Colorado’s Absolute Best Places to Eat and Stay: AAA’s Coveted 2017 Diamond List
DENVER, January 27, 2017 – AAA Colorado today announced that four Colorado hotels and one restaurant have been awarded AAA’s annual Five Diamond Rating. With winners representing just 0.3 percent of the nearly 59,000 AAA approved and Diamond-rated establishments, a Five Diamond rating stands as one of the most coveted, well-known, and respected distinctions in global travel.
The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs has kept its Five Diamond Rating for the 41st consecutive year. First awarded when AAA introduced its Diamond Rating system in 1976, it is the only hotel in the world to have maintained its rating through today. The Penrose Room at the Broadmoor remains Colorado’s only Five Diamond restaurant.
The Little Nell in Aspen has received a Five Diamond Rating for 26 consecutive years. In Denver, The Ritz Carlton, Denver has been a Five Diamond Rated-hotel for seven consecutive years, while the Four Seasons Hotel has held the distinction for three consecutive years.
“Colorado has always boasted some of the nation’s most luxurious, sophisticated, and comfortable accommodations,” said AAA President and CEO Linda Cavanagh. “Look no further than the Broadmoor, the nation’s longest-standing Five Diamond-rated hotel, for proof that Colorado’s hotels provide their guests unparalleled experiences.”
Five Diamond candidates undergo multiple unannounced evaluations by a AAA inspector and a final decision by a panel of experts. Inspectors meticulously evaluate guest services and physical attributes, closely examining the level of competence, refinement, and hospitality — from reservations to checkout for hotels and from seating to presentation for restaurants.
Colorado is also home to 34 Four Diamond-rated hotels. New to the list this year are Denver’s the ART hotel and the Westin Denver International Airport, both awarded the distinction during their very first year of operation.
“The ART, a hotel, is extremely proud to have been awarded AAA’s Four Diamond Award in our first year,” said David Bodette, general manager of the ART Hotel. “AAA’s Diamond Awards are steeped in a tradition of travel excellence, executed by seasoned industry professionals creating an impartial rating that will truthfully reflect the travel experience for each property. At the ART and our parent company Commonwealth Hotel Collection, we strive to create an intimate, refined experience for each of our guests – who will see our AAA Four Diamond Award upon entering and be assured their expectations will be exceeded. This is the power of the Diamond Awards.”
“The Westin Denver International Airport is thrilled to carry the distinction of AAA Four Diamond, as this designation speaks to the caliber of product and service that our discerning guests expect,” said Michele Chalupa, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Westin Denver International Airport. “This award represents the experience that our guests will receive during their stay with us, and we are very proud to receive this during our first year in operation.”
AAA is the only rating system that conducts on-site professional evaluations guided by member priorities. With more properties than any other rating entity, AAA is the only rating system that covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. For 78 years AAA has used professional inspectors to conduct in-person property inspections and publish the results, on a system of One to Five Diamonds, to guide member travel decisions.
ABOUT AAA COLORADO
AAA Colorado has more than 640,000 members and is an advocate for safety and security for all travelers. As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides over 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive related services, as well as member exclusive savings.