Reno charges a sneaky resort fee plus city hospitality tax on rooms (what's so hospitable about making guests pay more??). I prefer staying in Carson City. If you don't mind a very ordinary motel for a few days, try America's Best Value Inn or the other similar hotels on Business Route 395. There is a very old, but inexpensive, hotel in downtown Carson City, The Hardman House. Reno, Lake Tahoe and Virginia City are all short drives away.