AAA has unveiled 119 hotels and 67 restaurants nationally that earned the AAA Five Diamond designation in the past 12 months, qualifying them for this year’s AAA Five Diamond Award list. Of the entire list of AAA Five Diamond hotels, three are in Hawaii.
The 2020 Diamonds announcement comes on the heels of the unveiling of the new AAA Diamond Program, which included rebranding the Diamonds from ratings to designations, and updating inspection criteria. More diamonds indicate more elaborate surroundings and attention from service staff.
“The AAA Five Diamond designation reflects the hotels that offer world-class luxury, amenities and indulgence and restaurants that offer leading-edge cuisine and preparation with extraordinary guest service,” said AAA Hawaii’s Liane Sumida. “AAA Hawaii congratulates the Aloha State’s Five Diamond establishments which are the ‘best of the best’ of the AAA Diamond Program.”
Hotels receiving a Five Diamond designation undergo in-person inspections, anonymous overnight stays and an expert panel review to ensure credibility. Fewer than half of 1 percent of the nearly 27,000 AAA hotels receive the AAA Five Diamond designation.
The AAA Five Diamond hotels with the year designated:
Location |
Year |
Ka’upulehu (Hawaii) |
|
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai |
1998 |
Lana’i City (Lana’i) |
|
Four Seasons Resort Lana’i |
2016 |
Wailea (Maui) |
|
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea |
1991 |
AAA Five Diamond restaurants with year designated:
Honolulu (Oahu) |
|
|
Chef Mavro |
2008 |
|
La Mer |
|
1990 |
AAA Four Diamond Properties Announced

AAA Hawaii also announced the local AAA Four Diamond® hotel and restaurant designations, including these three hotels that received the designation for the first time: The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, the The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach and the Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort; and these two restaurants that received the designation for the first time: Allen Wong’s Honolulu and Ka’ana Kitchen.
The AAA Diamond Program provides consumers with the broadest coverage of any evaluation system, geographically and by number of properties, including the U.S, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean. AAA began inspecting hotels and restaurants in 1937.
Travelers can find Diamond Rated establishments and inspector insight in AAA trip planning products: the AAA Mobile® app, the TripTik® Travel Planner and Travel Guides on AAA.com and AAA TourBook® available at AAA/CAA offices.
The local AAA Four Diamond hotels with the year designated:
Location |
Property |
Year |
Honolulu |
Halekulani |
2001 |
|
Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club |
2018 |
|
Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach |
2017 |
|
The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations |
2018 |
|
The Kahala Hotel & Resort |
2006 |
The Modern Honolulu by Diamond Resorts |
2010 |
|
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach |
2019 |
|
|
Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk |
2010 |
Ka’anapali (Maui) |
Honua Kai Resort & Spa |
2012 |
|
The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas |
2010 |
The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas |
2017 |
|
Kapalua (Maui) |
Montage Kapalua Bay |
2014 |
Kapolei (Oahu) |
Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, |
2012 |
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina |
2017 |
|
Kohala Coast (HI) |
The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii |
1991 |
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort |
2019 |
|
Poipu (Kauai) |
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa |
1991 |
|
Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort |
2019 |
|
Koloa Landing at Poipu, Autograph Collection |
2018 |
Princeville (Kauai) |
Princeville Resort |
2010 |
The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas |
2012 |
|
Waikoloa (Hawaii) |
Kings Land, Hilton Grand Vacations Club |
2015 |
Kohala Suites by Hilton Grand Vacations |
2018 |
|
Wailea (Maui) |
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort |
2014 |
Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui |
2017 |
|
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort |
1999 |
|
|
Hotel Wailea, Relais & Chateaux |
2014 |
Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa |
2008 |
|
|

The AAA Four Diamond restaurants with the year designated:
Location |
Property Name |
Year |
Honolulu (Oah’u) |
Alan Wong’s Honolulu |
2019 |
Bali Steak & Seafood |
1989 |
|
Hoku’s |
2002 |
|
Orchids |
1995 |
|
Kapalua (Maui) |
The Banyan Tree |
2017 |
Kohala Coast (Hawaii) |
Brown’s Beach House |
2011 |
Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar |
2014 |
|
Lanai City (Lana’i) |
ONE FORTY |
2016 |
Poipu (Kauai) |
Red Salt |
2015 |
Wailea (Maui) |
Ka’ana Kitchen |
2019 |
Spago |
2010 |
|
The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea |
2016 |
|
Wailuku (Maui) |
The Mill House |
2016 |