AAA Names a Baker´s Dozen New Five Diamond Lodgings, Restaurants for 2006

For the first time since 2001, AAA has added more restaurants than lodgings to its list of Five Diamond Award winners. The 2006 list includes seven additional restaurants and six more lodgings, bringing the total number of Five Diamond properties to 150.

The 2006 list also includes two new properties each in Florida and California, the only states to add more than one Five Diamond property to the list. AAA rates nearly 57,000 restaurants and lodgings throughout all 50 America states, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, providing the broadest coverage of any U.S. rating system, both geographically and by number of properties rated.

New to the list in 2006 are The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota and The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, both in Florida. California added a new restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, and a new hotel, the Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara.

To be considered for AAA rating and approval, restaurants and lodgings must undergo a thorough inspection by one of AAA´s 65 full-time, trained, professional evaluators. Five Diamond establishments go through more extensive inspections and final committee review.