AAA announces 2011 Five Diamond Hotels

Most have had the 5 Diamond status for years but there are 15 new hotels added this year and all but 4 of the 15 are in the US. I thought it was interesting that New York is no longer the leader with the most 5 Diamond hotels. Vegas has taken over the lead with 9 Five Diamond hotels. Lots of Ritz-Carlton's on the list.

I've seen some of these offered here on LL.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotel...mondhotels.pdf

To go along with a luxurious hotel stay, here is the 2011 Five Diamond Restaurant List. In the US only 1 new restaurant was added on the list. AAA inspects properties in Canada, the Caribbean & Mexico. The 3 new ones this year:

- Lumiere in Vancouver
- Carolina at the St Regis in Punta Mita
- Winvian in Morris, CT

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotel...estaurants.pdf

jmbklj, maybe it's a short fall on my part, but I have never really paid much, if any, attention to 5 Diamond ratings from AAA

I still associate AAA as an organization I phone when I have trouble with my automobile.

Silly me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jsattapr2

jmbklj, maybe it's a short fall on my part, but I have never really paid much, if any, attention to 5 Diamond ratings from AAA

I still associate AAA as an organization I phone when I have trouble with my automobile.

Silly me.

---

I hear ya....just one list or indicator. Yes, I still have my AAA card & thanks goodness I haven't had to use it for years! But I often use those AAA discount rates for hotel stays. They come in pretty handy.

Yep, same for us....call AAA when we have car problems and check the AAA rate when booking on-line hotels. Don't think the 5 Diamond ratings have ever influenced a hotel or restaurant choice for us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jmbklj

Most have had the 5 Diamond status for years but there are 15 new hotels added this year and all but 4 of the 15 are in the US. I thought it was interesting that New York is no longer the leader with the most 5 Diamond hotels. Vegas has taken over the lead with 9 Five Diamond hotels. Lots of Ritz-Carlton's on the list.

I've seen some of these offered here on LL.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotel...mondhotels.pdf

To go along with a luxurious hotel stay, here is the 2011 Five Diamond Restaurant List. In the US only 1 new restaurant was added on the list. AAA inspects properties in Canada, the Caribbean & Mexico. The 3 new ones this year:

- Lumiere in Vancouver
- Carolina at the St Regis in Punta Mita
- Winvian in Morris, CT

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotel...estaurants.pdf

---

My family has never made a lodging decision based on AAA ratings.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kapper

My family has never made a lodging decision based on AAA ratings.

---

Neither have I. That wasn't the purpose of the post. It's just one list of many.

Appreciate it JMBKLJ. Makes more sense than the Forbes one!

We have used AAA maps, bks & travel agent services, and last yr found their insurance services invaluable when the tsunami warning hit Hawaii. One phone call worked to readjust our plane, car rental & hotel stay when the east side of the Big Island was closed.

On 3 islands, the hospitality service outlook of the islands shined, as people forsook their own homes & families in the possible path, to be on duty to help tourists.
**************
We love maps, and in the last 2yrs have been fortunate to have in the area, the retired head of the Library of Congress map room.

The problem with AAA lodging ratings is that diamonds are largely awarded on the basis of the quantity of amenities that are provided by the hotel, rather than the quality. For example, a hotel may be given an extra diamond if it has valet parking, an exercise room, or a spa, while a small boutique hotel may be far more luxurious but may not be large enough to offer as many amenities. I've seen many smaller properties that were given lower rankings than big properties even though I considered them to be much nicer than the higher ranked properties. Use the AAA rankings as a general guide, but consider other sources as well. I like to read the reviews in Trip Advisor for details of first hand experiences.

Never pay attention to ratings unless they are horrible - what one person likes may not be what I like, etc.
If I am going to a particular place, I may read reviews about it and give some consideration when I am looking for a hotel but I have gone to many places that had great ratings and it did not really do it for us. Same for eating - some restaurants we have gone to in Guatemala, for example, had excellent reviews for their food but in alot of cases did not agree

I do and have a great time