AAA Names Diamond Hotels In South Orange County

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA —It's AAA Four and Five Diamond time again in the southland. This year, Orange County has multiple Four Diamond Hotels. Seven Southland hotels earned the AAA's coveted Five Diamond rating, putting them on a list that includes just 121 hotels nationwide, the Automobile Club of Southern California announced Wednesday.

Dozens of other hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties, meanwhile, earned Four Diamond ratings.

The local hotels earning the Five Diamond rating were The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Montage Laguna Beach, The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach and Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village.

"Hotels that aim for a AAA Five Diamond rating must differentiate themselves through advanced design concepts, highest quality furnishings and scrupulous attention to guest service," said Patricia Marenco, the Auto Club's approved-accommodations supervisor.

Across Southern California, 13 hotels earned the Five Diamond rating. The others making the list were:

-- Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad;
-- The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla;
-- Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara in Montecito;
-- Ojai Valley Inn & Spa;
-- Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Rancho Santa Fe; and
-- Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego.

The Auto Club also released its list of Four-Diamond Ratings for hotels and restaurants. To earn the rating, hotels must be "refined, stylish with upscale physical attributes, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail," according to the Auto Club.

ORANGE COUNTY
Anaheim
-- Disneyland Hotel
-- Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Costa Mesa
-- Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Dana Point
-- Blue Lantern Inn
-- Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa
Huntington Beach
-- Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa
-- The Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel
Laguna Beach
-- Surf & Sand Resort
Newport Beach
-- Balboa Bay Resort
-- Fashion Island Hotel Newport Beach
-- The Duke Hotel Newport Beach

In LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Beverly Hills
-- Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
-- Montage Beverly Hills
-- SLS Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills
-- Viceroy L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
Burbank
-- Hotel Amarano Burbank
Hollywood
-- Loews Hollywood Hotel
-- W Hollywood
Long Beach
-- Hyatt Regency Long Beach
Los Angeles
-- Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
-- Hotel Bel-Air
-- InterContinental Los Angeles Century City
-- JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live
-- Luxe City Center Hotel
-- Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel
-- Mr. C Beverly Hills
-- Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza
-- Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
-- The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles
-- The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
Marina del Rey
-- The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Rancho Palos Verdes
-- Terranea Resort
San Gabriel
Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel
Santa Monica
-- JW Marriott Santa Monica Le Merigot
-- Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica
-- Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
-- Shore Hotel
-- The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
-- Viceroy Santa Monica
Universal City
Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City
West Hollywood
-- Sunset Marquis at Beverly Hills
-- The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills

Photo, courtesy Cassi Gilsper