Diamonds guide hungry, weary travelers

Providing maps to members is among AAA’s specialties, but people also use AAA as a reliable compass in the search for quality hotels and restaurants.

AAA’s Diamond ratings, from One to Five Diamonds, show where lodgings and restaurants fit in the spectrum from basic to luxury and guide members in finding establishments that match their needs. The ratings are not a measure of quality but of the level of amenities and services. To earn Four Diamonds, lodgings and restaurants must offer excellent hospitality, service, and ambience.

AAA salutes the following Four Diamond Award recipients in our area. Less than 4 percent of the 60,000 AAA-approved properties received this distinction for 2013.

Travelers can access AAA’s Diamond ratings in the TourBook® guides available at AAA offices; via the TripTik® Travel Planner at AAA.com; and in the eTourBook® guides and AAA Mobile® app for tablets and smartphones.

And congratulations to the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, the region’s only property to earn the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award.

Four Diamond hotels and Restaurants

Missouri

• Berkeley hotel: Renaissance St. Louis Hotel Airport (3).
• Branson hotel: Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa (14); • Clayton hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis (23).
• Clayton restaurants: Niche (1); and The Grill (22).
• Kansas City hotels: Hilton President Kansas City (4); The InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza (21); The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection (3); and The Westin Crown Center (8).
• Kansas City restaurants: Bluestem Restaurant (3); and The American Restaurant at Crown Center (21).
• Riverside hotel: Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa (2).
• St. Charles hotel: Ameristar St. Charles Casino Resort & Spa (4).
• St. Louis hotels: Chase Park Plaza (10); Hotel Ignacio (1); Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch (3); Moonrise Hotel (2); Renaissance St. Louis Grand (10); St. Louis Union Station Hotel, A DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel (23); The Cheshire (2); and The Westin St. Louis (11).
• St. Louis restaurants: Cielo Restaurant (2); Giovanni’s on the Hill (24); and Tony’s (13).

Southern Indiana

• French Lick hotel: French Lick Resort (6).
• West Baden Springs hotel: West Baden Springs Hotel (6).

Number in parentheses represents the number of consecutive years the property has received the AAA Four Diamond designation.

AAA deters car theft with VIN etching

As an effective theft deterrent, the Club will offer window etching of your vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number) at several AAA offices this spring.

The cost for the service is $30 for AAA members and $40 for non-members, including six etchings per car. AAA offers discounts on auto insurance for VIN Etching. To make appointments, call 1-800-AAA-ROAD ext. 6821 (with your VIN number handy) at least 48 hours before the below dates.

View dates and locations