Top Hotels and Restaurants in Santa Barbara Earn 2013 AAA Four Diamond Award Rating

Included are 11 Santa Barbara County hotels and restaurants that earned the rating.

The coveted AAA Four Diamond Award is presented to hotel and restaurant general managers and executive chefs to recognize the award-winning properties, which rank among the top 3.9 percent of 59,000 hotels and restaurants inspected by AAA and the Auto Club, the nation’s largest AAA affiliate.

“AAA Four Diamond hotels and restaurants are committed to providing every guest with a personalized experience in comfortable, high-quality surroundings,” said the Auto Club’s Approved Accommodations Supervisor Patricia Marenco. “We’re proud to recognize Southern California’s hotels and restaurants that earn the AAA Four Diamond rating. These establishments consistently exceed the expectations of the most discriminating traveler – the AAA inspector. We’re pleased to have these dedicated businesses in our region.”

AAA’s Diamond rating program is the only hotel and restaurant review system in the nation that uses specially trained full-time field representatives who visit 1,200 hotels and restaurants every week. As part of AAA’s network, the Auto Club’s staff reviews establishments in Southern California without prior notification using objective and detailed rating procedures.

The local list of 2013 AAA Four Diamond hotels and restaurants follows, along with year rated:

Santa Barbara County Hotels; Year Rated

Los Olivos Fess Parker Wine Country Inn 2012

Santa Barbara Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort 2006

Harbor View Inn 1997

Inn On Summer Hill 1990

Santa Ynez Chumash Casino Resort & Spa 2004

Santa Ynez Inn 2002

Solvang

Hotel Corque 2011

Petersen Village Inn 1984

The Ballard Inn 1993

Santa Barbara County Restaurants

Santa Ynez The Willows (Chumash Casino Resort & Spa) 2005

Solvang The Ballard Inn Restaurant (The Ballard Inn) 2005

Lodging inspections include at least one unannounced inspection each year. 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.

AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotel and restaurant listings can be found in the downloadable eTourBook® guides and AAA Mobile® app for tablets and smartphones, the TripTik® Travel Planner and Travel Guides on AAA.com, and AAA TourBook® guides available at AAA and CAA offices. Travelers can access information about AAA inspections and Diamond Ratings at AAA.com/Diamonds.