Fifteen Southern California hotels and two restaurants have received the AAA Five Diamond Award®, the travel authority’s highest rating, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
The Auto Club and AAA’s professional inspectors evaluate and rate 1,200 hotels and restaurants each week or 58,000 lodgings and restaurants each year, more than any other rating entity.
“The AAA Five Diamond Rating is a rating award that’s earned through very hard work while providing guests a highly-personalized luxury experience, and doing so through personal assistance or new technology options such as iPads and TV menus,” said the Auto Club’s Approved Accommodations Supervisor Patricia Marenco. “The Auto Club congratulates Southern California’s 17 outstanding 2015 AAA Five Diamond establishments, their management and employees on their amazing accomplishment.”
Only about 0.3 percent of the 58,000 lodgings and restaurants earn the prestigious AAA Five Diamond distinction. Travelers can find Diamond Rated establishments and inspector insight in AAA trip planning products: the eTourBook® guides and AAA Mobile® app for tablets and smartphones, the TripTik® Travel Planner and Travel Guides on AAA.com and AAA TourBook® guides available at AAA/CAA offices.
The AAA Diamond rating system provides consumers with the broadest coverage of any U.S. rating system, geographically and by number of properties rated, including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
To be considered for AAA approval and rating, lodgings and restaurants must undergo a thorough inspection. The Auto Club’s full-time inspection staff reviews Southern California establishments. AAA Five Diamond establishments go through the most extensive reviews of the Diamond rating programs with candidates for the rating undergoing multiple unannounced evaluations. The inspectors bring significant prior industry experience to the association and apply that experience to give members effective, consistent evaluations that can be used to select the property and restaurant that meets their travel desires.
The Southern California hotels that received the AAA Five Diamond Award with year first rated:
Beverly Hills
L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, 2001
The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, 2008
The Peninsula Beverly Hills, 1993
Carlsbad
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa, 1999
Dana Point
St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach, 2007
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, 1986
La Jolla
The Lodge at Torrey Pines, 2002
Laguna Beach
Montage Laguna Beach, 2012
Marina del Rey
The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, 1992
Newport Beach
The Resort at Pelican Hill (Newport Coast), 2009
Ojai
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, 2006
San Diego
Rancho Valencia Resort And Spa, (Rancho Santa Fe), 2014
The Grand Del Mar, 2009
Santa Barbara
Four Seasons The Biltmore Santa Barbara (Montecito), 2005
Westlake Village
Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, 2008
Two Southern California restaurants receiving a 2015 AAA Five Diamond rating with year rated are:
Beverly Hills
The Belvedere (at The Peninsula Beverly Hills), 1995
San Diego
Addison (at The Grand Del Mar), 2008
AAA started listing accommodation information in its travel publications in the early 1900s. AAA has been doing field inspections of restaurants and lodgings since 1937.