reservations for Caesar's Palace at Christmas we have? Hah. We're canceling them. It's Cal-Neva or nothing! (and by nothing, I mean, well, we rolled out of there with almost nothing... but hey, we had a blast!)
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darlinerene



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sep Mon 19, 2011 9:22 pm    Post subject: Cal Neva Reply with quote

LilyJ, in all our 30 plus years of visiting Reno we have never stayed at the Cal Neva but your reports of good times there are an inspiration and so my husband & I will spend our 31st anniversary there next month. I think it will be a blast, thank you for taking the time to report back on your adventures in the Biggest Little City.
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 5:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Woo-hoo! I really think you'll dig it if you like to gamble and don't care if the hotel has the latest bedspreads and flatscreens.

I hope your experience there is even better than ours... meaning, I hope you walk outta there with your pockets overflowing with winnings!! And please do post a trip report - even if it's just a brief one!
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 8:50 am    Post subject: Sorry, Brooklyn, it's pronounced, "CAL-ALWAYS" Reply with quote

Rockin' at my favorite, Cal-Neva!

-There's just too darn many good quiz answer choices in your poll! I mean, who could even get past the hot girls bearing cold drinks? And based on recent discussions, I really wanted to vote for exotic carpeting - but ultimately, "Flashy, blinky lights" win the day.

-'Tis true that the Cal-Neva parking garage has a rather seedy countenance - I'm surprised to hear that conditions in Tahoe are at all comparable; I still imagine Tahoe as being some sort of yuppie-appealing, Aspen-with-gambling-style resort town, but I clearly need to go there and scope it out for real.

-While it's never occurred to me to ask for a marker anywhere, I can only cheer at your further evidence of the Cal-Neva's superiority. 3-dollar, 3:2 single deck blackjack? Heaven! And their funky, split-level architecture with its myriad of location options - so very many joyous evenings to pass; I could just about spend a whole Reno trip in there, and not miss a single other establishment. What is it about this place and us low-rollers? Oh, right; we're actually made for each other...

Great work, as usual, and thanks for genuflecting at the altar of Cal-Neva!
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JD



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 956

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 9:42 am    Post subject: Casino Credit Reply with quote

Getting a "Casino Credit " account is a fast way to get free rooms and invites to events...as well as to exceed your budget.

Easy way to start: Write to casino a month before a trip and ask if you can send them a check (more than you usually play) as "front money" so you don't need to carry so much cash. Ask cage manager for instructions. This will also give you check writing privledges...use it, evenif you don't NEED to.

Be sure to draw down on your "front money " while at tables...even if you don't need to or put it all into play.

Do that a few times and they will suggest a credit account and assign a host to you at the same time. Ask the dealers who's the "best" host for you to ask for because there's a high turnover.



I nearly forgot....Someday you might actually have a huge, taxable win. When that happens, you will have a paper trail of casino IOUs which MIGHT support for your claim of earlier losses in the same year. So a pile of paid off pit markers for $ 10,000 (regardless of the win/loss) COULD be used to offset a $ 10,000 slot win....maybe.

And Lilly...I tried to vote but I couldn't find the one category I seek out. I look for any casino staff that's thrilled to get a $ 2 tip. And there are a bunch of them over at the "NEW" Siena. Did you try them yet?
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 10:08 am    Post subject: Call Mark, and ask for a marker... Reply with quote

Thanks, JD - that snippet of advice is most likely just as good, or better than, the instructions contained in some hundred-page book called "Getting the most out of your casino play" for $12.95, or some such thing.

If I'm ever again in the position of doing whatever I want, I promise you I'm going to take up that advice....at Cal-Neva!


Last edited by stan_allen on Sep Tue 20, 2011 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
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steve



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 47

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love Cal Neva. My favorite place to play while in Reno. My best Neva story is one night I was playing black jack and A guy walked up behind me and asked if I wanted to pet his bird for good luck. My first thought was he better have a damn bird in his hand when I turn around and not something else. Well sure as heck he had some half dead looked like it had been ran over pigeon in his hands. Only at the Cal Neva can you have this kind of fun.
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JD



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 956

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 3:14 pm    Post subject: Bird Brains @ the Cal Neva? Reply with quote

That was JOHN!! And it was NOT a Virginia Street Morning Dove...it was Charlie!

Ah...the Cal Neva late at night...nothing like it to make one feel like they've really got their life together...unless you count the Little Nugget.
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Shooty



Joined: 22 Jan 2006
Posts: 182

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lily, you're the best. Wish it was possible to tune more women (well, one in particular) to your taste.
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Sep Tue 20, 2011 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And I forgot to mention this about the Siena - they are offering to match freeplay offers from any other casino!

We ran through our freeplay "Express" coupons in Harrah's and forgot to take them first over to Siena. And of course, as I mentioned, the Cal-Neva is the end-all-be-all for us now...

However, I see this as a smart move for Siena as they can see who is already on the established casinos radars and for how much.

Speaking of freeplay, we're now on the radar for $12 in free play each week at the Cal-Neva instead of our standard $7.....

Lastly, JD, the deuce trick is one I like to keep between just us... <grin>
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CaSwede



Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Posts: 866

PostPosted: Sep Wed 21, 2011 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Lily- I was at Lake Tahoe on Saturday too. I got there late in the afternoon and got a room at Montbleu. If I had known you could have brought your sleeping bags over, as the floor was not being used. Wink Your right- the casinos were packing Saturday night, but sure got quiet later into Sunday.

I played some Sigma Derby on Monday. I started out with 6 quarters and ended up with a pocket full. I may have some of your quarters in my pile. Thanks!

They had a great deal at MontBleu during football in the Sigma Derby area. A bucket of wings for $5 and a pitcher of beer for $5. I took advantage both Sunday and Monday. The wings were great!
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Sep Wed 21, 2011 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the Cal-Neva could score one of those Sigma Derby machines and a Silver Strike machine, oooooo-weeeeeee..... I need to write them a letter and send it via carrier pigeon!
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Mammothgambler



Joined: 25 Dec 2005
Posts: 619

PostPosted: Oct Mon 03, 2011 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Lily, thanks for another awesome report! (Oh yeah, I voted exotic carpet, in rememberence of the planets disappearing at the Peppermill...)

Yeah, isn't it crazy how packed (and expensive!) Tahoe can get at the most random of times? Good call on going back down the hill. The closed thing you all walked past was most likely what was left of Bill's. I miss those huge burgers there but that's about it.

Sounds like you all had alot of fun at the Cal-Neva. My folks are doing their first Reno trip ever in a few weeks - all the way from North Carolina - and I think I'm going to take them there. They flip on machines that still drop coins (I told them about the ones with the cacti and burros that only drop a few coins max), really dig old skool Vegas and Atlantic City, and I think that'll be a good entry point when I show them the downtown area.

Not sure if I saw it posted elsewhere but do you happen to know when the various locations promo ends at Harrahs? I'm still kicking myself because I probably could've pulled it off during all my August trips, but didn't see or hear anything about it until I got here. I have until December 31 to rack up 1200 more tier credits, then I'll be at Platinum level...I think I can...I think I can!

Mammothgambler

Mammothgambler
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Oct Tue 04, 2011 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The points thing was only through Sep 30! If it's successful, I can imagine that Harrah's will do it again.

I hope your parents dig the Cal-Neva and Reno as much as the rest of us... and consider a trip up the hill to Virgina City!
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