ORLANDO, Fla.—AAA has unveiled 121 hotels that earned the AAA Five Diamond Rating in the past 12 months, qualifying them for this year’s Five Diamond Award list. Honorees run the gamut from historic inns to high-tech high-rises and sprawling coastal resorts. Eight hotels have been added as Five Diamond honorees throughout the past year.
“Attaining a Five Diamond Rating is an exceptional accomplishment that signifies meticulous attention to detail, creativity in enhancing comfort, outstanding service, and memorable guest experiences,” says Michael Petrone, director of AAA Inspections & Diamond Ratings. “And as more mid-scale and even budget properties are adding amenities for comfort and convenience, hotels that aim for a Five Diamond Rating must stay far ahead of the curve to differentiate themselves through advanced design concepts, highest quality furnishings, and scrupulous attention to guests’ expectations.”
The hotels receiving a Five Diamond Rating undergo a number of checks and balances including in-person inspections, anonymous overnight stays, and review by a panel of experts to ensure credibility. Fewer than half of 1 percent of the more than 27,000 AAA Inspected & Approved hotels receive the Five Diamond Rating.
AAA first began inspecting hotels and restaurants in 1937—the same year Virginia’s Williamsburg Inn opened its doors. More than 80 years later, the property has attained the exclusive AAA Five Diamond Rating. The eight honorees added to the list this year include:
Esperanza an Auberge Resort
Located in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, this intimate seaside resort allows guests to enjoy the water many ways. Guests can soak in hot tubs in terraces overlooking the ocean, swim in one of several pools, or lounge on a private beach.
Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
High-tech meets classic comforts with features including an indoor, 75-foot lap pool bathed in natural light and surrounded by comfortable chaise lounges. The resort attained the AAA Five Diamon Rating shortly after opening.
Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya
Located in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, this resort has a multi-tiered pool and a theater built for world-class Cirque du Soleil shows.
Grand Velas Los Cabos
This new resort in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, offers oversize, elegant suites with dramatic ocean views. All guest units include terraces, some of which have plunge pools. The resort attained the AAA Five Diamon Rating shortly after opening.
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa
On Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands, this oceanfront resort is named after the jaw-dropping bursts of color guests can view at sunset. The property includes fully furnished balconies with sofa seating and an 8,500-square-foot spa with a Turkish hammam. This resort also attained the AAA Five Diamon Rating shortly after opening.
The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue
Close-up views of the Empire State Building are among the stunning hallmarks of this property, where rooms have fine wood finishes, high-tech accessories, and marble bathrooms.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
Museum-quality artwork, a luxurious club-level lounge, and a nationally acclaimed restaurant set this Texas hotel apart.
Williamsburg Inn (top photo)
Just a few minutes’ walk from the historic Williamsburg, Va. area, this opulent inn takes guests back in time, with richly canopied beds, silk drapes and bedding, antiques, and fine artwork. The inn recently underwent a multi-phase renovation.
