NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah has announced that three Northern California hotels and seven restaurants have been awarded the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award for 2015, including one first-time recipient.

These establishments represent the upper echelon of hospitality and fine dining.

The AAA Five Diamond lodgings are establishments chosen for providing refined, stylish and upscale physical attributes where guests receive personalized attention from an experienced staff who enhance an extensive array of amenities and services.

The Five Diamond restaurants are chosen for their distinctive culinary experiences that feature highly innovative chefs, handcrafted artisanal menus featuring fresh top-quality ingredients and expert staff.

Northern California AAA Five Diamond Award-winning hotels are:

– The Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco (since 1994).
– The Ritz-Carlton in Truckee, Lake Tahoe (2011).
– Château Du Sureau in Oakhurst (2013).

Northern California AAA Five Diamond Award-winning restaurants are:

– The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena (since 2013).
– Erna’s Elderberry House in Oakhurst (1996).
– The Kitchen Restaurant in Sacramento (2011).
– Benu in San Francisco (2012).
– Gary Danko in San Francisco (2003).
– Saison in San Francisco *(First time-recipient).
– The French Laundry in Yountville (2005).

“Attaining a AAA Five Diamond rating is not an easy undertaking,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris. “Establishments at this level must consistently provide an unparalleled guest environment and experience. We are proud to recognize these dedicated local establishments for the Five Diamond rating.”

AAA inspectors visit more than 58,000 hotels and restaurants over the course of the year, allowing them to identify emerging trends in the industry.

Inspectors have observed hotels increasingly using technology to complement the white glove service guests expect at the ultra-luxury level, allowing options such as mobile check-in and touch-screen access to concierge services.

Similarly at restaurants, they have observed the emergence of tablet-based digital menus, with electronic ordering and tableside payment features.

Continuing a 79-year tradition, AAA professionally trained inspectors rely on published guidelines to conduct unannounced property evaluations. AAA inspectors collectively visit some 1,200 hotels and restaurants nationwide each week.