I have to say that it takes a lot to impress my tastebuds, let alone the tastebuds of more than a dozen travel writers. But there we were, sitting all together at the Bistro Napa (located at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nevada) ooooh-ing and aaaa-ing at each appetizer, entree, and dessert placed in front of us. “Bistro Napa offers the freshest, eclectic, organically inspired seasonal menu with titillating entrées from Scallops Rockefeller to succulent filets, organic salads, wood-fired pizzas, tantalizing side dishes and appetizers from calamari to Kobe beef sliders to wood-fired baby artichokes,” according to Atlantis’ Ben McDonald. And titillating is an understatement.

WAIT... Did I say RENO? Indeed, I did.

The Atlantis was kind enough to host the quarterly NATJA Advisory Board meeting in January. And what a treat! We were entertained by the very charming Chef Clay ­Slieff at the award-winning Bistro as he explained the mouth-watering desserts they had just plopped before us. Plates of fresh fondue doughnuts, towering bowls of cotton candy and their famous chocolate burger—a vegetarian dish with a chocolate fudge brownie patty and sweet roll served with a shot of root beer float and mango slices as fries. They practically needed a backhoe to roll us out of the restaurant and back to our rooms (or casino).

The resort has recently undergone a $100 million expansion and the rooms in the Concierge Tower are quite nice. Our view toward snow-covered Tahoe was breathtaking. But for me, even more noteworthy was the Spa. The 30,000-foot sanctuary has rooms and treatments I’ve never heard of. They even have a skin treatment that is offered in less than a dozen U.S. spas. My two favorite numbers were the herbal steam room and the cool Brine Inhalation-Light Therapy Lounge with heated floors and seating. Yep, a nap was not hard to accomplish on this little adventure.

First, I was feasting in a world-class restaurant. Then I was lounging for hours in a spa that I needed a compass to find my way around in. I had to chuckle. I was in RENO! What a world!

Jerri
Jerri Hemsworth
Publisher
E: jerrih@natja.org 
B: www.travelworldmagazine.com/blog/publisher