Ritz-Carlton, Dallas Among Hotels Joining AAA Five Diamond List

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - They say they are the best of the best... and this year a North Texas hotel has joined the list of less than 150 establishments that have a AAA Five Diamond Rating.

Eight hotels have been added as Five Diamond honorees throughout the past year and the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas is one of them. The hotel had to undergo in-person inspections, anonymous overnight stays and a review by a panel of experts before it was awarded the honor.

AAA says that less than 1-percent of the more AAA inspected and approved hotels receive the Five Diamond Rating.

"With more mid-scale properties adding amenities for comfort and convenience, hotels that attain a Five Diamond Rating must stay far ahead of the curve to differentiate themselves through advanced design concepts, highest quality furnishings and scrupulous attention to guests' expectations," explained Kent Livesay, Vice President & General Manager, AAA Texas.

AAA says 121 hotels earned the rating in the past 12 months and the honorees range from regal establishments, like the Williamsburg Inn in Virginia, to sleek high-rises, like the Langham in New York City, and coastal resorts like the Esperanza An Auberge Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

AAA began field inspections of lodgings and restaurants in 1937, then went to a formal rating system in 1963.

Click here to see the complete lists of 2018 AAA Four and Five Diamond Hotels.