Updated by Ziv Chen
Writer
Fact Checked by Lee James Gwilliam
Senior Vice-President
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Review for April 2026
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles is the dominant resort casino destination in the St. Louis metropolitan area. It’s a AAA Four Diamond property sitting on the banks of the Missouri River in historic St. Charles with 130,000 square feet of gaming space, nearly 400 all-suite hotel rooms, and a comprehensive renovation underway that is making a good property considerably better.
It is owned by Boyd Gaming and has been a fixture of the St. Louis area casino market since it opened on May 27, 1994, making it one of the first two riverboat casinos in Missouri.
That origin story is worth a brief explanation, because Missouri's casino history shapes what Ameristar is today. When the state legalized riverboat gambling in 1993, casinos were required to operate on navigable waterways and, for the first two years, to actually cruise the river during gambling sessions. Passengers couldn't lose more than $500 in a single visit.
The cruising requirement was dropped in 1996 and the loss limit finally went in 2009, by which point the casino had long since settled permanently on the Missouri River bank and grown into something far beyond its floating origins.
The hotel, pool, and spa arrived in 2008 as a $265 million expansion. The property has changed hands several times since, moving through Ameristar Casinos, Pinnacle Entertainment, and Penn National Gaming before landing at Boyd Gaming in 2018, where it has remained. Through all of it, the Ameristar name has stuck.
One thing worth knowing before you visit: Missouri's Gaming Commission prohibits casinos from offering complimentary drinks to players, which is unusual by national casino standards and catches some first-time visitors off guard.
Getting There
The property is located just off Interstate 70, on the west bank of the Missouri River immediately after you cross the bridge heading west out of St. Louis. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is about ten minutes away, which makes it one of the most airport-convenient casino resorts in the Midwest. Downtown St. Louis is roughly 30 minutes southeast. Historic downtown St. Charles, with its brick-lined streets is about two miles northwest and well worth an evening if you want to step away from the resort.
Free self-parking is available but sadly the valet service has been permanently discontinued.
Casino Review
The 130,000 square foot casino floor is open 24 hours every day with a brief one-hour closure between 5am and 6am on Wednesdays. I am sure there is a reason for that but I never managed to discover it during my stay.
Missouri's riverboat casino law technically classifies this as a riverboat operation on the Missouri River, though the casino has been permanently moored and land-integrated for decades.
The building itself is worth noting. The Victorian-style architecture with stained-glass skylights gives the casino a character you don't find at most modern casino floors, and the 74,000 square foot illuminated porte cochere out front is visible from the highway. A porte cochere is just an extended covered roof structure over a driveway or entrance, by the way. Full disclosure, I just used the term because I learned it and wanted to show off a little. If it’s any consolation, it did not feel good.
Smoking is permitted across most of the casino floor, for those to whom that is important. Non-gaming areas including the hotel, restaurants, RYSE Nightclub, and public spaces are smoke-free, though.
The table game selection at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles covers all the standard options you'd expect from a major resort casino:
The poker room is one of the last remaining live poker rooms in the St. Louis market and is well worth seeking out if that's your game. It runs 21 tables with USB charging at every seat, complimentary soft drinks from a self-serve machine, and $1.66 in food comps for every hour of live play. I wonder how they arrived at the $1.66 figure.
Anyway, it's a comfortable, well-run room and, frankly, more casinos need to start showing poker some proper love again in my opinion, so kudos to Ameristar Casino.
Slots
Over 2,000 slot machines and video poker games span the floor from penny denominations upward, with a continuously refreshed mix of the most popular current titles alongside established favorites. I had no complaints, and I can be easily annoyed by poorly organised and curated slots.
Sportsbook
Missouri voters approved sports betting in November 2024 and retail sportsbooks launched across the state in December 2025. Ameristar St. Charles partnered with Fanatics Sportsbook for its offering, bringing a full sports wagering experience to the property.
It’s a really nice space too, as you would expect for a relatively new addition.
Rewards Club
Boyd Rewards is the property's loyalty program, running across Boyd Gaming's extensive portfolio of properties nationwide. That does include some properties in Downtown Las Vegas, such as The California and The Fremont, so it’s quite a good program to join.
Tier levels progress from Ruby through Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Onyx, and Titanium, with benefits escalating at each level. Emerald tier and above gain access to the Star Club Lounge, a private VIP space on the property.
Best of all, though, new members receive a first-day loss rebate of up to $300, which is a meaningful welcome offer for first-time visitors. Well, I should say that I got that. I don’t know if I just got lucky and a great promotion was running when I happened to be signing up, and I don’t want to make any promises here. Point is, there could be a great offer on for new sign-ups, so make sure you check it out.
Hotel Review
At the time of writing, the 397 all-suite rooms are currently being refreshed as part of the ongoing property-wide renovation. Every room is a suite rather than a standard hotel room, which means even the entry-level accommodation gives you a sunken living room, floor-to-ceiling windows with Missouri River or city views, a soaking tub, double vanities, and a separate shower. These are proper suites rather than oversized rooms with a couch pushed in the corner, and the distinction matters.
Rooms
The floor-to-ceiling windows and Missouri River views are the headline feature, and the upper floors deliver on it. Watching the river from a soaking tub at Ameristar is one of those quietly satisfying hotel experiences that justifies a room upgrade without needing further justification. The rooms are contemporary in design, plushly furnished, and the renovation is moving the finish quality forward noticeably.
Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs, WiFi, and in-room safes. The all-suite configuration makes Ameristar a particularly strong option for longer stays or for guests who want room to move around in the evenings rather than just a bed to fall into.
My room actually reminded me a little of the Venetian rooms in Las Vegas, and if you have ever stayed there before you will know that is quite the compliment.
Where to Eat
Ameristar has been actively refreshing its dining program as part of the wider renovation, with several new concepts added in recent years and further changes in progress.
| Restaurant | Type | General Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bugatti's Steak and Pasta | Classic steakhouse with Italian menu, seasonal local ingredients | $$$ |
| Charter 18 Modern Tavern | New gastropub and sports bar with Topgolf Swing Suites, replacement for Amerisports Bar and Grill | $ |
| Salted Lime | Authentic Mexican and Southwestern cuisine, one of the newer additions | $$ |
| Copper Whisk | Upscale cafe and bakery, warm atmosphere | $ |
| Fifth Street Deli | Specialty sandwiches, hearty soups, chef-inspired salads, all-day breakfast, conveniently next to the poker room | $ |
| Pearl's Oyster Bar | Fresh oysters and seafood in a casual bar setting | $ |
| King Cat Club | Martini bar, specialty cocktails including the Ruby Cat and Blood-Orange Jalapeno Margarita | $ |
The Salted Lime delivers authentic south of the border cooking that goes beyond the generic casino Mexican restaurant template. Meanwhile, Copper Whisk handles the cafe and bakery requirement with the kind of upscale warmth that makes it a natural first stop in the morning.
Bugatti's is the traditional anchor and while a rebrand is incoming, the core of a steakhouse with an Italian menu and quality local ingredients is a solid proposition regardless of the name above the door.
Charter 18 Modern Tavern, which replaced the Amerisports Bar and Grill, adds Topgolf Swing Suites to the dining and entertainment mix, giving golfers a year-round simulator option alongside the food and bar program.
Pool and Spa
The seasonal indoor-outdoor pool takes advantage of the Missouri River setting and is fine so long as the weather cooperates. That does mean it is not a guaranteed good time, though.
The aRa Spa at 7,000 square feet is something the property is clearly very proud of. It has a hydro-pool, steam room, Swiss shower, indoor-outdoor pool access, and a state-of-the-art fitness center available around the clock. The treatment menu covers massages, facials, and body treatments, with a spa boutique on site.
Entertainment
The Bottleneck Blues Bar is the heart of live music at Ameristar. It’s a lively venue that books classic rock, Motown, 80s hits, and modern pop from a rotating mix of local, regional, and occasional national acts.
RYSE Nightclub handles the late-night EDM end of things with an immersive experience built around futuristic design, pulsing light shows, and a calendar of both local DJs and larger touring names. Not my thing, but have fun if it is yours.
Verdict
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles is the clear choice for anyone who wants a proper resort experience in the St. Louis area rather than just a place to gamble. The all-suite hotel with Missouri River views, the aRa Spa, the 130,000 square foot casino floor with one of the last live poker rooms in the market, the Fanatics Sportsbook, and a dining line-up that is actively improving through the ongoing renovation add up to a package that nothing else in the area comes close to matching.
The renovation is still in progress and some areas will be mid-update depending on when you visit, but the direction is clearly forward and the property has enough already in place to make a stay worthwhile at any point during the work.
Meet The Author
Experience
Ziv Chen has been working in the online gambling industry for over two decades in senior marketing and business development roles. Ziv writes about a wide range of topics including slot and table games, casino and sportsbook reviews, American sports news, betting odds and game predictions. Leading a life full of conflict, Ziv constantly struggles between his two greatest loves: American football and US soccer.
Read Full BioDisclosure
Test Your Luck
Not Your Spam Filter
Sign up to receive emails and promotions from Casinos.com
