AAA Hawaii has announced that three hotels and two restaurants in Hawaii have earned the Five Diamond Rating in the last year, as well as 20 hotels and eight restaurants earning Four Diamond awards. The AAA Four and Five Diamond Ratings are AAA’s highest designations for hotels and restaurants.
Hotels rated Four or Five Diamond are stylish and refined with upscale physical attributes. Guests receive personalized attention from an experienced staff and extensive amenities in a luxurious setting.
Area hotels receiving the AAA Five Diamond Rating, along with the year they were first rated, include:
KAPALUA
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (1996)
KAUPULEHU
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu (1998)
WAILEA
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (1991)
Area hotels receiving AAA Four Diamond ratings, and the year they were first rated, are:
HANA
Travaasa Hotel Hana (2011)
HONOLULU
Halekulani (2001)
The Kahala Hotel & Resort (2006)
The Modern Honolulu (2010)
Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk (2010)
KAANAPALI
Honua Kai Resort & Spa (2012)
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa (1995)
The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas (2010)
KAPOLEI
Aulani - A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii (2012)
JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina (2000)
KOHALA COAST
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows (1999)
The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii (1991)
LANAI CITY
Four Seasons Resort Lana’i at Manele Bay (2007)
Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, The Lodge at Koele (2008)
POIPU
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (1991)
PRINCEVILLE
The St. Regis Princeville Resort (2010)
The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas (2012)
WAILEA
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (1999)
The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui (2002)
Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa (2008)
Restaurants at the Four or Five Diamond level offer a distinctive fine dining experience. Creative chefs, imaginative menus, fresh top-quality ingredients and knowledgeable staff distinguish these establishments.
Area restaurants receiving the AAA Five Diamond Rating include:
HONOLULU
Chef Mavro (2008)
La Mer (1990)
(in the Halekulani)
Area restaurants receiving the AAA Four Diamond Rating are:
HONOLULU
Bali Steak & Seafood (1989)
Hoku's (2002)
Orchids (1995)
KAPOLEI
Azul (1996)
KAUPULEHU
ULU Ocean Grill (2000)
KOHALA COAST
Brown’s Beach House (2011)
LANAI CITY
The Dining Room (2008)
WAILEA
Spago (2010)
Establishments at the Four and Five Diamond rating levels make up just 3.9 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively, of the 59,000 AAA Approved hotels and restaurants. Across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, these select properties represent the upper echelon of the hospitality industry.
"Four and Five Diamond hotels and restaurants provide guests with a personalized experience and attentive service in comfortable, high quality surroundings,” said Liane Sumida, AAA Hawaii general manager. “These establishments consistently exceed the expectations of the most discriminating traveler – the AAA inspector. We are proud to have these dedicated businesses in our region.”
Collectively visiting some 1,200 hotels and restaurants every week, AAA inspectors are in a unique position to identify emerging trends in the hospitality industry. Inspectors have observed hotels and restaurants using increasingly personalized approaches to enhance guest comfort and satisfaction.
Experienced, highly qualified staff are required to provide the custom service today’s upscale hotel guest expects. Larger hotels, faced with the difficulties of responding to individual needs, often restructure their approach. Many use the immediacy of social media to augment the experience as travelers research, book and talk about their stay.
ABOUT AAA/CAA DIAMOND RATINGS
AAA rates more properties than any other rating entity, covering the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. AAA offers the only ratings based on professional, on-site evaluations using published guidelines weighted by member priorities.
AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotel and restaurant listings can be found in the eTourBook® guides and AAA Mobile® app for tablets and smartphones, the TripTik® Travel Planner and Travel Guides on AAA.com and AAA TourBook® guides available at AAA and CAA offices. Travelers can access information about AAA inspections and Diamond Ratings at AAA.com/Diamonds.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 54 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.