Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, St. Regis top diamond hotel list

Four metro Atlanta hotels received top honors in AAA’s annual list of the best in state hospitality, but the area’s restaurants were shut out from the highest prize.

The Four Seasons Atlanta, St. Regis Atlanta and the downtown and Buckhead locations of the Ritz-Carlton received five diamonds in the auto club’s 2015 ranking of Georgia’s best hotels and restaurants.

AAA’s rankings, which also include four star awards, are coveted by the hospitality industry, which uses them as selling points in an increasingly crowded market and often to help justify higher prices compared to competitors. A total of 37 hotels and 13 restaurants across the state received the four and five diamond designations.

“These establishments consistently exceed the expectations of the most discriminating traveler – the AAA inspector,” AAA spokesman Garrett Townsend said in a statement.

While metro restaurants failed to reach five diamond status, several received four diamonds. They include Aria, Atlanta Grill, Bacchanalia, BLT Steak, Canoe, La Grotta Ravinia Ristorante Italiano, La Grotta Ristorante Italiano, Nan Thai Fine Dining, Nikolai’s Roof, Park 75 and Restaurant Eugene.

Metro Atlanta’s four diamond hotels are: Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Center & Resort, Grand Hyatt Atlanta , Hyatt Atlanta Midtown, InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, JW Marriott Buckhead, Loews Atlanta Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Atlanta, Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Renaissance Atlanta Midtown, Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel, Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel, The Westin Buckhead Atlanta, the Westin Peachtree Plaza, The Westin Hotel-Atlanta Airport and W Hotel locations in Buckhead, Midtown and downtown.