Each year in November, AAA releases the lists of
lodgings and
restaurants that will receive a Five Diamond Rating. The lists are always short; in 2009, only 103 hotels and 59 restaurants out of the 58,000 establishments our inspectors visited achieved the Five Diamond level. Many travelers find these “elite” lists interesting even if they would only consider staying or dining in a pricy Five Diamond establishment in their dreams. Most travelers consider the other 57,838 Diamond Rated establishments to be more realistic options when they travel.
Understanding the AAA Diamond Ratings certainly helps when planning any trip - either on a budget or when the sky’s the limit. For example, a One Diamond Rating does not mean that an establishment is ‘bad,' it means that it meets the basic requirements to be AAA Approved: clean, comfortable, with overall hospitality . . . it provides a no-frills, budget-minded experience. Around 42% of lodgings and 70% of restaurants in our listings are 1 or 2 Diamond Rated.
On the other end of the spectrum, the term ‘Five Diamond Award’ is actually a bit misleading. It’s an award in the sense of recognition for achieving high standards, but it’s not a prize. Many recipients see it as a tribute to their staff, as it’s not possible to get a Five Diamond Rating without the efforts of an exceptional team. This year when the Five Diamond lists were released, we noticed a few comments on blogs like “Great, another elitist list of places I can’t afford.” Fair enough. AAA staff talked about the perception of elitism – and responded to a couple of the comments online – because we want people to understand that Five Diamond Rated properties are a small (but interesting) segment of the huge number of lodgings and restaurants we evaluate and include in our travel information.
We’ll continue to publish Five Diamond recipient lists because they provide relevant information for some travelers and dream fodder for others (including many of us!) but we’ll also share travel lists and information focused on other interests and budgets. Here’s a opportunity for readers: What’s a travel list you’d like to see?
