It’s awards season for more than movies and music. AAA has honored 121 hotels, ranging from regal historic inns to sleek high-rises and sprawling coastal resorts, with this year’s AAA Five Diamond rating. Fewer than half of 1 percent of the more than 27,000 AAA-inspected hotels rise to this level of “meticulous attention to detail, creativity in enhancing comfort, outstanding service and memorable guest experiences,” in the words of Michael Petrone, director of AAA inspections and diamond ratings. Eight hotels are brand-new Five Diamond honorees, and here they are.
Esperanza An Auberge Resort, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Guests can enjoy the water many ways at this intimate seaside resort: They can soak in hot tubs in terraces overlooking the ocean, swim in one of several pools or lounge on a private beach.
Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, New York City
High-tech meets classic comforts with features including an indoor 75-foot lap pool bathed in natural light and surrounded by comfortable chaise lounges.
Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa, Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Island
This stylish oceanfront resort, named after the jaw-dropping bursts of color guests can view at sunset, includes fully furnished balconies with sofa seating and an 8,500-square-foot spa with a Turkish hammam.
The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue, New York City
Close-up views of the Empire State Building are among the stunning hallmarks of this property, where rooms have fine wood finishes, high-tech accessories and marble bathrooms.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
Museum-quality artwork, a luxurious club-level lounge and a nationally acclaimed restaurant set this hotel apart.
Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg, Virginia
Just a few minutes’ walk from the historic area, this opulent inn takes guests back in time, with richly canopied beds, silk drapes and bedding, antiques and fine artwork.
Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
A multi-tiered pool and a theater built for world-class Cirque du Soleil shows are among the unique offerings at this resort.
Grand Velas Los Cabos, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico
This new resort offers oversize, elegant suites with drama tic ocean views. All guest units include terraces, some of which have plunge pools.
