111 Richman St., Black Hawk, CO 866-667-3386, 720-946-4000;
Rates: Deluxe rooms are $99 to $129 on weekdays, and $169-$259 on Fridays and Saturdays (expect to pay even more on holiday weekends). Suites start at $269 weekdays and $289 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Stay here if you: want a one-stop gaming, dining, entertainment and lodging experience. From the two-level casino at the base to the rooftop pool, hot tubs and firepits on the 32nd floor, there’s no reason to leave the property. Restaurant options include the Fireside Kitchen offering breakfast, lunch and dinner; the upscale Timberline Grill (steaks and seafood); a buffet; deli; and Starbucks.
It’s close to: all the other casinos and attractions in Black Hawk, which you probably won’t bother seeing.
The rooms are: like an Escalade, loaded with features. The standard rooms — called Deluxe in Ameristar parlance — have marble foyers, plasma TVs, big bathtubs, beds decked out in high-thread-count linens, and a refrigerator (thankfully not stocked with overpriced snacks and beverages), so you’re not left asking for much. Wireless Internet access is included, as is self-parking or valet parking, entrance to the fitness center and pool area. Guests can request smoking or nonsmoking rooms, and wheelchair-accessible rooms are available. The Spa Suites have roomy bedrooms as well as a living room with sectional sofa, arm chair, small dining area, wet bar with seating, refrigerator and half-bath. With two 42-inch plasma TVs (and another in the master bathroom!), a double-sided fireplace and whirlpool bath with mountain views, you might not even want to leave the room.
They put all of the money into: the works, from the professional staff to the clean and contemporary decor. Ameristar reportedly spent $235 million on the resort, which opened last September. Like Gulliver among the Lilliputians, the hotel and casino cast a big shadow over Black Hawk. It might be too big and slick for those who prefer recalling the gambling town’s humble mining roots, but fans unabashedly wallow in the amenities.
The bottom line: If you’re going to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary, spring for a suite, and live like a high roller for a night.
Suzanne B. Brown
