2 Newport Hotels Receive AAA's Highest Rating

Ten SoCal hotels --including two in Newport Beach--have received the coveted AAA five diamond award, the Automobile Club of Southern California announced this week.

Newport Beach's Pelican Hill Resort and , both Irvine Co. properties, made the presitigious list yet again. Pelican Hill Resort has made the Five Diamond list since opening in 2008. Kate Starr, resort spokeswoman, said Pelican Hill Resort has earned additional accolades, including the Resort’s most recent honors from Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, Travel + Leisure, Wine Spectator, Golf Digest and more. The Island Hotel, located  near Fashion Island, has received the AAA Five Diamond Award for the last 19 years. 

Patricia Marenco, the AAA's accomodations supervisor, says the organization evaluates about 58,000 properties annually in categories such as cleanliness, condition, staff and guest services. Only the best receive the distinction.

 "The AAA Five Diamond Rating is the prestigious designation in North
America for the global hospitality industry,'' Marenco said in a released statement. "It represents meticulous personalized attention, world-class service and imaginative menus using the finest ingredients in order to reach the AAA's highest standard of service in travel and dining excellence."

Other five diamond winners included the St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach and the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel.

-City News Service contributed to this report.

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