AAA Diamond Awards Recognize Arizona’s Finest Lodging and Restaurants

Phoenix, Ariz., November 9, 2007 – Arizona’s beautiful restaurants and resorts are luring visitors to the desert at incredibly high rates. According to the Arizona Office of Tourism, Arizona hosted 33.7 million domestic and international overnight visitors in 2006, roughly equal to 92,000 visitors per day.

In an effort to help travelers find the best establishments to suit their needs and expectations, AAA’s Diamond Awards provide travelers with a rating system of lodging properties and restaurants.  AAA’s Four and Five Diamond Awards recognize North America’s finest accommodations and restaurants for their exceptional quality, outstanding customer service and first-class amenities. Five Diamond Award winners are truly a select group; for 2008, just 0.27 percent of the 32,000 AAA Rated lodgings and 28,000 AAA Rated restaurants received the prestigious designation.

For 2008, AAA has awarded 65 Arizona hotels and restaurants with Four Diamond status, while nine hotels and restaurants have earned the most coveted AAA distinction: the Five Diamond status.

“These establishments are truly the upper echelon of Arizona’s resort and restaurant industry,” says Jim Prueter, vice president of travel services for AAA Arizona. “The recipient list of Four and Five Diamond winners is definitely where you want to look when searching for a location with high-class service, top notch amenities and the most beautiful grounds imaginable.”

Here’s what’s new this year:

New Five Diamond Hotel:

• The Canyon Suites at the Phoenician in Scottsdale

New Four Diamond Restaurants:

• Asia de Cuba at the Mondrian in Scottsdale 
• Red’s Steakhouse at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park

New Four Diamond Lodgings:

• The DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort in Scottsdale
• The Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix

Interesting Award Trends:

• The Camelback Inn in Scottsdale continues its tradition of excellence by celebrating its 32nd year on the Five Diamond list—the only Arizona property and only one of three properties nationwide to earn Five Diamond status every year since the awards began.
• Arizona has the third-highest Five Diamond hotels in the country at six properties, coming in behind only California (16) and Florida (9).
• The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa in Carefree marks its 19th year as a Five Diamond resort.
• The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess celebrates its 17th consecutive Five Diamond honor.
• The Canyon Suites at the Phoenician in Scottsdale is Arizona’s newest member of the Five Diamond club. It joins Scottsdale’s four other Five Diamond hotels -- the Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort; the Phoenician; the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North; and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

For 2008, AAA has bestowed the coveted Four and Five Diamond Awards on the following Arizona establishments:

AAA first started listing accommodations information in its travel publications in the early 1900s. In 1937 AAA began inspecting hotels, motels and restaurants – rating them as good, very good, excellent or outstanding. In 1977, AAA introduced the five-level Diamond Rating System, which is widely recognized as a leading benchmark of quality ratings for North American restaurants and lodgings.          

Public Affairs Specialist
Office: 602-650-2736
Fax: 602-776-0466
publicrelations@arizona.aaa.com