AAA Awards 8 South Florida hotels with the elite Five Diamond distinction

AAA, the trusted Auto Club famous for roadside assistance and the occasional membership perks of  hotel and dining discounts, released their latest diamond rating lists last week. Of the 118 hotels included in their elite Five Diamond category, 12 of them are located in Florida. Zoom in more closely and eight of these hotels reside in South Florida.

“The difference between AAA and other hotel rating systems is that AAA is the only organization that sends full-time, professionally trained evaluators to inspect properties on an annual basis,” said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman. “Our inspector visits are unannounced, so they will receive the true guest experience.”

Every year AAA reviews more than 28,000 hotels, including resorts, historic inns and bed &  breakfasts, and only 0.4 percent make the AAA Five Diamond list. 

Drumroll please… The AAA Five Diamond Award Winners in South Florida are:

St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort 

The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale

Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa 

Four Seasons Hotel Miami

Mandarin Oriental, Miami

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

The Breakers, Palm Beach

Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach, Sunny Isles Beach

“AAA Five Diamond award winners are the cream of the crop,” said Jenkins. “In Five Diamond hotels, guests receive highly personalized service and indulgent pampering.”

For a complete list of AAA Five Diamond hotels across the country, click here. 

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 6:01 AM.