This is a poorly run property that was once much better. (We've stayed at this resort in the past.) We won't be staying at Ameristar again. Period.
Positives:
- great location by a major freeway and lovely, historic St. Charles
- large and pretty in a broad, architectural sense: feels like big casino resort overlooking the Missouri River
- the rooms remain architecturally interesting and were shaped and built with generally nice, thoughtful materials and design details
- easy parking
Negatives:
- the vast pool area is only open seasonally now, and it's noted in a subtle manner on the resort's website; this is in spite of it having been 80 degrees every day, there being an indoor pool portion, and there being hot tubs; in most of the world, outdoor hot tubs remain open year-round or almost year-round: think of ski resorts, for example; this is just lazy and terrible cost-cutting
- the resort is still charging its resort fee daily; clearly a money-grab even though the pool areas aren't open
- they try to claim the spa is a replacement in some sense; but the spa is a paid service, by a lot, so this is just another money-grab
- check-in was terrible: they don't really care on any level if you're arriving early, won't try to have your room ready early, and instead try to sell you on an $85 early-check-in option; then they tell you they'll call or text when your room is ready, but they don't
- I have MUCH more to note; Expedia won't permit me to share much more: space limits