At the beginning of December, Stacey and I were supposed to head to Chicago for a week. I got sick over Thanksgiving, and those plans were scuttled. Then, we were going to go mid-month, and my car died.  We reset the Chicago trip for the new year right when the snow and cold hit, and oh yeah, right when a deer decided to run out in front of my new to me car, two days before we were heading out. So, with more lousy, cold weather predicted, we decided to skip Chicago in favor of a staycation at the Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City last Thursday and Friday for a quick staycation, and it was just what I needed to reset and recharge.

Let me get this out of the way first: Stacey had never been to a casino, and I am far from an experienced gambler. I chose the Ameristar based on the restaurant choices, Friday night karaoke, and the thought that we could hang out there if it were bitterly cold, and we didn't want to venture out into the Kansas City weather.

Accommodations

Ameristar Casino Kansas City
Ameristar Casino Kansas City
loading...

I booked us a Deluxe Mini Player Suite with a king bed. The room was 500 square feet and consisted of a bedroom with a "living" area that included a comfortable couch and chair, two desks, an in-room safe, a large television, refrigerator, coffee maker, free internet, and a spacious bathroom with two vanities and plenty of room to dress.

The room was a little warm when we first walked in, but it was spotless, smelled great, and it was easy to feel at home. The thermostat also worked perfectly, so we were able to adjust the temperature to our liking for the rest of our stay. While the hotel wasn't too busy, it was a quiet experience both nights; there wasn't any noise from the hall of adjacent rooms.

I don't know if I'd get the Deluxe Mini Player Suite again. There wasn't anything wrong with it—the bed was comfortable, and the space was nice—but it was unnecessary for us.

What Was Good About Our Stay

Two things stood out above everything else. One, the employees were fantastic. Everyone we interacted with was friendly, took a minute or two to engage with us, and remembered us if we ran into them again. It seemed their employees enjoyed their jobs and enjoyed interacting with guests. It was pretty impressive. It reminded me of what I suspect old Vegas was. I don't know if I'm on the money there, but I found it refreshing and fun.

The second thing that stood out to me was the food—a part of why I picked Ameristar vs. one of the other casinos was I liked the restaurants available.  The complex offers the Amerisports Brew Pub, an Asian noodle bar called An Pho, a breakfast joint called Cafe Primo, a Mexican restaurant called Willy and Jose's Cantina, two fast food joints, one serving burgers, the other serving pizza, as well as their signature steak place called KC Chop House.

We dined at Amerisports, Cafe Primo, and KC Chop House. We also stopped at Willy & Jose's Cantina for a cocktail. Overall, the food was delicious.

Ameristar Casino Kansas City
Ameristar Casino Kansas City
loading...

Let's start with KC Chop House. They had a three-course meal for $55 a person as part of Kansas City's restaurant week, so we took advantage of that. We dined on 12-ounce slabs of prime rib with potatoes. I opted for the Caesar Salad, and Stacey went with the French Onion Soup, and for dessert, we both had Apple Pie Ice Cream. The meal was delicious, and while the prime rib was a couple of ounces less than the choices on the menu, there was no skimping on portions and we left satisfied, Stacey even had leftovers.

On Friday morning, we had breakfast at Cafe Primo. Stacey had an omelet, which she liked, and I had French toast, which may be the best restaurant French toast I've ever had. Yes, it's a simple dish, but it can leave you wanting in many restaurants, not at Cafe Primo.

Yu, one of the bartenders at Willy and Jose's, poured me the perfect coconut margarita. I'll tell you, based on a lot of the food we ate, I'd go back to try Willy and Jose's.

If one meal wasn't standout, it might be the one at Amerisports Brew Pub. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination; it was just average, what you might expect from a place designed to watch the game and drink, maybe more so than eat. Stacey liked the Spinach Artichoke Dip and chips for her meal. I got the Philly Cheesesteak and thought it was average.

It's All About the Gambling

Ameristar Casino Kansas City
Ameristar Casino Kansas City
loading...

If you've spent any time reading about casinos or the psychology that goes into operating a casino, you realize everything is geared to get you to gamble and spend money. Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City isn't any different. In fact, when you strip everything away, there isn't much to do on the property except eat, drink, and gamble.

While I'm far from a high-roller, I enjoy a little gambling—at least the slots. Regarding non-Las Vegas casinos, I'd say Ameristar Kansas City's casino is as close to a Vegas atmosphere as I've experienced. The casino is roomy, has two floors, and doesn't feel cramped. It's a very comfortable gambling space. Add friendly, helpful employees who keep the place as spotless as possible, and it's an impressive casino.

I mention this because aside from the gambling, the food, and the TV in your hotel room, there isn't much to do on the property. There isn't a spa, there isn't a pool or hot tub, and there isn't much that isn't gaming-related. I wouldn't consider it a very kid-friendly property either. However, kids will like the fully restored Pullman car attached to Depot #9, which they occasionally use for Karaoke or some smaller live music events, and the interior streetscape that connects the hotel, restaurants, casino, and Star Pavillion.

The Nitpicks

No stay anywhere is perfect, and our stay was no exception. I'm calling this section "The Nitpicks" because we did have a good time, although there were a few minor frustrating things.

First, most hotel soda machines were out of everything except Pepsi. I tried machines on four floors and had no luck finding Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, or Mountain Dew. Second, I couldn't tell whether valet parking was being offered. After driving around the hotel's porte cochere several times, I got the point. Mostly, that was a signage issue. Third, their non-casino bar area in Depot #9 was closed, as was the Mexican place on Thursday night. Finally, we were looking forward to Karaoke Friday night, which was canceled due to the weather.

The place was quiet on Thursday in January, so I can understand why some food/cocktail service options might be limited. And it wasn't lost on me that the weather leading up to our stay wasn't great, so maybe Pepsi didn't get out to refill the machines. The biggest bummer was the canceled Karaoke on Friday, mainly because we were done with the casino. It would have been fun to kick back with a cocktail, listen to folks sing, and maybe try belting out a song. Once again, though, with the forecast and the weather leading up to our stay, I got the cancellation.

The Bottom Line

Our short getaway at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City was delightful. The food was excellent, and the food and beverage prices were reasonable and competitive with what you might pay off-property for similar meals. The staff was very welcoming and helpful, too. I wouldn't hesitate to enjoy the casino, the hotel, or the restaurants again.

I'm looking forward to seeing a show at the Star Pavillion sometime and building a night or two around that.

The Abandoned Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City

Schlitterbahn's fourth waterpark, Schlitterbahn Kansas City, opened on July 15, 2009, on land that originally was home to the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds near Interstate 434. Grand plans for the waterpark included a resort with 1,000 hotel rooms, a sporting goods store, and an area of shops and restaurants.

Between the economy, a child's death on the Verrückt waterslide, and the coronavirus pandemic the waterpark never matched the success of Schlitterbahn's other waterparks in Texas. After the 2018 season, the park was never re-opened and was demolished for redevelopment about two years later.

Exploring the Abandoned visited the still-standing park in November 2020 and shot a video which you can see on Youtube.

Gallery Credit: Rob Creighton

The Sad End to Kansas City's Bannister Mall Revisited

Kansas City's Bannister Mall was once one of the biggest and most popular malls in Kansas City. Yet by 2000, the writing was on the wall, and Bannister was gone a couple of years after Blue Ridge Mall closed.

Gallery Credit: Rob Creighton

More From Mix 92.3