(LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17, 2005) — Fifty-six Southern California hotels and 38 restaurants have earned the 2006 AAA Four Diamond Award, the Automobile Club of Southern California announced today.
The coveted gold-rimmed bone china plate emblazoned with four gold diamonds and AAA Four Diamond Award logo written was presented to hotel and restaurant general managers and executive chefs during an awards program at the Westin Mission Hills Resort, Rancho Mirage over the weekend. The award-winning properties are among the top 4 percent of more than 2,500 Southern California hotels, motels, and restaurants inspected by the Auto Club, the nation's largest AAA affiliate.
The Auto Club's Approved Accommodations Manager Charles Smith said, "This year's crop of AAA Four Diamond properties upheld the AAA tradition of exemplary service, attention to detail and beautiful accommodations. The award is bestowed on the men and women in the hospitality industry who strive to make memorable dining and lodging experiences for guests."
The list of 2006 AAA Four Diamond hotels and restaurants throughout Southern California follows, along with the consecutive years each property has earned the award:
2006 AAA Four Diamond hotels and restaurants in Southern California | ||
Years listed | ||
Inyo/Mono Counties Hotel | ||
Death Valley | Furnace Creek Inn | 19 |
Inyo/Mono Counties Restaurant | ||
Bridgeport | Restaurant 1881 | 5 |
Los Angeles County Hotels | ||
Beverly Hills | Regent Beverly Wilshire | 13 |
Glendale | Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale & Executive Meeting Center | 6 |
Los Angeles | Hilton Checkers | 3 |
Hotel Bel-Air | 25 | |
Omni Los Angeles | 3 | |
Park Hyatt Los Angeles at Century City | 18 | |
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza | 23 | |
Pasadena | The Westin — Pasadena | 1 |
Santa Monica | The Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica | 4 |
Le Merigot, A JW Marriott Hotel and Spa | 4 | |
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel | 17 | |
Los Angeles County Restaurants | ||
Beverly Hills | Jaan (Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills) | 2 |
Spago Beverly Hills | 2 | |
Calabasas | Saddle Peak Lodge | 9 |
Glendale | Gennaro’s Ristorante | 6 |
Porter's Prime Steak House (Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale) | 2 | |
Long Beach | The Sky Room | 2 |
Los Angeles | Gardens (Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills) | 11 |
L’Orangerie | 5 | |
Patina | 15 | |
The Restaurant (Hotel Bel-Air) | 8 | |
Marina del Rey | jer-ne restaurant (The Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey) | 5 |
Pasadena | The Dining Room (The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel and Spa) | 3 |
The Raymond Restaurant | 1 | |
Santa Monica | Valentino Restaurant | 11 |
West Hollywood | Diaghilev (Wyndham Bel Age Hotel) | 12 |
Orange County Hotels | ||
Anaheim | Disney’s Grand Californian | 5 |
Dana Point | Blue Lantern Inn | 15 |
Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa | 2 | |
The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa | 1 | |
Huntington Beach | Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort | 15 |
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa | 3 | |
Irvine | Hyatt Regency Irvine | 3 |
Laguna Beach | Surf & Sand Hotel | 15 |
Newport Beach | The Balboa Bay Club Resort & Spa | 2 |
Orange County Restaurants | ||
Dana Point | The Club Grill & Bar | 10 |
Fullerton | The Cellar | 16 |
Huntington Beach | The Californian (Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa) | 3 |
Newport Beach | Pavilion (Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach) | 12 |
The First Cabin (The Balboa Bay Club Resort & Spa) | 2 | |
The Ritz Restaurant & Garden | 13 | |
Riverside County Hotels | ||
Cabazon | Morongo Casino Resort & Spa | 1 |
Indian Wells | Hyatt Grand Champions Resort | 19 |
Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa | 3 | |
Palm Desert | Desert Springs, JW, Marriott Resort & Spa | 19 |
Palm Springs | The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn | 9 |
Rancho Mirage | The Westin Mission Hills Resort | 14 |
Temecula | Pechanga Resort & Casino | 4 |
Riverside County Restaurants | ||
Palm Springs | Europa Restaurant | 1 |
Le Vallauris | 13 | |
Rancho Mirage | The Cafe (The Lodge at Rancho Mirage) | 3 |
Wally's Desert Turtle | 13 | |
Riverside | Duane's Prime Steaks & Seafood (Mission Inn) | 11 |
San Bernardino County Hotels | ||
Big Bear Lake | Alpenhorn Bed & Breakfast | 6 |
San Diego County Hotels | ||
Borrego Springs | La Casa Del Zorro Resort | 13 |
Coronado | Hotel del Coronado | 1 |
Loews Coronado Bay Resort | 14 | |
Del Mar | L’Auberge Del Mar Resort & Spa | 4 |
Fallbrook | Oak Creek Manor — Luxury Bed & Breakfast | 4 |
Julian | Orchard Hill Country Inn | 10 |
La Jolla | Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa | 1 |
Hilton La Jolla/ Torrey Pines | 16 | |
Hyatt Regency La Jolla | 16 | |
La Valencia Hotel | 17 | |
Pala | Pala Casino Resort & Spa | 2 |
Rancho Bernardo | Rancho Bernardo Inn | 29 |
Rancho Santa Fe | Rancho Valencia Resort | 16 |
San Diego | Hilton San Diego Resort | 28 |
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego | 13 | |
Omni San Diego Resort | 1 | |
San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina | 22 | |
San Diego County Restaurants | ||
Carlsbad | Vivace (Four Seasons Resort Aviara) | 7 |
La Jolla | A.R. Valentien (The Lodge at Torrey Pines) | 2 |
George’s at the Cove | 6 | |
Sky Room (La Valencia Hotel) | 15 | |
Rancho Bernardo | El Bizcocho Restaurant (Rancho Bernardo Inn) | 16 |
Rancho Santa Fe | Mille Fleurs | 15 |
San Diego | Baci's | 2 |
Bertrand's at Mister A’s | 12 | |
Molly's (San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina) | 2 | |
San Luis Obispo County Hotels | ||
Cambria | Blue Whale Inn Bed & Breakfast | 15 |
Cayucos | Cayucos Sunset Inn | 4 |
Santa Barbara County Hotels | ||
Ballard | The Ballard Inn | 13 |
Los Olivos | Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn & Spa | 17 |
Santa Barbara | Harbor View Inn | 9 |
Inn On Summer Hill | 16 | |
Santa Ynez | Chumash Casino Resort | 2 |
Santa Ynez Inn | 4 | |
Solvang | Petersen Village Inn | 22 |
Santa Barbara County Restaurants | ||
Ballard | Ballard Inn Restaurant | 1 |
Santa Barbara | La Marina (Four Seasons Biltmore) | 9 |
Santa Ynez | The Willows | 1 |
Ventura County | ||
Ojai | Ojai Valley Inn & Spa | 4 |
AAA's Diamond rating program is the only hotel and restaurant review system in the nation that uses specially trained full-time field representatives. As part of AAA's national network, the Auto Club's own staff reviews establishments in Southern California without prior notification using objective and detailed rating procedures.
Lodging inspections include at least one unannounced inspection each year. Inspectors review and rate exterior, grounds and public areas, room dcor, ambiance and amenities, guest room, bathrooms, housekeeping and maintenance, management and staff and guest services. Once the inspection process is complete, properties that meet all requirements receive a rating of one to five Diamonds.Nationwide, AAA inspects more than 47,000 properties each year. Properties are rated within their own classification, such as motel, hotel, bed and breakfast, etc. There are 13 classifications, ranging from facilities that offer limited services to those offering full services. Fewer than 3 percent of the estimated 25,000 AAA-rated lodgings and less than 4 percent of the estimated 11,000 restaurants attain AAA Four Diamond status. Approximately 60 percent of all lodging facilities in the nation qualify for a one to five Diamond rating. AAA Five Diamond hotels and restaurants will be announced in November.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance, insurance services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's web site at www.aaa.com.###