McGill’s Hotel & Casino is an Irish-themed casino hotel in downtown Cripple Creek, Colorado, with slots, video poker, upstairs rooms, and Pint & Platter pub downstairs. Its strongest appeal is convenience: stay close to the machines and explore neighboring casinos on foot. The main practical catch is dining availability, since the pub’s posted hours cover only Thursday through Sunday. I see McGill’s as a better fit for machine players seeking an overnight downtown base than travelers choosing a hotel for extensive resort amenities.
McGill’s quick facts
| Location | 256 E Bennett Ave., Cripple Creek, CO 80813, as published for the first-floor Pint & Platter |
|---|---|
| Property type | Irish-themed casino with upstairs lodging |
| Casino group | Triple Crown Casinos |
| Advertised gaming | Slots, video poker, and progressive machines |
| Casino access | Advertised as available 24/7 in the group’s hotel information |
| Hotel | Rooms upstairs from the casino |
| Restaurant and bar | Pint & Platter; posted Thursday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. |
| Parking | Free parking listed for the Triple Crown group; confirm the hotel parking location |
| Main contact | (719) 689-0303, Triple Crown Casinos |
| Source collection date | October 12, 2026; supplied pages are primarily undated |
Property overview: a downtown casino base
McGill’s belongs to Triple Crown Casinos, alongside Midnight Rose and Brass Ass. The properties are close together, giving overnight visitors alternatives beyond the games and meals inside McGill’s. A restaurant, promotion, or game advertised by the group is not automatically a McGill’s offering.
The official McGill’s property page describes rooms upstairs, the pub on the main level, and a second floor overlooking the main casino floor. That is a more useful picture than calling it luxurious or one of the largest casinos in town without a meaningful comparison.
My take: location and the room-to-casino connection are the reasons to shortlist McGill’s. A pool, spa, or major entertainment venue should be a separate booking requirement, not something you assume comes with the words “casino hotel.”
Slots, video poker, and casino floor
The operator advertises slots, video poker, and progressive machines, making McGill’s a candidate for a machine-focused visit. The supplied sources do not establish a current machine count, denominations, individual titles, or high-limit inventory. If a particular machine is the reason for your trip, call before making the drive.
For slots, check the total wager before pressing the button. A cabinet’s denomination is not necessarily the cost of each spin, especially with multiple credits or bonus features. Read the rules for progressive eligibility, too.
For video poker, pay attention to the pay table. Machines with the same game name can offer different payouts, and your hold decisions affect long-run return. Video poker is a different game from live poker, not simply a less intimidating version of it.
No supplied paytables support a property-specific return comparison. Guest reports about wins or losses would not establish one, either. Keep your gambling budget separate from money needed for your room, meals, and trip home.
Table games, poker room, and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room or on-site sportsbook.
If a specific live game or in-person sports betting is essential, ask for the exact property, operating hours, and availability. “Somewhere in the group” is not a particularly satisfying answer when you have a specific game in mind.
Triple Crown’s casino overview advertises live blackjack, craps, and roulette at Brass Ass. That gives table players a named sister property to check without treating those games as part of McGill’s own floor.
Hotel rooms: is an upgrade worth it?
Rooms upstairs make an overnight stay different from a gambling stop followed by another drive. You can take a room break or visit a sister property without organizing the evening around moving your car.
McGill’s official page highlights a Deluxe Room with an LCD television, complimentary coffee, and free wireless Internet. A City of Cripple Creek listing mentions Standard rooms, full-sized suites, and special-themed suites. These undated descriptions use different category names, so confirm the actual room being sold on your dates.
The useful comparison is that the Triple Crown hotel page advertises HDTV, complimentary high-speed WiFi, and round-the-clock casino access for both Standard and Deluxe Rooms. Those shared features alone do not explain why you should pay more for Deluxe.
I would ask what changes with the upgrade: room size, bed configuration, bathroom, furnishings, or location. The group describes fireplaces and additional furniture in its Deluxe Suites, but that does not establish those features in every McGill’s suite. Nail down the hotel and room category before paying for the appealing description.
Room rates, fees, and booking terms
No supported current room rate or mandatory-fee amount was supplied. Compare the final reservation total for the same dates and cancellation terms, not just the headline nightly rate. Before booking, confirm:
- Taxes, mandatory charges, deposits, and incidental holds.
- Cancellation deadlines and check-in and check-out times.
- Bed configuration and essential accessibility features.
- Smoking and pet policies.
Midnight Rose is another hotel within the group and a logical comparison if you mainly want this downtown cluster. No supplied rate comparison establishes which is cheaper. Convenience can be valuable, but it does not make an unknown room premium a bargain.
Pint & Platter: dining hours and alternatives
Pint & Platter occupies McGill’s first floor. Its published menu description includes appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, salads, steak, seafood, and desserts. A historic carved bar, Irish décor, and Guinness on tap give it a clearer identity than a generic casino café.
I would approach it as a casual pub meal and drink stop, not automatically as a fine-dining occasion. No supplied menu prices or independent dining reports support a stronger judgment about value, food quality, or service.
The posted hours are Thursday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. Staying upstairs does not guarantee a meal downstairs every day, and this schedule does not provide a breakfast or late-night dining plan.
Dining-schedule comparison
The Visit Colorado Springs Cripple Creek guide lists Miner’s Pick at 264 E Bennett Ave. as a 24/7 quick-bite alternative. The city’s business directory places it at Brass Ass Casino. It is a separate dining stop, not another restaurant inside McGill’s.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Pint & Platter at McGill’s: Published operating schedule | Thursday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.; use this schedule separately from casino hours. |
| Miner’s Pick: Alternative dining schedule and service style | The tourism guide advertises 24/7 quick bites, offering a different schedule and service style from Pint & Platter. |
| Miner’s Pick: Published location for alternative dining | Listed at 264 E Bennett Ave; this is a separate dining stop, not an on-site McGill’s restaurant. |
| Pint & Platter: Restaurant location and direct telephone | The operator places the restaurant on McGill’s first floor and publishes a restaurant-specific telephone number. |
| McGill’s Deluxe Room: Published included amenities | LCD television, complimentary coffee, and free wireless Internet are explicitly advertised for this room category. |
| Triple Crown Standard Room: Published amenities for room-category comparison | The group-level Standard Room description already includes HDTV, complimentary high-speed WiFi, and round-the-clock access to attached casinos; these features alone do not distinguish an upgrade. |
| Triple Crown Deluxe Room: Published amenities shared with Standard Room | The group-level Deluxe Room description also advertises HDTV, complimentary high-speed WiFi, and round-the-clock casino access. Compare the actual room configuration before paying for an upgrade. |
| Triple Crown Deluxe Suites: Published upgrade features | The group advertises fireplaces and comfortable furniture among its suite amenities. Confirm which hotel and suite provide the desired features rather than treating this group description as McGill’s-specific inventory. |
| McGill’s hotel room choices: City-listed upgrade options | The city listing identifies Standard rooms, full-sized suites, and special-themed suites, supporting a room-category comparison without establishing any rate premium. |
| McGill’s hotel: Room location relative to gaming | Rooms are upstairs from the casino, making on-site lodging distinct from a separate drive-to hotel. |
| Triple Crown Casinos: Published parking and admission amenities | The tourism directory lists free parking, free admission, and bus/RV parking for the group. It does not specify a McGill’s hotel unloading route, reserved space, or valet policy. |
| Triple Crown hotel comparison: Properties identified as having hotels | The operator identifies both Midnight Rose and McGill’s as hotel choices within its group. |
| Triple Crown properties: Walkable access between group locations | The tourism directory describes the three locations as steps apart, supporting a multi-property dining and gaming plan without inventing walking distances or times. |
| McGill’s casino: Operator-advertised machine categories | Video poker, slots, and progressive machines are expressly advertised; the passage supplies neither paytables nor wager costs for a payout comparison. |
| Chamonix Resort & Casino: Nearby alternative for spa-focused visitors | The destination guide explicitly advertises a full-service spa at Chamonix, providing a documented amenity alternative without asserting that McGill’s lacks one. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Pint & Platter’s published daily dining window | 8 hours per operating day | Plan an on-site pub meal within the published afternoon and evening window; round-the-clock casino access does not mean round-the-clock restaurant service. |
| Weekly dining-day availability: Miner’s Pick versus Pint & Platter | 3 additional operating days per week | Miner’s Pick is a published nearby alternative for days when McGill’s Irish pub is not scheduled to open, although it offers quick bites rather than the same pub dining experience. |
Research references: triplecrown 1, visitcos.com 2, triplecrown 3, triplecrown 4, cityofcripplecreek.com, visitcos.com 6.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-12. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
The supplied schedule calculations give Pint & Platter an eight-hour dining window on each scheduled operating day. Miner’s Pick’s advertised seven-day schedule provides three additional operating days per week compared with the pub.
This compares published availability, not food quality or equivalent dining experiences. My advice: plan the pub meal when it is scheduled to open and identify your fallback before arriving hungry. Confirm both schedules close to your trip.
Entertainment and amenities
the published information does not establish a current McGill’s concert schedule, pool, spa, or fitness facility. If any is central to your stay, get a direct answer before booking.
For a spa-focused trip, the destination guide identifies a full-service spa at Chamonix, making it a documented alternative to compare without assuming similar prices or atmosphere. Beyond gambling, Cripple Creek offers mining-history attractions, the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, and the Butte Theater. Check schedules separately, particularly for seasonal attractions.
Parking, directions, and visitor information
The operator publishes 256 E Bennett Ave., Cripple Creek, CO 80813 for Pint & Platter on McGill’s first floor. Ask for the hotel arrival entrance and unloading instructions when reserving a room.
The Triple Crown tourism listing identifies free parking and bus/RV parking for the group. It does not establish a reserved McGill’s hotel space, overnight RV policy, valet service, or EV charging. Confirm the arrangement for your vehicle.
From the Colorado Springs area, the usual approach is US 24 toward Divide, followed by Colorado Highway 67 south to Cripple Creek. This is a mountain drive. Check road conditions, allow extra time in poor weather, and avoid planning a late gambling session followed by a tired drive home.
If you will not have a car, arrange transportation ahead of time. the published information does not establish an airport shuttle or dependable on-demand rideshare service. Bring photo identification, and confirm entry requirements and rules affecting children in your party. For mobility needs, ask about the full route from parking to the room, restaurant, and casino.
Rewards program
Triple Crown’s website provides rewards access and eClub enrollment, but the published information does not establish current earning rates or redemption rules. Ask which benefits apply at McGill’s, where the card works, and whether an offer needs activation.
I like checking for an eligible offer before playing. I do not like increasing a gambling budget to earn a discount. A players card does not improve a slot machine’s odds, and a room offer is useful only if its restrictions fit your trip.
Strengths, limitations, and guest feedback
The strongest supported features are upstairs lodging, machine gaming, a distinctive downstairs pub, and walkable access to sister properties. For a slot-focused overnight trip, that is a practical combination.
The clearest limitation is the pub’s restricted schedule. Other booking questions remain unanswered in the published information, including total room costs, current live-game availability, and detailed hotel policies.
No independent guest-review collection was supplied, so this guide cannot establish recurring praise or complaints about cleanliness, service, noise, or food. An operator-selected testimonial is not a substitute. Before booking, look for repeated recent comments about the room category you are considering, including whether they concern busy weekends or quieter stays.
This is a source-based assessment, not a claim that I stayed, ate, or gambled at McGill’s.
Who McGill’s is best for
- Slot and video poker players seeking a machine-focused casino stop.
- Overnight visitors who value a room upstairs from the action.
- Casino-hoppers who want nearby alternatives without driving between stops.
- Pub-minded visitors whose plans fit Pint & Platter’s schedule.
I would be more cautious if your must-have list starts with a spa, pool, live poker room, or broad table-game selection. Confirm those requirements first. For other options, see our guide to Colorado casinos.
Frequently asked questions
Does McGill’s Hotel & Casino have hotel rooms?
Yes. The operator advertises rooms upstairs from the casino. Confirm the room category, included amenities, and final reservation price.
Is McGill’s casino open 24 hours?
Triple Crown’s hotel information advertises 24/7 casino access. Dining hours are separate; confirm availability before a late-night trip.
When is Pint & Platter open?
Its posted schedule is Thursday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. The restaurant lists (719) 286-6109 for direct inquiries.
Does McGill’s have live poker, table games, or a sportsbook?
The supplied sources do not establish current offerings in those categories. Slots and video poker are advertised. Ask directly about any specific live game or retail betting service.
Does McGill’s offer free WiFi and parking?
McGill’s advertises free wireless Internet in its Deluxe Room, and group-level descriptions list complimentary WiFi for Standard and Deluxe Rooms. Free parking is listed for Triple Crown Casinos; confirm the designated hotel parking location.
Does McGill’s have a pool or spa?
Neither amenity is established in the supplied sources. Do not book expecting one without direct confirmation.
Sources and research note
Each distinct source URL is linked once at its relevant use. The existing page’s original official property URL is also retained.
This guide uses supplied official, municipal, and tourism material collected October 12, 2026. Collection dates are not publication dates, and most property pages are undated. The original contribution compares room descriptions and dining alternatives using the supplied arithmetic results. It is not a representative guest survey, firsthand property test, or exclusive underlying dataset. Hours, gaming offerings, reservation costs, and policies remain subject to the owner’s editorial review before publication. This rewrite has not been independently fact-checked.