As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 27, 1996
                                                   Registration No. 333-________


                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C.  20549

                                       FORM S-8
                                REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        Under
                              THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                   DELAWARE                               36-3312434
         (State or other jurisdiction of               (I.R.S. Employer
         incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)

        2400 EAST DEVON AVENUE, SUITE 280
              DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS                          60018
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)             (Zip Code)


                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                          1996 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE STOCK PLAN

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                   1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR NONEMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                         STOCK OPTION PLANS FOR KEY PERSONNEL
                              (Full title of each plan)

               Michael P. Holtz                      (847) 298-4500
    President and Chief Executive Officer          (Telephone number,
       2400 East Devon Avenue, Suite 280          including area code,
         Des Plaines, Illinois  60018             of agent for service)
   (Name and address of agent for service)


                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

                                     PROPOSED       PROPOSED
         TITLE OF      AMOUNT TO      MAXIMUM        MAXIMUM        AMOUNT OF
      SECURITIES TO       BE         OFFERING       AGGREGATE     REGISTRATION
      BE REGISTERED   REGISTERED     PRICE PER      OFFERING           FEE
                                     SHARE(1)       PRICE(1)

      Common Stock     2,183,083       $6.25       $13,644,269       $4,135
      (par value       shares(2)
      $.005 per
      share)

     (1)  Estimated  solely  for  purposes  of  calculating the  amount  of  the
          registration  fee pursuant  to Rule  457(c) of  the Securities  Act of
          1933, based on the average of the high and low sales prices of a share
          of Common  Stock of  the Registrant on  the Nasdaq National  Market on
          December 23, 1996.

     (2)  An undetermined number of additional shares may be issued if the anti-
          dilution adjustment provisions of the plans become operative.


     PART II

                  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

          The  following  documents heretofore  filed  with  the Securities  and
     Exchange Commission  (the "Commission") by Amerihost  Properties, Inc. (the
     "Company") are incorporated herein by reference:

          (a)  The  Company's  Annual Report  on Form  10-K  for the  year ended
               December 31, 1995.

          (b)  The Company's  Quarterly Report  on Form  10-Q for  the quarterly
               periods  ended March 31,  1996, June 30,  1996 and  September 30,
               1996.

         (c)   The description  of the Company's  common stock, par  value $.005
     per share (the  "Common Stock"),  contained in  the Company's  registration
     statement on Form 8-A filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (File
     No.  000-15291), including any subsequent amendment or any report filed for
     the purpose of updating such description.

         All  documents   subsequently  filed   by  the   Company  pursuant   to
     Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
     as amended  (the "Exchange Act"), prior  to the filing of  a post-effective
     amendment which indicates  that all  securities offered have  been sold  or
     which  deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
     be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be  part
     hereof from the date of  filing of such documents (such documents,  and the
     documents enumerated above, being  hereinafter referred to as "Incorporated
     Documents").

         Any statement contained in an Incorporated  Document shall be deemed to
     be  modified or superseded for  purposes of this  registration statement to
     the extent that a statement contained  herein or in any other  subsequently
     filed  Incorporated Document modifies or  supersedes such statement.    Any
     such statement so modified or superseded  shall not be deemed, except as so
     modified   or  superseded,  to  constitute  a  part  of  this  registration
     statement.

     ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not applicable.

     ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         Not applicable.

     ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         Section  145 of the  General Corporation Law  of the  State of Delaware
     provides for  the indemnification of  directors and officers  under certain
     circumstances as set forth therein.  The Company's By-Laws provide that the
     Company  shall  indemnify  officers and  directors  to  the fullest  extent
     permitted by law in the  manner permissible under the laws of the  State of
     Delaware.  The Company  also maintains liability insurance for  the benefit
     of its directors and officers. 

     ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not Applicable.




     ITEM 8. EXHIBITS

         Reference is made to the Exhibit Index.


     ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

         The registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)   To file, during  any period in  which offers or  sales are  being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement  to include
     any  material  information with  respect to  the  plan of  distribution not
     previously  disclosed in the registration  statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement.

         (2)    That, for  the purpose  of determining  any liability  under the
     Securities  Act of 1933, as  amended (the "Act"),  each such post-effective
     amendment shall be deemed  to be a  new registration statement relating  to
     the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (3)    To  remove  from  registration  by  means  of  a  post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

         (4)   That, for  the purposes of  determining any  liability under  the
     Act,  each filing  of the  registrant's annual  report pursuant  to Section
     13(a) or  Section  15(d)  of  the Exchange  Act  that  is  incorporated  by
     reference  in  the  registration statement  shall  be deemed  to  be  a new
     registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
     offering of such securities at that time  shall be deemed to be the initial
     bona fide offering thereof.

         (5)  Insofar as indemnification for  liabilities arising under the  Act
     may  be permitted  to directors,  officers and  controlling persons  of the
     registrant pursuant  to the provisions  described in Item 6,  or otherwise,
     the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of  the Commission such
     indemnification is against  public policy as expressed  in the Act and  is,
     therefore,  unenforceable.  In the  event that a  claim for indemnification
     against  such  liabilities (other  than the  payment  by the  registrant of
     expenses incurred or paid by  a director, officer or controlling  person of
     the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)
     is asserted by such  director, officer or controlling person  in connection
     with  the securities being registered,  the registrant will,  unless in the
     opinion  of  its  counsel  the  matter  has  been  settled  by  controlling
     precedent,  submit  to a  court  of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question
     whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
     the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      SIGNATURES

        Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
     registrant  certifies that  it has  reasonable grounds  to believe  that it
     meets  all of the requirements for  filing on Form S-8  and has duly caused
     this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by  the undersigned,
     thereunto duly authorized, in Des Plaines, Illinois on December 27, 1996.

                                  AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.


                                  By:     /s/ Michael P. Holtz                  
                                      ------------------------------------
                                              Michael P. Holtz
                                    President and Chief Executive Officer

                                  POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW  ALL  MEN BY  THESE PRESENTS,  that  each person  whose signature
     appears  below hereby constitutes and appoints Michael P. Holtz and Russell
     J.  Cerqua,  and each  of them,  his true  and lawful  attorney-in-fact and
     agent, each  with full power of substitution and revocation, for him and in
     his name, place  and stead, in any and all capacities,  to sign any and all
     amendments  (including  post-effective  amendments)  to  this  registration
     statement,  and  to file  the same  with  all exhibits  thereto,  and other
     documents  in  connection  therewith,  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
     Commission, granting unto each such attorney-in-fact and agent,  full power
     and authority to  do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
     necessary to be done, as  fully to all intents and purposes  as such person
     might or could do in person,  hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
     attorney-in-fact and agent or his  substitute or substitutes, may  lawfully
     do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

               Pursuant  to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
     registration statement and the foregoing power of attorney have been signed
     by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

              SIGNATURE                  TITLE                DATE

       /s/ H. Andrew Torchia
      -------------------------  Chairman of the Board  December 27, 1996
          H. Andrew Torchia           of Directors
       /s/  Michael P. Holtz        President, Chief
      -------------------------  Executive Officer and  December 27, 1996
           Michael P. Holtz             Director
                                  (Principal Executive
                                        Officer)

       /s/ Richard A. D'Onofrio      Executive Vice
      -------------------------      President and      December 27, 1996
         Richard A. D'Onofrio           Director


       /s/ Russell J. Cerqua         Executive Vice
      -------------------------  President of Finance,  December 27, 1996
           Russell J. Cerqua     Secretary, Treasurer,
                                    Chief Financial
                                  Officer and Director
                                  (Principal Financial
                                        Officer)
       /s/ James B. Dale               Controller       December 27, 1996
      -------------------------  (Principal Accounting
           James B. Dale                Officer)

       /s/ Reno J. Bernardo             Director        December 27, 1996
      -------------------------
           Reno J. Bernardo

       /s/ Salomon J. Dayan
      -------------------------         Director        December 27, 1996
           Salomon J. Dayan


                                    EXHIBIT INDEX


     EXHIBIT                 DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                             
     NUMBER 

      4(a)     Amerihost  Properties, Inc.  1996 Omnibus  Incentive  Stock Plan,
               incorporated herein by reference  to Appendix A to the  Company's
               Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting  of Shareholders filed on July
               25, 1996 (File No. 000-15291).

      4(b)     Amerihost Properties, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan for Nonemployee
               Directors, incorporated herein  by reference to Appendix A to the
               Company's  Proxy Statement  for  Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders
               filed on July 25, 1996 (File No. 000-15291).

      4(c)     Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended.

      4(d)     By-Laws of the Company,  incorporated herein by reference  to the
               Company's Report on Form 10-K filed on March 26, 1993.

      5        Opinion  of McDermott, Will  & Emery  as to  the legality  of the
               securities being registered.

      23(a)    Consent of McDermott, Will & Emery (included in its opinion filed
               as Exhibit 5).

      23(b)    Consent of BDO Seidman, LLP.

      24       Power of  Attorney  (included with  the  signature page  to  this
               registration statement).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 13772}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERIHOST PROPERTIES INC", "cik": "0000778423", "assigned-sic": "7011", "irs-number": "363312434", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-18887", "film-number": "96686988"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2400 E DEVON AVE STE 280", "city": "DES PLAINES", "state": "IL", "zip": "60018", "phone": "7082984500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2400 E DEVON AVE", "street2": "SUITE 280", "city": "DES PLAINES", "state": "IL", "zip": "60018"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "AMERICA POP INC", "date-changed": "19871111"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 27, 1996
                                                   Registration No. 333-________

                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C.  20549

                                       FORM S-8
                                REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        Under
                              THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                   DELAWARE                               36-3312434
         (State or other jurisdiction of               (I.R.S. Employer
         incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)

        2400 EAST DEVON AVENUE, SUITE 280
              DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS                          60018
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)             (Zip Code)

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                          1996 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE STOCK PLAN

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                   1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR NONEMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

                              AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                         STOCK OPTION PLANS FOR KEY PERSONNEL
                              (Full title of each plan)

               Michael P. Holtz                      (847) 298-4500
    President and Chief Executive Officer          (Telephone number,
       2400 East Devon Avenue, Suite 280          including area code,
         Des Plaines, Illinois  60018             of agent for service)
   (Name and address of agent for service)

                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

                                     PROPOSED       PROPOSED
         TITLE OF      AMOUNT TO      MAXIMUM        MAXIMUM        AMOUNT OF
      SECURITIES TO       BE         OFFERING       AGGREGATE     REGISTRATION
      BE REGISTERED   REGISTERED     PRICE PER      OFFERING           FEE
                                     SHARE(1)       PRICE(1)

      Common Stock     2,183,083       $6.25       $13,644,269       $4,135
      (par value       shares(2)
      $.005 per
      share)

     (1)  Estimated  solely  for  purposes  of  calculating the  amount  of  the
          registration  fee pursuant  to Rule  457(c) of  the Securities  Act of
          1933, based on the average of the high and low sales prices of a share
          of Common  Stock of  the Registrant on  the Nasdaq National  Market on
          December 23, 1996.

     (2)  An undetermined number of additional shares may be issued if the anti-
          dilution adjustment provisions of the plans become operative.

     PART II

                  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

          The  following  documents heretofore  filed  with  the Securities  and
     Exchange Commission  (the "Commission") by Amerihost  Properties, Inc. (the
     "Company") are incorporated herein by reference:

          (a)  The  Company's  Annual Report  on Form  10-K  for the  year ended
               December 31, 1995.

          (b)  The Company's  Quarterly Report  on Form  10-Q for  the quarterly
               periods  ended March 31,  1996, June 30,  1996 and  September 30,
               1996.

         (c)   The description  of the Company's  common stock, par  value $.005
     per share (the  "Common Stock"),  contained in  the Company's  registration
     statement on Form 8-A filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (File
     No.  000-15291), including any subsequent amendment or any report filed for
     the purpose of updating such description.

         All  documents   subsequently  filed   by  the   Company  pursuant   to
     Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
     as amended  (the "Exchange Act"), prior  to the filing of  a post-effective
     amendment which indicates  that all  securities offered have  been sold  or
     which  deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
     be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be  part
     hereof from the date of  filing of such documents (such documents,  and the
     documents enumerated above, being  hereinafter referred to as "Incorporated
     Documents").

         Any statement contained in an Incorporated  Document shall be deemed to
     be  modified or superseded for  purposes of this  registration statement to
     the extent that a statement contained  herein or in any other  subsequently
     filed  Incorporated Document modifies or  supersedes such statement.    Any
     such statement so modified or superseded  shall not be deemed, except as so
     modified   or  superseded,  to  constitute  a  part  of  this  registration
     statement.

     ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not applicable.

     ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         Not applicable.

     ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         Section  145 of the  General Corporation Law  of the  State of Delaware
     provides for  the indemnification of  directors and officers  under certain
     circumstances as set forth therein.  The Company's By-Laws provide that the
     Company  shall  indemnify  officers and  directors  to  the fullest  extent
     permitted by law in the  manner permissible under the laws of the  State of
     Delaware.  The Company  also maintains liability insurance for  the benefit
     of its directors and officers. 

     ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not Applicable.

     ITEM 8. EXHIBITS

         Reference is made to the Exhibit Index.

     ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

         The registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)   To file, during  any period in  which offers or  sales are  being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement  to include
     any  material  information with  respect to  the  plan of  distribution not
     previously  disclosed in the registration  statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement.

         (2)    That, for  the purpose  of determining  any liability  under the
     Securities  Act of 1933, as  amended (the "Act"),  each such post-effective
     amendment shall be deemed  to be a  new registration statement relating  to
     the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (3)    To  remove  from  registration  by  means  of  a  post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

         (4)   That, for  the purposes of  determining any  liability under  the
     Act,  each filing  of the  registrant's annual  report pursuant  to Section
     13(a) or  Section  15(d)  of  the Exchange  Act  that  is  incorporated  by
     reference  in  the  registration statement  shall  be deemed  to  be  a new
     registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
     offering of such securities at that time  shall be deemed to be the initial
     bona fide offering thereof.

         (5)  Insofar as indemnification for  liabilities arising under the  Act
     may  be permitted  to directors,  officers and  controlling persons  of the
     registrant pursuant  to the provisions  described in Item 6,  or otherwise,
     the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of  the Commission such
     indemnification is against  public policy as expressed  in the Act and  is,
     therefore,  unenforceable.  In the  event that a  claim for indemnification
     against  such  liabilities (other  than the  payment  by the  registrant of
     expenses incurred or paid by  a director, officer or controlling  person of
     the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)
     is asserted by such  director, officer or controlling person  in connection
     with  the securities being registered,  the registrant will,  unless in the
     opinion  of  its  counsel  the  matter  has  been  settled  by  controlling
     precedent,  submit  to a  court  of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question
     whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
     the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      SIGNATURES

        Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
     registrant  certifies that  it has  reasonable grounds  to believe  that it
     meets  all of the requirements for  filing on Form S-8  and has duly caused
     this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by  the undersigned,
     thereunto duly authorized, in Des Plaines, Illinois on December 27, 1996.

                                  AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.

                                  By:     /s/ Michael P. Holtz                  
                                      ------------------------------------
                                              Michael P. Holtz
                                    President and Chief Executive Officer

                                  POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW  ALL  MEN BY  THESE PRESENTS,  that  each person  whose signature
     appears  below hereby constitutes and appoints Michael P. Holtz and Russell
     J.  Cerqua,  and each  of them,  his true  and lawful  attorney-in-fact and
     agent, each  with full power of substitution and revocation, for him and in
     his name, place  and stead, in any and all capacities,  to sign any and all
     amendments  (including  post-effective  amendments)  to  this  registration
     statement,  and  to file  the same  with  all exhibits  thereto,  and other
     documents  in  connection  therewith,  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
     Commission, granting unto each such attorney-in-fact and agent,  full power
     and authority to  do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
     necessary to be done, as  fully to all intents and purposes  as such person
     might or could do in person,  hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
     attorney-in-fact and agent or his  substitute or substitutes, may  lawfully
     do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

               Pursuant  to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
     registration statement and the foregoing power of attorney have been signed
     by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

              SIGNATURE                  TITLE                DATE

       /s/ H. Andrew Torchia
      -------------------------  Chairman of the Board  December 27, 1996
          H. Andrew Torchia           of Directors
       /s/  Michael P. Holtz        President, Chief
      -------------------------  Executive Officer and  December 27, 1996
           Michael P. Holtz             Director
                                  (Principal Executive
                                        Officer)

       /s/ Richard A. D'Onofrio      Executive Vice
      -------------------------      President and      December 27, 1996
         Richard A. D'Onofrio           Director

       /s/ Russell J. Cerqua         Executive Vice
      -------------------------  President of Finance,  December 27, 1996
           Russell J. Cerqua     Secretary, Treasurer,
                                    Chief Financial
                                  Officer and Director
                                  (Principal Financial
                                        Officer)
       /s/ James B. Dale               Controller       December 27, 1996
      -------------------------  (Principal Accounting
           James B. Dale                Officer)

       /s/ Reno J. Bernardo             Director        December 27, 1996
      -------------------------
           Reno J. Bernardo

       /s/ Salomon J. Dayan
      -------------------------         Director        December 27, 1996
           Salomon J. Dayan

                                    EXHIBIT INDEX

     EXHIBIT                 DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                             
     NUMBER 

      4(a)     Amerihost  Properties, Inc.  1996 Omnibus  Incentive  Stock Plan,
               incorporated herein by reference  to Appendix A to the  Company's
               Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting  of Shareholders filed on July
               25, 1996 (File No. 000-15291).

      4(b)     Amerihost Properties, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan for Nonemployee
               Directors, incorporated herein  by reference to Appendix A to the
               Company's  Proxy Statement  for  Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders
               filed on July 25, 1996 (File No. 000-15291).

      4(c)     Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended.

      4(d)     By-Laws of the Company,  incorporated herein by reference  to the
               Company's Report on Form 10-K filed on March 26, 1993.

      5        Opinion  of McDermott, Will  & Emery  as to  the legality  of the
               securities being registered.

      23(a)    Consent of McDermott, Will & Emery (included in its opinion filed
               as Exhibit 5).

      23(b)    Consent of BDO Seidman, LLP.

      24       Power of  Attorney  (included with  the  signature page  to  this
               registration statement).