AAA Adds 10 Hotels to Exclusive Five Diamond List for 2019

AAA has published their new list of approved Five Diamond Hotels for 2019.  AAA has added 4 new US hotels and 6 international hotels.  The new hotels added are the following:


Baccarat Hotel New York (New York, New York) – Crystal chandeliers sparkle as they chime overhead and exquisite stemware overflows with champagne in the lounges, creating rich pleasures for the senses at this storybook destination from the fabled French glass company.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) – The unique mixture of Asian and Mexican architecture is stunning throughout. This gated resort, located on the famed Riviera Maya coast, blends untouched nature in a carefully maintained ecosystem.
Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver, Canada) – Guests are pampered at this luxury tower, which has a beautiful, innovative design. Gorgeous rooms with spectacular views feature an enhanced Pacific Northwest feel.
Hotel Emma (San Antonio, Texas) – Guests will be stunned by this chic hotel, the site of the former Pearl’s Brewhouse, built in 1894, including its upscale, beautifully crafted lobby, library and rooftop pool areas.
Montage Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) – This upscale property features several infinity-edge pools that blend in with the ocean and overlook the secluded beach. The impressive guest bathrooms feature indoor and outdoor showers.
NIZUC Resort & Spa (Cancun, Mexico) – This beautiful and expansive resort features rustic and elegant Mayan-inspired décor. The guest rooms are spacious with many custom furnishings and luxurious features.
Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico) – This colonial-style hacienda has gorgeous public areas and meticulously maintained gardens. The spacious guest rooms feature a refined colonial décor with a fireplace and terrace.
The Dominick Hotel (New York, New York) – With stellar views of the city, this bastion of contemporary luxury features swanky modern Italian furnishings, impressive artworks and marble bathrooms. The SoHo location puts you at the very heart of Manhattan’s fashion culture.
The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston (Houston, Texas) – Houston’s premier property offers its guests impeccable service and highest quality amenities. This contemporary hotel is a crown jewel among the city’s accommodations.
The St. Regis Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico) – This gleaming hotel tower offers large rooms complete with high-tech conveniences and a butler. The views are stunning, with many overlooking iconic symbols of Mexico.

Congratulations to the new award-winning hotels and restaurants!  From the AAA press release:

Many of this year’s new Five Diamond honorees have received top marks in the past for their physical attributes that, although impressive, were not paired with AAA’s exceptionally high Five Diamond service expectations, until now. After demonstrating notable service enhancements, San Antonio’s first Five Diamond establishment, Hotel Emma, as well as Banyan Tree Mayakoba, NIZUC Resort & Spa, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, and The St. Regis Mexico City, received the coveted fifth Diamond for the first time.

Others, like Baccarat Hotel, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston and Montage Los Cabos, attained the AAA Five Diamond Rating shortly after opening within the past 12 months. 

Hotel trends observed by AAA inspectors, often appearing first at high-end properties, include continued developments in the use of technology to enhance service. Responding to this trend, AAA recently updated its hotel Approval Requirements & Diamond Rating Guidelines, which reflect the importance of connective technologies such as availability of in-room tablets, mobile apps, interactive kiosks, mobile key technology and digital messaging services.

Those at the Four Diamond level, just 6.3 percent of AAA Inspected & Approved hotels, are also an exclusive group. They must be refined and stylish with upscale physical attributes, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail. This year, there are 1,722 Four Diamond hotels.

To see the complete lists of 2019 AAA Four and Five Diamond Hotels, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards. To see which cities and states have the most award winners, see AAA Four and Five Diamond Hotel Facts. Also of note among the new additions to the list is the first Five Diamond Rated property in Grenada, Spice Island Beach Resort. The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs remains the only hotel that has maintained the Five Diamond Rating for 41 consecutive years – since 1976 when AAA first introduced the Diamond Ratings for accommodations. The Inn at Little Washington Dining Room in Virginia remains the longest tenured Five Diamond restaurant, the only one to maintain the coveted status for 29 consecutive years, since 1988.

“These leading edge properties are well-positioned to meet the needs of discerning travelers. Their noted attributes include contemporary design trends and the highest quality food and amenities. Personalized, attentive service is foremost, delivered in ways that offer guests inspiring and memorable local experiences,” said Petrone.

Candidates for the Five Diamond Rating undergo multiple unannounced evaluations and a final decision by a panel of experts. Using guidelines weighted by member priorities, inspectors meticulously evaluate guest services and physical attributes to assess the level of competence, refinement and hospitality and assign a corresponding rating of One to Five Diamonds.

For more information about Diamond Ratings and the complete lists of Four and Five Diamond hotels and restaurants, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards.

Currently, only .3% of all AAA-rated hotels achieved the Five Diamond Rating.  AAA rated 59,000 hotels for 2019.

Here is the full list of 2019 AAA Five Diamond Rated Hotels:

2019 AAA Five Diamond Rated Hotels:

Arizona
MARANA
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain (2015)
SCOTTSDALE
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (1991)
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, A Luxury Collection
Resort, Scottsdale (2007)
The Phoenician, A Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale (2004)

California
BEVERLY HILLS
The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows (2008)
The Peninsula Beverly Hills (1993)
CARLSBAD
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa (1999)
DANA POINT
Monarch Beach Resort (2007)
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel (1986)
LA JOLLA
The Lodge at Torrey Pines (2002)
LAGUNA BEACH
Montage Laguna Beach (2012)
MONTECITO
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara (2005)
NEWPORT BEACH
The Resort at Pelican Hill (2009)
OAKHURST
Château du Sureau (2013)
OJAI
Ojai Valley Inn (2006)
RANCHO SANTA FE
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa (2014)
SAN DIEGO
Fairmont Grand Del Mar (2009)

SAN FRANCISCO
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco (1994)
TRUCKEE
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe (2011)
WESTLAKE VILLAGE
Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village (2008)


Colorado
ASPEN
The Little Nell (1991)
COLORADO SPRINGS
The Broadmoor (1976)
DENVER
Four Seasons Hotel Denver (2014)
The Ritz-Carlton, Denver (2010)


Connecticut
MORRIS
Winvian Farm (2010)


District of Columbia
WASHINGTON
Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. (1989)
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown (2004)
The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. (2001)


Florida
BAL HARBOUR
St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort (2012)
FERNANDINA BEACH
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island (2012)
FORT LAUDERDALE
The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale (2009)
LAKE BUENA VISTA
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World
Resort (2014)

MANALAPAN
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa (2008)
NAPLES
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples (1987)
PALM BEACH
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach (2009)
The Breakers, Palm Beach (1996)
PONTE VEDRA BEACH
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club (2002)
SUNNY ISLES BEACH
Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach (2009)


Georgia
ATLANTA
Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta (1999)
The St. Regis Atlanta (2010)


ST. SIMONS ISLAND
The Lodge at Sea Island (2001)
SEA ISLAND
The Cloister (2015)


Hawai‘i
KAPALUA (MAUI)
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (1996)
KAUPULEHU (HAWAI‘I)
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (1998)
LĀNA‘I CITY (LĀNA‘I)
Four Seasons Resort Lanaʽi (2016)
WAILEA (MAUI)
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (1991)


Illinois
CHICAGO
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago (1990)
The Peninsula Chicago (2002)
Trump International Hotel & Tower (2010)

Massachusetts
BOSTON
Four Seasons Hotel Boston (1988)
Mandarin Oriental, Boston (2009)
The Ritz-Carlton, Boston (2010)


Nevada
LAS VEGAS
ARIA Resort & Casino (2010)
ARIA Sky Suites (2011)
Bellagio (2001)
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas (1999)
SKYLOFTS at MGM Grand (2006)
Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas (2010)
Wynn Tower Suites (2013)


New York
NEW YORK
Baccarat Hotel New York (2018)*
Four Seasons Hotel New York (1994)
Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown (2017)
Mandarin Oriental, New York (2005)
Park Hyatt New York (2015)
The Dominick Hotel (2018)*
The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue (2017)
The Peninsula New York (1999)
The Pierre New York-A Taj Hotel (2009)
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park (2002)
The St. Regis New York (2016)


North Carolina
CARY
The Umstead Hotel & Spa (2007)
CHARLOTTE
The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte (2010)
FEARRINGTON VILLAGE
The Fearrington House Inn (1994)


Pennsylvania
FARMINGTON
Falling Rock (2006)

Rhode Island
WATCH HILL
Ocean House (2011)
South Carolina
KIAWAH ISLAND
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (2006)


Texas
DALLAS
The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas (2017)
HOUSTON
The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston (2018)*
SAN ANTONIO
Hotel Emma (2018)*


Utah
PARK CITY
Montage Deer Valley (2013)


Virginia
RICHMOND
The Jefferson Hotel (2016)


WASHINGTON
The Inn at Little Washington (1989)
WILLIAMSBURG
Williamsburg Inn (2017)


Wisconsin
KOHLER
The American Club (1985)


Wyoming
TETON VILLAGE
Four Seasons Resort & Residences Jackson Hole (2006)

CANADA
British Columbia
VANCOUVER
Fairmont Pacific Rim (2018)*
Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver (2012)
Ontario
TORONTO
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto (2013)
The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto (2011)
Québec
MONTRÉAL
The Ritz-Carlton Montréal (2012)


CARIBBEAN
Barbados
HOLETOWN (ST. JAMES PARISH)
Sandy Lane Hotel (2003)


Cayman Islands
SEVEN MILE BEACH
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa (2017)
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman (2014)


Dominican Republic
PUNTA CANA
Tortuga Bay Punta Cana Resort & Club (2010)


Grenada
ST. GEORGE’S
Spice Island Beach Resort (2016)


Puerto Rico
DORADO
Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve (2016)

RIO GRANDE
St. Regis Bahia Beach Puerto Rico (2012)


MEXICO
Baja California Sur
CABO SAN LUCAS
Esperanza An Auberge Resort (2017)
Montage Los Cabos (2018)*
The Resort at Pedregal (2012)
SAN JOSÉ DEL CABO
Grand Velas Los Cabos (2017)
Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort (2002)
One&Only Palmilla (2014)
Distrito Federal
MEXICO CITY
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City (2016)
The St. Regis Mexico City (2018)*
Guanajuato
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (2018)*
Jalisco
PUERTO VALLARTA
Hotel Mousai (2015)
Nayarit
NUEVO VALLARTA
Grand Luxxe (2014)
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit (2007)
PUNTA MITA
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico (2001)
The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort (2009)

Quintana Roo
CANCÚN
Le Blanc Spa Resort (2010)
NIZUC Resort & Spa (2018)*
The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun (1996)
PLAYA DEL CARMEN
Banyan Tree Mayakoba (2018)*
Fairmont Mayakoba (2007)
Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya (2017)
Grand Velas Riviera Maya (2010)
Rosewood Mayakoba (2009)
Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun (2013)
PUERTO MORELOS
Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya (2004)

Source:  AAA 5 Diamond List

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