AAA Diamonds designate sparkling hotels, restaurants

The Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa and Convention Center in Branson, Mo. Chateau on the Lake photo

When AAA tourism editors visit hotels and restaurants in the Midwest, they’re looking for properties that speak the language of customer satisfaction, and those that earn four Diamonds express it clearly and convincingly.

AAA recently assigned its Four Diamond Award rating to nine hotels and six restaurants in the region for 2008 after extensive research. The ratings, from one to five Diamonds, show where estab-
lishments fit in the spectrum from basic to luxury and guide members in selecting establishments appropriately matched to their needs and expectations.

More than 65 AAA tourism editors conduct unannounced evaluations at facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean annually, and they scrutinize areas such as cleanliness, ambiance, amenities and service.

To earn four Diamonds, lodgings must offer impressive surroundings with a high degree of service, hospitality and attention to detail. The guest rooms must be spacious and well-appointed, with superior furnishings and first-class amenities.

Likewise, four Diamond-rated restaurants must feature luxurious fine dining with excellent service and upscale ambiance. Menus typically reflect a high degree of creativity and complexity with imaginative presentations to enhance market-fresh ingredients.

Only an estimated 3 percent of the more than 32,000 AAA-rated lodgings and 3 percent of the nearly 28,000 AAA-rated restaurants were awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond designation for 2008.

AAA is proud to salute the following 2008 Four Diamond Award recipients in our area. The number in parentheses represents the number of consecutive years the facility has received the AAA Four Diamond Award.

Missouri Lodging
• Branson: Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa and Convention Center (9).
• Clayton: The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis (18).
• Kansas City: Hotel Phillips (6); The InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza (16); The Westin Crown Center (3).
• St. Louis: Chase Park Plaza (5); Hyatt Regency St. Louis at Union Station (18); Renaissance Grand and Suites Hotel St. Louis (5); and The Westin St. Louis (6).

Missouri Restaurants
• Clayton: The Grill (17).
• Kansas City: The American Restaurant at Crown Center (16).
• St. Louis: An American Place (3); Faust’s (19); Giovanni’s on the Hill (19); Tony’s (8).

To find other AAA four Diamond properties across the country, visit the Web site www.AAA.com and click on the TourBook® section.

Members save at St. Louis Auto Show

More than 600 cars, trucks and SUVs will be on display. St. Louis Auto Show photo

You can’t take the cars at the St. Louis Auto Show for a test drive around the Edward Jones Dome, but the annual car show offers an outstanding venue to compare vehicles from different auto makers without any sales pressure.

More than 600 new cars, trucks and SUVs from 30 manufacturers will be on display during the show set for Jan. 23–27 at the dome and the adjoining America’s Center. Visitors can get in the cars and try them on for size to see if the seats are comfortable, if the controls are within reach and if there is enough legroom in back. And AAA members can enjoy all the spectacle and the shopping at a discount.

Regular ticket prices are $9 for adults and $5 for children 6–12, but AAA members can save $2 off the adult ticket price on Thursday, Jan. 24, and Friday, Jan. 25, when they show their AAA card at the ticket booth. Show hours are noon–9 p.m. Wednesday–Thursday, noon–10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sunday. For details, call (314) 342-5000 or visit online at www.saintlouisautoshow.com.