Gold Dust West-Carson City — Hotel in Carson City

Gold Dust West Casino: A Disappointing Experience with Unprofessional Dealers (Robin) and Unpleasant Atmosphere

I’ve been a regular at Gold Dust West Casino in Carson City, Nevada, for Years, but my recent visits have left me thoroughly disappointed. There are several issues with this casino that have significantly tarnished my experience, and it’s unfortunate because this place had potential.

Unprofessional and Rude (Robin) Dealers One of the most frustrating aspects of Gold Dust West is the behavior of the dealers. While I understand that dealing with customers can be tough, the constant overstepping and inappropriate conversations are simply unacceptable. Many times, dealers try to make players feel guilty by casually mentioning that they only make $11 an hour. I didn’t come to a casino to be guilt-tripped into tipping; I’m here to enjoy the game, not be reminded of their financial struggles. The dealers frequently make rude comments, crossing the line between friendly banter and unprofessionalism.

It’s not just the unpleasantness—it’s the persistent attempt to manipulate players into giving tips, which feels more like a coercion than a voluntary gesture.

Oh, You Wanted Food? Good Luck With That.

Looking for a bite to eat? Hope you're a fan of disappointment! The casino proudly advertises a Mexican restaurant... that’s been closed for over a year. But hey, why update the info when false hope is free?

Then there’s the grill—if you love overpriced fast food with a side of restrictions, this is your paradise. Want to call in your order? Too convenient. Want to use your comps? Only if you’re willing to sit down and pretend this is a fine dining experience.

$70 for four burgers that barely beat drive-thru quality? What a steal! (Literally.)

Do yourself a favor—stay far, far away.

Removal of the Single Deck Blackjack Table Gold Dust West used to have something unique: the only single-deck blackjack table in Carson City. It was a favorite for many players, offering a more relaxed and enjoyable experience compared to the multi-deck games. In fact, they even had two tables, and the atmosphere was always lively.

Unfortunately, they’ve recently removed both tables, which is a huge letdown. The single-deck blackjack was a great draw for the casino, and removing it feels like a decision that prioritizes profit over customer satisfaction. Now, the tables are just like any other casino, and the charm of Gold Dust West is fading fast.

A Smoky and Unpleasant Atmosphere Another significant downside to this casino is the overwhelming cigarette and cigar smoke. The air is thick with it, and while they have a few small air filters, it’s simply not enough to clear the air. The smoke lingers everywhere, even spilling into the bowling area and the café, which makes the entire experience uncomfortable. It's frustrating to sit down for a meal or enjoy a game only to be surrounded by a cloud of smoke that makes you want to leave immediately. It's disappointing that this issue hasn’t been addressed more seriously, considering how it negatively impacts the overall environment.

Decent Slots, Decent RTP The slots at Gold Dust West are one of the few bright spots. They're among the best in Carson City in terms of variety and design. However, the RTP (Return To Player %) is another story. With most machines hovering between 75% and 83%.

Overall: Not Worth the Visit While Gold Dust West offers a few redeeming qualities, such as decent slot machines and a historical reputation, the combination of rude dealers, unpleasant smoking conditions, and the removal of signature games like single-deck blackjack leaves a lot to be desired. I’ll be taking my business to the GSR Grand Sierra Resort for my casino fix from now on. The experience simply isn't...

Transparency/clarity statement: this is a review of the RV park not the hotel/casino!

I've stayed at Gold Dust West RV park many, many times over the last four+ years of owning a travel trailer. It definitely falls into the category of RV park that was built before today's super-sized rigs but it's workable. We can unhook and park the truck perpendicular in front of the trailer without encroaching upon anyone else's space -- as you'll see others do as well. It is tight for our 52' of equipment, though. Plus, there's plenty of nearby overflow parking if you need it.

The desk staff is friendly and helpful. They often have to be apologetic for the facility's maintenance issues -- rightfully so. Incredibly simple things like damaged electrical towers and missing spigot t-handles are not addressed in between our frequent visits. So you have to know which sites have issues in advance or stop by and inspect them before committing to a site if you don't want to have to move multiple times to find one with everything in working order.

You will deal with noise from the freeway and access ramp. That's just the breaks you have to put up with for the location. That's a little more aggravating if you like to enjoy outside time like we do. Inside our trailer, the noise is largely a non-issue.

I give them good marks for amenities. If you need a fitness center, they offer it to the RV park dwellers. And being someone who has to do physical therapy constantly, having that space is a major bonus. I don't need their weight machines, but I do use the treadmill in bad weather and having access to a decent amount of floor space to do my other exercises and yoga is really nice.

The bath-house is always immaculate so high marks there. The laundry facility is clean and tidy, but prices are a bit on the smart side for the small, old-school, clunky, agitator washing machine offerings. But they do work and it's convenient. Not having to schlep to a laundromat is a big deal.

The location is good, especially if you know Carson. It's very easy to get to everything Carson City has to offer. The taqueria across the street is brilliant and walking distance to groceries and good food. But if you venture over to Centro Market just east the freeway, I'll vouch their tacos are better. Tractor Supply next door to GDW has a great supply of dog food and propane so you don't have to go far for those supplies. The Grille in the casino is a nice respite from RV meal prep. And the pie is damn good.

Overall the park is really good but not great when considering the slightly-high price given their maintenance issues and limitations. Bang for the buck is the bottom line, right? Given the limited options in the Carson City area, I still feel GDW has the best value and set up. Solid but not perfect. But far better than the other nearby parks and without being as far out as Reno or Minden. So in spite of a few challenges, it's still my go-to as a full-timer/former-local who has our house-load of crap stored in the area that we need to visit and manage...

This review is based on my room and my experience.

Honestly, not a bad spot. I needed a place to stay for a last minute overnight Tahoe trip. Everything around Lake Tahoe was really expensive, so I looked a little farther out. I found this spot in Carson City which wasn't too terribly far away from Lake Tahoe. Price point was decent relative to the general review of the rooms. With some planning, I worked around the location relative to my trip goals.

The hotel itself isn't too shabby. Interior is a bit dated, but overall it wasn't too bad.

My room was mostly clean except for the little area around the fridge, but that wasn't a problem at all since I wasn't using the fridge.

The room was perfectly fine for an overnight stay; the living area and the bathroom was mostly clean and well stocked for necessities. Simply put: I was very comfortable in my room which is the least i could hope for.

The Grille restaurant had a cheap prime rib dinner for $14.99. I also saw a surf and turf for about $21. The prime rib meal wasn't bad if you temper your expectations.

Quite a lot of food really. Side salad, seasonal veggie, potato of your choice, and the protein. Quantity was def bang for the buck. They also provided a free breakfast voucher for the morning. There's also a lot of food spots nearby if you want to venture out.

Now the bad spots. There were random laundry bins in the hallways which I found odd to just leave in the hallways like that.

Small casino. Slot machines here were particularly stingy, but I guess that's the nature of the beast. The vending machines also weren't working. I thought they charged my card without coughing up the goods, but luckily my account said i was credited back.

Also, yes it smells like cigarettes, but really how many casino hotels don't smell like cigarettes? The rooms are non-smoking, but after a while I started to notice that the air in my room definitely had the tinge of cigarettes. Felt like it was starting to get to my eyes.

This is the longest review I've written in a while.

Honestly if I'm in the area, I would definitely consider staying here again if the price is right. The drive back to Tahoe isn't too bad. I believe 30 minutes with no traffic. There's a bowling alley here too, but I didn't have a chance to...