Our friends book our reservations several weeks in advance so that we could get rooms on the same floor. Our friends had a lodging coupon, however the reservation desk clerk would not honor the coupon for the two reservations, even though it did not state on the coupon that it would be for one room only! There were other people in line that had made two reservations also and the desk clerk told them that they would not honor theirs either.

If this was not bad enough they then put us on different floors of the hotel, even though we had specifically asked to be on the same floor when the reservations were made weeks before. Then when we got to our rooms (on different floors) we were both put right next to the elevators. We got no sleep with the clanging of the elevator's going up and down, with the banging of the elevator doors, with the dinging of the elevator's bells, and with the people talking and laughing while they were waiting for the elevator's. These things went all night long, not to mention the noise from the dropping of the ice from the ice machine that was right outside our rooms.

Evidently this hotel is not a customer friendly hotel, as we wrote to the general manager and we never received an apology, heck we didn't even get any acknowledgement of our letter at all.

From here we went to Laughlin, Nevada and stayed at the Edgewater Hotel Casino and both of us couples highly recommend this place. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We both got great discounts on the rooms and on all our meals. We even got several free gifts. And the rooms were not right next to the elevator's either.

I stayed at the casino for the first time, first time I ever traveled without my family. I stayed there because travelworm found me a really good rate. I was there alone I went to see my new grandbaby they live in Reno. I was outside using the cell phone because reception was only good outside the casino. I looked up and 4 security gaurds were standing around me, made me feel like a criminal. The reason I believed I was being harrassed was the way I was dressed. They thought I was a call girl obviously, because if it was my husband standing out there smoking or talking on the cell phone they wouldn't of harrassed him. They told me that I was not allowed to loiter outside the casino, I told them I had a room there and they still treated me bad I left a night early and went to Silver Legacy, now that place was the best they cater to you there and don't dicriminate against different clothing.

Returned to the Sands this year because the $17 a night rate (yes, really, $17 a night) could not be beat! I go to ski and the Sands offers free pick up at the airport, has a ski rental shop attached to their building and sells discounted lift tickets at the front desk. The rooms are dated but clean and you will want to be aware that the Sands still allows smoking. If you go, be sure to eat at Mel's which is right in the casino, good food and great service!

We had a nice, clean room with a king bed for 2 nights and were pleased with our stay. The large room could have used an easy chair but we made do with the cafe table and twin stools. Rooms are basic and not swanky and are dimly lit but otherwise no complaints - everything was clean, comfy, and in good repair, and for 28 bucks a night, it's hard to imagine asking for more. The eateries looked okay - nothing to write home about - but it's only a couple of blocks to a wide variety of eateries in/around the El Dorado. We ate at the Fuzio place in the Sands one night - good but not special. Mel's Diner downstairs looked cheery and busy, and the Cabana cafe was packed with oldsters at 5:30 in the morning.

I don't quite grasp some of the negative comments I've read on this place. This is not Las Vegas and it's not a swanky hotel - it's RENO, and after all - Reno really is a little depressing if you have a look around. This place doesn't compare favorably to the El Dorado or the Silver Legacy, but if you want more flash, you walk out the 4th St. end and down 4th St. to the El Dorado and Silver Legacy (it's only 2 blocks.) There's absolutely NOTHING scary about that walk except for the windy, cold winter weather - sidewalks are well lit, and it's a major street. The Greyhound station lies to the south - I didn't walk there, but I wouldn't have any occasion to do so unless I were catching a bus, so I can't say if that part of town is scary. The Sands for me is not the greatest place around but clearly above average for Reno, close enough to the bigger brighter places, and a very good value.