Ameristar Casino East Chicago — Attraction in North Township

Overall, it was decent, clean (no smoking helped), slightly busy and you do have to wear masks in all public places and they check your temperature upon entrance to the casino.i have given three stars because I had issues with their check-in process that ruined my expectations and no room service. The detailed version follows below.

My hubby and I just wanted to stay overnight at a good hotel in East Chicago (IN), so we chose this. Neither of us are gamblers so we didn't play anything on this trip. I reached the hotel around 1pm, there was no early check-in (one of the review mentioned they did for $15 but no one gave me that offer). I went around all the rooms, just to get an idea of what the place was,ofcourse lots of slots, roulette, baccarat, high stakes room, only two restaurants were open, sportbook barstool and brother burgers. Well, the vegetarian options at both these places is extremely limited. To go menu is different from done in barstool stadium. Bugatti and gift store are closed. Noodle bar access only if you play 30min baccarat.

Nice comfortable lounge space and business room. The conditions for sitting in the business room are: you need a key to access this room(room key preferably); you can't use for more than 10min, you can use the printer (it said low ink the entire time, and half pages were getting printed after 10 pages) and wear your mask ofcourse. Around 3:30 pm, some ladies wanted to use it and the front desk person just barged in and asked me to leave (not in a polite way). Anyhow, ofcourse I packed my things and spent the remainder of the time in the hotel lobby.

At four, I got up to join the line for check-in .. (by then alot of people were just waiting around on the side benches). Got till the front desk, and the person asked for name, I gave my husband's name since I made the booking under his name (incase I didn't come last minute). He looked up and asked for ID, and then he mentions, 'I cannot check you in because Mr. Powers is not here'. And I said, I made the booking in his name, 'i am sorry, it is a hotel policy'. Well, not only did this infuriate me, I had to wait for another hour till my husband returned and only for a few minutes coz then he had to go back. So instead of relaxing in the hotel room, he checked me in and then had to leave again. And guess what, when he asked for credit card on which the booking was made, ofcourse I had to show his again (along with my ID). Now, I'm not sure which hotel policy states, do not let the person who made the reservation/his wife in, but caution for those who may try to do this.

Once I reached the room, there were two complementary small water bottles, three pillows on some nice clean bed sheets (though I'd prefer four). The bathroom was clean, with tiled flooring (you not want to walk barefoot, because it is cold, the grout is not surfaced with the tile and it'll be slippery is there is any water. Nice soap, and lotion were placed alongside the sink. Funny enough, the coffee machine and condiments were also placed on the opposite side to the bathroom things. I don't think I can make coffee in my bathroom, let alone outside the WC room.

Apparently, someone (who last stayed in here) decided to leave a pair of jeans and some sweatshirts in the closet. They were still there when we left. Apparently no one decided to remove them (see pics). By morning, thankfully there was no dryness in air, so we slept well and woke up fresh. The carpets were slightly sticky, coz my husband decided to walk barefeet. No breakfast included in the stay, so went down to the second floor to get that from brother burgers. Also, another point to note, everytime you enter the casino fl. they will check ID and your temperature. Good for one time, I had it taken four times. For dinner, we picked up food from Genova pizza (see detail review for that). Apparently they removed microwaves from the floor due to covid. So, you can't reheat any foods in your room. Checkout was easy, I just told the person at the front desk we left the room. Hope you...

When we first got our room, we were excited to see it. At first impression, it was really nice. However, that quickly changed as we realized more about it. The first thing I noticed was that the container for Kleenexes was empty (I was looking to use one almost immediately upon entering), and there was no bar soap. Easy fix, right? I tried calling the front desk... numerous times... no answer. While I was calling, the other guest I was with found the table was covered in filth. We usually bring disinfecting wipes to our rooms, but we left them in the car, so we decided to go down to the casino and afterwards grab them out of the car to bring up later. Also, we figured we would just visit the front desk while out since they weren't answering the phone.

After visiting the casino, we saw they had disinfecting wipes, so we grabbed some of those instead to bring to the room. The front desk was also happy to give us our missing bar soap and Kleenexes. When we got back to the room, it was warm in there. We had left the thermostat on 65°F (I like it cold when I sleep), but the temperature in the room was 70°F. I felt the air coming out of the vent, and it was barely even blowing. So, I tried to call the front desk again. They answered and told me the thermostat is on a motion sensor and that the air conditioning shuts off when we leave the room. They told us to wait 30 minutes and call them back if it didn't cool down.

I was already sweating from my brisk walk through the casino and back, but okay, I waited 30 minutes, literally dripping in sweat... the room went up to 71°F instead of going down. I was getting angry (we were also finding the room filthy at this point), so instead of me getting mad at the front desk, the other guest I was with called them back. They sent up maintenance, which to their credit, did promptly arrive. However, instead of going over and checking the AC unit, the two guys stood at the entrance to the room, giving excuses as to why the room hadn't cooled yet. One was literally trying to explain how the thermostat works, as if I was some kind of idiot. I finally snapped and said, "Why don't you stop with the excuses and just do your job?" One of them shut up, went to the unit and got to work. The other kept rudely running his mouth, implying there was nothing wrong with the unit, that we just didn't understand how it works.

The guy working on the unit found the filter was clogged, severely clogged. I've never seen a filter more clogged than that one was. So now the jerk running his mouth got on the defensive. He realized he was wrong and tried explaining how most other guests don't know how it works, he assumed we were like them. It became evident that I wasn't the ignorant one in the conversation; he was, though I doubt he realized it. The air was flowing better, though the room never did get below 69°F, and it didn't reach that until the morning after our second night. The AC definitely wasn't working right, even with a clean filter.

How incredibly cheap of a hotel to turn your climate control off when you're not in the room! A motion sensor thermostat is reason enough for me to never go back to this hotel. I want my room to be at the temperature I set when I return to it!

So, getting back to while we were waiting the 30 minutes like the front desk asked, before maintenance was sent up, we got to wiping down the room, the surfaces we expect we'll be using like we always do: door handles, light switches, TV remote, etc. It became quite apparent how filthy the room was, notably how dirty the light switches were. They obviously hadn't been wiped down in a very long time. Grime like that doesn't build up overnight. Housekeeping is clearly lazy and not doing a good job at all.

Some other things to note which you find in one-star hotels: Office chair was broken, wouldn't lean back No fan in bathroom Single ply toilet paper Small casino

I'll also be reviewing the sportsbook restaurant in the casino, which will be...

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing outstanding customer service at Ameristar Hotel, thanks to Tatiana, one of the hotel’s concierges. Her professionalism, kindness, and patience made my stay truly memorable, and I believe she deserves to be recognized for her exceptional efforts.

During my visit, the lobby was unusually busy, and tensions were high due to a delay in some guest room preparations. One guest, in particular, was becoming increasingly upset, and I could feel the stress building among the staff. That’s when Tatiana stepped in.

With a calm and collected demeanor, she approached the frustrated guest, listened attentively to their concerns, and responded with genuine empathy. Instead of reacting defensively, Tatiana took the time to understand the issue fully, reassuring the guest that she would work to resolve the situation. She offered a complimentary upgrade and a meal voucher as a gesture of goodwill, making sure the guest felt heard and valued. Her ability to de-escalate the situation without missing a beat was impressive.

Throughout the rest of my stay, Tatiana continued to shine. She managed multiple requests with ease, always with a warm smile and a soothing tone. Whether it was helping guests with directions, providing dining recommendations, or assisting with special requests, she approached each interaction with the same calm, thoughtful manner. It was clear that her goal was not just to meet guests’ needs but to ensure they felt truly welcomed and cared for.

Tatiana’s ability to handle difficult situations with grace and patience, all while maintaining a positive and approachable attitude, sets her apart. She embodies the essence of exceptional hospitality, making everyone feel like a priority, no matter the situation. Her kindness and professionalism make her an invaluable asset to Ameristar Hotel.

Tatiana truly deserves a raise for the extraordinary service she provides. She’s an incredible example of what great customer service should be, and I’m confident that every guest who interacts with her will leave feeling appreciated and eager to return. Thank you, Tatiana, for making my experience at...