The Resort
In June 2020, Stephen and I traveled to Reno, Nevada to spend a night at the Peppermill Resort & Casino!
Because this was our first vacation since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were extra careful to select a resort that was careful about preventing the spread of the disease.
The Peppermill was very COVID conscious. Upon entering the property, each guest was scanned using infrared technology to determine whether or not they had a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If a guest ran a fever, they were escorted off the premises.
The resort placed social distancing signs all over the property. Staff also heavily enforced social distancing protocol. Guests were required to wear masks at all times except while at the pool or while eating. Hand sanitizer was easily accessible throughout the entire resort.
Amenities
The Peppermill Resort has a wide variety of amenities and attractions. In addition to the casino and spa, the resort also has two beautiful pools. Unfortunately, the pool seemed to be the one area where social distancing and masks were not enforced. Stephen and I did not feel comfortable swimming so we decided to enjoy the pool at our next visit.
The Peppermill also had a surprisingly well-outfitted fitness center! While we didn’t have time to work out during our stay, we were very impressed by the assortment of weightlifting machines and cardio equipment they offered.
Restaurants
No matter the food you’re craving, the Peppermill Resort & Spa had plenty of options! For fine dining, you can choose to eat at either Bimini, an upscale steakhouse, Chi, a gourmet Asian restaurant, or Romanza, a luxurious Italian bistro. The Peppermill also offers some more casual options, the most notable of which was Biscotti’s.
The Peppermill is also well known for it’s delicious buffet. Unfortunately, the buffet was closed due to COVID-19, but we hope to try it on our next visit.
Check-In
The check-in process at the Peppermill was simple. We arrived at a popular check-in time- just before 5pm. Stephen and I waited in line for about 10 minutes before we were fully checked in. The hotel staff was friendly and helpful, and they quickly directed us towards our room.
The Room
During our night at the Peppermill, Stephen and I chose to stay in a Deluxe King room in the Peppermill Tower.
Our room was clean and pleasant! It had a comfortable bed/pillows, plenty of extra seating, and a Keurig coffeemaker with extra coffee pods. (For a coffee addict like me, that was a nice touch!)
Our bathroom was small but clean. The Peppermill provided plenty of extra towels, shampoos, and lotions, which was nice! Typically I have to call the front desk to ask for extras.
My only complaint was that our bathroom had one of the worst shower heads I’ve ever used. Otherwise, our room was perfectly lovely!
One notable highlight was that our room included a small desk that doubled as a makeup vanity. It was so easy to get ready in the morning! I was able to style my hair and put on my makeup while Stephen showered. I wish more hotels had this feature!
Biscotti’s
After getting settled in our room, Stephen and I headed over to a cute restaurant called Biscotti’s for a quick bite.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Biscotti’s didn’t give us a menu. Instead, they had us scan a QR code that allowed us to view their menu on our phone. (Sidebar- why haven’t restaurants been doing this all along? It’s so convenient!)
Since we had a reservation at Bimini later that evening, Stephen and I ordered only cocktails and a small appetizer. Our waitress recommended fried calamari, which is one of our favorite dishes! The calamari was delicious, as were our two martinis.
Bimini
After a quick outfit change, Stephen and I met up with his dad and stepmother at Bimini. Bimini is a luxurious steakhouse and seafood restaurant located near the spa at the Peppermill.
I was extremely impressed with Bimini’s interior design. It was decorated in a mostly modern, colorful style with intimate booths and marble tables. The restaurant managed to be both boldly colorful and classy, which is a difficult combination to achieve!
We were a little early for our reservation, so we headed over to the bar for pre-dinner cocktails. I asked the bartender to surprise me with his favorite non-whiskey cocktail (one of my favorite tricks for guaranteeing a great drink!) and ended up with this. I can’t tell you exactly what was in the cocktail, but it was some type of fruity martini that tasted delicious!
Bimini was especially COVID-conscious. There were only 4 chairs available at the bar. Plastic dividers were installed in between each seat, and the chairs were spaced 6 feet apart to enforce social distancing. Our bartender did not allow anyone from our party to stand behind one another, so we took turns sitting at the bar to order drinks. Once we ordered, we were escorted to our table by restaurant staff.
For appetizers, we ordered plates of Oysters Rockefeller and Ahi Tuna Tartare for the table. Both dishes were lovely, and their presentation was amazing!
Stephen and I were already getting a little full, so for our main course we decided to split a single New York Strip steak. Bimini was gracious and served our steak on two separate plates!
Stephen’s dad and stepmom ordered the Steak Diane, which was prepared tableside. I tried a bite and I have to confess- it was better than our ribeye!
For sides, we ordered Maine Lobster Whipped Potatoes, Truffle Mac and Cheese, and Forest Mushrooms. The mushrooms were by far my favorite side dish. They were so good, I helped myself to a third serving- even though I was already pretty full!
Of course, no fine dining experience is complete without dessert! We finished off our meal with a delicious dish of Bananas Foster.
Just like our steak, a chef made our dessert tableside. I’ve never eaten Bananas Foster before, but it instantly became a new favorite. It was the perfect way to end a delicious meal!
The Casino
When we first arrived at the Peppermill Resort and Casino, the casino was quite crowded. Despite social distancing, Stephen and I didn’t feel comfortable gambling until Saturday morning when the casino floor was a bit emptier.
Besides using security cameras and infrared software to analyze all of the patrons body temperatures, the Peppermill also installed plastic dividers in between the seats of each of the slot machines. Stephen and I felt comfortable enough to play a couple of rounds of slots, as well as a bit of video poker.
At poker, blackjack, and craps tables, social distancing was enforced. Patrons were not allowed to stand behind one another, nor was anyone allowed to crowd the game tables. However, we still didn’t want to be that close to that many people, so we chose to wait until our next visit to play some of the other games.
Impression
All in all, we had a lovely time at the Peppermill Resort & Casino! It was great to experience the “Vegas vibe” on a smaller scale and so close to home.
For the most part, I was impressed with the precautions the resort took against COVID-19. The only disappointment was that social distancing was not enforced at the pool. Otherwise, the staff was really conscientious and took plenty of preventative measures to help us feel safe.
Note: This post was originally published on Ciao by Shay on September 3, 2020. It was migrated to Happy Health Stylish upon my blog’s rebranding.