AMERIHOST PROPERTIES INC
SC 13E4, 1999-05-03
HOTELS & MOTELS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                       -----------------------------------

                                 SCHEDULE 13E-4
                          ISSUER TENDER OFFER STATEMENT
                        (PURSUANT TO SECTION 13(E)(1) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934)

                       -----------------------------------

                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                                (Name of Issuer)

                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                      (Name of Person(s) Filing Statement)

  Common  Stock,  $.005  par  value                    03070-D-209
  (Title  of  Class  of  Securities)       (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

                                Michael P. Holtz
                             Chief Executive Officer
                           Amerihost Properties, Inc.
                         2400 East Devon Ave., Suite 280
                           Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
                                  847-298-4500
   (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices
        and Communications on Behalf of the Person(s) Filing Statement)

                                    Copy to:

                             Helen R. Friedli, P.C.
                             McDermott, Will & Emery
                             227 West Monroe Street
                             Chicago, Illinois 60606
                                  312-984-7563

                                   May 3, 1999
     (Date Tender Offer First Published, Sent or Given to Security Holders)

                       -----------------------------------

                            Calculation of Filing Fee
- --------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
Transaction Value                 Amount of filing fee

- --------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
$4,000,000                        $800.00
- --------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------

* Calculated  solely for purposes of determining  the filing fee, based upon the
purchase  of  1,000,000  shares at the maximum  tender  offer price per share of
$4.00.

[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as  provided  by Rule  0-11(a)(2)
and  identify  the filing with which the  offsetting  fee was  previously  paid.
Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number,  or the Form or
Schedule and the date of its filing.

Amount Previously Paid:   N/A                           Filing Party:  N/A
Form or Registration No.:  N/A                           Date Filed:  N/A

================================================================================

<PAGE>



         This Issuer Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 13E-4 (the  "Statement")
relates  to  the  tender  offer  by  Amerihost  Properties,   Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  to purchase up to 1,000,000 shares of its common
stock,  $.005 par value per share (the "Shares") at prices, net to the seller in
cash, not greater than $4.00 nor less than $3.375 per Share,  upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase,  dated May 3, 1999
(the "Offer to  Purchase")  and the  related  Letter of  Transmittal  (which are
herein  collectively  referred to as the "Offer").  Copies of such documents are
filed as Exhibits (a)(1) and (a)(2), respectively, to this Statement.

ITEM 1. SECURITY AND ISSUER.

         (a) The name of the issuer is  Amerihost  Properties,  Inc., a Delaware
corporation.  The address of its principal  executive offices is 2400 East Devon
Ave., Suite 280 Des Plaines, Illinois 60018

         (b) The information set forth in "Introduction,"  "Section 1. Number of
Shares;  Proration"  and  "Section  9.  Interests  of  Directors  and  Executive
Officers;  Transactions and Arrangements  Concerning the Shares" in the Offer to
Purchase is  incorporated  herein by  reference.  The Offer is being made to all
holders of Shares, including officers,  directors and affiliates of the Company,
The Company has been advised that,  other than Mr.  Bernardo,  a director of the
Company  who intends to tender up to 20,000  Shares,  none of its  directors  or
executive  officers  intends  to tender any Shares  pursuant  to the Offer.  Any
Shares  tendered by Mr.  Bernardo may be purchased by the Company in  accordance
with the terms of the Offer in the same  manner as Shares  tendered by any other
stockholder of the Company.

         (c) The information set forth in  "Introduction"  and "Section 7. Price
Range of Shares;  Dividends" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated  herein by
reference.

         (d) This Statement is being filed by the Issuer.

ITEM 2. SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION.

         (a)-(b) The  information set forth in "Section 10. Source and Amount of
Funds" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 3. PURPOSE OF THE TENDER OFFER AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS OF THE ISSUER

         (a)-(j)  The  information  set  forth in  "Introduction,"  "Section  8.
Background and Purpose of the Offer;  Certain Effects of the Offer," "Section 9.
Interests of Directors and Executive  Officers;  Transactions  and  Arrangements
Concerning  the Shares,"  "Section 10.  Source and Amount of Funds" and "Section
12.  Effects  of the Offer on the  Market  for  Shares;  Registration  Under the
Exchange Act" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 4. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER.

         The  information  set forth in "Section 9.  Interests of Directors  and
Executive Officers;  Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares" in the
Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 5. CONTRACTS, ARRANGEMENTS, UNDERSTANDINGS OR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESPECT TO
THE ISSUER'S SECURITIES.

         The information set forth in "Introduction," "Section 8. Background and
Purpose of the Offer; Certain Effects of the Offer" and "Section 9. Interests of
Directors and Executive Officers;  Transactions and Arrangements  Concerning the
Shares" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 6. PERSONS RETAINED, EMPLOYED OR TO BE COMPENSATED.

         The information set forth in  "Introduction"  and "Section 16. Fees and
Expenses" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.


<PAGE>


ITEM 7. FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

         (a)-(b) The information  set forth in "Section 11. Certain  Information
About the Company" in the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.
The financial  statements filed as a part of the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998,  filed as exhibit (g)(i) hereto,  are
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

         (a) Not applicable.

         (b) The  information  set forth in "Section 13.  Certain Legal Matters;
Regulatory  Approvals"  in the  Offer to  Purchase  is  incorporated  herein  by
reference.

         (c) The  information  set forth in "Section 12. Effects of the Offer on
the Market for  Shares;  Registration  Under the  Exchange  Act" in the Offer to
Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

         (d) Not applicable.

         (e) The  information set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the related
Letter of  Transmittal,  copies of which are attached  hereto as Exhibits (a)(1)
and (a)(2), respectively, is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 9. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS.

ITEM               DESCRIPTION

(a)(1)             Form of Offer to Purchase dated May 3, 1999.

(a)(2)             Form of Letter of Transmittal.

(a)(3)             Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

(a)(4)             Form of Letter to Brokers,  Dealers,  Commercial Banks, Trust
                   Companies and Other Nominees.

(a)(5)             Form  of  Letter  to  Clients  for use by  Brokers,  Dealers,
                   Commercial Banks, Trust Companies
                   and Other Nominees.

(a)(6)             Form of  Letter  to  Stockholders  dated May 3, 1999 from the
                   Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

(a)(7)             Guidelines  for  Certification  of  Taxpayer   Identification
                   Number on Substitute Form W-9.

(a)(8)             Press Release issued by the Company dated May 3, 1999.

(b)(1)             Revolving  Acquisition and  Development  Line of Credit Note,
                   dated October 15, 1998,  from the Company to Bridgeview  Bank
                   and Trust

(b)(2)             General Business Security Agreement,  dated October 15, 1998,
                   between the Company and Bridgeview Bank and Trust

(c)                Not applicable

(d)                Not applicable

(e)                Not applicable

(f)                Not applicable

(g)(1)             Financial  statements filed as a part of the Company's Annual
                   Report  on Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1998
                   (incorporated herein by reference to such Form 10-K).



<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE

         After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete and correct.

                                   AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.




                                   By: /s/ Michael P. Holtz
                                       ----------------------------------
                                       Michael P. Holtz, Chief Executive Officer
Dated: May 3, 1999








                                [AMERIHOST LOGO]



                        OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR CASH UP TO
                      1,000,000 SHARES OF ITS COMMON STOCK

                   AT A PURCHASE PRICE NOT GREATER THAN $4.00
                         NOR LESS THAN $3.375 PER SHARE


            THE OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE
                 AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON WEDNESDAY,
                   JUNE 2, 1999, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.




         Amerihost  Properties,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation  (the "Company"),
invites its  stockholders to tender shares of its common stock,  $.005 par value
per share (the  "Shares")  to the Company at prices not  greater  than $4.00 nor
less than $3.375 per Share in cash,  specified by tendering  stockholders,  upon
the terms and subject to the  conditions set forth in this Offer to Purchase and
the related Letter of Transmittal (which, as amended from time to time, together
constitute the "Offer").

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer,  determine a single per Share price (not greater than $4.00 nor less than
$3.375 per Share),  net to the seller in cash (the  "Purchase  Price"),  that it
will pay for Shares  validly  tendered and not withdrawn  pursuant to the Offer,
taking into account the number of Shares so tendered and the prices specified by
tendering  stockholders.  The Company will select the lowest Purchase Price that
will  allow  it to buy  1,000,000  Shares  validly  tendered  and not  withdrawn
pursuant to the Offer (or such lesser  number of Shares as are validly  tendered
at prices not greater  than $4.00 nor less than  $3.375 per Share).  The Company
will pay the  Purchase  Price for all Shares  validly  tendered  at prices at or
below the Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn,  upon the terms and subject to the
conditions of the Offer, including the proration terms hereof.

         The Company  reserves the right,  in its sole  discretion,  to purchase
more than 1,000,000  Shares pursuant to the Offer.  Shares tendered at prices in
excess of the Purchase Price and Shares not purchased  because of proration will
be returned.

         The Offer is not  conditioned  on any  minimum  number of shares  being
tendered. The Offer is, however, subject to certain
other conditions.  See Section 6.

         THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  OF THE COMPANY HAS  APPROVED THE MAKING OF THE
OFFER.  HOWEVER,  STOCKHOLDERS  MUST MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS  WHETHER TO TENDER
SHARES  AND,  IF SO, HOW MANY  SHARES TO TENDER AND THE PRICE OR PRICES AT WHICH
SHARES SHOULD BE TENDERED.  NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES
ANY  RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY  STOCKHOLDER AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM
TENDERING SHARES. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT, OTHER THAN MR. BERNARDO,  A
DIRECTOR  OF THE  COMPANY  WHO  MAY  TENDER  UP TO  20,000  SHARES,  NONE OF ITS
DIRECTORS OR  EXECUTIVE  OFFICERS  INTENDS TO TENDER ANY SHARES  PURSUANT TO THE
OFFER.  ANY SHARES  TENDERED BY MR.  BERNARDO MAY BE PURCHASED BY THE COMPANY IN
ACCORDANCE  WITH THE TERMS OF THE OFFER IN THE SAME MANNER AS SHARES TENDERED BY
ANY OTHER STOCKHOLDER OF THE COMPANY.




               The date of this Offer to Purchase is May 3, 1999.


<PAGE>


                                    IMPORTANT




         Any stockholders  desiring to tender all or any portion of their Shares
should either:

                  (i) complete and sign the Letter of Transmittal or a facsimile
         thereof  in  accordance   with  the   instructions  in  the  Letter  of
         Transmittal,  mail or deliver it with any required signature guarantee,
         or transmit an Agent's  Message (as defined in Section 3) in connection
         with a  book-entry  transfer,  in each  case  with any  other  required
         documents  to Harris  Trust and Savings  Bank (the  "Depositary"),  and
         either  mail or deliver the stock  certificates  for such Shares to the
         Depositary  (with all such other documents) or follow the procedure for
         book-entry delivery set forth in Section 3, or

                  (ii) request a broker, dealer,  commercial bank, trust company
         or other nominee to effect the transaction for such stockholder.

         A stockholder having Shares registered in the name of a broker, dealer,
commercial  bank,  trust  company or other  nominee  must  contact  that broker,
dealer,  commercial  bank,  trust company or other  nominee if such  stockholder
desires to tender such Shares.

         Stockholders  who desire to tender  Shares and whose  certificates  for
such  Shares  are not  immediately  available  or who  cannot  comply  with  the
procedure  for  book-entry  transfer on a timely  basis or whose other  required
documentation  cannot  be  delivered  to the  Depositary,  in any  case,  by the
expiration of the Offer should  tender such Shares by following  the  procedures
for guaranteed delivery set forth in Section 3.

         TO EFFECT A VALID  TENDER OF THEIR  SHARES,  STOCKHOLDERS  MUST VALIDLY
COMPLETE THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL,  INCLUDING THE SECTION RELATING TO THE PRICE
AT WHICH THEY ARE TENDERING SHARES.

         Questions and requests for assistance or for additional  copies of this
Offer to  Purchase,  the  Letter of  Transmittal  or the  Notice  of  Guaranteed
Delivery may be directed to the Company at its address and telephone  number set
forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase.

         THE COMPANY HAS NOT AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON
BEHALF OF THE COMPANY AS TO WHETHER  STOCKHOLDERS  SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM
TENDERING  SHARES  PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.  THE COMPANY  HAS NOT  AUTHORIZED  ANY
PERSON TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY  REPRESENTATION IN CONNECTION WITH
THE OFFER ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY  OTHER THAN THOSE  CONTAINED IN THIS OFFER TO
PURCHASE OR IN THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DO NOT RELY ON ANY SUCH RECOMMENDATION
OR ANY SUCH  INFORMATION  OR  REPRESENTATION,  IF GIVEN OR MADE,  AS HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY.


<PAGE>








                                Table of Contents

SECTION                                                                     PAGE

Summary.................................................................      1

Introduction............................................................      2

The Offer...............................................................      3
 1.  Number of Shares; Proration........................................      3
 2.  Tenders by Owners of Fewer Than 100 Shares.........................      4
 3.  Procedure for Tendering Shares.....................................      5
 4.  Withdrawal Rights..................................................      9
 5.  Purchase of Shares and Payment of Purchase Price...................      9
 6.  Certain Conditions of the Offer....................................     10
 7.  Price Range of Shares; Dividends...................................     12
 8.  Background and Purpose of the Offer; Certain Effects 
     of the Offer.................................. ....................     12
 9.  Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions 
     and Arrangements Concerning the Shares ............................     14
10.  Source and Amount of Funds.........................................     15
11.  Certain Information About the Company..............................     15
12.  Effects of the Offer on the Market for Shares; Registration
     Under the Exchange Act................. ...........................     18
13.  Certain Legal Matters; Regulatory Approvals........................     18
14.  Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.......................     19
15.  Extension of the Offer; Termination; Amendments....................     22
16.  Fees and Expenses..................................................     22
17.  Miscellaneous......................................................     23

Schedule I -- Certain Transactions Involving Shares.....................     24




<PAGE>



                                     SUMMARY

         This general  summary is provided for the  convenience of the Company's
stockholders  and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text and
more specific details of this Offer to Purchase.

Number of Shares to be Purchased......     1,000,000   Shares  (or  such  lesser
                                           number  of  Shares  as  are   validly
                                           tendered).

Purchase Price........................     The Company  will  determine a single
                                           per Share net cash price, not greater
                                           than  $4.00 nor less than  $3.375 per
                                           Share,  that it will  pay for  Shares
                                           validly tendered. All Shares acquired
                                           in the Offer will be  acquired at the
                                           Purchase Price even if tendered below
                                           the Purchase Price.  Each stockholder
                                           desiring  to tender  Shares  must (i)
                                           specify in the Letter of  Transmittal
                                           the minimum  price (not  greater than
                                           $4.00 nor less than $3.375 per Share)
                                           at which such  stockholder is willing
                                           to  have  Shares   purchased  by  the
                                           Company  or (ii)  elect to have  such
                                           stockholder's  Shares  purchased at a
                                           price determined by the Dutch Auction
                                           tender process, which could result in
                                           such Shares  being  purchased  at the
                                           minimum price of $3.375 per Share.

How to Tender Shares..................     See  Section  3. Call the  Company or
                                           consult your broker for assistance.

Brokerage Commissions.................     None.

Stock Transfer Tax....................     None,  if  payment  is  made  to  the
                                           registered holder. See Section 5.

Expiration and Proration Dates........     Wednesday,  June  2,  1999,  at  5:00
                                           p.m.,  New  York  City  Time,  unless
                                           extended by the Company.

Payment Date..........................     As  soon  as  practicable  after  the
                                           Expiration Date.

Position of the Company and its 
  Directors ..........................     Neither  the Company nor its Board of
                                           Directors makes any recommendation to
                                           any  stockholder  as  to  whether  to
                                           tender  or  refrain  from   tendering
                                           Shares.

Withdrawal Rights.....................     Tendered  Shares may be  withdrawn at
                                           any time until  5:00  p.m.,  New York
                                           City  Time,  on  Wednesday,  June  2,
                                           1999, unless the Offer is extended by
                                           the Company  and,  unless  previously
                                           purchased,  after 12:00 Midnight, New
                                           York City Time, on Tuesday,  June 29,
                                           1999. See Section 4.

Odd Lots..............................     There will be no  proration of Shares
                                           tendered  by any  stockholder  owning
                                           beneficially fewer than 100 Shares in
                                           the  aggregate  as of April 15, 1999,
                                           and  continuing to  beneficially  own
                                           fewer   than   100   Shares   on  the
                                           Expiration  Date, and who tenders all
                                           such Shares at or below the  Purchase
                                           Price  prior to the  Expiration  Date
                                           and who  checks the "Odd Lots" box in
                                           the Letter of Transmittal.

Further Developments Regarding 
  the Offer ..........................     Call  the  Company  or  consult  your
                                           broker.



<PAGE>



                                  INTRODUCTION

         Amerihost  Properties,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation  (the "Company"),
invites its  stockholders to tender shares of its common stock,  $.005 par value
per share (the  "Shares")  to the Company at prices not  greater  than $4.00 nor
less than $3.375 per Share in cash,  specified by tendering  stockholders,  upon
the terms and subject to the  conditions set forth in this Offer to Purchase and
the related Letter of Transmittal (which, as amended from time to time, together
constitute the "Offer").

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer,  determine a single per Share price (not greater than $4.00 nor less than
$3.375 per Share),  net to the seller in cash (the  "Purchase  Price"),  that it
will pay for Shares  validly  tendered and not withdrawn  pursuant to the Offer,
taking into account the number of Shares so tendered and the prices specified by
tendering  stockholders.  The Company will select the lowest Purchase Price that
will  allow  it to buy  1,000,000  Shares  validly  tendered  and not  withdrawn
pursuant to the Offer (or such lesser  number of Shares as are validly  tendered
at prices not greater  than $4.00 nor less than  $3.375 per Share).  The Company
will  pay the  Purchase  Price  for all  Shares  validly  tendered  prior to the
Expiration  Date (as  defined in  Section 1) at prices at or below the  Purchase
Price and not  withdrawn,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions  of the
Offer including the proration terms described  below.  The Company  reserves the
right, in its sole  discretion,  to purchase more than 1,000,000 Shares pursuant
to the Offer.

         The Offer is not  conditioned  on any  minimum  number of Shares  being
tendered.  The Offer is,  however,  subject to  certain  other  conditions.  See
Section 6.

         If, before the Expiration  Date,  more than  1,000,000  Shares (or such
greater  number of Shares as the  Company  may elect to  purchase)  are  validly
tendered at or below the Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn,  the Company  will,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer, purchase Shares first
from all Odd Lot Owners (as defined in Section 2) who  validly  tender all their
Shares at or below the  Purchase  Price  and then on a pro rata  basis  from all
other  stockholders who validly tender Shares at prices at or below the Purchase
Price (and do not withdraw them prior to the Expiration  Date). The Company will
return at its own  expense  all  Shares  not  purchased  pursuant  to the Offer,
including  Shares  tendered at prices greater than the Purchase Price and Shares
not purchased because of proration.

         The Purchase  Price will be paid net to the  tendering  stockholder  in
cash for all Shares purchased.  Tendering  stockholders will not be obligated to
pay brokerage commissions, solicitation fees or, subject to Instruction 7 of the
Letter of Transmittal,  stock transfer taxes on the Company's purchase of Shares
pursuant to the Offer.  HOWEVER,  ANY TENDERING  STOCKHOLDER  OR OTHER PAYEE WHO
FAILS TO  COMPLETE,  SIGN AND RETURN TO THE  DEPOSITARY  (AS DEFINED  BELOW) THE
SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 THAT IS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL MAY BE
SUBJECT TO REQUIRED  BACKUP FEDERAL  INCOME TAX  WITHHOLDING OF 31% OF THE GROSS
PROCEEDS  PAYABLE TO SUCH  STOCKHOLDER OR OTHER PAYEE PURSUANT TO THE OFFER. See
Section 3. In  addition,  the Company  will pay all fees and  expenses of Harris
Trust and Savings Bank (the  "Depositary")  in  connection  with the Offer.  See
Section 16.

         THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  OF THE COMPANY HAS  APPROVED THE MAKING OF THE
OFFER.  HOWEVER,  STOCKHOLDERS  MUST MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS  WHETHER TO TENDER
SHARES  AND,  IF SO, HOW MANY  SHARES TO TENDER AND THE PRICE OR PRICES AT WHICH
SHARES SHOULD BE TENDERED.  NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES
ANY  RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY  STOCKHOLDER AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM
TENDERING SHARES. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT, OTHER THAN MR. BERNARDO,  A
DIRECTOR  OF THE  COMPANY  WHO  MAY  TENDER  UP TO  20,000  SHARES,  NONE OF ITS
DIRECTORS OR  EXECUTIVE  OFFICERS  INTENDS TO TENDER ANY SHARES  PURSUANT TO THE
OFFER.  ANY SHARES  TENDERED BY MR.  BERNARDO MAY BE PURCHASED BY THE COMPANY IN
ACCORDANCE  WITH THE TERMS OF THE OFFER IN THE SAME MANNER AS SHARES TENDERED BY
ANY OTHER STOCKHOLDER OF THE COMPANY.

         As of the close of business  on April 27,  1999,  there were  6,043,132
Shares  outstanding  and 2,031,033  Shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding
stock  options  under  the  Company's  Stock  Option  Plan,  warrants  or  other
convertible  securities  issued by the Company.  The  1,000,000  Shares that the
Company is offering to purchase represent approximately 16.6% of the outstanding
Shares  (approximately  12.4% assuming the exercise of all outstanding  options,
warrants and other  convertible  securities).  The funds necessary to consummate

<PAGE>


the Offer will be provided through borrowings under the Company's Line-of-Credit
(as defined in Section 10) or cash held by the Company.

         The Shares are listed on the Nasdaq  National Market  ("Nasdaq")  under
the symbol  "HOST."  On April 27,  1999 the  closing  per Share  sales  price as
reported by Nasdaq was $3.375.  STOCKHOLDERS  ARE URGED TO OBTAIN CURRENT MARKET
QUOTATIONS FOR THE SHARES.


                                    THE OFFER

1.  NUMBER OF SHARES; PRORATION.

         Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  the Company
will accept for payment (and thereby  purchase)  1,000,000 Shares or such lesser
number of Shares as are validly  tendered  before the  Expiration  Date (and not
withdrawn in accordance  with Section 4) at a net cash price  (determined in the
manner set forth  below) not greater  than $4.00 nor less than $3.375 per Share.
The term  "Expiration  Date" means 5:00 p.m.,  New York City Time, on Wednesday,
June 2, 1999,  unless and until the  Company in its sole  discretion  shall have
extended the period of time during  which the Offer is open,  in which event the
term  "Expiration  Date"  shall  refer to the latest  time and date at which the
Offer,  as so  extended  by the  Company,  shall  expire.  See  Section 15 for a
description of the Company's  right to extend the time during which the Offer is
open and to delay,  terminate  or amend the Offer.  Subject to Section 2, if the
Offer is  oversubscribed,  Shares tendered at or below the Purchase Price before
the Expiration  Date will be eligible for proration.  The proration  period also
expires on the Expiration Date.

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer,  determine a single per Share  Purchase Price that it will pay for Shares
validly  tendered and not withdrawn  pursuant to the Offer,  taking into account
the  number  of  Shares  so  tendered  and the  prices  specified  by  tendering
stockholders.  The Company will select the lowest Purchase Price that will allow
it to buy 1,000,000  Shares validly  tendered and not withdrawn  pursuant to the
Offer (or such lesser number as are validly  tendered at prices not greater than
$4.00 nor less than $3.375 per Share).

         The Company  reserves the right,  in its sole  discretion,  to purchase
more than 1,000,000 Shares pursuant to the Offer, but does not currently plan to
do so.  The Offer is not  conditioned  on any  minimum  number  of Shares  being
tendered.  In accordance  with  applicable  regulations  of the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), the Company may purchase pursuant to the
Offer an additional amount of Shares not to exceed 2% of the outstanding  Shares
without amending or extending the Offer.

         If (i) the  Company  increases  or  decreases  the price to be paid for
Shares,  increases  the number of Shares being  sought and such  increase in the
number of Shares being sought exceeds 2% of the outstanding Shares, or decreases
the number of Shares  being  sought and (ii) the Offer is scheduled to expire at
any time earlier than the  expiration of a period  ending on the tenth  business
day from, and  including,  the date notice of such increase or decrease is first
published,  sent or given in the manner  specified in Section 15, the Offer will
be extended  until the  expiration  of such  period of ten  business  days.  For
purposes  of the Offer,  a  "business  day" means any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or  federal  holiday  and  consists  of the time  period  from 12:01 a.m.
through 12:00 Midnight, New York City Time.

         The Offer is not  conditioned  on any  minimum  number of Shares  being
tendered.  The Offer is,  however,  subject to  certain  other  conditions.  See
Section 6.

         In accordance  with  Instruction 5 of the Letter of  Transmittal,  each
stockholder  desiring to tender  Shares must (i) specify the price (not  greater
than $4.00 nor less than $3.375 per Share) at which such  stockholder is willing
to have the  Company  purchase  Shares or (ii) elect to have such  stockholder's
Shares  purchased at a price  determined  by the Dutch Auction  tender  process,
which could result in such Shares being purchased at the minimum price of $3.375
per Share.

         As promptly as practicable  following the Expiration  Date, the Company
will, in its sole  discretion,  determine  the Purchase  Price (not greater than


<PAGE>

$4.00  nor less than  $3.375  per  Share)  that it will pay for  Shares  validly
tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, taking into account the number
of Shares so tendered and the prices  specified by tendering  stockholders.  The
Company will pay the Purchase Price for all Shares validly tendered prior to the
Expiration Date at prices at or below the Purchase Price and not withdrawn, upon
the terms and subject to the  conditions of the Offer.  All Shares not purchased
pursuant to the Offer,  including  Shares  tendered at prices  greater  than the
Purchase Price and Shares not purchased  because of proration,  will be returned
to  the  tendering   stockholders  at  the  Company's  expense  as  promptly  as
practicable following the Expiration Date.

         If the number of Shares validly tendered at or below the Purchase Price
and  not  withdrawn  prior  to the  Expiration  Date is less  than or  equal  to
1,000,000  Shares (or such greater  number of Shares as the Company may elect to
purchase pursuant to the Offer), the Company will, upon the terms and subject to
the  conditions  of the  Offer,  purchase  at the  Purchase  Price all Shares so
tendered.

         PRIORITY. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer, in
the event that prior to the Expiration Date more than 1,000,000  Shares (or such
greater  number of Shares as the Company  may elect to purchase  pursuant to the
Offer) are validly  tendered at or below the Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn,
the Company will purchase such validly tendered Shares in the following order of
priority:

                  (i) all Shares validly tendered at or below the Purchase Price
         and not withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date by any Odd Lot Owner (as
         defined in Section 2) who:

                           (a) tenders all Shares beneficially owned by such Odd
                  Lot Owner at or below the Purchase Price (partial tenders will
                  not qualify for this preference); and

                           (b)  completes  the box  captioned  "Odd Lots" on the
                  Letter of  Transmittal  and, if  applicable,  on the Notice of
                  Guaranteed Delivery; and

                  (ii) after purchase of all of the foregoing Shares,  all other
         Shares  validly  tendered  at or  below  the  Purchase  Price  and  not
         withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, on a pro rata basis.

         PRORATION.  In the event that proration of tendered Shares is required,
the Company will determine the final proration factor as promptly as practicable
after the  Expiration  Date.  Proration for each  stockholder  tendering  Shares
(other than Odd Lot Owners)  shall be based on the ratio of the number of Shares
tendered by such  stockholder at or below the Purchase Price to the total number
of Shares tendered by all  stockholders  (other than Odd Lot Owners) at or below
the Purchase Price. This ratio will be applied to stockholders  tendering Shares
(other  than Odd Lot  Owners) to  determine  the  number of Shares  that will be
purchased from each such stockholder pursuant to the Offer. Although the Company
does not expect to be able to announce the final results of such proration until
approximately  seven business days after the  Expiration  Date, it will announce
preliminary  results of  proration by press  release as promptly as  practicable
after the Expiration Date.  Stockholders can obtain such preliminary information
from the  Depositary  and may be able to  obtain  such  information  from  their
brokers.

         As  described in Section 14, the number of Shares that the Company will
purchase from a  stockholder  may affect the United  States  federal  income tax
consequences  to the  stockholder of such purchase and therefore may be relevant
to a stockholder's  decision whether to tender Shares. The Letter of Transmittal
affords each  tendering  stockholder  the  opportunity to designate the order of
priority in which Shares tendered are to be purchased in the event of proration.

         This Offer to Purchase and the related  Letter of  Transmittal  will be
mailed to record holders of Shares as of April 15, 1999 and will be furnished to
brokers,  banks and similar persons whose names, or the names of whose nominees,
appear on the Company's  stockholder  list or, if applicable,  who are listed as
participants in a clearing  agency's  security  position  listing for subsequent
transmittal to beneficial owners of Shares.

2. TENDERS BY OWNERS OF FEWER THAN 100 SHARES.

         The Company, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,
will accept for purchase,  without proration,  all Shares validly tendered at or
below the Purchase Price and not withdrawn on or prior to the Expiration Date by
or on behalf of stockholders who beneficially  owned as of the close of business
on April 15, 1999, and continue to beneficially  own as of the Expiration  Date,
an  aggregate  of fewer than 100 Shares  ("Odd Lot  Owners").  See Section 1. To

<PAGE>


avoid proration,  however,  an Odd Lot Owner must validly tender at or below the
Purchase Price all such Shares that such Odd Lot Owner  beneficially  owns. This
preference  is not  available  to  partial  tenders  or to owners of 100 or more
Shares in the aggregate,  even if such owners have separate  stock  certificates
for fewer than 100 such Shares.

         Any Odd Lot Owner  wishing to tender all Shares  beneficially  owned by
such  stockholder  pursuant to this Offer must complete the box  captioned  "Odd
Lots" in the  Letter  of  Transmittal  and,  if  applicable,  on the  Notice  of
Guaranteed  Delivery,  and must properly indicate in the section entitled "Price
(In  Dollars)  Per Share At Which  Shares Are Being  Tendered"  in the Letter of
Transmittal the price at which such Shares are being  tendered,  or may elect to
have all of such Shares  purchased at the Purchase Price determined by the Dutch
Auction tender process.  See Section 3. Stockholders owning an aggregate of less
than 100 Shares whose Shares are purchased pursuant to the Offer will avoid both
the  payment of  brokerage  commissions  and any  applicable  odd lot  discounts
payable on a sale of their Shares in transactions on the Nasdaq.

         As of April 15, 1999, there were approximately  1,380 holders of record
of Shares.  Approximately  51.2% of these  holders of record  held  individually
fewer than 100 Shares and held in the aggregate  28,883  Shares.  Because of the
large number of Shares held in the names of brokers and nominees, the Company is
unable to estimate the number of  beneficial  owners of fewer than 100 Shares or
the aggregate number of Shares they own.

         The Company also  reserves  the right,  but will not be  obligated,  to
purchase  all Shares duly  tendered by any  stockholder  who tendered any Shares
beneficially  owned at or below  the  Purchase  Price  and who,  as a result  of
proration, would then beneficially own an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares. If
the Company  exercises this right, it will increase the number of Shares that it
is offering to purchase in the Offer by the number of Shares  purchased  through
the exercise of such right.

3.  PROCEDURE FOR TENDERING SHARES.

         PROPER TENDER OF SHARES.  For Shares to be validly tendered pursuant to
the Offer:

                  (i) the  certificates  for such  Shares  (or  confirmation  of
         receipt  of such  Shares  pursuant  to the  procedures  for  book-entry
         transfer set forth below),  together with a properly completed and duly
         executed Letter of Transmittal (or manually signed  facsimile  thereof)
         with any  required  signature  guarantees,  or an  Agent's  Message  in
         connection with a book-entry  transfer,  in each case together with any
         other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal, must be received
         prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City Time, on the  Expiration  Date by the
         Depositary  at its address set forth on the back cover of this Offer to
         Purchase; or

                  (ii) the tendering stockholder must comply with the guaranteed
delivery procedure set forth below.

         AS  SPECIFIED  IN  INSTRUCTION  5 OF THE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL,  EACH
STOCKHOLDER  DESIRING  TO TENDER  SHARES  PURSUANT  TO THE OFFER MUST EITHER (A)
CHECK THE BOX IN THE  SECTION OF THE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  CAPTIONED  "SHARES
TENDERED AT PRICE  DETERMINED BY DUTCH AUCTION" OR (B) CHECK ONE OF THE BOXES IN
THE SECTION OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL  CAPTIONED  "SHARES TENDERED AT A PRICE
DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER."

         A STOCKHOLDER WHO WISHES TO MAXIMIZE THE CHANCE THAT SUCH STOCKHOLDER'S
SHARES WILL BE PURCHASED AT THE RELEVANT  PURCHASE PRICE SHOULD CHECK THE BOX ON
THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL  MARKED "SHARES  TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY DUTCH
AUCTION."  NOTE THAT THIS  ELECTION  COULD RESULT IN SUCH  STOCKHOLDER'S  SHARES
BEING  PURCHASED AT THE MINIMUM  PRICE OF $3.375 PER SHARE.  A  STOCKHOLDER  WHO
WISHES TO  INDICATE  A  SPECIFIC  PRICE (IN  MULTIPLES  OF $.125) AT WHICH  SUCH
STOCKHOLDER'S  SHARES  ARE BEING  TENDERED  MUST  CHECK A BOX UNDER THE  SECTION
CAPTIONED  "SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER" OF THE LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL  IN THE TABLE LABELED  "PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT WHICH SHARES
ARE BEING  TENDERED." A STOCKHOLDER WHO WISHES TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE
PRICE MUST COMPLETE SEPARATE LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SUCH
SHARES ARE BEING  TENDERED.  THE SAME SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE
PRICE.


<PAGE>


         A TENDER OF SHARES  WILL BE PROPER  IF,  AND ONLY IF, ON THE  LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL  EITHER THE BOX IN THE SECTION  CAPTIONED  "SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE
DETERMINED  BY  DUTCH  AUCTION"  OR ONE OF THE  BOXES IN THE  SECTION  CAPTIONED
"SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER" IS CHECKED.

         Odd Lot Owners who tender all Shares must complete the section entitled
"Odd Lots" on the Letter of  Transmittal  and, if  applicable,  on the Notice of
Guaranteed  Delivery,  in  order  to  qualify  for  the  preferential  treatment
available to Odd Lot Owners as set forth in Section 2.

         SIGNATURE GUARANTEES AND METHOD OF DELIVERY.  No signature guarantee is
required on the Letter of Transmittal if (i) the Letter of Transmittal is signed
by the  registered  holder of the  Shares  (which  term,  for  purposes  of this
Section,   includes  any  participant  in  The  Depository  Trust  Company  (the
"Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility")  whose name  appears  on a  security  position
listing as the holder of the Shares) tendered therewith and payment and delivery
are to be made directly to such registered  holder,  or (ii) Shares are tendered
for the account of a firm or other  entity that is a member in good  standing of
the Security  Transfer Agent's  Medallion  Program,  the New York Stock Exchange
Medallion  Program  or  the  Stock  Exchange  Medallion  Program  (an  "Eligible
Institution").  In this regard see  Section 5 for  information  with  respect to
applicable  stock  transfer  taxes.  In all other cases,  all  signatures on the
Letter  of  Transmittal  must be  guaranteed  by an  Eligible  Institution.  See
Instruction 1 of the Letter of Transmittal.

         If a  certificate  representing  Shares is  registered in the name of a
person other then the signer of a Letter of Transmittal,  or if payment is to be
made, or Shares not purchased or tendered are to be returned,  to a person other
than the registered  holder,  the certificate must be endorsed or accompanied by
an  appropriate  stock power,  in either case signed  exactly as the name of the
registered  holder  appears  on  the  certificate,  with  the  signature  on the
certificate or stock power guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.

         In all cases,  payment for Shares  tendered  and  accepted  for payment
pursuant to the Offer will be made only after timely  receipt by the  Depositary
of  certificates  for such  Shares  (or a timely  confirmation  of a  book-entry
transfer of such Shares into the Depositary's account at the Book-Entry Transfer
Facility as described below),  and a properly completed and duly executed Letter
of Transmittal (or manually signed facsimile thereof),  or an Agent's Message in
connection  with a  book-entry  transfer,  together  with  any  other  documents
required by the Letter of Transmittal.

         THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF ALL DOCUMENTS,  INCLUDING SHARE CERTIFICATES,
THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED  DOCUMENTS,  IS AT THE ELECTION
AND RISK OF THE TENDERING  STOCKHOLDER.  IF DELIVERY IS BY MAIL, REGISTERED MAIL
WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, PROPERLY INSURED, IS RECOMMENDED.

         BOOK-ENTRY  DELIVERY.  The  Depositary  will  establish an account with
respect to the Shares at the  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility for purposes of the
Offer  within two business  days after the date of this Offer to  Purchase.  Any
financial   institution  that  is  a  participant  in  the  Book-Entry  Transfer
Facility's  system may make  book-entry  delivery  of the Shares by causing  the
Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility  to transfer  such  Shares into the  Depositary's
account in accordance with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility's procedure for such
transfer.

         Even  though  delivery  of Shares may be  effected  through  book-entry
transfer into the Depositary's  account at the Book-Entry  Transfer Facility,  a
properly  completed and duly executed  Letter of Transmittal (or manually signed
facsimile  thereof),  with any  required  signature  guarantees,  or an  Agent's
Message,  in each case together with any other required  documents  must, in any
case, be  transmitted  to and received by the Depositary at one of its addresses
set forth on the back cover of this Offer to  Purchase  prior to the  Expiration
Date, or the guaranteed delivery procedure set forth below must be followed. The
confirmation of a book-entry transfer of Shares into the Depositary's account at
the Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility as described above is referred to herein as a
"Book-Entry  Confirmation."  DELIVERY OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ANY OTHER
REQUIRED  DOCUMENTS TO THE  BOOK-ENTRY  TRANSFER  FACILITY  DOES NOT  CONSTITUTE
DELIVERY TO THE DEPOSITARY.

         The  term  "Agent's  Message"  means  a  message   transmitted  by  the
Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility to, and received by, the Depositary and forming a
part of a Book-Entry  Confirmation,  which states that the  Book-Entry  Transfer


<PAGE>

Facility  has received an express  acknowledgment  from the  participant  in the
Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility  tendering the Shares that such  participant  has
received  and agrees to be bound by the terms of the Letter of  Transmittal  and
that the Company may enforce such agreement against the participant.

         GUARANTEED DELIVERY. If a stockholder desires to tender Shares pursuant
to the Offer and such stockholder's  Share  certificates  cannot be delivered to
the Depositary  prior to the  Expiration  Date (or the procedures for book-entry
transfer  cannot be  completed  on a timely  basis) or time will not  permit all
required  documents to reach the  Depositary  before the Expiration  Date,  such
Shares  may  nevertheless  be  tendered  provided  that  all  of  the  following
conditions are satisfied:

                  (i) such tender is made by or through an Eligible Institution;

                  (ii)  the  Depositary  receives  (by  hand,  mail,   overnight
         courier,  telegram  or  facsimile  transmission),  on or  prior  to the
         Expiration  Date,  a properly  completed  and duly  executed  Notice of
         Guaranteed Delivery  substantially in the form the Company has provided
         with this Offer to Purchase  (indicating  the price at which the Shares
         are being tendered),  including (where required) a signature  guarantee
         by an  Eligible  Institution  in the form set  forth in such  Notice of
         Guaranteed Delivery; and

                  (iii) the  certificates for all tendered Shares in proper form
         for transfer (or  confirmation  of  book-entry  transfer of such Shares
         into the  Depositary's  account at the Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility),
         together  with  a  properly  completed  and  duly  executed  Letter  of
         Transmittal  (or manually  signed  facsimile  thereof) and any required
         signature  guarantees  (or,  in the  case of  book-entry  transfer,  an
         Agent's  Message)  and any other  documents  required  by the Letter of
         Transmittal,  are received by the  Depositary  no later than 5:00 p.m.,
         New York City Time, on the third Nasdaq  trading day after the date the
         Depositary receives such Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

         RETURN OF UNPURCHASED SHARES. If any tendered Shares are not purchased,
or if less  than  all  Shares  evidenced  by a  stockholder's  certificates  are
tendered,  certificates  for unpurchased  Shares will be returned as promptly as
practicable  after the expiration or termination of the Offer or, in the case of
Shares tendered by book-entry transfer at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, such
Shares will be credited to the appropriate  account  maintained by the tendering
stockholder at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, in each case without expense to
such stockholder.

         BACKUP FEDERAL INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING.  Under the United States federal
income tax backup  withholding  rules,  unless an  exemption  applies  under the
applicable  law  and  regulations,  31%  of  the  gross  proceeds  payable  to a
stockholder  or other payee  pursuant to the Offer must be withheld and remitted
to the United States  Treasury,  unless the  stockholder or other payee provides
such person's taxpayer identification number (employer  identification number or
social  security  number) to the  Depositary  and certifies  under  penalties of
perjury  that such  number is correct.  Therefore,  each  tendering  stockholder
should  complete and sign the Substitute Form W-9 included as part of the Letter
of Transmittal so as to provide the information and  certification  necessary to
avoid backup withholding,  unless such stockholder  otherwise establishes to the
satisfaction  of the  Depositary  that the  stockholder is not subject to backup
withholding. Certain stockholders (including, among others, all corporations and
certain  foreign  stockholders  (in addition to foreign  corporations))  are not
subject to these backup withholding and reporting  requirements.  In order for a
foreign  stockholder to qualify as an exempt  recipient,  that  stockholder must
submit an IRS Form W-8 or a  Substitute  Form W-9,  signed  under  penalties  of
perjury,  attesting to that stockholder's  exempt status. Such statements can be
obtained  from the  Depositary.  See  Instructions  10 and 11 of the  Letter  of
Transmittal.  Backup  withholding  is not an  additional  tax;  any  amounts  so
withheld may be credited  against the U.S.  federal  income tax liability of the
beneficial holder subject to the withholding.

         TO PREVENT BACKUP FEDERAL  INCOME TAX  WITHHOLDING  EQUAL TO 31% OF THE
GROSS PAYMENTS MADE TO STOCKHOLDERS FOR SHARES PURCHASED  PURSUANT TO THE OFFER,
EACH  STOCKHOLDER  WHO DOES NOT  OTHERWISE  ESTABLISH  AN  EXEMPTION  FROM  SUCH
WITHHOLDING MUST PROVIDE THE DEPOSITARY WITH THE STOCKHOLDER'S  CORRECT TAXPAYER
IDENTIFICATION  NUMBER AND PROVIDE  CERTAIN OTHER  INFORMATION BY COMPLETING THE
SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 INCLUDED AS PART OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

         For  a  discussion  of  certain   United  States   federal  income  tax
consequences to tendering stockholders, see Section 14.


<PAGE>


         WITHHOLDING FOR FOREIGN STOCKHOLDERS. Even if a foreign stockholder has
provided the required certification to avoid backup withholding,  the Depositary
will  withhold  United  States  federal  income  taxes equal to 30% of the gross
payments  payable  to a  foreign  stockholder  or his or her  agent  unless  the
Depositary  determines that a reduced rate of withholding is available  pursuant
to a tax treaty or that an exemption from withholding is applicable because such
gross proceeds are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
within  the  United  States.  For this  purpose,  a foreign  stockholder  is any
stockholder  that is not (i) a citizen or resident of the United States,  (ii) a
corporation,  partnership,  or other entity created or organized in or under the
laws of the United States, any State or any political subdivision thereof, (iii)
an  estate  the  income of which is  subject  to United  States  federal  income
taxation  regardless  of the  source  of such  income,  or  (iv) a  trust  whose
administration  is subject to the primary  supervision  of a United States court
and which has one or more United  States  fiduciaries  who have the authority to
control all  substantial  decisions  of the trust.  In order to obtain a reduced
rate of withholding pursuant to a tax treaty, a foreign stockholder must deliver
to the Depositary before the payment a properly  completed and executed IRS Form
1001. In order to obtain an exemption  from  withholding on the grounds that the
gross  proceeds paid pursuant to the Offer are  effectively  connected  with the
conduct of a trade or business within the United States,  a foreign  stockholder
must deliver to the Depositary a properly  completed and executed IRS Form 4224.
The Depositary  will determine a stockholder's  status as a foreign  stockholder
and  eligibility  for a  reduced  rate of, or  exemption  from,  withholding  by
reference to any outstanding  certificates or statements concerning  eligibility
for a reduced rate of, or exemption from,  withholding  (e.g.,  IRS Form 1001 or
IRS Form 4224) unless facts and circumstances indicate that such reliance is not
warranted.  A foreign stockholder may be eligible to obtain a refund of all or a
portion of any tax withheld if such stockholder meets the "complete redemption,"
"substantially  disproportionate" or "not essentially  equivalent to a dividend"
test  described in Section 14 or is otherwise able to establish that no tax or a
reduced  amount of tax is due.  Backup  withholding  generally will not apply to
amounts  subject to the 30% or a  treaty-reduced  rate of  withholding.  FOREIGN
STOCKHOLDERS  ARE  URGED  TO  CONSULT  THEIR  OWN  TAX  ADVISORS  REGARDING  THE
APPLICATION  OF  UNITED  STATES  FEDERAL  INCOME  TAX   WITHHOLDING,   INCLUDING
ELIGIBILITY  FOR A  WITHHOLDING  TAX  REDUCTION  OR  EXEMPTION,  AND THE  REFUND
PROCEDURE. See Instructions 13 and 14 of the Letter of Transmittal.

         TENDERING   STOCKHOLDER'S   REPRESENTATION   AND  WARRANTY;   COMPANY'S
ACCEPTANCE CONSTITUTES AN AGREEMENT. It is a violation of Rule 14e-4 promulgated
under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), for
a person  acting  alone or in concert with others,  directly or  indirectly,  to
tender Shares for such person's own account  unless at the time of tender and at
the Expiration  Date such person has a "net long  position"  equal to or greater
than the amount tendered in the Shares and will deliver or cause to be delivered
(i) such  Shares  for the  purpose  of tender to the  Company  within the period
specified in the Offer, or (ii) other securities  immediately  convertible into,
exercisable for or exchangeable into Shares ("Equivalent  Securities") and, upon
the acceptance of such tender, will acquire such Shares by conversion,  exchange
or exercise of such Equivalent Securities to the extent required by the terms of
the Offer and will deliver or cause to be delivered  such Shares so acquired for
the purpose of tender to the Company within the period specified in the Offer.

         Rule 14e-4 also provides a similar restriction applicable to the tender
or  guarantee of a tender on behalf of another  person.  A tender of Shares made
pursuant  to any  method  of  delivery  set forth  herein  will  constitute  the
tendering stockholder's representation and warranty to the Company that (i) such
stockholder has a "net long position" in Shares or Equivalent  Securities  being
tendered  within  the  meaning  of Rule  14e-4,  and (ii) such  tender of Shares
complies  with Rule  14e-4.  The  Company's  acceptance  for  payment  of Shares
tendered  pursuant to the Offer will constitute a binding  agreement between the
tendering  stockholder  and the  Company  upon  the  terms  and  subject  to the
conditions of the Offer.

         DETERMINATIONS OF VALIDITY;  REJECTION OF SHARES; WAIVER OF DEFECTS; NO
OBLIGATION  TO GIVE NOTICE OF DEFECTS.  All questions as to the number of Shares
to  be  accepted,  the  price  to be  paid  therefor  and  the  validity,  form,
eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance for payment of any tender
of Shares will be  determined  by the  Company,  in its sole  discretion,  which
determination  shall be final and binding on all parties.  The Company  reserves
the  absolute  right to reject  any or all  tenders it  determines  not to be in
proper form or the acceptance of or payment for which may, in the opinion of the
Company's counsel, be unlawful.  The Company also reserves the absolute right to
waive any of the conditions of the Offer and any defect or  irregularity  in the
tender of any particular Shares or by any particular  stockholder.  No tender of
Shares  will be deemed to be properly  made until all defects or  irregularities
have been cured or waived. Neither the Company nor the Depositary,  or any other
person,  is or will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities

<PAGE>


in tenders,  and none of them will incur any  liability  for failure to give any
such notice.

         CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES,  TOGETHER WITH A PROPERLY  COMPLETED LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL,  MUST
BE  DELIVERED  TO THE  DEPOSITARY  AND NOT TO THE  COMPANY.  ANY SUCH  DOCUMENTS
DELIVERED TO THE COMPANY MAY NOT BE FORWARDED TO THE  DEPOSITARY  AND  THEREFORE
MAY BE DEEMED TO BE NOT VALIDLY TENDERED.

4.  WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS.

         Except as  otherwise  provided  in this  Section  4,  tenders of Shares
pursuant to the Offer are irrevocable. Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer may
be withdrawn at any time before the  Expiration  Date and,  unless  accepted for
payment  by the  Company as  provided  in this  Offer to  Purchase,  may also be
withdrawn after 12:00 Midnight, New York City Time, on Tuesday, June 29, 1999.

         For a withdrawal to be effective,  the Depositary  must receive (at its
address  set  forth on the back  cover of this  Offer to  Purchase)  a notice of
withdrawal in written,  telegraphic or facsimile  transmission  form on a timely
basis.  Such  notice of  withdrawal  must  specify  the name of the  person  who
tendered the Shares to be withdrawn,  the number of Shares tendered,  the number
of Shares to be withdrawn and the name of the  registered  holder,  if different
from that of the person who tendered such Shares.

         If the certificates have been delivered or otherwise  identified to the
Depositary,  then,  prior to the  release of such  certificates,  the  tendering
stockholder  must  also  submit  the  serial  numbers  shown  on the  particular
certificates evidencing the Shares and the signature on the notice of withdrawal
must be  guaranteed  by an  Eligible  Institution  (except in the case of Shares
tendered by an Eligible  Institution).  If Shares have been tendered pursuant to
the  procedure  for  book-entry  transfer  set forth in Section 3, the notice of
withdrawal must specify the name and the number of the account at the Book-Entry
Transfer  Facility to be credited with the withdrawn Shares and otherwise comply
with the procedures of such facility.

         All questions as to the form and validity,  including  time of receipt,
of  notices  of  withdrawal  will be  determined  by the  Company,  in its  sole
discretion,  which  determination  shall be final and  binding  on all  parties.
Neither the  Company  nor the  Depositary,  or any other  person,  is or will be
obligated to give any notice of any defects or  irregularities  in any notice of
withdrawal,  and none of them will incur any  liability  for failure to give any
such notice.

         Withdrawals  may not be rescinded,  and any Shares  properly  withdrawn
will  thereafter  be deemed not  tendered  for  purposes of the Offer.  However,
withdrawn  Shares  may be  re-tendered  before  the  Expiration  Date  by  again
following any of the procedures described in Section 3.

         If the Company  extends the Offer, is delayed in its purchase of Shares
or is unable to purchase  Shares  pursuant  to the Offer for any  reason,  then,
without  prejudice to the Company's  rights under the Offer, the Depositary may,
subject to applicable law, retain on behalf of the Company all tendered  Shares,
and such Shares may not be withdrawn except to the extent tendering stockholders
are entitled to withdrawal rights as described in this Section 4.

5. PURCHASE OF SHARES AND PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE.

         The Company will,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions of the
Offer,  determine a single per Share  Purchase Price that it will pay for Shares
validly  tendered and not withdrawn  pursuant to the Offer,  taking into account
the  number  of  Shares  so  tendered  and the  prices  specified  by  tendering
stockholders,  and will accept for payment  and pay for (and  thereby  purchase)
Shares validly tendered at or below the Purchase Price and not withdrawn as soon
as practicable after the Expiration Date. For purposes of the Offer, the Company
will be deemed to have accepted for payment (and therefore  purchased),  subject
to proration,  Shares that are validly  tendered at or below the Purchase  Price
and not  withdrawn  when,  as and if it  gives  oral or  written  notice  to the
Depositary of its acceptance of such Shares for payment pursuant to the Offer.


<PAGE>


         Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,  the Company
will  purchase and pay a single per Share  Purchase  Price for all of the Shares
accepted  for  payment  pursuant to the Offer as soon as  practicable  after the
Expiration  Date.  In all cases,  payment for Shares  tendered  and accepted for
payment  pursuant to the Offer will be made promptly  (subject to possible delay
in the event of proration)  but only after timely  receipt by the  Depositary of
certificates for Shares (or of a timely  Book-Entry  Confirmation of such Shares
into the  Depositary's  account  at the  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility),  and a
properly  completed and duly executed  Letter of Transmittal (or manually signed
facsimile  thereof),  or,  in the  case of a  book-entry  transfer,  an  Agent's
Message, in each case together with any other required documents.

         Payment  for  Shares  purchased  pursuant  to the Offer will be made by
depositing the aggregate Purchase Price therefor with the Depositary, which will
act as agent for  tendering  stockholders  for the purpose of receiving  payment
from the Company and transmitting payment to the tendering stockholders.  In the
event of proration,  the Company will determine the proration factor and pay for
those  tendered  Shares  accepted for payment as soon as  practicable  after the
Expiration Date. However, the Company does not expect to be able to announce the
final results of any such  proration  until  approximately  seven  business days
after the Expiration Date. Under no circumstances  will the Company pay interest
on the Purchase Price including,  without limitation,  by reason of any delay in
making payment.

         Certificates  for  all  Shares  not  purchased,  including  all  Shares
tendered at prices  greater than the Purchase Price and Shares not purchased due
to proration, will be returned (or, in the case of Shares tendered by book-entry
transfer,  such  Shares will be  credited  to the  account  maintained  with the
Book-Entry Transfer Facility by the participant who so delivered such Shares) as
promptly as  practicable  following the  Expiration  Date or  termination of the
Offer,  without expense to the tendering  stockholder.  In addition,  if certain
events occur,  the Company may not be obligated to purchase  Shares  pursuant to
the Offer. See Section 6.

         The Company will pay all stock transfer taxes,  if any,  payable on the
transfer to it of Shares  purchased  pursuant to the Offer;  provided,  however,
that if payment of the Purchase Price is to be made to, or (in the circumstances
permitted by the Offer) if  unpurchased  Shares are to be registered in the name
of, any person other than the registered holder, or if tendered certificates are
registered in the name of any person other than the person signing the Letter of
Transmittal,  the amount of all stock transfer taxes, if any (whether imposed on
the registered holder or such other person),  payable on account of the transfer
to such  person  will be  deducted  from  the  Purchase  Price  unless  evidence
satisfactory to the Company of the payment of such taxes or exemption  therefrom
is submitted. See Instruction 7 of the Letter of Transmittal.

         Any tendering  stockholder or other payee who fails to complete  fully,
sign and return to the Depositary  the  Substitute  Form W-9 included as part of
the Letter of Transmittal may be subject to required backup U.S.  federal income
tax  withholding of 31% of the gross proceeds paid to such  stockholder or other
payee pursuant to the Offer. See Section 3. Also see Section 3 regarding U.S.
federal income tax consequences for foreign stockholders.

6.  CERTAIN CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER.

         Notwithstanding any other provision of the Offer, the Company shall not
be required to accept for payment,  purchase or pay for any Shares tendered, and
may terminate or amend the Offer or may postpone the  acceptance for payment of,
or the purchase of and the payment for Shares tendered, subject to Rule 13e-4(f)
promulgated  under the Exchange  Act, if at any time on or after May 3, 1999 and
prior to the time of  payment  for any such  Shares  (whether  any  Shares  have
theretofore  been  accepted for  payment,  purchased or paid for pursuant to the
Offer)  any of the  following  events  shall have  occurred  (or shall have been
determined by the Company to have occurred)  that, in the Company's  judgment in
any such case and regardless of the circumstances giving rise thereto (including
any action or omission to act by the Company),  makes it  inadvisable to proceed
with the Offer or with such acceptance for payment or payment:

                  (a) there shall have been threatened, instituted or be pending
         before any court, agency,  authority or other tribunal any action, suit
         or  proceeding  by  any  government  or  governmental,   regulatory  or
         administrative  agency or authority or by any other  person,  domestic,
         foreign or supranational, or any judgment, order or injunction entered,
         enforced or deemed applicable by any such court,  authority,  agency or
         tribunal, which (i) challenges or seeks to make illegal, or to delay or


<PAGE>

         otherwise  directly or  indirectly  to restrain,  prohibit or otherwise
         affect the making of the Offer,  the  acquisition of Shares pursuant to
         the Offer or is  otherwise  related  in any  manner  to,  or  otherwise
         affects,  the Offer or (ii) could, in the sole judgment of the Company,
         materially  affect the business,  condition  (financial or  otherwise),
         income,  operations  or prospects of the Company and its  subsidiaries,
         taken  as a  whole,  or  otherwise  materially  impair  in any  way the
         contemplated  future  conduct of the  business  of the  Company and its
         subsidiaries,  taken as a  whole,  or  materially  impair  the  Offer's
         contemplated benefits to the Company; or

                  (b) there shall have been any action  threatened or taken,  or
         any approval  withheld,  or any statute,  rule or  regulation  invoked,
         proposed, sought,  promulgated,  enacted, entered, amended, enforced or
         deemed  to be  applicable  to the  Offer or the  Company  or any of its
         subsidiaries,   by  any  government  or  governmental,   regulatory  or
         administrative  authority or agency or tribunal,  domestic,  foreign or
         supranational,  which,  in the sole  judgment of the Company,  would or
         might directly or indirectly result in any of the consequences referred
         to in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (a) above; or

                  (c)  there shall have occurred

                           (i) the declaration of any banking  moratorium or any
                  suspension  of  payments  in  respect  of banks in the  United
                  States (whether or not mandatory);

                           (ii)  any  general   suspension  of  trading  in,  or
                  limitation  on prices  for,  securities  on any United  States
                  national  securities  exchange  or  in  the   over-the-counter
                  market;

                           (iii) the commencement of a war, armed hostilities or
                  any  other  national  or  international   crisis  directly  or
                  indirectly involving the United States;

                           (iv) any limitation (whether or not mandatory) by any
                  governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or authority
                  on, or any event which,  in the sole  judgment of the Company,
                  might materially  affect,  the extension of credit by banks or
                  other lending institutions in the United States;

                           (v) any  significant  decrease in the market price of
                  the  Shares  or in the  market  prices  of  equity  securities
                  generally  in the United  States or any change in the  general
                  political,  market,  economic or financial  conditions  in the
                  United  States or abroad that could have, in the sole judgment
                  of the Company,  a material  adverse  effect on the  business,
                  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),  income,  operations or
                  prospects  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a
                  whole,  or on the  trading  in the  Shares or on the  proposed
                  financing of the Offer;

                           (vi) in the case of any of the foregoing  existing at
                  the  time  of  the  announcement  of  the  Offer,  a  material
                  acceleration or worsening thereof; or

                           (vii) any decline in either the Dow Jones  Industrial
                  Average or the S&P 500 Composite  Index by an amount in excess
                  of 10% measured  from the close of business on April 30, 1999;
                  or

                  (d) any change shall occur or be  threatened  in the business,
         condition (financial or otherwise),  income, operations or prospects of
         the Company and its subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  which in the sole
         judgment  of the  Company is or may be  material to the Company and its
         subsidiaries taken as a whole; or

                  (e) a tender or exchange  offer with respect to some or all of
         the Shares (other than the Offer), or a merger or acquisition  proposal
         for the Company, shall have been proposed, announced or made by another
         person or shall have been publicly disclosed, or the Company shall have
         learned  that (i) any person or "group"  (within the meaning of Section
         13(d)(3)  of the  Exchange  Act) has  acquired  or  proposes to acquire
         beneficial  ownership of more than 5% of the outstanding Shares whether
         through the acquisition of stock,  the formation of a group,  the grant


<PAGE>

         of any option or right,  or  otherwise  (other than as  disclosed  in a
         Schedule 13D or 13G on file with the  Commission  on April 30, 1999) or
         (ii) any such  person or group  that on or prior to April 30,  1999 had
         filed  such a  Schedule  with  the  Commission  thereafter  shall  have
         acquired or shall propose to acquire whether through the acquisition of
         stock,  the formation of a group,  the grant of any option or right, or
         otherwise, beneficial ownership of additional Shares representing 2% or
         more of the outstanding Shares; or

                  (f) any person or group  shall have filed a  Notification  and
         Report Form under the Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust  Improvements Act of
         1976, as amended, reflecting an intent to acquire the Company or any of
         its Shares.

         The foregoing  conditions are for the Company's sole benefit and may be
asserted by the Company regardless of the circumstances  giving rise to any such
condition  (including any action or inaction by the Company) or may be waived by
the Company in whole or in part.  The Company's  failure at any time to exercise
any of the foregoing  rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any such right, and
each such right  shall be deemed an ongoing  right that may be  asserted  at any
time and from time to time. In certain circumstances,  if the Company waives any
of the foregoing conditions, it may be required to extend the Expiration Date of
the Offer.  Any  determination  by the Company  concerning the events  described
above  and any  related  judgment  or  decision  by the  Company  regarding  the
inadvisability  of  proceeding  with the  purchase  of or payment for any Shares
tendered will be final and binding on all parties.

7.  PRICE RANGE OF SHARES; DIVIDENDS.

         The  Company's  Common  Stock is traded on the Nasdaq  National  Market
under the symbol "HOST." As of April 15, 1999,  there were  approximately  1,380
holders of record of the Company's  Common Stock.  The following table shows the
range of reported high and low closing prices per share.
                                                       High($)          Low($)
                                                       -------          ------
FISCAL 1997
   First quarter                                         7.63              5.31
   Second quarter                                        7.88              6.06
   Third quarter                                         7.13              6.19
   Fourth quarter                                        6.88              5.13

FISCAL 1998
   First quarter                                         5.81              3.94
   Second quarter                                        5.38              4.38
   Third quarter                                         4.63              3.09
   Fourth quarter                                        4.50              2.56

FISCAL 1999
   First quarter                                         3.81              3.00
   Second quarter (through April  27, 1999)              3.47              3.00

         The Company has not  declared or paid any cash  dividends on its Common
Stock.  The  Company  currently  intends to retain any  earnings  for use in its
business and  therefore  does not  anticipate  paying any cash  dividends in the
foreseeable future. Any future  determination to pay cash dividends will be made
by the  Board  of  Directors  in  light  of the  Company's  earnings,  financial
position,  capital requirements and such other factors as the Board of Directors
deems  relevant.  In  addition,  pursuant  to  the  terms  of the  Company's  7%
Subordinated  Notes (the "7% Notes"),  no  dividends  may be paid on any capital
stock of the Company until the 7% Notes have been paid in full.

8. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE OFFER; CERTAIN EFFECTS OF THE OFFER.

        The  discussion  in the  Introduction,  this Section 8, and elsewhere in
this Offer to Purchase  contains  forward-looking  statements that involve risks
and  uncertainties  that could cause actual  results to differ  materially  from
those in the  forward-looking  statements.  When used in this Offer to Purchase,
the words "anticipate,"  "believe," "plans,"  "estimate,"  "intend," "has or may
consider"  and "expect" and similar  expressions  are intended to identify  such
forward-looking  statements.  Such factors include,  but are not limited to, the
availability  of sufficient  capital to finance the  Company's  business plan on
terms satisfactory to the Company; competitive factors, such as the introduction
of new hotels or renovation of existing  hotels in the same markets;  changes in
travel patterns which could affect demand for the Company's  hotels;  changes in
development and operating costs, including labor, construction, land, equipment,

<PAGE>


and capital  costs;  general  business and economic  conditions;  and other risk
factors  described  from time to time in the  Company's  reports  filed with the
Commission.  Some or all of the factors are beyond the Company's control.  There
can be no assurance  that actual  results,  performance or  achievements  of the
Company  will not differ  materially  from any future  results,  performance  or
achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company
undertakes  no  obligation  to release  publicly the results of any revisions to
these  forward-looking  statements to reflect events or circumstances  after the
date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

         The Offer provides  stockholders who are considering a sale of all or a
portion of their Shares with the  opportunity  to determine  the price or prices
(not  greater  than  $4.00 nor less than  $3.375  per  share) at which  they are
willing to sell their  Shares and,  subject to the terms and  conditions  of the
Offer,  to sell  those  Shares  for cash  without  the usual  transaction  costs
associated  with  market  sales.  The Offer also allows  stockholders  to sell a
portion of their Shares  while  retaining a  continuing  equity  interest in the
Company.  In addition,  the Offer may give  stockholders the opportunity to sell
Shares at prices  greater than market  prices  prevailing  immediately  prior to
announcement  of the Offer.  The Offer would allow Odd Lot Holders  whose Shares
are  purchased  pursuant  to the Offer to avoid both the  payment  of  brokerage
commissions and any applicable odd lot discounts payable on sales of odd lots on
the  Nasdaq.  Stockholders  who decide  not to accept  the Offer will  realize a
proportionate increase in their relative equity interest in the Company and thus
in the Company's  future earnings and assets,  subject to the Company's right to
issue additional Shares and other equity securities in the future. To the extent
the  purchase  of Shares in the Offer  results in a  reduction  of the number of
stockholders,  the costs of the Company  for  services  to  stockholders  may be
reduced.

         The Company's Board of Directors believes that the Company's  financial
condition and outlook and current market  conditions,  including  recent trading
prices of the Shares,  make this an  attractive  time to repurchase a portion of
the outstanding Shares. The Company's Board of Directors believes that the Offer
constitutes  a  prudent  use of the  Company's  financial  resources,  given the
Company's business profile,  assets and prospects.  The amounts required to fund
the  Offer  and  pay  related   expenses  will  be  provided  by  the  Company's
Line-of-Credit  described in Section 10. As of April 27,  1999,  the Company had
available for borrowing approximately $6.7 million under its Line-of-Credit. The
Company  believes  that its  Line-of-Credit,  along  with  cash  generated  from
operations,  will be sufficient  to finance the Offer and the Company's  working
capital  needs and capital  expenditures.  Accordingly,  the Offer is consistent
with the Company's goal of increasing stockholder value.

         The Company believes that, upon the completion of the Offer, the Shares
will continue to be quoted on the Nasdaq National Market.

         THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  OF THE COMPANY HAS  APPROVED THE MAKING OF THE
OFFER.  HOWEVER,  STOCKHOLDERS  MUST MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS  WHETHER TO TENDER
SHARES  AND,  IF SO, HOW MANY  SHARES TO TENDER AND THE PRICE OR PRICES AT WHICH
SHARES SHOULD BE TENDERED.  NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES
ANY  RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY  STOCKHOLDER AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM
TENDERING SHARES.

         Shares  that  the  Company  acquires  pursuant  to the  Offer  will  be
cancelled and returned to the status of authorized  but unissued  stock and will
be available for the Company to issue without further stockholder action (except
as required  by  applicable  law or the rules of Nasdaq or any other  securities
exchange  on which the  Shares  are  listed)  for  purposes  including,  without
limitation,  the  acquisition  of other  businesses,  the raising of  additional
capital for use in the Company's  business and the  satisfaction  of obligations
under existing or future employee benefit or compensation programs or stock plan
or  compensation  programs for  directors.  The Company has no current plans for
issuance of the Shares repurchased pursuant to the Offer.

         The  Company  has  from  time to time  and  will  continue  to  explore
strategic  arrangements,  transactions  and  opportunities  consistent  with the
Company's goal of increasing  stockholder  value.  Such  strategic  transactions
could include  acquisitions,  joint  ventures or corporate  restructurings.  The
Company  does  not  currently  have  any  plans  to  enter  into  any  strategic
transactions.  The Company's decision to enter into any strategic transaction in
the future will depend upon a number of factors, including,  without limitation,
the Company's business and financial position, its corporate strategies, general
economic and market  conditions,  and the market value of its businesses and the
Shares. In the event that the Company enters into a strategic transaction in the
future and such transaction  increases the market value of the Shares,  however,
the  stockholders  who tender their Shares in this Offer will not realize any of
the potential value of such transaction.


<PAGE>


         The Company may in the future  purchase  additional  Shares on the open
market,  in  private  transactions,  through  tender  offers or  otherwise.  Any
additional  purchase may be on the same terms or on terms which are more or less
favorable  to  stockholders  than the  terms of the  Offer.  However,  under the
Exchange  Act  rules,  the  Company  and  its  affiliates  are  prohibited  from
purchasing  any Shares,  other than  pursuant  to the Offer,  until at least ten
business days after the Expiration  Date. Any possible  future  purchases by the
Company will depend on many  factors,  including  the results of the Offer,  the
market price of the Shares,  the Company's  business and financial  position and
general economic and market conditions.

         As described in the Company's proxy statement for its annual meeting to
be  held  May 27,  1999,  a copy of  which  has  been  mailed  to the  Company's
stockholders  together  with this  Offer to  Purchase,  the  Company's  Board of
Directors has nominated a slate of five  directors to be elected to its Board of
Directors,  a  reduction  in the size  from the  current  seven-member  Board of
Directors.  One of the nominees is not currently a member of the Company's Board
of Directors.

         Except as disclosed in this Offer to  Purchase,  the Company  currently
has no plans or proposals that relate to or would result in (a) the  acquisition
by any person of  additional  securities  of the Company or the  disposition  of
securities of the Company; (b) an extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a
merger,  reorganization  or liquidation,  involving the Company or any or all of
its  subsidiaries;  (c) a sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the
Company  or any of its  subsidiaries;  (d) any  material  change in the  present
dividend rate or policy, or indebtedness or  capitalization of the Company;  (e)
any change in the present  management  of the  Company;  (f) any other  material
change in the Company's corporate  structure or business;  (g) any change in the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or any actions which may impede
the  acquisition of control of the Company by any person;  (h) a class of equity
security of the Company being delisted from a national securities exchange;  (i)
a class of equity security of the Company  becoming  eligible for termination of
registration  pursuant  to Section  12(g)(4)  of the  Exchange  Act;  or (j) the
suspension of the Company's obligation to file reports pursuant to Section 15(d)
of the Exchange Act.

9. INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS;  TRANSACTIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS
CONCERNING THE SHARES.

         As of April 27,  1999,  there were  6,043,132  Shares  outstanding  and
2,031,033 Shares issuable upon the exercise of all outstanding options, warrants
or other convertible securities issued by the Company. As of April 27, 1999, the
Company's  current  directors  and  executive  officers  as a group (9  persons)
beneficially  owned 2,235,667 Shares  (including  1,193,884 Shares issuable upon
the exercise of options,  warrants or other convertible securities issued by the
Company which are exercisable  within 60 days of such date),  which  constituted
approximately  30.9% of the  outstanding  Shares  (including  Shares issuable if
options, warrants and other convertible securities issued by the Company held by
the Company's  directors and executive  officers  exercisable  within 60 days of
such date were  exercised)  at such time.  If the  Company  purchases  1,000,000
Shares pursuant to the Offer  (approximately  16.6% of the outstanding Shares as
of April  27,  1999)  and no  director  or  executive  officer,  other  than Mr.
Bernardo, a director of the Company who may tender up to 20,000 Shares,  tenders
Shares  pursuant  to the Offer (as is intended by the  directors  and  executive
officers),  then  after  the  purchase  of Shares  pursuant  to the  Offer,  the
Company's  directors and executive  officers as a group would  beneficially  own
approximately  35.5% of the  outstanding  Shares  (including  Shares issuable if
options, warrants and other convertible securities issued by the Company held by
the Company's  directors and executive  officers  exercisable  within 60 days of
such date were exercised).

         Based on the Company's records and information  provided to the Company
by its directors, executive officers, associates and subsidiaries, other than as
set forth on Schedule I attached hereto (which describes  acquisitions of Shares
made by the  Company and Dr.  Dayan,  a director  of the  Company),  neither the
Company nor any of its associates or  subsidiaries  or persons  controlling  the
Company nor, to the best of the  Company's  knowledge,  any of the  directors or
executive  officers of the  Company,  nor any  associate or  subsidiary  of such
directors or executive  officers,  has effected any  transactions  in the Shares
during the 40 business days prior to the date hereof.

         Except as set forth in this Offer to  Purchase,  neither the Company or
any person controlling the Company nor, to the Company's  knowledge,  any of its
directors  or  executive  officers,  is a party  to any  contract,  arrangement,
understanding  or  relationship  with any other  person  relating,  directly  or
indirectly,  to the  Offer  with  respect  to  any  securities  of  the  Company


<PAGE>

(including,  but not limited to, any  contract,  arrangement,  understanding  or
relationship concerning the transfer or the voting of any such securities, joint
ventures,  loan or  option  arrangements,  puts or calls,  guarantees  of loans,
guarantees  against loss or the giving or  withholding  of proxies,  consents or
authorizations).

10.  SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS.

         Assuming that the Company  purchases  1,000,000  Shares pursuant to the
Offer at the maximum  specified  purchase price of $4.00 per Share,  the Company
expects the maximum aggregate cost,  including all fees and expenses  applicable
to the Offer, to be approximately  $4,050,000.  The Company anticipates that the
funds necessary to pay such amounts will be provided  through  borrowings  under
its   operating   line-of-credit   with   Bridgeview   Bank   and   Trust   (the
"Line-of-Credit") or from cash held by the Company.

         The   Line-of-Credit   (i)  has  a  limit  of  $7.0   million  (ii)  is
collateralized  by a  security  interest  in certain  of the  Company's  assets,
including its interest in various  joint  ventures;  (iii) bears  interest at an
annual  rate  equal to the  lending  bank's  base rate plus 1/2% (with a minimum
interest  rate of 7.5%);  and (iv) matures  October 15, 1999. At April 27, 1999,
the Company had approximately  $300,000 outstanding under its Line-of-Credit.  A
copy of the  Line-of-Credit  has been filed with the Commission as an exhibit to
the Company's Schedule 13E-4 which was filed in connection with this Offer.

         The  Company   expects  to  repay   indebtedness   incurred  under  the
Line-of-Credit as a result of the Offer through cash flow from operations and/or
future borrowings.

11.  CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY.

         The Company is engaged in the development and construction of AmeriHost
Inn(R) hotels,  its proprietary  hotel brand,  and the ownership,  operation and
management  of both  AmeriHost  Inn(R)  hotels and other  hotels.  The AmeriHost
Inn(R)  brand  was  created  by the  Company  to  provide  for  the  consistent,
cost-effective development and operation of mid-price hotels in various markets.
All AmeriHost Inn(R) hotels are designed and developed using the Company's 60 to
120 room,  interior corridor and indoor pool prototype design and are located in
tertiary and secondary markets.

         As of December  31,  1998,  the Company  owned,  operated or managed 91
hotels located in 18 states.  Of these hotels, 75 hotels are operated or managed
under the Company's  proprietary  brand, the AmeriHost Inn(R). Of the 91 hotels,
the  Company  owns a 100% or  majority  ownership  interest  in 69 hotels  and a
minority  equity  interest,  ranging  from 10% to 50%,  in 16 hotels.  Of the 85
hotels in which the Company has an ownership  interest,  72 are AmeriHost Inn(R)
hotels and 13 are other brands, which in most cases were acquired, renovated and
repositioned  in  their  respective  marketplaces  between  1987 and  1993.  The
majority of the other brand hotels are franchised through Days Inn, Hampton Inn,
Holiday Inn and Ramada Inn.  The Company also managed six hotels at December 31,
1998 for  unaffiliated  third  parties  whereby  the  Company  has no  ownership
interest. Three of the six managed hotels operate as AmeriHost Inn(R) hotels. As
of December 31, 1998,  an  additional  six  AmeriHost  Inn(R)  hotels were under
construction.  The Company has 100%  ownership  in five of these  hotels,  and a
minority ownership interest in one.

         The principal  executive  office of the Company is located at 2400 East
Devon Avenue, Suite 280, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018.



<PAGE>


  SUMMARY HISTORICAL AND UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

         HISTORICAL  FINANCIAL  INFORMATION.  The following  summary  historical
consolidated  financial  information of the Company and its subsidiaries  (other
than the ratios of  earnings to fixed  charges) as of and for fiscal  years 1997
and 1998 has been derived from, and should be read in  conjunction  with, and is
qualified in its entirety by reference  to, the audited  consolidated  financial
statements  of the Company as reported in the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 which is incorporated herein by
reference.  Copies of such Annual  Report may be inspected or obtained  from the
Commission in the manner specified in "-- Additional Information" below.

         The  following  summary  unaudited  pro  forma  consolidated  financial
information for the year ended December 31, 1998 gives effect to the purchase of
the Shares pursuant to the Offer, based on certain assumptions  described in the
Notes to the Summary Historical and Unaudited Pro Forma  Consolidated  Financial
Information, as if the purchase had occurred on January 1, 1998 (with respect to
the statement of operations  data and other data) and on December 31, 1998 (with
respect to the balance sheet data). The summary unaudited pro forma consolidated
financial  information should be read in conjunction with the summary historical
consolidated  financial  information  and does not purport to be  indicative  of
results that would actually have been obtained,  or results that may be obtained
in the future,  or the  financial  condition  that would have  resulted  had the
purchase  of the  Shares  pursuant  to the  Offer  been  completed  at the dates
indicated.

<TABLE>

                                                                         Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
                                                            ---------------------------------------------------------

                                                                     Actual               Unaudited Pro Forma(1)
                                                                     ------               ----------------------
                                                                                      Assumed $3.375      Assumed
                                                                                      Purchase Price       $4.00
                                                                                                         Purchase
                                                                                                           Price
                                                               1997         1998           1998            1998
                                                               ----         ----           ----            ----
                                                                     (in thousands, except per share data)
<S>                                                          <C>          <C>          <C>             <C>    
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
  Revenue                                                    $  62,666    $  68,618    $  68,618       $  68,618        
  Operating costs and expenses                                  52,285       54,286       54,286          54,286
  Depreciation and amortization expense                          4,532        5,487        5,487           5,487
  Leasehold rents - hotels                                       1,729        4,192        4,192           4,192
  Corporate general and administrative                           2,140        1,569        1,569           1,569
                                                                                                      
  Operating income (loss)                                        1,980        3,084        3,084           3,084
                                                                                                      
  Interest expense, net                                          3,299        5,592        5,875           5,926
                                                                                                      
 Loss, before extraordinary item and cumulative                                                       
    effect of change in accounting principle(2)              $    (966)   $  (1,167)   $  (1,337)      $  (1,368)
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
  Net loss                                                   $    (966)   $  (2,796)   $  (2,966)      $  (2,996)
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
                                                                                                      
 Loss per share, before extraordinary item and                                                        
    cumulative effect of change in accounting principle(2)                                            
          Basic                                              $   (0.15)   $   (0.19)   $   (0.26)      $   (0.26)
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
          Diluted                                            $   (0.19)   $   (0.20)   $   (0.27)      $   (0.28)
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
                                                                                                      
  Earnings (loss) per share:                                                                          
          Basic                                              $   (0.15)   $   (0.45)   $   (0.57)      $   (0.58)
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
          Diluted                                            $   (0.19)   $   (0.45)   $   (0.57)      $   (0.58)
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
                                                                                                      
  Weighted average shares outstanding:                                                                
          Basic                                                  6,283        6,180        5,180           5,180
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
          Diluted                                                6,659        6,513        5,513           5,513
                                                             =========    =========    =========       =========
                                                                                                      
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (3)                            0.59         0.66         0.63            0.63


<PAGE>
                                                                         Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
                                                            ---------------------------------------------------------

                                                                     Actual               Unaudited Pro Forma(1)
                                                                     ------               ----------------------
                                                                                      Assumed $3.375      Assumed
                                                                                      Purchase Price       $4.00
                                                                                                         Purchase
                                                                                                           Price
                                                               1997         1998           1998            1998
                                                               ----         ----           ----            ----
                                                                     (in thousands, except per share data)
<S>                                                          <C>          <C>          <C>             <C>    
BALANCE SHEET DATA:                                                                                   
  Total assets                                               $  92,668    $ 115,281    $ 115,394       $ 115,415
  Line-of-Credit                                                 1,290        1,961        5,386           6,011
  Long-term debt, including current portion                     60,235       71,841       71,841          71,841
  Working capital                                               (2,208)      (6,924)     (10,518)        (11,174)
  Stockholders' equity                                          21,593       18,316       14,721          14,066
  Book value per share (4)                                        3.48         3.01         2.89            2.76
                                                                                                      
OTHER DATA:                                                                                           
  EBITDA (5)                                                 $   6,023    $  12,790    $  12,790       $  12,790
  Cash provided by operating activities                          1,858        5,408        5,239           5,208
  Cash provided by (used in) investing activities              (28,463)      15,555       15,555          15,555
  Cash (used in) provided by financing activities               25,926      (18,819)     (18,819)        (18,819)
_____________________                                                                                        

Notes to Summary  Historical  and  Unaudited  Pro Forma  Consolidated  Financial
Information

(1)      The unaudited pro forma consolidated  financial  information  assumes a
         total of 1,000,000  shares of common stock are  purchased at $3.375 per
         share and $4.00 per share  with the total  purchase  price  amounts  of
         $3,425,000  and $4,050,000  (both amounts  inclusive of expenses of the
         Offer) being  initially  financed with  borrowings  under the Company's
         Line-of-Credit.  The assumed  interest  rate used in the  unaudited pro
         forma consolidated  financial  information was 8.25%. Expenses directly
         related  to the Offer  were  assumed  to be  $50,000  and were  charged
         against   additional   paid-in   capital.   The   unaudited  pro  forma
         consolidated  financial  information gives effect to the tax expense or
         benefit  of all  applicable  adjustments,  as  described  above,  at an
         incremental rate of 40%.

(2)      The Company recorded an extraordinary  item of $333,000 in 1998, net of
         income taxes,  relating to the early extinguishment of mortgage debt on
         hotels  sold  in  connection  with a  sale/leaseback  transaction.  The
         Company  recorded  a  cumulative  effect  of  a  change  in  accounting
         principle of $1,296,000 in 1998,  net of income taxes,  relating to the
         adoption of Statement of Position No. 98-5,  "Reporting on the Costs of
         Start-up Activities."

(3)      For  purposes of the ratio of earnings  to fixed  charges  computation,
         earnings  are  defined as income  before  income  taxes,  extraordinary
         items,  the  cumulative  effect  of a change in  accounting  principle,
         minority  interests and  operations of  consolidated  subsidiaries  and
         partnerships, equity and net income and losses of affiliates, and fixed
         charges,  less  capitalized  interest.  Fixed charges include  interest
         expensed  and   capitalized.   The  amount  by  which   earnings   were
         insufficient  to cover fixed charges was  $1,908,000 and $2,151,000 for
         the fiscal years ended  December 31, 1997 and 1998 on an actual  basis,
         respectively  and  $2,434,000  and $2,485,000 for the fiscal year ended
         December  31,  1998 on a pro forma  basis,  assuming a $3.375  purchase
         price and a $4.00 purchase price, respectively.

(4)      Book  value  per  share is  calculated  as total  stockholders'  equity
         divided by the number of Shares outstanding at the end of the period.

(5)      EBITDA is not  defined  by  generally  accepted  accounting  principles
         ("GAAP"), however the Company believes it provides relevant information
         about its  operations  and is  necessary  for an  understanding  of the
         Company's operations,  given its significant investment in real estate.
         EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative  to operating  income
         (as  determined  in  accordance  with  GAAP)  as an  indicator  of  the
         Company's  operating  performance  or  to  cash  flows  from  operating
         activities  (as  determined  in  accordance  with GAAP) as a measure of

<PAGE>


         liquidity.  EBITDA is defined as net income,  adjusted to eliminate the
         impact of (i) interest expense;  (ii) interest and other income;  (iii)
         leasehold rents for hotels, which the Company considers to be financing
         costs  similar to  interest;  (iv)  income tax expense  (benefit);  (v)
         depreciation and  amortization;  and (vi) gains or losses from property
         transactions. EBITDA for 1997, when calculated to exclude non-recurring
         charges for costs  associated with  contractual  terminations and costs
         incurred in connection with a potential merger or acquisition which was
         not consummated, would have been approximately $7.9 million.

</TABLE>


         ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION.  The  Company is subject to the  informational
filing  requirements  of the  Exchange  Act and,  in  accordance  therewith,  is
obligated to file  reports,  proxy  statements  and other  information  with the
Commission relating to its business, financial condition and other matters. Such
reports,  proxy statements and other  information can be inspected and copied at
the  public  reference  facilities  maintained  by the  Commission  at 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington, D.C. 20549; at its regional offices located
at 500 West Madison Street,  Suite 1400,  Chicago,  Illinois  60661-2511;  and 7
World  Trade  Center,  13th  Floor,  New York,  New York  10048.  Copies of such
material  may  also be  obtained  by  mail,  upon  payment  of the  Commission's
customary  charges,  from the  Public  Reference  Section of the  Commission  at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington,  D.C. 20549. The Commission
also  maintains  a Web site on the  World  Wide Web at  http://www.sec.gov  that
contains  reports,  proxy  and  information  statements  and  other  information
regarding  registrants that file  electronically  with the Commission (which the
Company does).  Reports,  proxy statements and other information  concerning the
Company also can be inspected at the offices of the Nasdaq National Market, 1735
K Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006-1500, on which the Shares are listed.


12.  EFFECTS  OF THE OFFER ON THE  MARKET  FOR  SHARES;  REGISTRATION  UNDER THE
EXCHANGE ACT.

         The Company's  purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer will reduce the
number of Shares that might otherwise trade publicly and is likely to reduce the
number of stockholders.  Nonetheless, the Company believes that there will still
be a sufficient  number of Shares  outstanding and publicly traded following the
Offer to ensure a continued trading market in the Shares. Based on the published
guidelines  of the Nasdaq,  the Company  does not believe  that its  purchase of
Shares pursuant to the Offer will cause its remaining Shares to be delisted from
Nasdaq.

         The Shares are registered under the Exchange Act, which requires, among
other things,  that the Company furnish certain  information to its stockholders
and to the Commission and comply with the Commission's proxy rules in connection
with  meetings of the  Company's  stockholders.  The Company  believes  that its
purchase of Shares  pursuant to the Offer will not result in the Shares becoming
eligible for deregistration under the Exchange Act.

         The Shares are  currently  "margin  securities"  under the rules of the
Federal  Reserve  Board.  This has the effect,  among other things,  of allowing
brokers to extend credit on the collateral of the Shares.  The Company  believes
that,  following the purchase of Shares  pursuant to the Offer,  the Shares will
continue to be "margin  securities"  for purposes of the Federal Reserve Board's
margin regulations.

13.  CERTAIN LEGAL MATTERS; REGULATORY APPROVALS.

         The Company is not aware of any license or regulatory  permit  material
to its business that might be adversely affected by its acquisition of Shares as
contemplated  in the Offer or of any approval or other action by any  government
or governmental,  administrative  or regulatory  authority or agency,  domestic,
foreign or supranational,  that would be required for the Company's  acquisition
or ownership of Shares as contemplated by the Offer. Should any such approval or
other action be required,  the Company currently contemplates that it would seek
such  approval  or other  action.  The  Company  cannot  predict  whether it may
determine that it is required to delay the acceptance for payment of, or payment
for,  Shares  tendered  pursuant  to the Offer  pending  the outcome of any such
matter.  There can be no assurance  that any such approval or other  action,  if
needed, would be obtained or would be obtained without substantial conditions or
that the failure to obtain any such approval or other action might not result in
adverse consequences to the Company's business.  The Company's obligations under
the Offer to accept  for  payment  and pay for  Shares  are  subject  to certain
conditions. See Section 6.



<PAGE>

14. CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES.

         The following is a general summary of the material U.S.  federal income
tax consequences of the exchange of Shares for cash pursuant to the Offer.  This
discussion  is based on the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as  amended  (the
"Code"),   its  legislative  history,   Treasury   Regulations   thereunder  and
administrative and judicial  interpretations thereof, as of the date hereof, all
of which are subject to change (possibly on a retroactive basis).

         This  summary  does not  discuss all the tax  consequences  that may be
relevant to a particular  stockholder in light of the  stockholder's  particular
circumstances  and it is not  intended to be  applicable  in all respects to all
categories  of  stockholders,   some  of  whom--such  as  insurance   companies,
tax-exempt persons,  financial  institutions,  regulated  investment  companies,
dealers in securities or currencies, persons that hold Shares as a position in a
"straddle" or as part of a "hedge," "conversion transaction" or other integrated
investment,  persons  who  received  Shares as  compensation  or  persons  whose
functional  currency  is other than  United  States  dollars--may  be subject to
different rules not discussed below.

         In addition,  this summary does not address any state, local or foreign
tax  considerations  that may be relevant to a stockholder's  decision to tender
Shares pursuant to the Offer.

         This summary  discusses  only Shares held as capital  assets within the
meaning of Section 1221 of the Code.

         EACH  STOCKHOLDER  IS URGED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN TAX ADVISER  WITH
RESPECT TO THE U.S.  FEDERAL,  STATE AND LOCAL  CONSEQUENCES OF PARTICIPATING IN
THE OFFER, AS WELL AS ANY TAX  CONSEQUENCES  ARISING UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION.

         DIVIDEND V. SALE TREATMENT.  If an exchange of Shares for cash pursuant
to the Offer is treated as a sale because a  stockholder  meets any of the tests
discussed  below, the stockholder will recognize gain or loss on the exchange in
an amount  equal to the  difference  between the amount of cash  received by the
stockholder and such stockholder's tax basis in the Shares exchanged.  Such gain
or loss will be a capital  gain or loss and will be  long-term  capital  gain or
loss if the  Shares  were held more than one year.  Calculation  of gain or loss
must be made  separately for each block of Shares owned by a stockholder.  Under
the tax laws, a stockholder  may be able to designate which blocks and the order
of such blocks of Shares to be tendered pursuant to the Offer.

         If a  stockholder's  exchange of Shares for cash  pursuant to the Offer
satisfies  none  of the  tests  discussed  below,  the  receipt  of  cash by the
stockholder will be treated as a distribution from the Company and will be taxed
to the  stockholder  as  ordinary  dividend  income  provided  the  Company  has
sufficient  current and  accumulated  earnings and  profits.  If the exchange is
treated  as a  dividend,  the tax  basis of a  stockholder's  Shares  which  are
exchanged  for cash  pursuant  to the  Offer  is  added to the tax  basis of the
remaining  Shares of common stock of the Company which the stockholder  actually
or constructively owns and cannot be used to offset such stockholder's  dividend
income from the transaction.

         SALE  TREATMENT  FOR THE  PURCHASE  OF SHARES FOR CASH  PURSUANT TO THE
OFFER. An exchange of Shares for cash will be treated as a sale of Shares by the
exchanging stockholder provided that at least one of the following tests is met:

         (i) as a result of the exchange the  stockholder's  equity  interest in
the Company is completely terminated (a "complete termination");

         (ii) the receipt of cash in exchange  for the  stockholder's  Shares is
"not essentially equivalent to a dividend"; or

         (iii)  as  a  result  of  the  exchange   there  is  a   "substantially
disproportionate" reduction in the stockholder's equity interest in the Company.

         In applying the foregoing tests,  the  constructive  ownership rules of
Section 318 of the Code apply.  Thus a stockholder  generally takes into account
Shares actually owned by the stockholder as well as Shares actually (and in some
cases  constructively)  owned by others, but which the stockholder is treated as
owning  by  reason  of the  application  of the  constructive  ownership  rules.


<PAGE>


Pursuant to the  constructive  ownership rules, a stockholder will be considered
to own those Shares owned,  directly or  indirectly,  by certain  members of the
stockholder's  family  and  certain  related  entities  (such  as  corporations,
partnerships,  trusts and estates) in which the stockholder has an interest,  as
well as Shares which the  stockholder  has an option to purchase.  Under certain
circumstances,  however,  a stockholder may avoid the constructive  ownership of
Shares owned by family members solely for the purpose of determining whether the
"complete  termination" of interest test referred to above has been satisfied if
(i) the  stockholder  does not actually own any Shares after the purchase by the
Company,  and  (ii) in  accordance  with  Section  302(c)(2)  of the  Code,  the
stockholder files an effective waiver with the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS").
If a stockholder  desires to file such a waiver,  the stockholder should consult
his or her own tax advisor.

         Complete  Termination.  A sale of shares  pursuant to the Offer will be
deemed to result in a "complete  termination" of the  stockholder's  interest in
the Company if, immediately after the sale, either:

         (i) the stockholder owns, actually and constructively, no Shares of the
Company's common stock; or

         (ii) the  stockholder  actually owns no Shares of the Company's  common
stock and  constructively  owns only Shares of the Company's  common stock as to
which the stockholder is eligible to waive,  and does  effectively  waive,  such
constructive  ownership under the procedures  described in Section  302(c)(2) of
the Code, as discussed above.

         Not  Essentially  Equivalent  to a  Dividend.  Even if a  stockholder's
receipt of cash in exchange  for Shares  pursuant to the Offer fails to meet the
"complete  termination"  test, the  stockholder may  nevertheless  meet the "not
essentially  equivalent to a dividend"  test.  Whether a stockholder  meets this
test will depend on his or her facts and circumstances. In any case, in order to
satisfy this test, the  stockholder's  sale of Shares pursuant to the Offer must
result in a "meaningful  reduction" in his or her interest in the Company taking
into  account  the  constructive  ownership  rules  of  Section  318 of the Code
referred  to  above.  The IRS has  held  in a  public  ruling  that,  under  the
particular  facts of that  ruling,  a 3.3%  reduction  in the  percentage  stock
ownership  of a  stockholder  constituted  a  "meaningful  reduction"  when  the
stockholder  owned .0001118% of the publicly-held  corporation's  stock before a
redemption, owned .0001081% of the corporation's stock after the redemption, and
did not exercise any control over  corporate  affairs.  In that ruling,  the IRS
applied the meaningful reduction standard to three important rights attributable
to stock ownership:  (1) the right to vote and thereby exercise control; (2) the
right to participate in current  earnings and accumulated  surplus;  and (3) the
right to share in net assets on liquidation. In measuring the change, if any, in
a stockholder's  proportionate interest in the Company, the meaningful reduction
test is applied by taking into  account  all Shares  that the Company  purchases
pursuant to the Offer, including Shares purchased from other stockholders.

         If, taking into account the constructive ownership rules of Section 318
of the Code referred to above, a stockholder  owns Shares that constitute only a
minimal  interest  in the  Company and does not  exercise  any control  over the
affairs of the Company,  any reduction in the stockholder's  percentage interest
in all of the three  rights  described  in the  preceding  sentence  should be a
"meaningful   reduction."   Such   selling   stockholder   would,   under  these
circumstances,  be  entitled  to treat his or her sale of Shares to the  Company
pursuant  to the  Offer as a "sale or  exchange"  for U.S.  federal  income  tax
purposes.

         Substantially Disproportionate.  Under Section 302(b)(2) of the Code, a
sale of  Shares  pursuant  to the  Offer,  in  general,  will be  "substantially
disproportionate" as to a stockholder if immediately after the sale:

         (a)  The ratio of the outstanding  voting stock of the Company that the
              stockholder then actually and constructively owns (treating as not
              outstanding all voting stock purchased by the Company  pursuant to
              the Offer) is less than 80% of the ratio of the outstanding voting
              stock  of  the  Company   that  the   stockholder   actually   and
              constructively   owned  immediately  before  the  sale  of  Shares
              (treating as outstanding all voting stock purchased by the Company
              pursuant to the Offer); and

         (b)  the ratio of the fair market value of the outstanding common stock
              that  the  stockholder  then  actually  and  constructively   owns
              (treating as not  outstanding  all common  stock  purchased by the
              Company  pursuant  to the  Offer) is less than 80% of the ratio of
              the fair market  value of the  outstanding  common  stock that the
              stockholder  actually and constructively  owned immediately before
              the sale of Shares  (treating  as  outstanding  all  common  stock
              purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer).


<PAGE>


         CORPORATE  DIVIDENDS-RECEIVED  DEDUCTION.  In the  case of a  corporate
stockholder, if the cash paid is treated as a dividend, such dividend income may
be eligible for the 70%  dividends-received  deduction.  The  dividends-received
deduction  is subject to certain  limitations,  and may not be  available if the
corporate  stockholder does not satisfy certain holding period  requirements set
forth in Section 246 of the Code or if the Shares are treated as "debt  financed
portfolio   stock"   within  the  meaning  of  Section   246A(c)  of  the  Code.
Additionally,  if a dividends-received  deduction is available, the dividend may
be treated as an "extraordinary  dividend" under Section 1059(a) of the Code, in
which case a corporate  stockholder's  adjusted tax basis in the Shares retained
by such stockholder  would be reduced,  but not below zero, by the amount of the
nontaxed  portion of such  dividend.  Any amount of the nontaxed  portion of the
dividend in excess of the corporate  stockholder's  adjusted tax basis generally
will be  taxable.  Corporate  stockholders  are urged to  consult  their own tax
advisors as to the effect of Section  1059 of the Code on the adjusted tax basis
of their Shares.

         OVER-SUBSCRIPTION  OF THE OFFER.  The Company cannot predict whether or
the  extent  to  which  the  Offer  will  be  oversubscribed.  If the  Offer  is
oversubscribed,  proration  of  tenders  pursuant  to the Offer  will  cause the
Company to accept fewer Shares than are tendered.  Consequently, the Company can
give no assurance that a sufficient number of any  stockholder's  Shares will be
purchased  pursuant to the Offer to ensure that such purchase will be treated as
a sale or exchange,  rather than as a dividend,  for federal income tax purposes
pursuant to the rules discussed above.

         CONSEQUENCES TO  STOCKHOLDERS  WHO DO NOT TENDER PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.
Stockholders  who do not accept the Company's  Offer to tender their Shares will
not incur any tax liability as a result of the consummation of the Offer.

         BACKUP FEDERAL INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING.  Payments in connection with the
Offer may be subject to "backup  withholding" at a 31% rate. Backup  withholding
generally  applies if the  stockholder  (a) fails to furnish such  stockholder's
social security  number or other taxpayer  identification  number  ("TIN"),  (b)
furnishes an incorrect TIN, (c) fails to properly  report to the IRS interest or
dividends  or (d) under  certain  circumstances,  fails to  provide a  certified
statement,  signed  under  penalties  of perjury,  that the TIN provided is such
stockholder's  current number and that such stockholder is not subject to backup
withholding.  To prevent backup withholding each stockholder should complete the
substitute IRS Form W-9 included in the Letter of  Transmittal.  Certain persons
generally are exempt from backup withholding, including corporations,  financial
institutions  and  certain  non-U.S.  stockholders.  In order to qualify  for an
exemption from backup withholding, a non-U.S. stockholder must submit a properly
executed IRS Form W-8 to the Depositary.

         WITHHOLDING FOR NON-U.S. STOCKHOLDERS.  Although a non-U.S. stockholder
may be exempt from U.S.  federal  backup  withholding,  certain  payments to the
non-U.S.  stockholders are subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30%. The
Depositary  will  withhold  the 30% tax from  gross  payments  made to  non-U.S.
stockholders  pursuant  to the Offer  unless the  Depositary  determines  that a
non-U.S.  stockholder  is either  exempt from the  withholding  or entitled to a
reduced  withholding  rate  under an income tax  treaty.  For  purposes  of this
discussion,  a  "non-U.S.  stockholder"  means  a  stockholder  who is not (a) a
citizen or resident of the United  States,  (b) a  corporation,  partnership  or
other entity created or organized  under the laws of the United States or of any
State or political  subdivision  of the  foregoing,  (c) an estate the income of
which is  includible  in gross  income  for U.S.  federal  income  tax  purposes
regardless of its source,  or (d) a trust if a court within the United States is
able to exercise primary  supervision over the  administration  of the trust and
one or more  U.S.  trustees  have  the  authority  to  control  all  substantial
decisions  of the  trust.  A  non-U.S.  stockholder  will not be  subject to the
withholding  tax if the payment from the Company is  effectively  connected with
the  conduct  of a trade or  business  in the  United  States  by such  non-U.S.
stockholder  (and, if certain tax treaties  apply,  is  attributable to a United
States permanent establishment maintained by such non-U.S.  stockholder) and the
non-U.S.  stockholder has furnished the Depositary with a properly  executed IRS
Form 4224 prior to the time of payment.

         A  non-U.S.   stockholder  who  is  eligible  for  a  reduced  rate  of
withholding  pursuant  to a U.S.  income tax  treaty  must  certify  such to the
Depositary  by  providing to the  Depositary  a properly  executed IRS Form 1001
prior to the time  payment is made.  A non-U.S.  stockholder  may be eligible to
obtain from the IRS a refund of tax  withheld if such  non-U.S.  stockholder  is
able to establish that no tax (or a reduced amount of tax) is due.



<PAGE>


         THE TAX DISCUSSION SET FORTH ABOVE IS INCLUDED FOR GENERAL  INFORMATION
ONLY.  EACH  STOCKHOLDER  IS  ADVISED  TO  CONSULT  HIS OR HER OWN TAX  ADVISORS
REGARDING THE FEDERAL,  STATE,  LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF EXCHANGING
SHARES  FOR CASH  PURSUANT  TO THE  OFFER IN LIGHT OF HIS OR HER OWN  PARTICULAR
CIRCUMSTANCES.

15.  EXTENSION OF THE OFFER; TERMINATION; AMENDMENTS.

         The Company  expressly  reserves the right, in its sole discretion,  at
any time and from time to time,  and  regardless  of  whether  or not any of the
events  set forth in  Section 6 shall  have  occurred  or shall be deemed by the
Company to have occurred, to extend the period of time during which the Offer is
open and thereby delay acceptance for payment of, and payment for, any Shares by
giving oral or written  notice of such  extension to the Depositary and making a
public announcement  thereof.  The Company also expressly reserves the right, in
its sole  discretion,  to terminate  the Offer and not accept for payment or pay
for any Shares not  theretofore  accepted for payment or paid for or, subject to
applicable  law, to postpone  payment for Shares,  upon the occurrence of any of
the conditions specified in Section 6 hereof by giving oral or written notice of
such  termination  or  postponement  to  the  Depositary  and  making  a  public
announcement thereof.  Additionally,  in certain  circumstances,  if the Company
waives  any of the  conditions  of the Offer set forth in  Section  6, it may be
required to extend the Expiration Date of the Offer.  The Company's  reservation
of the right to delay  payment  for Shares that it has  accepted  for payment is
limited by Rule 13e-4(f)(5)  promulgated  under the Exchange Act, which requires
that the  Company  must pay the  consideration  offered  or  return  the  Shares
tendered promptly after termination or withdrawal of a tender offer.

         Subject to compliance with applicable law, the Company further reserves
the right, in its sole  discretion,  and regardless of whether any of the events
set forth in Section 6 shall have  occurred or shall be deemed by the Company to
have occurred, to amend the Offer in any respect (including, without limitation,
by decreasing or increasing the consideration offered in the Offer to holders of
Shares or by decreasing  or increasing  the number of Shares being sought in the
Offer).  Amendments  to the  Offer may be made at any time and from time to time
effected by public announcement  thereof,  such announcement,  in the case of an
extension, to be issued no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City Time, on the next
business day after the last previously scheduled or announced Expiration Date.

         Any public announcement made pursuant to the Offer will be disseminated
promptly to stockholders in a manner reasonably  designed to inform stockholders
of such change.  Without  limiting the manner in which the Company may choose to
make any public  announcement,  except as provided by applicable  law (including
Rule 13e-4(e)(2)  promulgated under the Exchange Act), the Company shall have no
obligation  to  publish,  advertise  or  otherwise  communicate  any such public
announcement other than by making a release to the Dow Jones News Service.

         If the Company makes a material change in the terms of the Offer or the
information  concerning the Offer,  or if it waives a material  condition of the
Offer,  the  Company  will  extend  the Offer to the  extent  required  by Rules
13e-4(d)(2)  and 13e-4(e)(2)  promulgated  under the Exchange Act, which require
that the  minimum  period  during  which an offer  must  remain  open  following
material  changes in the terms of the offer or information  concerning the offer
(other than a change in price or a change in percentage  of  securities  sought)
will depend upon the facts and circumstances, including the relative materiality
of such terms or  information.  If (i) the Company  increases or  decreases  the
price to be paid for Shares,  increases  the number of Shares  being  sought and
such increase in the number of Shares being sought exceeds 2% of the outstanding
Shares,  or decreases the number of Shares being  sought,  and (ii) the Offer is
scheduled to expire at any time earlier than the  expiration  of a period ending
on the tenth business day from, and including,  the date notice of such increase
or decrease is first published,  sent or given, the Offer will be extended until
the expiration of such period of ten business days.

16.  FEES AND EXPENSES.

         The Company has retained Harris Trust and Savings Bank as Depositary in
connection with the Offer. The Depositary will receive  reasonable and customary
compensation  for its services.  The Company will also  reimburse the Depositary
for out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, and has agreed
to indemnify the Depositary  against certain  liabilities in connection with the
Offer, including certain liabilities under the federal securities laws.



<PAGE>


         The  Company  may  contact  stockholders  by  mail,  telephone,  telex,
telegraph and personal  interviews,  and may request brokers,  dealers and other
nominee  stockholders to forward  materials  relating to the Offer to beneficial
owners.   The  Depositary  has  not  been  retained  to  make  solicitations  or
recommendations  in connection with the Offer.  The Company will not pay fees or
commissions  to any broker,  dealer,  commercial  bank,  trust  company or other
person for  soliciting  any Shares  pursuant  to the Offer.  The  Company  will,
however,  on request,  reimburse such persons for customary handling and mailing
expenses  incurred  in  forwarding  materials  in  respect  of the  Offer to the
beneficial  owners  for which  they act as  nominees.  No such  broker,  dealer,
commercial  bank or trust  company has been  authorized  to act as the Company's
agent for purposes of the Offer.  The Company will pay (or cause to be paid) any
stock transfer taxes on its purchase of Shares,  except as otherwise provided in
Instruction 7 of the Letter of Transmittal.

17.  MISCELLANEOUS.

         The  Company is not aware of any  jurisdiction  where the making of the
Offer is not in compliance  with applicable law. If the Company becomes aware of
any  jurisdiction  where the making of the Offer is not in  compliance  with any
valid  applicable  law, the Company will make a good faith effort to comply with
such law. If, after such good faith effort,  the Company cannot comply with such
law,  the Offer  will not be made to (nor will  tenders be  accepted  from or on
behalf  of)  the  holders  of  Shares  residing  in  such  jurisdiction.  In any
jurisdiction  the  securities  or blue sky laws of which require the Offer to be
made by a licensed  broker or dealer,  the Offer is being made on the  Company's
behalf by one or more registered  brokers or dealers  licensed under the laws of
such jurisdiction.

         Pursuant to Rule 13e-4  promulgated under the Exchange Act, the Company
has filed with the Commission an Issuer Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 13E-4
(the "Schedule 13E-4") which contains additional information with respect to the
Offer.  The Schedule 13E-4,  including the exhibits and any amendments  thereto,
may be examined,  and copies may be obtained, at the same places and in the same
manner as is set forth in Section 11 with respect to information  concerning the
Company.

         NO  PERSON  HAS BEEN  AUTHORIZED  TO GIVE ANY  INFORMATION  OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION  ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFER OTHER THAN
THOSE  CONTAINED  IN  THIS  OFFER  TO  PURCHASE  OR IN  THE  RELATED  LETTER  OF
TRANSMITTAL.  IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR  REPRESENTATION  MUST NOT BE
RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY.



                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                                   May 3, 1999




<PAGE>


                                   Schedule I
                      Certain Transactions Involving Shares

         Based on the Company's records and information  provided to the Company
by its directors, executive officers, associates and subsidiaries, other than as
set forth below,  neither the Company nor any of its associates or  subsidiaries
or persons controlling the Company nor, to the best of the Company's  knowledge,
any of the directors or executive officers of the Company, nor any associates or
subsidiaries  of  such  directors  or  executive  officers,   has  effected  any
transactions in the Shares during the 40 business days prior to the date hereof.

<TABLE>

         o    Company purchases:
<CAPTION>

              Date of Purchase       Shares Purchased       Price per Share    Nature of Transaction
              ----------------       ----------------       ---------------    ---------------------

              <S>                    <C>                    <C>                <C>                                       
              March 10, 1999         1,000                  $3.125             Open market transaction
              March 12, 1999         1,000                  3.3125             Open market transaction
              March 15, 1999         1,600                  3.25               Open market transaction
              March 16, 1999         1,600                  3.1875             Open market transaction
              March 30, 1999         1,500                  3.3125             Open market transaction
              April 1, 1999          1,500                  3.21875            Open market transaction
              April 1, 1999          18,518                 2.75               Private transaction
              April 14, 1999         1,600                  3.25               Open market transaction
              April 16, 1999         1,600                  3.625              Open market transaction
              April 19, 1999         1,600                  3.3475             Open market transaction
              April 21, 1999         1,600                  3.4375             Open market transaction
              April 22, 1999         1,600                  3.4375             Open market transaction

</TABLE>

         o    On April 1,  1999,  Salomon  Dayan,  a  director  of the  Company,
              acquired an  aggregate of 12,000  Shares in the open  market.  Dr.
              Dayan paid a purchase  price of $2.875 per share for 2,000 of such
              Shares and $3.1875 for the remaining 10,000 such Shares.



<PAGE>


         Manually signed  facsimile  copies of the Letter of Transmittal will be
accepted.  The Letter of  Transmittal  and  certificates  for the Shares and any
other required documents should be sent or delivered by each stockholder or such
stockholder's broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee to
the Depositary at its address set forth below:



                        The Depositary for the Offer is:


                         HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK:


     By Hand or Overnight Delivery:             By Facsimile Transmission    
                                              (Eligible Institution Only):
                                                     (212) 701-7636
      Harris Trust and Savings Bank                                          
        c/o Harris Trust Company             Confirm Receipt of Facsimile by 
               of New York                             Telephone:            
            Wall Street Plaza                        (212) 701-7624          
       88 Pine Street, 19th Floor                                            
        New York, New York 10005                  For Information Call:      
                                                     (800) 245-7630


                        By Registered or Certified Mail:
                                    
                                    
                          Harris Trust and Savings Bank
                            c/o Harris Trust Company
                                   of New York
                                  P.O. Box 1010
                               Wall Street Station
                          New York, New York 10268-1010
                                    

         Any questions or requests for  assistance or for  additional  copies of
this Offer to Purchase,  the Letter of  Transmittal  or the Notice of Guaranteed
Delivery may be directed to the  Company,  at the  telephone  number and address
below.  Stockholders may also contact their broker,  dealer,  commercial bank or
trust company for assistance concerning the Offer.


                           Amerihost Properties, Inc.
                        2400 East Devon Avenue, Suite 280
                           Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
                                 (847) 298-4500

                           Please Direct Inquiries To:

                                Michael P. Holtz
                                  James B. Dale
                                 Craig S. Arnson






                              LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
                        TO TENDER SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
                                       OF
                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
               PURSUANT TO THE OFFER TO PURCHASE DATED MAY 3, 1999

THE OFFER,  PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK
CITY TIME, ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1999 UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.

                        The Depositary for the Offer is:
                         HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK:

     By Hand or Overnight Delivery:             By Facsimile Transmission    
                                              (Eligible Institution Only):
                                                     (212) 701-7636
      Harris Trust and Savings Bank                                          
        c/o Harris Trust Company             Confirm Receipt of Facsimile by 
               of New York                             Telephone:            
            Wall Street Plaza                        (212) 701-7624          
       88 Pine Street, 19th Floor                 For Information Call:      
        New York, New York 10005                     (800) 245-7630          


                        By Registered or Certified Mail:
                                   
                                   
                          Harris Trust and Savings Bank
                            c/o Harris Trust Company
                                   of New York
                                  P.O. Box 1010
                               Wall Street Station
                          New York, New York 10268-1010


         DELIVERY OF THIS  INSTRUMENT AND ALL OTHER  DOCUMENTS TO ANY ADDRESS OR
TRANSMISSION OF INSTRUCTIONS TO A FACSIMILE NUMBER OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE
DOES NOT  CONSTITUTE  A VALID  DELIVERY.  DELIVERIES  TO THE COMPANY WILL NOT BE
FORWARDED TO THE DEPOSITARY AND THEREFORE  WILL NOT CONSTITUTE  VALID  DELIVERY.
DELIVERIES  TO THE  BOOK-ENTRY  TRANSFER  FACILITY  WILL  NOT  CONSTITUTE  VALID
DELIVERY TO THE DEPOSITARY.

         THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL,  INCLUDING THE  ACCOMPANYING  INSTRUCTIONS,
SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL IS COMPLETED.

         This Letter of Transmittal is to be completed only if (a)  certificates
for Shares (as defined  below) are being  forwarded  herewith or (b) a tender of
Shares  is  being  made  concurrently  by  book-entry  transfer  to the  account
maintained by Harris Trust and Savings Bank (the "Depositary") at The Depository
Trust Company (the "Book-Entry  Transfer Facility") pursuant to Section 3 of the
Offer to Purchase.  Stockholders  who cannot deliver the  certificates for their
Shares to the Depositary  prior to the Expiration  Date (as defined in the Offer
to Purchase) or who cannot  complete the procedure for book-entry  transfer on a
timely  basis or who  cannot  deliver  a Letter  of  Transmittal  and all  other
required  documents to the Depositary  prior to the Expiration  Date (as defined
below)  must,  in each case,  tender  their  Shares  pursuant to the  guaranteed
delivery  procedure  set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase (as defined
below). See Instruction 2.

         Stockholders who cannot deliver their Share  certificates and any other
required  documents to the Depositary by the Expiration  Date (as defined in the
Offer to  Purchase)  must tender  their  Shares  using the  guaranteed  delivery
procedure set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. See Instruction 2.


<PAGE>


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  NAME(S) AND ADDRESSES OF REGISTERED HOLDER(S)
(Please fill in, if blank, exactly as name(s) appear(s) on Share certificate(s))
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       DESCRIPTION OF SHARES TENDERED (See
                              Instructions 3 and 4)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 SHARES TENDERED
                 (ATTACHED ADDITIONAL SIGNED LIST IF NECESSARY)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 SHARE CERTIFICATE         TOTAL NUMBER OF SHARES               NUMBER
    NUMBER(S)*         REPRESENTED BY CERTIFICATE(S)*    OF SHARES TENDERED**
- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------
- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------

- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------
- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------

- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------
- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------

- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------
- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------

- --------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------
                          Total Shares Tendered.....................
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|_|  Indicate in this box the order (by certificate  number) in which Shares are
     to  be  purchased  in  event  of  proration.  (Attach  additional  list  if
     necessary.)*** See Instruction 9.
     Shares:   1st: _______2nd: ________3rd: _________4th: ________5th: ________

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   DOES NOT need to be completed if Shares are tendered by book-entry transfer.
**  If  you desire to tender less than all Shares  evidenced by any certificates
    listed  above,  please indicate in this column the number of Shares you wish
    to tender.  Otherwise,  all Shares evidenced  by such  certificates  will be
    deemed to have been tendered.
    See Instruction 4.
*** If  you do not  designate  an  order,  in the  event  less  than all  Shares
    tendered  are  purchased  due  to  proration,  Shares will be  selected  for
    purchase by the Depositary. See Instruction 9.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|_|      CHECK HERE IF ANY OF THE CERTIFICATES  REPRESENTING SHARES THAT YOU OWN
         HAVE BEEN LOST OR DESTROYED.  NUMBER OF SHARES  REPRESENTED  BY LOST OR
         DESTROYED CERTIFICATES:  ___________. TO PROPERLY TENDER SUCH SHARES IN
         THIS OFFER, YOU MUST RECEIVE A REPLACEMENT  CERTIFICATE FOR SUCH SHARES
         AND  DELIVER  THAT   CERTIFICATE  TO  THE  DEPOSITARY.   TO  RECEIVE  A
         REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE,  CALL THE COMPANY'S TRANSFER AGENT, AFFILIATED
         STOCK TRANSFER COMPANY, AT 516-759-6009.




<PAGE>



THIS BOX IS FOR USE BY ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS ONLY:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|_|      CHECK  HERE IF  TENDERED  SHARES  ARE  BEING  DELIVERED  BY  BOOK-ENTRY
         TRANSFER TO AN ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE DEPOSITARY WITH THE BOOK-ENTRY
         TRANSFER FACILITY AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:


         Name of Tendering Institution:  _______________________________________


         DTC Account Number: ___________________________________________________

         Transaction Code Number: ______________________________________________


|_|      CHECK HERE IF  CERTIFICATES  FOR  TENDERED  SHARES ARE BEING  DELIVERED
         PURSUANT  TO A NOTICE OF  GUARANTEED  DELIVERY  PREVIOUSLY  SENT TO THE
         DEPOSITARY AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

         Name(s) of Registered Owner(s): _______________________________________
         Date of Execution of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery: ___________________
         Name of Institution that Guaranteed Delivery: _________________________

         DTC Account Number: ______________________________

         Transaction Code Number: _________________________            
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW
                 PLEASE READ ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

To Harris Trust And Savings Bank:

         The  undersigned  hereby  tenders  to  Amerihost  Properties,  Inc.,  a
Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  the  above  described  shares  of  the
Company's common stock, $.005 par value per share (the "Shares"), represented by
the above  described  certificates  for Shares at a price per Share indicated in
this  Letter  of  Transmittal,  net to the  seller  in cash,  upon the terms and
subject to the  conditions set forth in the Company's  Offer to Purchase,  dated
May 3, 1999 (the "Offer to Purchase"),  receipt of which is hereby acknowledged,
and in this Letter of Transmittal (which, as amended from time to time, together
constitute the "Offer").

         Subject to and  effective  upon  acceptance  for  payment of the Shares
tendered  hereby in accordance  with the terms and subject to the  conditions of
the  Offer  (including,  if the  Offer is  extended  or  amended,  the terms and
conditions  of such  extension or  amendment),  the  undersigned  hereby  sells,
assigns and transfers to, or upon the order of, the Company all right, title and
interest in and to all the Shares that are being tendered  hereby and orders the
registration  of all such Shares if tendered by  book-entry  transfer and hereby
irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Depositary as the true and lawful agent
and   attorney-in-fact  of  the  undersigned  (with  full  knowledge  that  said
Depositary  also acts as the agent of the  Company)  with respect to such Shares
with full power of  substitution  (such power of attorney  being deemed to be an


<PAGE>


irrevocable power coupled with an interest),  to: (i) deliver certificate(s) for
such Shares or transfer ownership of such Shares on the account books maintained
by the  Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility,  together  in either  such case with all
accompanying  evidences of transfer and authenticity,  to, or upon the order of,
the Company upon receipt by the Depositary,  as the undersigned's  agent, of the
aggregate  Purchase Price (as defined  below) with respect to such Shares;  (ii)
present  certificates  for such  Shares for  cancellation  and  transfer  on the
Company's  books;  and (iii)  receive all  benefits and  otherwise  exercise all
rights of beneficial  ownership of such Shares,  subject to the next  paragraph,
all in accordance with the terms of the Offer.

         The  undersigned has full power and authority to tender,  sell,  assign
and transfer the Shares tendered  hereby and further  represents and warrants to
the Company that:

         (a) the undersigned  understands that tenders of Shares pursuant to any
one of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase and in the
instructions  hereto will constitute the  undersigned's  acceptance of the terms
and  conditions of the Offer,  including the  undersigned's  representation  and
warranty  that:  (i) the  undersigned  has a "net  long  position"  in Shares or
equivalent  securities at least equal to the Shares  tendered within the meaning
of Rule 14e-4 under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
Act"),  and (ii) such tender of Shares  complies  with Rule 14e-4 under the 1934
Act;

         (b)  when  and to the  extent  the  Company  accepts  such  Shares  for
purchase,  the Company will acquire good,  marketable and unencumbered  title to
them, free and clear of all security interests,  liens,  charges,  encumbrances,
conditional  sales  agreements  or other  obligations  relating to their sale or
transfer, and not subject to any adverse claim;

         (c) on request, the undersigned will execute and deliver any additional
documents the Depositary or the Company deems necessary or desirable to complete
the assignment, transfer and purchase of the Shares tendered hereby;

         (d) the  undersigned  has read and  agrees  to all of the  terms of the
Offer; and

         (e) the Company's acceptance for payment of Shares tendered pursuant to
the Offer will  constitute a binding  agreement  between the undersigned and the
Company upon terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.

         All  authorities  conferred or agreed to be conferred in this Letter of
Transmittal  shall survive the death or incapacity of the  undersigned,  and any
obligation  of the  undersigned  hereunder  shall be  binding  upon  the  heirs,
personal  representatives,   executors,  administrators,   successors,  assigns,
trustees in bankruptcy, and legal representatives of the undersigned.  Except as
stated in the Offer to Purchase, this tender is irrevocable.

         The name(s)  and  address(es)  of the  registered  holder(s)  should be
printed above, if they are not already printed above,  exactly as they appear on
the certificates  representing Shares tendered hereby. The certificate  numbers,
the number of Shares  represented by such  certificates and the number of Shares
that the  undersigned  wishes to tender,  should be set forth in the appropriate
boxes above. Any order (by certificate number) in which the tendered Shares must
be purchased should also be indicated above. The price at which Shares are being
tendered should be indicated in the boxes below.


<PAGE>



         The undersigned  understands  that the Company will, upon the terms and
subject to the  conditions of the Offer,  determine a single per Share price for
the  Shares,  such price to be not  greater  than $4.00 nor less than $3.375 per
share,  net to the  seller in cash,  without  interest  thereon  (the  "Purchase
Price"),  that it will pay for Shares properly  tendered and not withdrawn prior
to the Expiration Date pursuant to the Offer,  taking into account the number of
Shares so tendered and the prices (in multiples of $.125) specified by tendering
stockholders.  The  undersigned  understands  that the  Company  will select the
lowest Purchase Price for the Shares that will allow it to buy 1,000,000 Shares,
or such lesser number of Shares as are properly tendered,  at prices not greater
than  $4.00  nor  less  than  $3.375  per  Share,  pursuant  to the  Offer.  The
undersigned  understands  that (i) all Shares properly  tendered at prices at or
below the Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date
will be purchased at such Purchase  Price,  net to the Seller in cash,  upon the
terms and  subject to the  conditions  of the  Offer,  including  its  proration
provisions,  and (ii) the  Company  will return all other  Shares not  purchased
pursuant to the Offer,  including  Shares  tendered at prices  greater  than the
applicable Purchase Price and Shares not purchased because of proration.

         The undersigned  recognizes that, under certain circumstances set forth
in the Offer to  Purchase,  the Company may  terminate or amend the Offer or may
postpone the acceptance for payment of, or the payment for,  Shares  tendered or
may accept for payment less than all of the Shares tendered hereby.  In any such
event, the undersigned  understands that certificate(s) for any Shares delivered
herewith but not tendered or not purchased  will be returned to the  undersigned
at the address  indicated above,  unless otherwise  indicated under the "Special
Payment  Instructions"  or "Special  Delivery  Instructions"  boxes  below.  The
undersigned  recognizes  that the  Company  has no  obligation,  pursuant to the
Special  Payment  Instructions,  to transfer any certificate for Shares from the
name of its  registered  holder,  or to order the  registration  or  transfer of
Shares  tendered by book-entry  transfer,  if the Company  purchases none of the
Shares represented by such certificate or tendered by such book-entry transfer.

     Unless  otherwise  indicated under "Special Payment  Instructions,"  please
issue the check for the Purchase  Price of any Shares  purchased,  and/or return
any Shares not  tendered or not  purchased,  in the name(s) of the  undersigned.
Similarly,  unless otherwise  indicated under "Special  Delivery  Instructions,"
please mail the check for the Purchase Price of any Shares  purchased and/or any
certificates  for  Shares  not  tendered  or  not  purchased  (and  accompanying
documents,  as  appropriate)  to the  undersigned at the address shown below the
undersigned's   signature(s).   In  the  event   that  both   "Special   Payment
Instructions"  and "Special Delivery  Instructions" are completed,  please issue
the check for the  Purchase  Price of any  Shares  purchased  and/or  return any
Shares not  tendered  or not  purchased  in the  name(s) of, and mail such check
and/or  any  certificates  to,  the  person(s)  so  indicated.  The  undersigned
recognizes that the Company has no obligation,  pursuant to the "Special Payment
Instructions," to transfer any Shares from the name of the registered  holder(s)
thereof  if the  Company  does not  accept  for  payment  any of the  Shares  so
tendered.


<PAGE>



IMPORTANT: STOCKHOLDERS MUST COMPLETE THE PRICE SELECTION INFORMATION FOR SHARES
TENDERED.

                           PRICE SELECTION FOR SHARES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE
                       AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED
                               (SEE INSTRUCTION 5)


================================================================================
CHECK ONLY ONE BOX.  IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS  CHECKED  OR IF NO BOX IS  CHECKED,
THERE IS NO PROPER TENDER OF SHARES

(STOCKHOLDERS WHO DESIRE TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A
SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE TENDERED.)
================================================================================

SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY DUTCH AUCTION:

|_|  The  undersigned   wants  to  maximize  the  chance  of  having   Amerihost
     Properties,  Inc. purchase all Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject
     to the possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this box instead
     of one of the prices below,  the  undersigned  hereby tenders Shares and is
     willing to accept  the  Purchase  Price  resulting  from the Dutch  Auction
     tender  process.  This action will result in receiving a price per Share as
     low as $3.375 or as high as $4.00.


                                       OR



SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER:

By checking  ONE of the boxes below  instead of the box above,  the  undersigned
hereby tenders Shares at the price checked.  This action could result in none of
the Shares being purchased if the Purchase Price for the Shares is less than the
price checked. A STOCKHOLDER WHO DESIRES TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE
MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES
ARE TENDERED. THE SAME SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE.

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED:

                           |_|   $3.375                       |_|  $3.75
                           |_|   $3.50                        |_|  $3.875
                           |_|   $3.625                       |_|  $4.00


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    ODD LOTS
                               (SEE INSTRUCTION 8)


         To be completed  ONLY if the Shares are being  tendered by or on behalf
of a person  owning  beneficially  an  aggregate  of less than 100  Shares.  The
undersigned either (check one box):

|_|  is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Shares,  all which
     Shares are being tendered; or

|_|  is a broker, dealer,  commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee that
     (i) is tendering for the beneficial  owner(s) thereof,  Shares with respect
     to  which  it  is  the  record  holder,  and  (ii)  believes,   based  upon
     representations  made to it by such  beneficial  owner(s),  that  each such
     person is the beneficial  owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Shares and
     is tendering all of such Shares.


            NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW. PLEASE READ THE
                      ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



<PAGE>


<TABLE>
<S>                                                            <C>
- ---------------------------------------------------------      -------------------------------------------------------
    SPECIAL PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS                                 SPECIAL DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS

  (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 1, 4, 6, 7 AND 10)                          (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 1, 4, 6, 7 AND 10)

   To be completed ONLY if certificates                            To be completed ONLY if certificates
for Shares not tendered or not purchased                       for Shares not tendered or not purchased 
and/or any check for the aggregate Purchase                    and/or any check for the Purchase Price of
Price of Shares purchased are to be issued in                  Shares purchased, issued in the name of the
the name of and sent to someone other than                     undersigned, are to be mailed to someone
the undersigned.                                               other than the undersigned or to the 
                                                               undersigned at an address other than that 
                                                               shown above.
Issue:
                                                               Mail:    |_|  Check to:      |_|  Certificates to:
|_|  Check to:
|_|  Certificates to:                                          Name(s):__________________________________________
                                                                                 (Please Print)
Name(s):_______________________________________________
                  (Please Print)                               Address:__________________________________________
                                                               __________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________        __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________                          (Include Zip Code)
_______________________________________________________
                   (Include Zip Code)

_______________________________________________________
  (Taxpayer Identification or Social Security Number)


- ---------------------------------------------------------      -------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>


<PAGE>





- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                PLEASE SIGN HERE
                      (TO BE COMPLETED BY ALL STOCKHOLDERS)
       (PLEASE ALSO COMPLETE AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9)

     (Must be signed by the registered holder(s) exactly as name(s) appear(s) on
certificate(s) or on a security  position listing or by person(s)  authorized to
become  registered  holder(s) by certificate(s)  and documents  transmitted with
this  Letter  of   Transmittal.   If  signature  is  by  a  trustee,   executor,
administrator,  guardian, attorney-in-fact,  officer of a corporation or another
person acting in a fiduciary or representative  capacity,  please set forth full
title and see Instruction 6.)

>  _______________________________________________________________________  <

>  _______________________________________________________________________  <
                             SIGNATURES OF OWNER(S)

Dated:  _______________, 1999

Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________
                                 (Please Print)

Capacity (Full Title): _______________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________
                               (Include Zip Code)

Area Code and Telephone No.: _________________________________________________

Taxpayer Identification or Social Security No.: ______________________________
                                                   (See substitute Form W-9)

                            GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURE(S)
                           (SEE INSTRUCTIONS 1 AND 6)
Name of Firm: ________________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature: ________________________________________________________

Name: ________________________________________________________________________
                                 (Please Print)

Title: _______________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________
                               (Include Zip Code)
Area Code and Telephone Number: ______________________________________________

Dated: ___________________, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>


                                  INSTRUCTIONS

              FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER

         1. GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURES.  Except as otherwise  provided  below,  all
signatures  on this  Letter of  Transmittal  must be  guaranteed  by a financial
institution  (including  commercial banks,  savings and loan  associations,  and
brokerage houses) that is a member of a recognized signature guarantee medallion
program within the meaning of Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Agreement") (an "Eligible  Institution") unless:
(i) this Letter of  Transmittal  is signed by the  registered  holder(s)  of the
Shares  tendered  (which term, for purposes of this document,  shall include any
participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility whose name appears on a security
position  listing as the owner of Shares)  exactly as the name of the registered
holder appears on the  certificate  tendered with this Letter of Transmittal and
payment  and  delivery  are to be made  directly  to  such  owner,  unless  such
holder(s) has completed either the box entitled "Special Delivery  Instructions"
or the box entitled "Special Payment  Instructions"  included herein; or (ii) if
such  Shares are  tendered  for the  account  of an  Eligible  Institution.  See
Instructions 6 and 10.

         2.  DELIVERY  OF LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  AND  CERTIFICATES;  GUARANTEED
DELIVERY  PROCEDURES.  This  Letter  of  Transmittal  is  to  be  used  only  if
certificates  for  Shares  are  delivered  with it to the  Depositary  (or  such
certificates  will be  delivered  pursuant  to a Notice of  Guaranteed  Delivery
previously  sent to the  Depositary)  or if a tender  for  Shares is being  made
concurrently  pursuant to the procedure  for tender by  book-entry  transfer set
forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.  The Depositary  must receive (a) a
properly  completed  and duly  executed  Letter of  Transmittal  or a  facsimile
thereof  in  accordance  with the  instructions  of the  Letter of  Transmittal,
including  any  required  signature  guarantees,  certificates,  and  any  other
documents  required by the Letter of Transmittal,  on or prior to the Expiration
Date at one of its  addresses  set  forth  on the  back  cover  of the  Offer to
Purchase,  (b) such Shares  delivered  pursuant to the procedures for book-entry
transfer  described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase (and a confirmation of
such delivery is received by the Depositary,  including an Agent's  Message,  if
the tendering stockholder has not delivered a Letter of Transmittal) or (c) such
Shares validly tendered  through the Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility's  Automated
Tender Offer Program  ("ATOP"),  prior to the Expiration Date. The term "Agent's
Message" means a message,  transmitted by the Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility to,
and received by the Depositary and forming a part of the Book-Entry Confirmation
(as  defined  in  Section 3 of the Offer to  Purchase),  which  states  that the
Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility has received an express  acknowledgment  from the
participant in the Book-Entry  Transfer Facility  tendering the Shares that such
participant  has  received  and agrees to be bound by the terms of the Letter of
Transmittal  and that  the  Company  may  enforce  such  agreement  against  the
participant.  If certificates  are to be forwarded to the Depositary in multiple
deliveries,  a properly  completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal  must
accompany each such delivery.

                  Participants  in the Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility may tender
their  Shares in  accordance  with ATOP,  to the extent it is  available to such
participants for the Shares they wish to tender. A stockholder tendering through
ATOP must expressly  acknowledge that the stockholder has reviewed and agreed to
be bound by the Letter of Transmittal  and that the Letter of Transmittal may be
enforced against such stockholder.

<PAGE>


                  Stockholders whose certificates are not immediately  available
or who cannot  deliver  certificates  for their  Shares  and all other  required
documents to the Depositary  before the Expiration  Date, or whose Shares cannot
be  delivered  on a timely  basis  pursuant  to the  procedures  for  book-entry
transfer,  must,  in any case,  tender  their  Shares by or through any Eligible
Institution by properly completing and duly executing and delivering a Notice of
Guaranteed  Delivery (or  facsimile of it) and by otherwise  complying  with the
guaranteed  delivery  procedure set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.
Pursuant  to such  procedure:  (a) such  tender  must be made by or  through  an
Eligible  Institution,  (b) a properly  completed  and duly  executed  Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery  substantially in the form provided by the Company (with any
required  signature  guarantees) must be received by the Depositary prior to the
Expiration  Date, and (c)  certificates  for all physically  delivered Shares in
proper form for transfer by delivery,  or in the case of Shares by  confirmation
of a book-entry  transfer,  into Depositary's account at the Book-Entry Transfer
Facility of all Shares  delivered  electronically,  in each case together with a
properly  completed and duly executed  Letter of Transmittal (or manually signed
facsimile  thereof) with any required  signature  guarantees (or, in the case of
book-entry transfer an Agent's Message or, in the case of a tender through ATOP,
the specified  acknowledgment),  and all other documents required by this Letter
of Transmittal,  must be received by the Depositary  within three NASDAQ trading
days after receipt by the Depositary of such Notice of Guaranteed Delivery,  all
as provided in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

                  The Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery may be delivered by hand or
transmitted by telegram,  facsimile  transmission  or mail to the Depositary and
must include a signature  guarantee by an Eligible  Institution  in the form set
forth  in such  Notice.  For  Shares  to be  tendered  validly  pursuant  to the
guaranteed  delivery  procedure,  the  Depositary  must  receive  the  Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery on or before the Expiration Date.

                  THE   METHOD  OF   DELIVERY   OF  ALL   DOCUMENTS,   INCLUDING
CERTIFICATES  FOR  SHARES,  THE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  AND ANY OTHER  REQUIRED
DOCUMENTS IS AT THE ELECTION AND RISK OF THE TENDERING STOCKHOLDER, AND DELIVERY
WILL BE DEEMED MADE ONLY WHEN ACTUALLY  RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY.  IF DELIVERY
IS BY MAIL, REGISTERED MAIL WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED,  PROPERLY INSURED, IS
RECOMMENDED. IN ALL CASES, SUFFICIENT TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASSURE DELIVERY.

                  The Company will not accept any  alternative,  conditional  or
contingent  tenders,  nor will it  purchase  any  fractional  Shares,  except as
expressly  provided in the Offer to Purchase.  All  tendering  stockholders,  by
execution of this Letter of Transmittal  (or a facsimile of it), waive any right
to receive any notice of the  acceptance of their tender.  DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
TO  THE  BOOK-ENTRY  TRANSFER  FACILITY  DOES  NOT  CONSTITUTE  DELIVERY  TO THE
DEPOSITARY.

         3.  INADEQUATE  SPACE.  If the space  provided  in the boxes  captioned
"Description of Shares  Tendered" is inadequate,  then the  certificate  numbers
and/or the number of Shares should be listed on a separate  signed  schedule and
attached to this Letter of Transmittal.

         4.  PARTIAL  TENDERS  AND  UNPURCHASED   SHARES.   (Not  applicable  to
stockholders who tender by book-entry  transfer.) If less than all of the Shares
evidenced by any  certificate  are to be tendered,  fill in the number of Shares
that are to be tendered in the column entitled  "Number of Shares  Tendered," in
the box  captioned  "Description  of  Shares  Tendered."  In such  case,  if any
tendered Shares are purchased, a new certificate for the remainder of the Shares


<PAGE>


(including any Shares not purchased) evidenced by the old certificate(s) will be
issued and sent to the  registered  holder(s),  unless  otherwise  specified  in
either the "Special Payment Instructions" or "Special Delivery Instructions" box
on this Letter of Transmittal, as soon as practicable after the Expiration Date.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Shares represented by the certificates(s) listed
and delivered to the Depositary will be deemed to have been tendered.

         5. INDICATION OF PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING  TENDERED.  For Shares
to be properly tendered, the stockholder MUST check either the box under "Shares
Tendered at Price Determined by Dutch Auction" or one of the boxes under "Shares
Tendered at Price Determined by Stockholder,"  indicating the price per Share at
which he or she is  tendering  Shares all under "Price (In Dollars) Per Share at
Which  Shares Are Being  Tendered"  on this  Letter of  Transmittal  (the "Price
Selection").  TO PROPERLY TENDER SHARES,  A STOCKHOLDER  MUST COMPLETE THE PRICE
SELECTION. ONLY ONE BOX MAY BE CHECKED. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED OR IF NO
BOX IS CHECKED,  THEN THERE IS NO PROPER TENDER OF SHARES. A STOCKHOLDER WISHING
TO TENDER  PORTIONS  OF HIS OR HER  SHARE  HOLDINGS  AT  DIFFERENT  PRICES  MUST
COMPLETE A SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL (AND, IF APPLICABLE, A SEPARATE NOTICE
OF GUARANTEED  DELIVERY) FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH HE OR SHE WISHES TO TENDER EACH
SUCH PORTION OF HIS OR HER SHARES.  THE SAME SHARES  CANNOT BE TENDERED  (UNLESS
PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE)
AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE.

         6. SIGNATURES ON LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, STOCK POWERS AND ENDORSEMENTS.

                  (a) If this Letter if  Transmittal is signed by the registered
holder(s)  of the Shares  tendered  hereby,  the  signature(s)  must  correspond
exactly  with the name(s) as written on the face of the  certificate(s)  without
any change whatsoever.

                  (b) If any tendered  Shares are registered in the names of two
or more joint holders, each such holder must sign this Letter of Transmittal.

                  (c) If any tendered  Shares are registered in different  names
on several  certificates,  it will be necessary to complete,  sign and submit as
many  separate  Letters  of  Transmittal  (or  facsimiles  of it) as  there  are
different registrations of certificates.

                  (d)  When  this  Letter  of   Transmittal  is  signed  by  the
registered   holder(s)  of  the  Shares  listed  and  transmitted   hereby,   no
endorsement(s)  of  certificate(s)  representing  such Shares or separate  stock
power(s) are required  unless payment is to the made or the  certificate(s)  for
the Shares not tendered or not purchased are to be issued to a person other than
the  registered  holder(s).  If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person
other than the registered holder(s) of the certificate(s)  listed, or if payment
is to be made or  certificate(s)  not tendered or not purchased are to be issued
to a person other than the  registered  holder(s),  the  certificate(s)  must be
endorsed or  accompanied by appropriate  stock  power(s),  in either case signed
exactly  as  the   name(s)   of  the   registered   holder(s)   appears  on  the
certificate(s).  SIGNATURE(S) ON SUCH  CERTIFICATE(S)  OR STOCK POWER(S) MUST BE
GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION. See Instruction 1.

                  (e) If this Letter of  Transmittal  or any  certificate(s)  or
stock powers(s) are signed by trustees,  executors,  administrators,  guardians,
attorneys-in-fact,  officers of  corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or

<PAGE>


representative  capacity,  such persons should so indicate when signing and must
submit proper evidence satisfactory to the Company of their authority to so act.

         7. STOCK TRANSFER TAXES.  Except as provided in this  Instruction 7, no
stock  transfer  tax stamps or funds to cover such  stamps need  accompany  this
Letter  of  Transmittal.  The  Company  will pay or  cause to be paid any  stock
transfer taxes payable on the transfer to it of Shares purchased pursuant to the
Offer. If, however:

                  (a)  payment  of  the  aggregate  Purchase  Price  for  Shares
tendered hereby and accepted for purchase is to be made to any person other than
the registered holder(s);

                  (b) certificates not tendered or not accepted for purchase are
to be  registered  in the  name(s) of any  person(s)  other than the  registered
holder(s); or

                  (c) tendered certificates are registered in the name(s) of any
person(s) other than the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal;

then the Depositary will deduct from such aggregate Purchase Price the amount of
any stock transfer taxes (whether imposed on the registered  holder,  such other
person or otherwise)  payable on account of the transfer to such person,  unless
satisfactory evidence of the payment of such taxes or any exemption from them is
submitted. See Section 5 of the Offer to Purchase.

         8. ODD LOTS. As described in Section 2 of the Offer to Purchase, if the
Company is to purchase less than all Shares  tendered before the Expiration Date
and not properly withdrawn,  then the Shares purchased first will consist of all
Shares tendered by any  stockholders  who owns of record or own  beneficially an
aggregate  of less than 100 Shares,  and who tenders all of his or her Shares at
or below the Purchase Price (an "Odd Lot Holder").  This  preference will not be
available unless the box captioned "Odd Lots" is completed.

         9. ORDER OF PURCHASE IN EVENT OF  PRORATION.  As described in Section 1
of the Offer to Purchase  stockholders  may  designate  the order in which their
Shares are to be purchased in the event of proration.  The order of purchase may
have an effect on the Federal income tax treatment of the Purchase Price for the
Shares purchased.  If you do not designate an order, in the event that less than
all Shares tendered are purchased due to proration,  Shares will be selected for
purchase by the Depositary. See Sections 1, 3 and 14 of the Offer to Purchase.

         10.  SPECIAL  PAYMENT  AND  DELIVERY  INSTRUCTIONS.  If a check for the
Purchase  Price of any  Shares  tendered  hereby is to be issued in the name of,
and/or any  certificates  not  tendered or not  accepted  for purchase are to be
returned to, a person other than the signer of the Letter of  Transmittal  or if
such  certificates  and/or  checks  are to be mailed to  someone  other than the
person  signing  the  Letter of  Transmittal  or to the  signer  at a  different
address,  the boxes captioned  "Special  Payment  Instructions"  and/or "Special
Delivery  Instructions"  on this Letter of  Transmittal  should be  completed as
applicable  and  signatures  must be guaranteed as described in  Instruction  1.
Stockholders  tendering  Shares by book-entry  transfer will have any Shares not
accepted  for payment  returned by  crediting  the  account  maintained  by such
stockholder at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility.



<PAGE>


         11.  IRREGULARITIES.  All  questions  as to the  number of Shares to be
accepted,  the price to be paid  therefor and the  validity,  form,  eligibility
(including  time of receipt) and  acceptance for payment of any tender of Shares
will be determined by the Company in its sole discretion,  which  determinations
shall be final and binding on all  parties.  The Company  reserves  the absolute
right to reject any or all tenders of Shares it  determines  not to be in proper
form or the  acceptance of which or payment for which may, in the opinion of the
Company's counsel, be unlawful.  The Company also reserves the absolute right to
waive any of the conditions of the Offer and any defect or  irregularity  in the
tender of any particular Shares,  and the Company's  interpretation of the terms
of the Offer  (including  these  instructions)  will be final and binding on all
parties.  No tender of Shares  will be  deemed  to be  properly  made  until all
defects and irregularities have been cured or waived. Unless waived, any defects
or  irregularities  in connection with tenders must be cured within such time as
the Company  shall  determine.  Neither the Company nor the  Depositary,  or any
other  person,  is or will  be  obligated  to  give  notice  of any  defects  or
irregularities  in tenders and none of them will incur any liability for failure
to give any such notice.

         12.  QUESTIONS  AND  REQUESTS FOR  ASSISTANCE  AND  ADDITIONAL  COPIES.
Questions and requests for assistance  may be directed to, or additional  copies
of the Offer to Purchase,  the Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery and this Letter of
Transmittal  may be obtained  from,  the  Company at its  address and  telephone
number set forth at the end of this Letter of  Transmittal  or from your broker,
dealer, commercial bank or trust company.

         13.  FORM W-9 AND  FORM  W-8.  Under  the  federal  income  tax  backup
withholding  rules,  unless an exemption  applies under the  applicable  law and
regulations,  31% of the gross proceeds  payable to a stockholder or other payee
pursuant  to the Offer  must be  withheld  and  remitted  to the  United  States
Treasury,  unless the  stockholder  or other payee  provides his or her taxpayer
identification number (employer identification number or social security number)
to the  Depositary and certifies  that such number is correct.  Therefore,  each
tendering  stockholder should complete and sign the Substitute Form W-9 included
as part of the  Letter of  Transmittal  so as to  provide  the  information  and
certification  necessary to avoid backup  withholding,  unless such  stockholder
otherwise  establishes  to the  satisfaction  of the  Depositary  that it is not
subject to backup withholding.  Certain stockholders  (including,  among others,
all  corporations  and  certain  foreign  individuals)  are not subject to these
backup withholding and reporting requirements. In order for a foreign individual
to qualify as an exempt  recipient,  that individual must submit an IRS Form W-8
or a Substitute Form W-8,  signed under penalties of perjury,  attesting to that
individual's exempt status. Such statements can be obtained from the Depositary.

         14. WITHHOLDING ON FOREIGN STOCKHOLDERS.  Even if a foreign stockholder
has  provided  the  required  certification  to avoid  backup  withholding,  the
Depositary will withhold federal income taxes equal to 30% of the gross payments
payable to a foreign  stockholder or his agent unless the Depositary  determines
that an exemption from or a reduced rate of withholding is available pursuant to
a tax treaty or that an exemption from  withholding  is applicable  because such
gross proceeds are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
in the United States. For this purpose,  a foreign  stockholder is a stockholder
that is not (i) a citizen or resident of the United States,  (ii) a corporation,
partnership  or other  entity  created or  organized in or under the laws of the
United  States,  any State or any  political  subdivision  thereof  or (iii) any
estate the income of which is subject to United States federal  income  taxation


<PAGE>


regardless of the source of such income, or (iv) a trust whose administration is
subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or
more United States fiduciaries who have the authority to control all substantial
decisions  of the  trust.  In order  to  obtain a  reduced  rate of  withholding
pursuant to a tax treaty, a foreign stockholder must deliver to the Depositary a
properly  completed Form 1001. In order to obtain an exemption from  withholding
on  the  grounds  that  the  gross  proceeds  paid  pursuant  to the  Offer  are
effectively  connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United
States,  a  foreign  stockholder  must  deliver  to the  Depositary  a  properly
completed Form 4224. The Depositary will determine a  stockholder's  status as a
foreign stockholder and eligibility for a reduced rate of, or an exemption from,
withholding by reference to outstanding  certificates  or statements  concerning
eligibility for a reduced rate of, or exemption from,  withholding  (e.g.,  Form
1001 or Form 4224) unless facts and circumstances indicate that such reliance is
not warranted.  A foreign  stockholder may be eligible to obtain a refund of all
or a  portion  of any tax  withheld  if such  stockholder  meets  the  "complete
redemption," "substantially  disproportionate" or "not essentially equivalent to
a  dividend"  test  described  in  Section  14 of the  Offer to  Purchase  or is
otherwise  able to  establish  that no tax or a  reduced  amount  of tax is due.
Backup  withholding  generally  will not apply to amounts  subject to the 30% or
treaty-reduced  rate of withholding.  Foreign  stockholders are urged to consult
their tax advisors  regarding the application of federal income tax withholding,
including  eligibility  for a withholding  tax reduction or exemption and refund
procedures.

         15.  LOST,  DESTROYED  OR STOLEN  CERTIFICATES.  If any  certificate(s)
representing Shares has been lost or destroyed,  the stockholder should promptly
notify the Depositary of the number of Shares  represented by the certificate so
lost or  destroyed.  To properly  tender  such  Shares in this  Offer,  you must
receive a replacement  certificate for such Shares and deliver that  certificate
to the  Depositary.  To receive a  replacement  certificate,  call the Company's
transfer agent, Affiliated Stock Transfer Company, at 516-759-6009.  This Letter
of  Transmittal  and related  documents  cannot be processed  until the transfer
agent's  procedures  for  replacing  lost or  destroyed  certificates  have been
followed.  Please allow at least ten to fourteen  business days to complete such
procedures.



<PAGE>


<TABLE>

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   PAYER'S NAME: HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                                                         <C>
SUBSTITUTE                    PART 1- Taxpayer  Identification  Number--for all 
FORM W-9                      accounts, enter taxpayer identification number in           TIN:____________________
                              the box at right and  certify by  signing  and dating           Social Security Number
                              below.                                                               or Employer
Department of the Treasury,                                                                   Identification Number
Internal Revenue Service                                                                      (If awaiting TIN, write
                                                                                                  "Applied For")


                               Note:  If the  account is in more than one name,  see
                               the chart in the  enclosed  Guidelines  to  determine
                               which number to give the payer.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               PART 2--For payees exempt from backup withholding, please write
PAYER'S REQUEST FOR            TAXPAYER "EXEMPT" here (see the enclosed Guidelines):
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ("TIN")
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART 3--Certification--UNDER  PENALTIES OF PERJURY, I CERTIFY THAT: (1) The number shown on this form is my correct
TIN (or I am waiting for a TIN to be issued to me), and (2) I am not subject to backup withholding because (a) I am
exempt from withholding,  or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") that I am subject
to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends,  or (c) the IRS has notified me
that I am no longer subject to backup withholding.

Certification  Instructions--You  must cross out item (2) above if you have been  notified  by the IRS that you are
currently subject to backup withholding because of underreporting  interest or dividends on your tax return and you
have not been notified by the IRS that you are no longer subject to backup  withholding.  (Also see instructions in
the enclosed Guidelines.)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SIGNATURE: _____________________________________________               DATE:    _____________________________________

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

NOTE:      FAILURE  TO  COMPLETE  AND  RETURN  THIS  FORM MAY  RESULT  IN BACKUP
           WITHHOLDING OF 31% OF ANY PAYMENTS MADE TO YOU PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.
           PLEASE REVIEW THE ENCLOSED  GUIDELINES FOR  CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER
           IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9 FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

           YOU MUST  COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING  CERTIFICATE  IF YOU ARE WAITING (OR
           SOON WILL APPLY FOR) A TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             CERTIFICATE OF AWAITING TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
I certify under penalties of perjury that a taxpayer  identification  number has
not been issued to me, and either (a) I have mailed or delivered an  application
to receive a taxpayer  identification number to the appropriate Internal Revenue
Service Center or Social Security Administration Office, or (b) I intend to mail
or deliver an  application  in the near future.  I  understand  that if I do not
provide a  taxpayer  identification  number by the time of  payment,  31% of all
reportable  payments made to me will be withheld;  but that such amounts will be
refunded to me if I then provide a Taxpayer  Identification  Number within sixty
(60) days.

       _____________________________________     _______________________________
                  Signature                                 Date

Name:  _________________________________________________________________________
                                 (Please Print)


Address:  ______________________________________________________________________
                               (Include Zip Code)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------




                          NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY
                    (NOT TO BE USED FOR SIGNATURE GUARANTEES)
                                       OF
                            SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.
                        PURSUANT TO THE OFFER TO PURCHASE
                                DATED MAY 3, 1999

     This  form or a  facsimile  hereof  must be used to  accept  the  Offer (as
defined below) if:

                  (a) certificates  for shares of Common Stock,  $.005 par value
         per share (the "Shares") of Amerihost Properties,  Inc. (the "Company")
         are not immediately available, if the procedure for book-entry transfer
         cannot be completed on a timely basis; or

                  (b) the  procedure  for  book-entry  transfer  (set  forth  in
         Section 3 of the  Company's  Offer to  Purchase  dated May 3, 1999 (the
         "Offer to Purchase")) cannot be completed on a timely basis; or

                  (c) the Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof) and all
         other required documents cannot be delivered to the Depositary prior to
         the Expiration Date.

         This form,  properly  completed and duly executed,  may be delivered by
hand, mail or facsimile  transmission  to the  Depositary.  See Section 3 of the
Offer to Purchase.

                         The Depositary of the Offer is:
                          HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK

 By Registered or Certified Mail:                 By Facsimile Transmission:
                                               (212) 701-7636 or (212) 701-7637
 Harris Trust and Savings Bank c/o
 Harris Trust Company of New York     Confirm Receipt of Facsimile by Telephone:
           P.O. Box 1010                             (212) 701-7624
        Wall Street Station
   New York, New York 10268-1010                 For Information Call:
                                                       (800) 245-7630

                         By Hand or Overnight Delivery:

                          Harris Trust and Savings Bank
                      c/o Harris Trust Company of New York
                                Wall Street Plaza
                           88 Pine Street, 19th Floor
                            New York, New York 10005
                             -----------------------

     DELIVERY OF THIS  INSTRUMENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE OR
TRANSMISSION  OF  INSTRUCTIONS  VIA A FACSIMILE  NUMBER  OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH
ABOVE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY.

     THIS FORM IS NOT TO BE USED TO  GUARANTEE  SIGNATURES.  IF A SIGNATURE ON A
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL IS REQUIRED TO BE GUARANTEED BY AN "ELIGIBLE  INSTITUTION"
UNDER THE  INSTRUCTIONS  THERETO,  SUCH  SIGNATURE  GUARANTEE MUST APPEAR IN THE
APPLICABLE SPACE PROVIDED IN THE SIGNATURE BOX ON THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.


<PAGE>



Ladies and Gentlemen:

         The  undersigned  hereby  tenders  to  Amerihost  Properties,  Inc.,  a
Delaware  corporation,  at the  price  per  share  indicated  in this  Notice of
Guaranteed  Delivery,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
the Offer to Purchase  and the related  Letter of  Transmittal  (which  together
constitute the "Offer"),  receipt of both of which is hereby  acknowledged,  the
number of Shares set forth herein pursuant to the guaranteed  delivery procedure
set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    ODD LOTS

        To be completed  ONLY if the Shares are being  tendered by or on behalf
of a person  owning  beneficially  or of  record an  aggregate  of less than 100
Shares. The undersigned either (check one box):

|_|      is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Shares, all of
         which Shares are being tendered; or

|_|      is a broker,  dealer,  commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee
         that (a) is tendering for the beneficial owner(s) thereof,  Shares with
         respect to which it is the record holder, and (b) believes,  based upon
         representations made to it by such beneficial owner(s),  that each such
         person is the beneficial  owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Shares
         and is  tendering  all of such  Shares  of  that  class  (or  classes).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>


IMPORTANT: STOCKHOLDERS MUST COMPLETE THE PRICE SELECTION INFORMATION FOR SHARES
TENDERED.

                           PRICE SELECTION FOR SHARES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE
                       AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED
                  (SEE INSTRUCTION 5 OF LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL)

================================================================================
CHECK ONLY ONE BOX.  IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS  CHECKED  OR IF NO BOX IS  CHECKED,
THERE IS NO PROPER TENDER OF SHARES.

(STOCKHOLDERS WHO DESIRE TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A
SEPARATE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  AND/OR NOTICE OF GUARANTEED  DELIVERY FOR EACH
PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE TENDERED.)
================================================================================
SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY DUTCH AUCTION:

|_|  The  undersigned   wants  to  maximize  the  chance  of  having   Amerihost
     Properties,  Inc. purchase all Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject
     to the possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this box instead
     of one of the prices below,  the  undersigned  hereby tenders Shares and is
     willing to accept  the  Purchase  Price  resulting  from the Dutch  Auction
     tender  process.  This action will result in receiving a price per Share as
     low as $3.375 or as high as $4.00.


                                       OR


SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER:

By checking  ONE of the boxes below  instead of the box above,  the  undersigned
hereby tenders Shares at the price checked.  This action could result in none of
the Shares being purchased if the Purchase Price for the Shares is less than the
price checked. A STOCKHOLDER WHO DESIRES TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE
MUST  COMPLETE A SEPARATE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  AND/OR  NOTICE OF  GUARANTEED
DELIVERY FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE TENDERED.  THE SAME SHARES CANNOT BE
TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE.

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED:

                    |_|   $3.375                  |_|  $3.75
                    |_|   $3.50                   |_|  $3.875
                    |_|   $3.625                  |_|  $4.00


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>


          (Please type or print)
         Certificate Nos.  (if available):

         ____________________________________________
         ____________________________________________
                           Name(s)


         ____________________________________________
                           Address(es)


         ____________________________________________

         ____________________________________________
               Area Code(s) and Telephone Number(s)

                           SIGN HERE

         ____________________________________________
                           Signature(s)

         ____________________________________________
         Dated:

         If  Shares  will  be  tendered  by  book-entry
         transfer, fill in the applicable account number, below:

         The Depository Trust Company

         DTC Account Number:__________________________           

         Transaction Code Number:_____________________                    


<PAGE>



                                    GUARANTEE
                    (NOT TO BE USED FOR SIGNATURE GUARANTEE)

         The  undersigned,  a firm  that is a member  of a  registered  national
securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc., or
a financial  institution  that is a member of a recognized  signature  guarantee
medallion  program  within the  meaning  of Rule  17Ad-15  under the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (an "Eligible Institution"),  hereby guarantees
(i) that the  above-named  person(s) has a net long position in the Shares being
tendered  within  the  meaning of Rule 14e-4  promulgated  under the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  (ii) that such tender of Shares complies with
Rule 14e-4,  and (iii) the delivery to the  Depositary,  at one of its addresses
set forth above, of  certificate(s)  for the Shares tendered  hereby,  in proper
form for transfer,  or a confirmation  of the book-entry  transfer of the Shares
tendered hereby into the  Depositary's  account at The Depository Trust Company,
in each case together with a properly  completed and duly executed  Letter(s) of
Transmittal   (or  a  facsimile(s)   thereof),   with  any  required   signature
guarantee(s),  or an Agent's  Message (as defined in the Offer to  Purchase)  or
through  ATOP (as  defined  in the Offer to  Purchase),  and any other  required
documents,  all within three Nasdaq  National Market trading days after the date
of receipt by the Depositary.

         THE ELIGIBLE  INSTITUTION THAT COMPLETES THIS FORM MUST COMMUNICATE THE
GUARANTEE  TO THE  DEPOSITARY  AND MUST  DELIVER THE LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  AND
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES TO THE DEPOSITARY WITHIN THE TIME SHOWN HEREIN.  FAILURE
TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN A FINANCIAL LOSS TO SUCH ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.

         Authorized Signature:__________________________________________________
         Name:__________________________________________________________________
                                       (Please Print)

         Title:_________________________________________________________________
         Name of Firm:__________________________________________________________
         Address:_______________________________________________________________
         _______________________________________________________________________
         _______________________________________________________________________
                                      (Including Zip Code)
         Area Code and Telephone Number:________________________________________
         Date:____________________________________________________________, 1999


NOTE: DO NOT SEND CERTIFICATES  WITH THIS FORM. YOUR STOCK  CERTIFICATES MUST BE
SENT WITH THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.





Amerihost Properties, Inc.
2400 East Devon Avenue
Suite 280
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018


                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.

                        OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR CASH UP TO
                      1,000,000 SHARES OF ITS COMMON STOCK
                   AT A PURCHASE PRICE NOT GREATER THAN $4.00
                         NOR LESS THAN $3.375 PER SHARE

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     THE OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,
 NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1999, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


To Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees:

         Amerihost Properties, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), has
made an offer to purchase for cash  1,000,000  shares of its common  stock,  par
value $.005 per share (the  "Shares"),  or such  lesser  number of shares as are
properly  tendered,  at a price per Share not  greater  than $4.00 nor less than
$3.375 per share in cash,  as  specified  by its  stockholders  tendering  their
Shares,  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions set forth in its Offer to
Purchase,  dated May 3, 1999, and in the related  Letter of  Transmittal  (which
together constitute the "Offer").

         The Company will determine a single per share price for the Shares, not
greater  than $4.00 nor less than  $3.375  per share,  net to the seller in cash
(each a "Purchase  Price"),  that it will pay for the Shares  properly  tendered
pursuant to the Offer,  taking into account the number of Shares so tendered and
the prices  specified  by  tendering  stockholders.  The Company will select the
lowest Purchase Price for Shares that will allow it to buy 1,000,000  Shares, or
such lesser number as are properly  tendered.  All Shares  properly  tendered at
prices at or below the  Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn  will be purchased at
such Purchase Price,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,
including the proration  provisions.  Shares tendered at prices greater than the
applicable  Purchase Price and Shares not purchased because of proration will be
returned.  The Company reserves the right, in its sole  discretion,  to purchase
more than 1,000,000 Shares pursuant to the Offer. See the Offer to Purchase.

         If, prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase),
more than 1,000,000  Shares (or such greater number of Shares as the Company may
elect to purchase) are properly  tendered and not  withdrawn,  the Company will,
with respect to the Shares,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the
Offer,  accept Shares for purchase (i) first from Odd Lot Holders (as defined in
the Offer to  Purchase) of Shares who  properly  tender all Shares  beneficially
owned by such Odd Lot Holders at or below the Purchase Price, (ii) second, after
purchase of all of the foregoing  Shares,  all other Shares validly  tendered at
prices at or below the Purchase Price and not withdrawn  prior to the Expiration
Date, on a pro-rata basis.


<PAGE>


         THE OFFER IS NOT  CONDITIONED  ON ANY  MINIMUM  NUMBER OF SHARES  BEING
TENDERED.  THE OFFER IS,  HOWEVER,  SUBJECT TO  CERTAIN  OTHER  CONDITIONS.  SEE
SECTION 6 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

         For your  information  and for  forwarding to your clients for whom you
hold  Shares  registered  in your  name or in the name of your  nominee,  we are
enclosing the following documents:

         1.  Offer to Purchase, dated May 3, 1999;

         2.  Letter  to  Clients  which  may be sent to your  clients  for whose
accounts you hold Shares registered in your name or in the name of your nominee,
with space provided for obtaining such clients'  instructions with regard to the
Offer;

         3. Letter,  dated May 3, 1999,  from Michael P. Holtz,  Chief Executive
Officer of the Company, to stockholders of the Company;

         4. Letter of Transmittal  for your use and for the  information of your
clients (together with accompanying Form W-9); and

         5. Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery to be used to accept the Offer if the
Share  certificates and all other required  documents cannot be delivered to the
Depositary by the Expiration  Date or if the procedure for  book-entry  transfer
cannot be completed on a timely basis.

         WE URGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR CLIENTS AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE. THE OFFER,
PRORATION  PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL  RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY
TIME, ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1999, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.

         No fees or  commissions  will be  payable  to  brokers,  dealers or any
person for  soliciting  tenders of Shares  pursuant to the Offer other than fees
paid to the Depositary as described in the Offer to Purchase.  The Company will,
however, upon request, reimburse you for customary mailing and handling expenses
incurred by you in forwarding  any of the enclosed  materials to the  beneficial
owners  of Shares  held by you as a  nominee  or in a  fiduciary  capacity.  The
Company will pay or cause to be paid any stock transfer taxes  applicable to its
purchase of Shares,  except as otherwise provided in Instruction 6 of the Letter
of Transmittal.

         In order to take  advantage of the Offer,  a duly executed and properly
completed Letter of Transmittal and any other required  documents should be sent
to the Depositary with either certificate(s) representing the tendered Shares or
confirmation  of  their  book-entry   transfer,   all  in  accordance  with  the
instructions set forth in the Letter of Transmittal and the Offer to Purchase.

         As described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase, tenders may be made
without the concurrent  deposit of stock  certificates or concurrent  compliance
with the  procedure  for  book-entry  transfer  if such  tenders  are made by or
through a financial  institution  (including most commercial banks,  savings and
loan  associations and brokerage  houses) that is a member in good standing of a
recognized  signature  guarantee  medallion  program  within the meaning of Rule
17Ad-15  under the  Exchange  Act.  Certificates  for Shares so  tendered  (or a
confirmation  of a  book-entry  transfer of such  Shares  into the  Depositary's
account  at  the  "Book-Entry  Transfer  Facility"  described  in the  Offer  to
Purchase),  together  with a  properly  completed  and duly  executed  Letter of


<PAGE>

Transmittal and any other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal,  must
be received by the Depositary  within three (3) Nasdaq trading days after timely
receipt by the  Depositary of a properly  completed and duly executed  Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery.

         Any  inquiries  you may  have  with  respect  to the  Offer  should  be
addressed  to the Company at its address and  telephone  number set forth on the
back  cover page of the Offer to  Purchase.  Additional  copies of the  enclosed
materials  may be obtained  from the Company at the same  address and  telephone
number.


                                               Very truly yours,


                                               Amerihost Properties, Inc.

Enclosures




         NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED  DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE
YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON AS AN AGENT OF THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES,  OR
THE DEPOSITARY, OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO USE ANY DOCUMENT OR MAKE
ANY STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM IN  CONNECTION  WITH THE OFFER OTHER THAN
THE DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED HEREWITH AND THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED THEREIN.





                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.

                        OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR CASH UP TO
                      1,000,000 SHARES OF ITS COMMON STOCK
                   AT A PURCHASE PRICE NOT GREATER THAN $4.00
                         NOR LESS THAN $3.375 PER SHARE

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     THE OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,
 NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1999, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Our Clients:

         Enclosed for your consideration are the Offer to Purchase, dated May 3,
1999, and the related Letter of Transmittal  (which,  as amended or supplemented
from time to time, together constitute the "Offer") in connection with the Offer
by  Amerihost  Properties,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  to
purchase  1,000,000  shares  of its  common  stock,  par  value  $.005 per share
("Shares"), or such lesser number of Shares as are properly tendered, at a price
per Share not  greater  than $4.00 nor less than  $3.375  per share,  net to the
Seller in cash without interest  thereon,  specified by tendering  stockholders,
upon the terms and  subject  to the  conditions  set  forth in the  Offer.  Also
enclosed  herewith is certain other material  related to the Offer,  including a
letter to stockholders from Michael P. Holtz, the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.

         The Company will determine a single per share price for the Shares, not
greater  than $4.00 nor less than  $3.375  per share,  net to the seller in cash
(each a "Purchase  Price"),  that it will pay for the Shares  properly  tendered
pursuant to the Offer,  taking into account the number of Shares so tendered and
the prices  specified  by  tendering  stockholders.  The Company will select the
lowest Purchase Price for Shares that will allow it to buy 1,000,000  Shares, or
such lesser number as are properly  tendered.  All Shares  properly  tendered at
prices at or below the  Purchase  Price and not  withdrawn  will be purchased at
such Purchase Price,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer,
including the proration  provisions.  Shares tendered at prices greater than the
applicable  Purchase Price and Shares not purchased because of proration will be
returned.  The Company reserves the right, in its sole  discretion,  to purchase
more than 1,000,000 Shares pursuant to the Offer. See the Offer to Purchase.

         If, prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase),
more than 1,000,000  Shares (or such greater number of Shares as the Company may
elect to purchase) are properly  tendered and not  withdrawn,  the Company will,
with respect to the Shares,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the
Offer,  accept Shares for purchase (i) first from Odd Lot Holders (as defined in
the Offer to  Purchase)  of Shares who  properly  tender all  applicable  Shares
beneficially  owned by such Odd Lot Holder at or below the Purchase Price,  (ii)
second,  after  purchase  of all of the  foregoing  Shares,  all Shares  validly
tendered at prices at or below the Purchase Price and not withdrawn prior to the
Expiration Date, on a pro-rata basis.


<PAGE>


         THE OFFER IS NOT  CONDITIONED  ON ANY  MINIMUM  NUMBER OF SHARES  BEING
TENDERED.  THE OFFER IS,  HOWEVER,  SUBJECT TO  CERTAIN  OTHER  CONDITIONS.  SEE
SECTION 6 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

         WE ARE THE OWNER OF RECORD OF SHARES HELD FOR YOUR ACCOUNT. AS SUCH, WE
ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN TENDER  SUCH  SHARES,  AND THEN ONLY  PURSUANT TO YOUR
INSTRUCTIONS.  WE ARE SENDING YOU THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR YOUR INFORMATION
ONLY; YOU CANNOT USE IT TO TENDER SHARES WE HOLD FOR YOUR ACCOUNT.

         Please  instruct  us as to whether  you wish us to tender any or all of
the Shares we hold for your  account on the terms and subject to the  conditions
of the Offer to Purchase and the Letter of Transmittal.

         We call your attention to the following:

         1.       You may  tender  Shares at prices not  greater  than $4.00 nor
                  less than  $3.375 per share,  or the price  determined  by the
                  "Dutch Auction"  tender process,  as indicated in the attached
                  Instruction  Form, net to you in cash. You should mark the box
                  entitled   "Shares  Tendered  at  Price  Determined  by  Dutch
                  Auction"  if you are  willing  to accept  the  Purchase  Price
                  resulting  from  the  Dutch  Auction  tender  process  for the
                  Shares. This could result in your receiving a minimum price of
                  $3.375 per share.

         2.       The Offer is for 1,000,000 Shares,  constituting approximately
                  16.6% of the Shares outstanding as of April 27, 1999. Although
                  the Company has no present  intention of doing so, the Company
                  reserves  the right,  in its sole  discretion  but  subject to
                  certain applicable legal  requirements,  to purchase more than
                  the 1,000,000  Shares pursuant to the Offer.  The Offer is not
                  conditioned  on any minimum  number of Shares being  tendered.
                  The Offer is, however, subject to certain other conditions set
                  forth in Section 6 of the Offer to Purchase.

         3.       The Offer,  proration period and withdrawal rights will expire
                  at 5:00 p.m., New York City Time, on Wednesday,  June 2, 1999,
                  unless the Company extends the Offer.  Your instructions to us
                  should be forwarded to us in ample time to permit us to submit
                  a tender on your behalf.

         4.       As described in the Offer to Purchase,  if more than 1,000,000
                  Shares have been  validly  tendered  at or below the  Purchase
                  Price  and not  withdrawn  prior to the  Expiration  Date,  as
                  defined in  Section 1 of the Offer to  Purchase,  the  Company
                  will purchase Shares in the following order of priority:

                           (i) all  Shares  validly  tendered  at or  below  the
                  Purchase Price and not withdrawn  prior to the Expiration Date
                  by any stockholder who owns  beneficially an aggregate of less
                  than 100 Shares and who  validly  tenders  all of such  Shares
                  (partial  tenders  will not qualify for this  preference)  and
                  completes  the box  captioned  "Odd  Lots"  in the  Letter  of
                  Transmittal  and,  if  applicable,  the  Notice of  Guaranteed
                  Delivery; and

                           (ii) after  purchase of all of the foregoing  Shares,
                  all Shares validly tendered at prices at or below the Purchase
                  Price and not withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, on a pro
                  rata basis as described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase.

         5.       You may  designate  the order in which  your  Shares  shall be
                  purchased in the event of proration.

         6.       The Offer is not conditioned upon any minimum number of Shares
                  being tendered.

         7.       Tendering  stockholders will not be obligated to pay brokerage
                  fees or  commissions to the Depositary or, except as set forth
                  in Instruction 6 to the Letter of Transmittal,  transfer taxes
                  on the sale of  Shares  pursuant  to the  Offer.  A  tendering
                  stockholder  who  holds  securities  with  such  stockholder's
                  broker may be required by such broker to pay a service  charge
                  or other fee.

         8.       If you beneficially  hold an aggregate of less than 100 Shares
                  and you  instruct  us to tender on your behalf all such Shares
                  at or below the Purchase Price before the Expiration  Date (as
                  defined in the Offer to Purchase)  and check the box captioned
                  "Odd Lots" in the attached Instruction Form, the Company, upon
                  the terms and  subject to the  conditions  of the Offer,  will
                  accept all such Shares for purchase before proration,  if any,
                  of the purchase of other Shares properly  tendered at or below
                  the Purchase Price.

         9.       If you wish to tender  portions  of your  Shares at  different
                  prices, you must complete a separate Instruction Form for each
                  price at which you wish to tender  each such  portion  of your
                  Shares.  We must submit a separate  Letter of  Transmittal  on
                  your behalf for each price you will accept.

         10.      The  Company  believes  that the Shares  will  continue  to be
                  listed on the Nasdaq National Market.

         If you wish to have us  tender  any or all of your  Shares,  please  so
instruct us by completing, executing, detaching and returning to us the attached
Instruction Form. An envelope to return your Instruction Form to us is enclosed.
If you authorize us to tender your Shares, we will tender all such Shares unless
you specify otherwise on the attached Instruction Form.

         YOUR INSTRUCTION FORM SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO US IN AMPLE TIME TO PERMIT
US TO SUBMIT A TENDER ON YOUR  BEHALF ON OR BEFORE  THE  EXPIRATION  DATE OF THE
OFFER. THE OFFER,  PRORATION  PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL  RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,
NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON WEDNESDAY,  JUNE 2, 1999,  UNLESS THE COMPANY EXTENDS THE
OFFER.

         The Offer is being made to all  holders of Shares.  The  Company is not
aware of any state where the making of the Offer is prohibited by administrative
or judicial  action  pursuant to a valid state statute.  If the Company  becomes
aware of any valid  state  statute  prohibiting  the  making of the  Offer,  the
Company  will make a good faith  effort to comply with such  statute.  If, after
such good faith effort,  the Company cannot comply with such statute,  the Offer
will not be made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of,  holders
of Shares in such state. In those  jurisdictions  whose securities,  blue sky or
other  laws  require  the Offer to be made by a licensed  broker or dealer,  the
Offer  shall  be  deemed  to be made on  behalf  of the  Company  by one or more
registered brokers or dealers licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction.


<PAGE>


                                INSTRUCTION FORM

                      INSTRUCTIONS FOR TENDER OF SHARES OF
                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.

         The undersigned  acknowledge(s) receipt of your letter and the enclosed
Offer to Purchase  dated May 3, 1999 (the "Offer to  Purchase")  and the related
Letter of  Transmittal  (which,  as amended or  supplemented  from time to time,
together  constitute  the  "Offer") in  connection  with the offer by  Amerihost
Properties,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  to purchase up to
1,000,000  shares of its common stock, par value $.005 per share (the "Shares"),
or such lesser number of Shares as are properly  tendered,  at a price per Share
not  greater  than $4.00 nor less than  $3.375  per share,  net to the seller in
cash,  without interest  thereon,  as specified by stockholders  tendering their
Shares, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.

         This will instruct you to tender to the Company,  on (our) (my) behalf,
the number of Shares  indicated below (or if no number is indicated  below,  all
Shares) which are  beneficially  owned by (us)(me) and  registered in your name,
upon terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUMBER OF SHARES TO BE TENDERED:______________________ SHARES*

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Unless otherwise  indicated,  it will be assumed that all Shares held by us for
your account are to be tendered.


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    ODD LOTS
                (SEE INSTRUCTION 2 OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL)

         To be completed  ONLY if the Shares are being  tendered by or on behalf
of a person  owning  beneficially  an  aggregate  of less than 100  Shares.  The
undersigned either (check one box):

|_|  is the  beneficial  owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Shares all which
     Shares are being tendered; or

|_|  is a broker, dealer,  commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee that
     (a) is tendering for the beneficial  owner(s) thereof,  Shares with respect
     to  which  it  is  the  record  holder,   and  (b)  believes,   based  upon
     representations  made to it by such  beneficial  owner(s),  that  each such
     person is the beneficial  owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Shares and
     is tendering all of such Shares.






            NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW. PLEASE READ THE
                      ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>


                                INSTRUCTION FORM

                      INSTRUCTIONS FOR TENDER OF SHARES OF
                           AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC.

         Please tender to Amerihost Properties,  Inc. (the "Company"),  on (our)
(my) behalf,  the number of Shares indicated below, which are beneficially owned
by (us) (me) and  registered  in your  name,  upon the terms and  subject to the
conditions  contained in the Offer to Purchase of the Company dated May 3, 1999,
and the  related  Letter  of  Transmittal,  the  receipt  of both  of  which  is
acknowledged.


       NUMBER OF SHARES TO BE TENDERED PURSUANT TO THIS INSTRUCTION FORM:

                      SHARES:______________________________




<PAGE>




IMPORTANT: STOCKHOLDERS MUST COMPLETE THE PRICE SELECTION INFORMATION FOR SHARES
TENDERED.

                           PRICE SELECTION FOR SHARES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE
                       AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED
                               (SEE INSTRUCTION 5)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHECK ONLY ONE BOX.  IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS  CHECKED  OR IF NO BOX IS  CHECKED,
THERE IS NO PROPER TENDER OF SHARES

(STOCKHOLDERS WHO DESIRE TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A
SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE TENDERED.)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY DUTCH AUCTION:

|_|  The  undersigned   wants  to  maximize  the  chance  of  having   Amerihost
     Properties,  Inc. purchase all Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject
     to the possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this box instead
     of one of the prices below,  the  undersigned  hereby tenders Shares and is
     willing to accept  the  Purchase  Price  resulting  from the Dutch  Auction
     tender  process.  This action will result in receiving a price per Share as
     low as $3.375 or as high as $4.00.



                                       OR



SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER:


By checking  ONE of the boxes below  instead of the box above,  the  undersigned
hereby tenders Shares at the price checked.  This action could result in none of
the Shares being purchased if the Purchase Price for the Shares is less than the
price checked. A STOCKHOLDER WHO DESIRES TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE
MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE  LETTER OF  TRANSMITTAL  FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES
ARE TENDERED. THE SAME SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE.

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED:

                       |_|   $3.375                 |_|  $3.75
                       |_|   $3.50                  |_|  $3.875
                       |_|   $3.625                 |_|  $4.00

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>




- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|_|  Indicate in this box the order (by certificate  number) in which Shares are
     to  be  purchased  in  event  of  proration.  (Attach  additional  list  if
     necessary.)* See Instruction 9 to the Letter of Transmittal.
     Shares:   1st: _______2nd: ________3rd:_________ 4th:________ 5th: ________

*    If you do not  designate  an  order,  in the  event  less  than all  Shares
     tendered  are  purchased  due to  proration,  Shares will be  selected  for
     purchase by the Depositary. See Instruction 9 to the Letter of Transmittal.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         THE METHOD OF  DELIVERY  OF THIS  DOCUMENT IS AT THE OPTION AND RISK OF
THE TENDERING  STOCKHOLDER.  IF DELIVERY IS MADE BY MAIL,  REGISTERED  MAIL WITH
RETURN  RECEIPT  REQUESTED,  PROPERLY  INSURED,  IS  RECOMMENDED.  IN ALL CASES,
SUFFICIENT TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASSURE DELIVERY.

         THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY HAS APPROVED THE OFFER.  HOWEVER,
NEITHER THE  COMPANY  NOR ITS BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  MAKES ANY  RECOMMENDATION  TO
STOCKHOLDERS  AS TO  WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN  FROM  TENDERING  ANY OF THEIR
SHARES. EACH STOCKHOLDER MUST MAKE THE DECISION WHETHER TO TENDER SHARES AND, IF
SO, HOW MANY AND AT WHICH PRICE OR PRICES THE SHARES SHOULD BE TENDERED.


Signature(s)_________________________     Address:______________________________
_____________________________________     ______________________________________
Name(s):_____________________________              (Including Zip Code)
                  (Please Print)          Area Code and Telephone No.___________
_____________________________________     Date:___________________________, 1999
(Taxpayer Identification or Social
         Security Number)







May 3, 1999

Dear Stockholder:

Amerihost Properties, Inc. (the "Company") is offering (the "Offer") to purchase
up to  1,000,000  shares of its  common  stock,  or  approximately  16.6% of the
currently  outstanding  common stock, at a price not greater than $4.00 nor less
than $3.375 per share.  The Company is conducting this Offer through a procedure
commonly  referred to as a "Dutch  Auction." This procedure allows you to select
the price within the specified  price range at which you are willing to sell all
or a portion of your shares to the Company. Alternatively, this procedure allows
you to  tender  all or a  portion  of  your  shares  to the  Company  at a price
determined by the "Dutch Auction" process.

Based  upon the  number of  shares  tendered  and the  prices  specified  by the
tendering  stockholders,  the Company will  determine the single per share price
within the $3.375 to $4.00 range that will allow it to buy 1,000,000  shares (or
such lesser number of shares that are properly tendered). All of the shares that
are  properly  tendered at prices at or below that  purchase  price (and are not
withdrawn) will - subject to possible  proration and provisions  relating to the
tender of "odd lots" and  certain  conditions  - be  purchased  for cash at that
purchase  price,  net to the  selling  stockholder.  All other  shares  that are
tendered and not purchased will be returned to the stockholder.

If you do not wish to  participate  in this  Offer,  you do not need to take any
action.

This Offer is explained  in detail in the enclosed  Offer to Purchase and Letter
of Transmittal.  If you wish to tender your shares, instructions are provided in
the enclosed materials. I encourage you to read these materials carefully before
making any  decision  with  respect to this  Offer.  Neither the Company nor its
Board of Directors makes any recommendation to any stockholder whether or not to
tender any or all shares.  Each  stockholder  must make the decision  whether to
tender  shares and, if so, how many shares and at what price.  Neither I nor any
other  director or executive  officer  intends to tender shares  pursuant to the
Offer, other than one director who may tender up to 20,000 shares.

Please note that this offer is scheduled  to expire at 5:00 p.m.,  New York City
Time,  on Wednesday,  June 2, 1999,  unless  extended by the Company.  Questions
regarding  this  offer  should be  directed  to James B. Dale,  Chief  Financial
Officer, Craig S. Arnson, In-house legal counsel, or myself at (847) 298-4500.

Sincerely,



Michael P. Holtz
President & Chief Executive Officer





             GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
                          NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9

GUIDELINES  FOR  DETERMINING  THE  PROPER  IDENTIFICATION  NUMBER  TO  GIVE  THE
PAYER.--Social  Security numbers have nine digits separated by two hyphens: i.e.
000-00-0000.  Employer identification numbers have nine digits separated by only
one hyphen: i.e.  00-0000000.  The table below will help determine the number to
give the payer.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For this type of Account:                              Give the SOCIAL SECURITY 
                                                       NUMBER OF--
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.   Individual                                        The individual

2.   Two or more individuals (joint account)           The account owner of the 
                                                       account or, if combined 
                                                       funds, the first 
                                                       individual on the
                                                       account(1)

3.   Custodian account of a minor (Uniform Gift to     The minor(2)
     Minors Act)

4a.  The usual revocable savings trust account         The grantor-trustee(1)
     (grantor is also trustee)
 b.  So-called trust account that is not a legal or    The actual owner(1)
     valid trust under State Law

5.   Sole proprietorship                               The owner(3)

6.   Sole proprietorship                               The owner(3)

7.   A valid trust, estate, or pension trust           The legal entity(4)

8.   Corporate                                         The corporation

9.   Association, club, religious, charitable,         The organization
     educational, or other tax-exempt organization

10.  Partnership                                       The partnership

11.  A broker or registered nominee                    The broker or nominee

12.  Account with the Department of                    The public entity
     Agriculture in the The public entity
     name of a public entity (such as a
     State or local government, school
     district, or prison) that receives
     agricultural program payments

- ------------------------------------------

(1)      List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish.
         If only one person on a joint account has a social security number,
         that person's number must be furnished.

(2)      Circle the minor's name and furnish the minor's social security number.

(3)      You  must  show  your  individual  name,  but you may also  enter  your
         business or "doing  business  as" name.  You may use either your social
         security  number or your  employer  identification  number (if you have
         one).

(4)      List first and circle the name of the legal trust,  estate,  or pension
         trust.  (Do not  furnish  the  taxpayer  identification  number  of the
         personal  representative  or trustee  unless the legal entity itself is
         not designated in the account title.)

NOTE:    If no name is circled when there is more than one name, the number will
         be considered to be that of the first name listed.


<PAGE>


             GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
                          NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE FORM W-9
                                     PAGE 2

OBTAINING A NUMBER                      Note:  You may be   subject   to  backup
                                               withholding  if this  interest is
If  you  do  not  have  a  taxpayer            $600 or  more  and is paid in the
identification number or you do not            course  of the  payer's  trade or
know your number, obtain Form SS-5,            business   and   you   have   not
Application  for a Social  Security            provided  your  correct  taxpayer
Number   Card,    or   Form   SS-4,            identification   number   to  the
Application       for      Employer            payer.                           
Identification Number, at the local     / /  Payments  of  tax-exempt   interest
office  of  the   Social   Security          (including          exempt-interest
Administration   or  the   Internal          dividends under section 852).      
Revenue  Service  and  apply  for a     / /  Payments   described   in   section
number.                                      6049(b)(5) to nonresident aliens.  
                                        / /  Payments on tax-free covenant bonds
PAYEES EXEMPT FROM BACKUP WITHHOLDING        under section 1451.                
                                        / /  Payments  made by  certain  foreign
Payees  specifically  exempted from          organizations.                     
backup   withholding   include  the     / /  Mortgage interest paid to you.     
following:                                                                      
                                        Exempt  payees  described  above  should
/ /  An  organization  exempt  from     file   Form   W-9  to   avoid   possible
     tax  under  section  501(a) of     erroneous backup withholding.  FILE THIS
     the  Internal  Revenue Code of     FORM  WITH  THE  PAYER,   FURNISH   YOUR
     1986, as amended (the "Code"),     TAXPAYER  IDENTIFICATION  NUMBER,  WRITE
     an    individual    retirement     "EXEMPT"  IN PART II OF THE  FORM,  SIGN
     account or a custodial account     AND DATE THE FORM,  AND RETURN IT TO THE
     under  section  403(b)(7),  if     PAYER.                                  
     the  account   satisfies   the                                             
     requirements     of    section          Certain    payments    other   than
     401(f)(2).                         interest,   dividends,   and   patronage
/ /  The   United   States  or  any     dividends,   that  are  not  subject  to
     agency   or    instrumentality     information   reporting   are  also  not
     thereof.                           subject to backup withholding.          
/ /  A  state,   the   District  of                                             
     Columbia,  a possession of the     PRIVACY ACT NOTICE.--Section 6109 of the
     United    States,    or    any     Code   requires   most   recipients   of
     political    subdivision    or     dividend, interest, or other payments to
     instrumentality thereof.           give taxpayer  identification numbers to
/ /  A  foreign  government  or any     payers who must  report the  payments to
     political subdivision,  agency     IRS.    IRS   uses   the   numbers   for
     or instrumentality thereof.        identification   purposes  and  to  help
/ /  An international  organization     verify the  accuracy of your tax return.
     or     any      agency      or     The   IRS   may   also    provide   this
     instrumentality thereof.           information to the Department of Justice
                                        for civil and criminal litigation and to
Other  payees  that  may be  exempt     cities,  states,  and  the  District  of
from backup withholding include:        Columbia  to carry  out  their tax laws.
                                        You   must   provide    your    taxpayer
/ /  A corporation.                     identification number whether or not you
/ /  A financial institution.           are required to file tax returns. Payers
/ /  A  dealer  in   securities  or     must  generally  withhold 31% of taxable
     commodities  registered in the     interest,  dividend,  and certain  other
     U.S., the District of Columbia     payments to a payee who does not furnish
     or a possession  of the U.S.       a  taxpayer  identification  number to a
/ /  A futures commission  merchant     payer. Certain penalties may also apply.
     registered  with the Commodity                                             
     Futures Trading Commission.        PENALTIES                               
/ /  A   real   estate   investment                                             
     trust.                             PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO FURNISH  TAXPAYER
/ /  A common  trust fund  operated     IDENTIFICATION  NUMBER.--If  you fail to
     by  a   bank   under   section     furnish  your  taxpayer   identification
     584(a).                            number to a payer,  you are subject to a
/ /  An  entity  registered  at all     penalty  of $50 for  each  such  failure
     times   during  the  tax  year     unless your failure is due to reasonable
     under the  Investment  Company     cause and not to willful neglect.       
     Act of 1940.                                                               
/ /  A  foreign   central  bank  of     CIVIL PENALTY FOR FALSE INFORMATION WITH
     issue.                             RESPECT TO  WITHHOLDING.--If  you make a
/ /  A   middleman   known  in  the     false statement with no reasonable basis
     investment   community   as  a     which results in no imposition of backup
     nominee  or who is  listed  in     withholding,   you  are   subject  to  a
     the most recent publication of     penalty of $500.                        
     the   American    Society   of                                             
     Corporate  Secretaries,   Inc.     CRIMINAL    PENALTY    FOR    FALSIFYING
     Nominee List.                      INFORMATION.--Willfully       falsifying
/ /  A trust  exempt from tax under     certifications   or   affirmations   may
     section  664 as  described  in     subject   you  to   criminal   penalties
     section 4947.                      including fines and/or imprisonment.    
                                                                                
Payments of dividends and patronage     FOR ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION CONTACT YOUR
dividends not generally  subject to     TAX  CONSULTANT OR THE INTERNAL  REVENUE
backup   withholding   include  the     SERVICE.                                
following:                                                                      
                  
<PAGE>
                                                        
/ /  Payments to nonresident aliens                                             
     subject to  withholding  under                                             
     section 1441.                                                              
/ /  Payments to  partnerships  not                                             
     engaged in a trade or business                                             
     in the U.S.  and which have at                                             
     least one nonresident alien                                                
     partner.                                                                   
/ /  Payments     of      patronage                                             
     dividends   where  the  amount                                             
     received is not paid in money.                                             
/ /  Payments   made   by   certain                                             
     foreign organizations.                                                     
/ /  Section  404(k)  payments made                                             
     by an ESOP.                                                                
                                                                                
Payments of interest not  generally                                             
subject   to   backup   withholding                                             
include the following:                                                          
                                                                                
/ /  Payments    of   interest   on                                             
     obligations      issued     by                                             
     individuals.                                             


                                                                               
CONTACT: PAUL J. ARNDT                                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                  DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL RELATIONS
                  (847) 298-4501 X 306
                  [email protected]


                      AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC. ANNOUNCES
                        "DUTCH AUCTION" SELF TENDER OFFER
                         FOR SHARES OF ITS COMMON STOCK


DES PLAINES,  ILLINOIS,  MAY 3, 1999 - Amerihost  Properties,  Inc.  (Nasdaq/NM:
HOST) today announced that it will commence a Dutch Auction self tender offer to
purchase for cash up to 1,000,000  shares of its common stock,  which represents
approximately  16.6% of its currently  outstanding common stock,  subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase of the Company dated May
3, 1999, and the related Letter of  Transmittal.  The tender offer  commenced on
Monday,  May 3, 1999, and will expire,  unless extended by the Company,  at 5:00
p.m. New York City Time, on Wednesday, June 2, 1999.

The terms of the tender offer,  which are  described  more fully in the Offer to
Purchase  and the Letter of  Transmittal  pursuant to which the tender  offer is
made,  include a purchase  price for each tendered  share of not more than $4.00
per share,  nor less than  $3.375  per share net to the seller in cash,  without
interest thereon.

In a Dutch Auction, the Company sets a price range, and the stockholders have an
opportunity  to specify  prices  within  that range at which they are willing to
sell shares.  After the expiration of the tender offer period,  the Company will
determine a single per share price to be paid for each share  purchased,  taking
into  consideration  the number of shares  tendered and the prices  specified by
tendering  stockholders.  If more than  1,000,000  shares  of  common  stock are
properly  tendered  pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and Letter of Transmittal,
the Company will accept  shares on a pro rata basis.  Odd lots tendered will not
be subject to proration. The Company

<PAGE>


reserves  the right to  purchase  more  than  1,000,000  shares of common  stock
pursuant to the tender offer. The tender offer is not conditioned on any minimum
number of shares being tendered.

Neither the Company nor its Board of Directors makes any  recommendation  to any
stockholder  as to whether  to tender or refrain  from  tendering  shares.  Each
stockholder must make the decision whether to tender shares and, if so, how many
shares and at what price or prices  shares  should be tendered.  The Company has
been advised that none of its directors or executive  officers  intend to tender
any shares  pursuant to the Offer,  other than one director who may tender up to
20,000 shares.

On April 30, 1999, the last trading day prior to the  announcement of the Offer,
the price per share for the last trade for the common  stock on Nasdaq  National
Market was $3.438.  The Offer to  Purchase,  Letter of  Transmittal  and related
documents are being mailed to the Company's stockholders of record and will also
be made available for distribution to beneficial owners of common stock.

Stockholders may obtain further  information by calling the Company directly and
asking for James B. Dale,  Chief Financial  Officer,  Craig S. Arnson,  in-house
legal counsel, or Michael P. Holtz, President and Chief Executive Officer.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This press release is for information purposes only and is not intended to serve
as a solicitation to buy securities.  Any solicitation to buy securities is made
only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the Letter of Transmittal.










            REVOLVING ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT LINE OF CREDIT NOTE
            ---------------------------------------------------------

$7,000,000.00                                             Bridgeview, Illinois
                                                          As of October 15, 1998
Maturity Date:  October 15, 1999


GENERAL TERMS
- -------------

         This  Revolving  Line of  Credit  Note  ("Note")  is a  variable  rate,
revolving  credit  line  which is  secured  by (1) a  written  General  Business
Security Agreement  ("Security  Agreement") of even date herewith,  and (2) such
other  collateral  which may be  reasonably  requested  from time to time by the
hereinafter defined Lender including,  but not limited to, title insured,  first
priority  mortgage liens  ("Mortgages")  on the real estate and the improvements
existing or to be  constructed  thereon  acquired  or  developed  utilizing  the
proceeds of this Note.  Loans will be made from time to time as requested of the
hereinafter  defined  Lender and  subject to the terms  hereof and the terms and
conditions  of  the  written   commitment   letter  dated   September  24,  1998
("Commitment  Letter")  issued by Lender and accepted by the  undersigned,  (the
"Borrower" or the "undersigned") on October 6, 1998. The terms and conditions of
the  Commitment  Letter  are  incorporated  herein and made a part  hereof.  The
aforesaid  Mortgages  if  any,  and the  aforesaid  Security  Agreement  will be
referred to collectively herein as the "Security Instruments."  Notwithstanding,
anything  else  contained  herein  Lender may refuse to advance  any such future
loans when it reasonably  deems itself  insecure by so advancing or in the event
the  undersigned  are in default under the terms and  provisions of this Note or
the Security  Instruments  after the  expiration of all notice and grace periods
therein provided, if applicable.

1.       THE BORROWER'S PROMISE TO PAY

         For value received,  the Borrower hereby promises, to pay all loans now
or hereafter  made under this Note,  which loans shall not exceed the  aggregate
principal  amount of Seven Million  Thousand and No/100 Dollars  ($7,000,000.00)
(the  "principal")  plus interest to the order of Bridgeview Bank and Trust (the
"Lender").  The Borrower  understands  that the Lender may negotiate,  assign or
otherwise  transfer  this  Note.  The  Lender or anyone  who takes  this Note by
negotiation,  assignment  or other  transfer  and who its  entitled  to  receive
payments under this Note is called the "Note Holder."

2.       INTEREST

         Interest  will be  charged on that part of the  principal  that has not
been  paid.  Interest  will be  charged  beginning  on the date of this Note and
continuing until the full amount of the principal has been paid.

        Beginning on the date of this Note, the Borrower  agrees to pay interest
on the unpaid principal balances from time to time outstanding  between the date
of this Note and  October  15,  1999  (the  "Maturity  Date") at the per  annum.
interest rate equal to the sum of: (i) the base rate of interest  which shall be
defined as the floating daily variable rate of interest determined and announced


<PAGE>

by the Lender from time to time as its base lending rate  (without  reference to
the prime or base rate of any other  financial  institution)  which rate may not
necessarily  be the lowest rate of interest  charged by the Lender to any at its
customers  (the  "Base  Rate"),  plus (ii)  one-half  percent  (0.5%) per annum.
Interest after maturity,  by  acceleration  or otherwise,  shall be at three and
one-half  percent  (3.5%) per annum above the Base Rate.  After the date of this
Note, the Loan Interest Rate shall be adjusted in accordance  with the aforesaid
on each date on which there is a change in the Base Rate.

3.       PAYMENTS

         Unless  otherwise  paid sooner,  beginning  on November  15, 1998,  and
continuing on the 15th day of each and every month  thereafter until the earlier
of September  15,  1999,  the  Borrower  will make monthly  payments of interest
accrued through the date of payment.  On October 15, 1999, Borrower shall make a
final balloon payment of all principal,  interest and other charges then due and
owing on this Note.  All  payments on account of the  indebtedness  evidenced by
this Note shall first be applied to charges due under the Note, then to interest
and the remainder to principal.

         The Borrower will make its payments at the offices of  Bridgeview  Bank
and Trust, 7940 South Harlem Avenue,  Bridgeview,  Illinois 60455 at a different
place if requested by the Note Holder.

         Acceptance  by Note  Holder of any  payment in an amount  less than the
amount then due on this Note shall be deemed an acceptance on account only,  and
the failure to pay the entire amount then due shall be and will continue to be a
default. At any time thereafter and until the entire amount then due on the Note
has been paid, Lender shall be entitled to exercise all rights conferred upon it
in this Note or any Security  Instruments  upon the  occurrence  of a default as
defined  thereunder after the expiration at all notice and grace periods therein
provided, if applicable.

4.       THE BORROWER'S RIGHT TO PREPAY

         Provided that any payments required under this Note are current and not
then in default  under the terms of this Note or the Security  Instruments,  the
Borrower has the right to make payments of the principal at any time before they
are due. A payment of the principal  only is known as a  "prepayment."  When the
Borrower makes a prepayment, the Borrower will inform the Note Holder in writing
that they are doing so.

         The Borrower may make a full prepayment or a partial prepayment without
paying any penalty. The Note Holder will use all of the Borrower's prepayment to
reduce the amount of the principal that the Borrower owes under this Note.

         If the Borrower makes a partial prepayment,  there will be no delays in
the due dates of their  payments due hereunder  unless the Note Holder agrees in
writing to those delays.



<PAGE>


5.       LOAN CHARGES

         If a law,  which  applies  to this loan and  which  sets  maximum  loan
charges,  is finally  interpreted  so that the  interest  or other loan  charges
collected or to be collected in  connection  with this loan exceed the permitted
limits,  then: (i) any such loan charge shall be reduced by the amount necessary
to reduce the charge to the permitted limit; and (ii) any sums already collected
from the  Borrower  that  exceeded  permitted  limits  will be  refunded  to the
Borrower.  The Note  Holder  may  choose to make this  refund  by  reducing  the
principal the Borrower owes under this Note or by making a direct payment to the
Borrower. It a refund reduces the principal,  the reduction will be treated as a
partial prepayment.

6.       PURPOSE OF LOAN

         The Borrower hereby  represents and warrants that the Borrower will use
the  proceeds  of the loan  evidenced  by this Note  solely for proper  business
purposes (as referred to in 815 ILCS 205/4) and consistently with all applicable
laws and statutes.  Borrower  further agrees that this Note shall be governed by
and construed under the laws of the State of Illinois.

7.       THE BORROWER'S FAILURE TO PAY AS REQUIRED

         (A)      LATE CHARGE FOR OVERDUE PAYMENTS AND DEFAULT

                  If the Note Holder has not  received the full amount of any of
the Borrower's regular installment  payments within ten (10) calendar days after
the date it is due, the Borrower will pay a late charge to the Note Holder.  The
amount of the late  charge  will be the  greater of five  percent  (5.0%) of the
Borrower's  overdue payment of interest and/or principal then due or Two Hundred
Fifty and No/100 Dollars ($250.00).

                  This Note will be in  default  if (i) the Note  Holder has not
received the full amount of any of the  Borrower's  payments and the full amount
of any late charges due thereon within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date
the payment is due; (ii) the Borrower fails to perform, keep or observe any term
or condition of this Note or of any agreement,  instrument or document  securing
this Note and such failure shall continue for a period of thirty (30) days after
written notice thereof from Note Holder to Borrower thereof; provided,  however,
that, in the event such default is not  susceptible  of cure within said initial
thirty (30) day  period,  Borrower  shall have such longer  period of time as is
necessary in the reasonable  determination of the Note Holder to effectuate such
cure (not to exceed one hundred  eighty (180) days),  so long as Borrower  shall
commence  such cure within said  initial  thirty (30) day period and  thereafter
diligently and continually  pursue the same; (iii) there is a default  remaining
uncured after the  expiration of any  applicable  cure period under the Security
instruments  or any other  agreement,  instrument  or document  delivered by the
Borrower to the Note Holder or under any agreement, instrument or document which
creates a lien,  encumbrance,  charge or claim  against the real estate which is
the subject matter of the Mortgage; (iv) the Collateral (as such term is defined
below) or any assets of the Borrower are attached,  seized,  levied upon or come
within the  possession of any receiver,  trustee,  custodian or assignee for the
benefit of  creditors  and the same shall not have been  released or  discharged
within sixty (60) days thereafter; (v) the Borrower's net worth as determined as


<PAGE>


of December 31, 1998 shall fall below  $19,000,000.00 or the debt to worth ratio
at any time  during  the term of this  Note  shall  go above  3.75 to 1;  (vi) a
petition  under any section or chapter of the  Bankruptcy  Reform Act of 1978 or
any similar law or  regulation  is filed by or against the Borrower and the same
shall not have been  released or discharged  within sixty (60) days  thereafter;
(vii) the Borrower makes an assignment  for the benefit of creditors;  or (viii)
any case or  proceeding is filed by or against the Borrower for  dissolution  or
liquidation and the same shall not have been released or discharged within sixty
(60) days thereafter;  (ix) Borrower dissolves or a conservator is appointed for
all or any portion of its assets or of the Collateral.

        (B)      PAYMENT OF NOTE HOLDER'S COSTS AND EXPENSES

         The Borrower  shall pay all of the costs and  expenses  incurred by the
Note Holder in enforcing  this Note to the extent not  prohibited  by applicable
law. Such expenses include, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees.

8.       NOTE SECURED/ACCELERATION

         The  Borrower's   obligations   under  this  Note,   including  without
limitation, the full payment of this Note, are secured by the aforesaid Security
Agreement.  At the election of Note Holder and without  notice,  the  principal,
interest and any other charges or amounts due hereunder  remaining unpaid hereon
shall  become at once due and payable (a) in case of default  remaining  uncured
after the expiration of any applicable  cure period  hereunder or (b) in case of
the sale, transfer,  conveyance,  assignment,  mortgage,  pledge, encumbrance or
vesting of title of or to the real, estate, or any portion thereof,  or upon the
transfer of the security  interests,  or any portion thereof, to any party other
than the owner  thereof as of the date of this Note or any other entity owned or
controlled by Borrower or one of its  wholly-owned  subsidiaries;  or (c) in the
event the  outstanding  amount due under this Note exceeds the limits  permitted
under  paragraph  11  hereof  and  which  event  has not been  addressed  to the
reasonable  satisfaction  of Lender.  The terms and  provisions of the aforesaid
Security Agreement and Mortgages are incorporated herein by reference.

         In addition,  the Borrower's obligations under this Note are secured by
(i) all of the now existing or owned and hereafter  arising or acquired  monies,
reserves,   deposits,  deposit  accounts  and  interest  or  dividends  thereon,
securities, cash, cash equivalents and other property of the Borrower, now or at
any time or times hereafter in the possession or under the control of the Lender
or its bailee for any purpose; (ii) all such additional collateral as the Lender
may reasonably request from time to time including,  without  limitation,  title
insured,  first  priority  mortgage  liens on the real  estate and  improvements
existing or to be  constructed  thereon  related to the projects;  and (iii) all
substitutions,  renewals, improvements,  replacements,  products and proceeds of
any of the foregoing the rights with respect to all of which may be exercised by
Lender upon the terms and  conditions  therefor as set forth in the  immediately
preceding paragraph. All of the security described in this Section 8 is referred
to as the "Collateral."


<PAGE>


9.       WAIVERS

         All parties hereto severally waive  presentment for payment,  notice of
dishonor,  protest and notice of protest.  The Borrower  hereby  waives,  to the
fullest extent  allowed by applicable  law, any right to jury trial with respect
to any action to enforce the provisions of this Note or any instrument  securing
this Note.

10.      NOTICES

         Unless applicable law requires a different method of giving notice, any
notice  that  must be given to the  Borrower  under  this  Note will be given by
delivering it or by mailing it by first class mail  addressed to the Borrower at
2400 East  Devon  Avenue,  Suite  280,  Des  Plaines,  Illinois  60018,  or at a
different  address  if the  Borrower  gives  the  Note  Holder  notice  of their
different address.

         Any notice that must be given to the Note  Holder  under this Note will
be given by mailing it by first  class  mail to the Note  Holder at the  address
stated  above or at a different  address if the Note Holder  gives the  Borrower
notice of its different address.


11.      LIMITATIONS ON LINE OF CREDIT LOAN ADVANCES

         Borrower expressly acknowledges and agrees that the proceeds hereof are
to be utilized by Borrower to fund the  acquisition  and  development of various
hotel and motel projects  ("projects")  throughout  the United  States,  In that
regard,  Borrower  further  acknowledges and agrees that the aggregate amount of
advances  outstanding  at any time during the term of this Note shall be limited
to the sum of the  following:  (i) seventy  five  percent  (75%) of the value of
Borrower's  Eligible  Accounts as that term is defined in the aforesaid  General
Business Security Agreement; (ii) seventy five percent (75%) of the value of the
equity of Borrower as determined  by Lender in furniture  and fixtures  owned by
the  Borrower;  (iii)  seventy five percent  (75%) of the value of the equity of
Borrower  as  determined  by  Lender  of  any  project   constructed   or  under
construction  utilizing the proceeds of this Note; and (iv) seventy five percent
(75%) of the value as  determined by the Lender of the equity of Borrower in any
partnerships,  limited  liability  companies or joint ventures in which Borrower
has any interest.  Borrower further agrees that not less than once a year during
the term hereof and as first  measured  from the date  hereof,  the  outstanding
balance due hereunder of funds advanced for such purpose in connection with each
project shall be completely  paid and reduced to zero and shall be so maintained
for a least  thirty (30)  consecutive  days before any  additional  advances are
permitted hereunder for that project.

                            [SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]



<PAGE>


                                            BORROWER:

                                            AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC., a 
                                            Delaware Corporation



                                            By:_________________________________
                                                       MICHAEL P. HOLTZ
                                                         President


                                            Name:_______________________________



                                            Title:______________________________








                      GENERAL BUSINESS SECURITY AGREEMENT
                      -----------------------------------

         The undersigned,  AMERIHOST  PROPERTIES,  INC., a Delaware corporation,
2400 East Devon Avenue, Suite 280, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 (the "Borrower"),
for value  received,  hereby  conveys and grants to  BRIDGEVIEW  BANK AND TRUST,
having offices located at 7940 South Harlem Avenue,  Bridgeview,  Illinois 60455
(hereinafter called the "Lender"), a security interest in the following personal
property and all proceeds thereof and all  accessories,  parts and equipment now
or  hereafter  affixed  thereto  or used in  connection  therewith  (hereinafter
collectively called the "Collateral") :

              SEE EXHIBIT A ATTACHED HERETO AND MADE A PART HEREOF.

         The aforesaid  security  interest is given to secure the payment of the
principal, interest and all obligations of the Borrower evidenced by a Revolving
Acquisition and Development Line of Credit Note in the original principal amount
of Seven Million and No/100 Dollars ($7,000,000.00) dated as of October 15, 1998
executed  by the  Borrower  and  payable  to the  order  of the  Lender  and any
extensions,  renewals or modifications thereof, (hereinafter called the "Note").
The Note and all other  obligations  evidenced  thereby are herein  collectively
called the "Indebtedness".

1.       The Borrower hereby warrants and agrees that:

         (a) For the purpose of this  Agreement the term "Account  Debtor" shall
be defined as any person or entity  obligated  to the  Borrower  on or under any
Eligible Account as that term is defined hereunder.

         (b) For the purpose of this  Agreement and the Notes the term "Eligible
Account" shall mean an Account arising in the ordinary course of the business of
the Borrower which meets and maintains each of the following requirements:

          1.   if it arises  from the sale or lease of goods,  such  goods  have
               been  shipped  or  delivered  to the  Account  Debtor  under such
               Account; if it arises from services rendered,  such services have
               been performed;

          2.   it is a valid,  legally  enforceable  obligation  of the  Account
               Debtor thereunder, and is not subject to any offset, counterclaim
               or other  defense  on the part of such  Account  Debtor or to any
               claim  on the  part  of such  Account  Debtor  denying  liability
               thereunder in whole or in part;

          3.   it is not  subject to any lien or  security  interest  whatsoever
               other than the security interest hereunder;

          4.   it is evidenced  by an invoice,  dated not later than the date of
               shipment or performance,  rendered to such Account Debtor or some
               other  evidence  of  billing  acceptable  to  Lender  and  is not
               evidenced by any instrument or chattel paper;


<PAGE>


          5.   it is not  owing by any  Account  Debtor  whose  obligations  the
               Lender, acting in its sole and reasonable discretion,  shall have
               notified  the  Borrower  are not  deemed to  constitute  Eligible
               Accounts; and

          6.   it is  not  past  due  more  than  ninety  (90)  days,  nor is it
               unacceptable  to the  Lender  for any  reason  which  Lender  may
               reasonably hereafter adopt without notice.

2. The Borrower further hereby warrants and agrees that the Borrower:

         (a) will, upon request of the Lender, execute such financing statements
and other  documents  (and pay the cost of filing or  recording  the same in all
public  offices  deemed  necessary  by the  Lender)  and do such  other acts and
things,  all as the  Lender  may from  time to time  request  to  establish  and
maintain a valid  perfected  security  interest in the  Collateral  (free of all
other liens and claims whatsoever) to secure the payment of the Indebtedness. To
the extent  permitted  by  applicable  law, the Borrower  hereby  grants  Lender
authority  on its  behalf as  attorney-in-fact  to  execute,  file or record any
document necessary to perfect the Lender's security interest in the Collateral.

         (b) will keep,  at the address  designated  above for its records,  all
records  concerning  the  Collateral,  including  computer  records  and related
software,  which records will be of such  character as will enable the Lender or
its designees to determine at any time the status of the Collateral.

         (c) will furnish the Lender such information  concerning Borrower,  the
Collateral, any Account Debtor of the Borrower, Eligible Accounts, as the Lender
may from time to time reasonably request.

         (d) will permit the Lender and its  designees  from time to time during
Borrower's  regular  business  hours,  to inspect,  audit and make copies of and
extracts  from all records and other  papers in the  possession  of the Borrower
pertaining to the Collateral and any Account  Debtor,  and will upon  reasonable
request of the  Lender,  deliver to the Lender  copies of all such  records  and
papers.

         (e) will,  upon  request  of the  Lender,  stamp on the  records of the
Borrower  concerning the  Collateral,  a notation,  in form  satisfactory to the
Lender, of the security interest of Lender hereunder.

         (f) will immediately deliver to the Lender,  appropriately  endorsed to
the order of the Lender,  any note,  trade  acceptance,  chattel  paper or other
instrument  or writing  for the  payment of money  which  shall be  received  by
Borrower  and which may at any time  evidence  any  obligation  to Borrower  for
payment for Collateral sold or leased or services  rendered outside the ordinary
course of Borrower's business or upon the occurrence of a Default.


<PAGE>


         (g) hereby  authorizes  Lender as the  Borrower's  attorney-in-fact  to
endorse,  in the  name of the  Borrower,  any  check or  other  item,  howsoever
received  by  Lender  and  whether   received   before  or  after  any  default,
representing  any payment on or other proceeds of any of the Collateral  sold or
leased  outside  of the  ordinary  course  of  Borrower's  business  or upon the
occurrence of a Default.

         (h)  without the prior  written  consent of the Lender will not sell or
assign any collateral  outside of the ordinary course of Borrower's  business or
create or permit to exist any lien or security  interest in any collateral to or
in favor of, anyone other than the Lender.

         (i) will, to the extent that a security  interest is granted  hereunder
in  Inventory as that term is defined  under the  applicable  provisions  of the
Uniform  Commercial  Code,  maintain  insurance on such Inventory with a company
satisfactory  to Lender against such risks and in such amounts as the Lender may
require,  such  insurance  to be  payable  to the  Borrower  and Lender as their
interests  appear.  Lender  may  act  as  the  Borrower's   attorney-in-fact  in
obtaining,  adjusting,  settling and canceling  such insurance and endorsing any
drafts in the event that a Default shall have occurred and continues  beyond the
expiration  of any  applicable  cure period.  If the  Borrower  fails to provide
insurance as above required,  Lender, may, at its option,  purchase the same and
the cost  thereof  (with  interest  thereon  at the  highest  rate  borne by the
Indebtedness) shall be added to the Indebtedness secured hereby.

         (j) will  reimburse the Lender for all expenses,  including  reasonable
attorney's fees and legal expenses, incurred by the Lender in seeking to collect
or enforce any rights in, under or to the Collateral  and, in case of a Default,
incurred  by the  Lender  in  seeking  to  collect  each  Notes  and  all  other
Indebtedness and to enforce its rights hereunder.

         (k) will not  permit  the  Indebtedness  to Lender to exceed the limits
therefore from time to time established by Lender, either as to actual amount or
as to the percentage  amount of acceptable  Collateral as approved by Lender. In
the event that said percentage  requirements  shall be exceeded,  Borrower shall
promptly  reduce the  Indebtedness by an amount  sufficient to satisfy  Lender's
requirement  or, at Lender's sole and  exclusive  option grant Lender a security
interest in such additional collateral as Lender may require.

         (l) shall  materially  comply with all  applicable  federal,  state and
local laws, ordinances,  rules and regulations,  including,  but not limited to,
the rules and regulations of the Federal  Communications  Commission and any and
all  environmental  laws,  ordinances,  rules and regulations and shall keep the
Collateral  free  and  clear  of  any  liens  imposed  pursuant  to  such  laws,
ordinances, rules and regulations contest the same while at all times preserving
the value of the Collateral.

         (m) shall  materially  comply with all  applicable  federal,  state and
local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning minimum wages, overtime
laws, and payment of withholding  taxes,  and deliver to Lender such reports and
information in form satisfactory to Lender as Lender reasonably may request from
time to time to establish compliance with such laws.


<PAGE>


         (n) will execute within seven (7) days of being presented therewith any
documents  or  instruments,  including  without  limitation,  any  subordination
agreement which Lender in its sole and exclusive  discretion  deems necessary to
protect and maintain its interests arising in connection with this transaction.

3. Until such time as the Lender shall notify the Borrower of the  revocation of
such authority, upon the occurrence of a Default, the Borrower:

         (a) will, at its own expense, endeavor to collect, as and when due, all
amounts due with respect to any Collateral,  including the taking of such action
with respect to such collection as the Lender may reasonably  request or, in the
absence of such request, as the Borrower may deem advisable;

         (b) may grant,  in the ordinary course of the business of the Borrower,
to any Account  Debtor,  any rebate,  refund or adjustment to which such Account
Debtor may be lawfully entitled,  and may accept, in connection  therewith,  the
return of  Collateral,  the sale or lease of which  shall have given rise to the
obligation of the Account Debtor;

         (c) will, prior to the time of any deposit or delivery, keep segregated
any such checks,  drafts,  cash,  chattel paper or other remittances from any of
the  Borrower's  funds or  property  and will hold such  checks,  drafts,  cash,
chattel paper or other  remittances in trust for the benefit of the Lender until
delivery thereof, or deposit in the Collateral Account (as hereinafter defined),
if any; and

         (d) if  requested  by the  Lender,  note the  security  interest of the
Lender on all records relative to the Collateral, including, without limitation,
any invoice which evidences an Eligible Account.

4. If the Lender requests, after the occurrence of a Default, the Borrower:

         (a)  will,  upon  receipt  of  all  checks,   drafts,  cash  and  other
remittances in payment of Inventory sold or in payment of accounts receivable of
the  Borrower,  deposit  same  in  a  special  collateral  account  ("Collateral
Account")  maintained  with the Lender.  Such proceeds shall be deposited in the
form received except for the  endorsement of the Borrower where required,  which
endorsement the Lender is authorized to make on the Borrower's  behalf and shall
be held by the Lender as security for all  Indebtedness of the Borrower in favor
of the Lender.  Lender will, at least once each week, unless otherwise agreed to
in writing by the Borrower and the Lender, apply all or any portion of the funds
on  deposit  in the  Collateral  Account,  against  the  principal  or any other
indebtedness,  or both,  of the  Borrower in favor of the  Lender,  the order of
application  to be the  discretion  of the  Lender.  Any portion of the funds on
deposit in the Collateral Account and not applied as provided herein may, in the
discretion of the Lender, be turned over to the Borrower;

         (b) will  deliver to the Lender,  all chattel  paper which  constitutes
proceeds  from  the sale of  Collateral  subject  to  delivery  of the  proceeds
resulting  from the sale of such  chattel  paper which shall be deposited in the


<PAGE>


Collateral  Account  unless such sale  occurs  outside  the  ordinary  course of
Borrower's business, in which event no such Default shall have had to occurred.

5. The Lender, however, in the event of default by Borrower under any instrument
evidencing the Indebtedness after the expiration of all notice and grace periods
therein provided, if applicable, may, notify all Account Debtors to make payment
directly  to  Lender  of any  amounts  due or to  become  due  and  enforce  the
collection  of any  Account  by suit or  otherwise  and  surrender,  release  or
exchange  all or any part  thereof,  or  compromise  or  extend or renew for any
period  (whether  or not  longer  than the  original  period)  any  indebtedness
thereunder or evidenced thereby.

6. If and to the extent  that a perfected  security  interest  hereunder  in any
Collateral  shall cease to be perfected  for any reason  whatsoever  (including,
without  limitation,  release of all or any balance in the Collateral Account or
use or  disposition  by  Borrower  of any  proceeds  of  Collateral),  then such
Collateral  (referred to in this  paragraph as "released  Collateral")  shall be
deemed thereby released from the security interest hereunder in exchange,  as of
the time of such release,  for any other Collateral of equivalent value in which
a perfected security interest hereunder is being obtained  contemporaneously  or
has been most recently  obtained,  but only to the extent such other  Collateral
does not represent either:

         (a) Collateral in exchange for which any previously released Collateral
shall have been deemed released, or

         (b)  Collateral  of  equivalent  value to any loan  (otherwise  than by
renewal  or  extension)  from the  Lender to  Borrower  in which  Collateral,  a
perfected security interest hereunder shall have been obtained contemporaneously
with or most recently prior to such loan.

7. The  Borrower  will  monthly and at such  additional  times as the Lender may
reasonably  request,  deliver to the Lender an ageing  report  identifying  each
Account  (listing  the name and address of each Account  Debtor)  subject to the
security interest hereunder.  The Borrower will also, from time to time, deliver
to the Lender such additional  ageing reports and such  certificates and reports
respecting  all or any of the  Collateral  at the time  subject to the  security
interest hereunder, listing the items or amounts received by Borrower in full or
partial  payment of any of the  Collateral,  and any goods (the sale or lease of
which by the Borrower shall have given rise to any of the Collateral) possession
of which  has been  obtained  by  Borrower,  all to such  extent  as the  Lender
reasonably  may  request.  Any such  schedule,  certificate  or report  shall be
executed by a duly authorized  officer of the Borrower and shall be in such form
and detail as the Lender reasonably may specify.  Any such schedule  identifying
any Account subject to the security interest  hereunder shall be accompanied (if
the Lender so  requests)  by a true and correct  copy of the invoice  evidencing
such Account and by evidence of shipment or performance.

8.  Borrower  covenants and agrees to furnish to the Bank (i) within thirty (30)
days after the end of each  fiscal  quarter,  commencing  with the first  fiscal
quarter, a quarterly operating statement relating to the operations of Borrower;
(ii) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year  commencing  with
the current fiscal year, an annual operating statement containing  statements of
income and expenses relating to the Borrower, including without limitation those


<PAGE>


financial  statements of Borrower  setting  forth in each case,  in  comparative
form,  the  figures  for  the  previous  fiscal  year,  all in form  and  detail
satisfactory  to the Bank;  (iii) within ten (10)  business  days of the date of
their  filing  any state or federal  income tax return  filed by or on behalf of
Borrower;  and (iv) within ten (10)  business days of their filing copies of any
documents or statements  required to be filed with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission including,  without limitation,  any 10Q or 10K forms relating to the
Borrower.

9. The occurrence of any of the following  events shall constitute a Default (as
such term is used herein):  (i) the Bank has not received the full amount of any
of the Borrower's regular  installment  payments and the full amount of any late
charges due thereon within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date the regular
installment payment is due; (ii) the Borrower fails to perform,  keep or observe
any term or condition of this Security Agreement or of any agreement, instrument
or document  securing the performance of Borrower's  obligations  under the Note
and,  such default  remains  uncured at the  expiration of any  applicable  cure
period; (iii) the Borrower fails to execute within seven (7) business days after
presentation  of  any  documents  which  Lender,   in  its  sole  and  exclusive
discretion,  deems  necessary to evidence,  preserve and protect its  interests,
including without  limitation,  any documents,  instruments or agreements deemed
necessary by Lender to evidence  Lender's  security  interest in any FCC License
issued to Borrower or any proceeds thereof.

10. Whenever a Default shall be existing,  the Notes and all other  Indebtedness
may (notwithstanding  any provisions thereof),  at the option of the Lender, and
without  demand or notice of any kind, be declared,  and  thereupon  immediately
shall become, due and payable, and the Lender may exercise from time to time any
rights and remedies  available to it under  applicable law. The Borrower agrees,
in case of  Default,  to  assemble,  at its  expense,  all the  Collateral  at a
convenient  place acceptable to the Lender and to pay all costs of the Lender of
collection of the Notes and all other Indebtedness,  and enforcement of Lender's
rights hereunder,  including reasonable  attorneys fees and legal expenses,  and
expenses  of any  repairs  to any realty or other  property  to which any of the
Collateral may be affixed or be a part.

11. If any  notification  of intended  disposition  of any of the  Collateral is
required by law, such  notification,  if mailed,  shall be deemed reasonably and
properly  given if mailed at least  fourteen (14) days before such  disposition,
postage prepaid, addressed to the Borrower either at the address shown below, or
at any other address of the Borrower appearing on the records of the Lender. Any
proceeds  of any  disposition  of any of the  Collateral  may be  applied by the
Lender to the payment of expenses in connection with the  Collateral,  including
reasonable attorneys' fees and legal expenses,  and any balance of such proceeds
may be applied by the Lender toward the payment of such of the Indebtedness, and
in such order of application, as the Lender may from time to time elect.

12. No delay an the part of the  Lender in the  exercise  of any right or remedy
shall  operate as a waiver  thereof,  and no single or partial  exercise  by the
Lender of any right or remedy shall preclude other or further  exercise  thereof
or the  exercise  of any other  right or  remedy.  If more than one party  shall
execute this Agreement,  the term "Borrower" shall mean all parties signing this
Agreement and each of them and all such parties shall be jointly



<PAGE>


                                            BORROWER:

                                            AMERIHOST PROPERTIES, INC., a 
                                            Delaware Corporation



                                            By:_________________________________
                                                      MICHAEL P. HOLTZ
                                                        President


                                            Name:_______________________________



                                            Title:______________________________








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