Six Santa Ynez Valley hotels and restaurants have received the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award for this year, the Automobile Club of Southern California announced Tuesday.
The Ballard Inn, Ballard Inn Restaurant, Chumash Casino Resort & Spa, Chumash Casino Resort's Willows Restaurant, Petersen Village Inn and the Santa Ynez Inn received the coveted plaque featuring a design of four raised diamonds and AAA Four Diamond Award logo.
According to the Auto Club, this is the 25th consecutive year that the Petersen Village Inn has received the award and the 16th for the Ballard Inn.
This is the Santa Ynez Inn's seventh consecutive honor, the fifth for the Chumash Casino Resort and Spa, and the fourth for the Willows and Ballard Inn restaurants.
Only three other properties in Santa Barbara County received the award this year, all in Santa Barbara: the Harborview Inn, Inn on Summer Hill and Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort.
Hotel and restaurant general managers and executive chefs are recognized along with the award-winning properties, which rank among the top 4 percent of more than 2,600 Southern California hotels, motels and restaurants inspected by the Auto Club, the nation's largest AAA affiliate.
Only 65 Southern California hotels and 36 restaurants were honored this year.
“AAA's Diamond Rating System is the only ratings system that covers all of North America and one of only two that conduct physical, on-site evaluations,” said Patricia Marenco of the Auto Club.
Lodging inspections include at least one unannounced inspection each year by Auto Club staff members. Inspectors review and rate exterior, grounds and public areas, room décor, ambiance and amenities, guest rooms, bathrooms, housekeeping and maintenance, management and staff, and guest services.
Once the inspection process is complete, properties that meet all requirements receive a rating of one to five diamonds.
To see the complete list of Four Diamond hotels and restaurants in Southern California, go to
news.aaa-calif.com/pr/aaa/Hotels-Restaurants-Earn-AAA-Four-Diamond.aspx.
October 16, 2008
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