Eight Southland hotels — including first-time honoree Hotel Bel-Air — earned the AAA’s coveted Five Diamond rating, putting them on a list that includes just 119 hotels nationwide, the Automobile Club of Southern California announced Wednesday.
Dozens of other hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties, meanwhile, earned Four Diamond ratings.
The local hotels earning the Five Diamond rating were The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Montage Laguna Beach, Hotel Bel-Air, The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach and Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village.
The list is the same as last year, with the addition of Hotel Bel-Air.
“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 services,” said Patricia Marenco, the Auto Club’s approved-accommodations supervisor.
Across Southern California, 14 hotels earned the Five Diamond rating. The others making the list, unchanged from last year, were:
— Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad;
— The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla;
— Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara in Montecito;
— Ojai Valley Inn & Spa;
— Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Rancho Santa Fe; and
— Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego.
Meanwhile, Providence restaurant in Hollywood earned the AAA Five Diamond rating for restaurants, joining The Belvedere in Beverly Hills as the only Southland eateries so honored. The only other restaurant in Southern California to earn the ranking was the Addison in San Diego.
Three Beverly Hills restaurants earned the Four Diamond Rating:
— Cut by Wolfgang Puck at the Beverly Wilshire;
— The Blvd at the Beverly Wilshire; and
— Spago Beverly Hills.
Also earning the distinction were Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas; Culina Modern Italian at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills; Patina; Nobu Malibu; 71Above Restaurant & Skylounge; and The Raymond Restaurant in Pasadena.
In Orange County, restaurants earning Four Diamonds were Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa; Raya in Dana Point; The Cellar in Fullerton; Marche Moderne in Newport Beach; and Studio at Montage Laguna Beach.
Numerous Southland hotels earned Four Diamond ratings. To earn the rating, hotels must be “refined, stylish with upscale physical attributes, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail,” according to the Auto Club.
Southland hotels landing on the list were:
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Beverly Hills
— Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
— Montage Beverly Hills
— SLS Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills
— Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
— Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
Burbank
— Hotel Amarano Burbank
Hollywood
— Loews Hollywood Hotel
— W Hollywood
Long Beach
— Hyatt Regency Long Beach
Los Angeles
— Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
— InterContinental Los Angeles Century City
— InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown
— JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live
— Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel
— Mr. C Beverly Hills
— Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza
— Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
— The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles
— The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
Manhattan Beach
— Westdrift Manhattan Beach, Autograph Collection
Marina del Rey
— The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Rancho Palos Verdes
— Terranea Resort
San Gabriel
— Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel
— The Sheraton Los Angeles San Gabriel
Santa Monica
— JW Marriott Santa Monica Le Merigot
— Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
— The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
— Viceroy Santa Monica
— The Huntley Santa Monica Beach
Universal City
— Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City
— Sheraton Universal Hotel at Universal Studios
West Hollywood
— Sunset Marquis at Beverly Hills
— The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills
— Kimpton La Peer Hotel
ORANGE COUNTY
Anaheim
— Disneyland Hotel
— Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Costa Mesa
— Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Dana Point
— Blue Lantern Inn
— Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa
Huntington Beach
— Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa
— The Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel
— Pasea Hotel & Spa
Laguna Beach
— Surf & Sand Resort
— The Ranch at Laguna Beach
Newport Beach
— Balboa Bay Resort
— Fashion Island Hotel Newport Beach
— Renaissance Newport Beach Hotel
— Lido House, Autograph Collection