Two isle hotels
added to AAA
travel guide

Star-Bulletin staff

Two hotels in Hawaii have been added to the prestigious Five Diamond Award list by AAA travel guide, it was announced today.

The Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii on Oahu and the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the Big Island are to receive the award at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Chicago tonight.

Also gaining top-rating for the first time is the Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver, among 105 hotels and restaurants to receive the award this year.

The popular American Automobile Association travel accommodations guide lists more than 36,000 lodgings, rating them on a system of one to five diamonds based on annual inspections. Less than one half of one percent of them receive the five-diamond honor.

Hawaii leads the nations with eight five-diamond hotels, including the Halekulani Hotel; Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua; Ihilani Resort & Spa; Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows; Four Seasons Resort, Wailea; Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa; and the newly added Kahala Mandarin and Four Seasons Hualalai.

California has seven five-diamond hotels. New York City leads in the number of top-rated restaurants with six.

In the restaurant category, La Mer in the Halekulani Hotel won the five-diamond honor.