The Jesse — Reno, USA

For Piper Stremmel, opening The Jesse has been a homecoming rite, the former San Francisco-based hospitality maven finding a story in the bones of the 1907 pile on the corner of Evans Avenue and 4th Street – the former address of the old Royal Hotel and Lincoln Lounge – worth retelling. Under the watchful eye of Studio BBA, what was once the boarding house for transients and, quelle horreur, divorcees in the midst of Reno’s Brewery District has been transformed into a handsome, light-washed three-storey, six-bedroom boutique hotel.
On every metric, The Jesse stands apart from the city’s cache of mega gaming and smoking resorts, unfolding its interiors through a sequence of rooms swathed with original brickwork, drooping wisterias, ceramic tiles, terrazzo, and sunny yellow cabinets.
Across the brick paved courtyard is Estella Tacos y Mezcal, a casual Mexican diner housed in the original blacksmith and wagon shop where head chef Harrison Cooper sources local and organic produce from nearby farms and ranges to produce modern takes on Mexican standards, such as vegetarian tacos. The bar, meanwhile, features only agave flavours in its menu of mezcals and tequilas – though if you’re indecisive, may we suggest the 50/50 version of mixed mezcal and tequila, a particularly lethal brew that’s barely leavened with prickly pear and citrus.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
306 East 4th Street
Reno
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Could reimagining play reshape childhood? 21st Europe argues for playgrounds as infrastructure
A new blueprint by think tank 21st Europe and Spacon calls for playgrounds to be treated as vital civic infrastructure – on par with museums, stations and energy grids
-
In Vietnam, Amanoi’s most indulgent residence yet is almost hidden on an East Sea clifftop
Aman’s ‘place of peace’ in Vietnam introduces the Amanoi Ocean Pool Residence, an architectural feat complete with its own private beach and spa
-
Yinka Ilori just teamed up with M.A.D. Editions on a trio of ultra-colourful watches
But hurry – you'll need to enter a raffle to score one for yourself
-
Javier's, a new cathedral-inspired restaurant in downtown LA, offers a divine take on Mexican cuisine
At the restaurant's newest location, discovery lies around every corner – and on every plate
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café Tondo
Helmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Size doesn’t matter at Now Now, a micro-hotel for solo travellers in New York
Can you pack style into 32 square feet? We find out
-
At this LA dining hotspot, go Spanish or Japanese as you please
A dual-concept dining destination designed by the Rockwell Group brings Mediterranean warmth and Japanese precision to Century City
-
The Benjamin’s chic new upstairs bar is Hollywood’s hottest hideaway
At Bar Benjamin, speakeasy mystique meets elevated snacks, cocktails and views
-
More is more at Bar Issi, a maximalist new dining destination in Palm Springs
Fettle studio fuses eco-conscious materials with bold design gestures in this playful space inside the new Thompson Hotel
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?
From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
A local’s guide to Atlanta
Drawn by the city’s diversity and queer community, life coach and writer Cator Sparks returned to Atlanta after 25 years away. He shares his favourite haunts