Montage Laguna Beach

Orlando, Fla. - 11/14/2008
California leads the list with four 2009 additions, Florida now has twice as many Five Diamond lodgings as New York

AAA has announced the 2009 AAA Five Diamond Award winners. Ten establishments have been added for a total of 103 hotels and 59 restaurants that have achieved Five Diamond status, the travel authoritys highest rating for hotels and restaurants.

For 2009, six hotels were added to the list: The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Montage Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach, Calif.; Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, Westlake Village, Calif.; The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, Manalapan, Fla.; InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, Atlanta; and Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, St. Louis.
The four dining additions are Addison, San Diego; Chef Mavro, Honolulu; Restaurant Guy Savoy, Las Vegas; and The Pavilion Antigua, New Winthorpes, Antigua.

Representing the upper echelon of the hospitality industry, AAA Five Diamond Award winners make up just 0.28 percent of the 58,000 Diamond Rated lodgings and restaurants throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

The ability to achieve and maintain the highest level of hospitality in the most luxurious surroundings is what the Five Diamond rating is all about. AAA is pleased to honor these establishments, said Michael Petrone, director of AAA Tourism Information Development. The physical attributes of these properties are unique, enticing and extraordinary " complemented by an extensive array of personalized services for every guest, which consistently exceeds the expectations of even the most refined traveler.

Noteworthy for 2009:
*Florida has gained one Five Diamond lodging for a total of ten now, twice the number of Five Diamond lodgings in New York.
*The Pavilion Antigua restaurant marks the first Five Diamond establishment for this Caribbean island.
*California has added more new Five Diamond establishments than any other state or province. Three additional lodgings and one restaurant bring the totals to 19 and 7, respectively. California continues to lead with the most Five Diamond lodgings and now ties Illinois for the most Five Diamond restaurants.
*The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., and Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz., have maintained a Five Diamond Rating for 33 consecutive years " since the hotel Diamond Ratings were first published in the AAA TourBook guides.
*The Inn at Little Washington Dining Room in Washington, Va., is the only restaurant to maintain Five Diamond status for 21 consecutive years " since the Diamond Ratings were first applied to restaurants.
*Two lodgings celebrate a quarter-century of Five Diamond status: The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle and the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia in Philadelphia.

The assignment of a AAA rating of One to Five Diamonds marks the completion of a successful annual evaluation. All properties must first meet AAAs rigorous requirements to become AAA Approved establishments.

AAAs Diamond Rating System is the only ratings system that covers all of North America and one of only two that conducts physical, on-site evaluations. It is the only system that uses full-time, professionally trained evaluators to inspect each property on an annual basis using a set of guidelines that are made available to all establishments. AAA evaluates more properties than any other rating entity. Additionally, AAA provides travelers the opportunity to post comments about their experiences at AAA Approved and Diamond Rated establishments at AAA.com. Information about AAA Diamond Ratings and the complete 2009 Five Diamond Award winners lists are accessible at AAA.com/News.

As North Americas largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com

Contact: Heather Hunter
Email: hhunter@national.aaa.com
Phone: 407-444-8005

By Kitty Bean Yancey, USA TODAY
Lovers of U.S. luxury hotels should go West.

For 2009, three of six lodgings added to AAA's prestigious Five Diamond list are in California: The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows; Montage Laguna Beach; and Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. (The other new Five Diamonds for 2009 are The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, Manalapan, Fla.; InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta; and Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis.

California has the most five diamonds (19), almost double the number for the No. 2 state, Florida (10). Georgia has six.

April 28, 2008 03:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alan J. Fuerstman has been honored as the 2007 Resort Executive of the Year by hospitality and resort industry leaders convening at the 2008 Resort Management Conference at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Fuerstman, the founder and chief executive officer of Montage Hotels & Resorts, a Laguna Beach-based luxury hotel and resort management company, is the 34th individual to receive this prestigious hospitality award.

The Resort Executive of the Year is awarded to a resort executive in the United States who has demonstrated superior management ability, a commitment to staff training and motivation, active participation and leadership in lodging industry association activities, support of legislation beneficial to the lodging industry, and leadership within his or her community. The presentation of the award is one of the highlights of the annual Resort Management Conference, which is attended by leaders from throughout the hospitality and travel industry.

In September 2000, Fuerstman, a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry, formed his own hospitality company to serve the affluent traveler by creating a collection of distinctive luxury hotels, resorts and residences devoted to comfortable elegance, unique experiences and authentic sense of place reflected in architecture and interior design.

Montage Laguna Beach, the companys oceanfront Craftsman-style flagship, opened in the arts community of Laguna Beach in February 2003 and has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including the first-ever Mobil 5-Star spa award. The companys second property, Montage Beverly Hills, will open in the fall of 2008 in the heart of the Beverly Hills golden triangle. Montage Deer Valley is scheduled to open in Park City, Utah, for the 2010-2011 winter ski season. Montage Los Cabos, set on Santa Maria Bay and the Sea of Cortez in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is currently under development and slated to open in 2010. Montage Royal Island, the centerpiece of a private luxury resort and residential island community in the Bahamas, is also scheduled to open in 2010.

Before launching Montage, Fuerstman was the opening vice president of hotel operations at the Bellagio Las Vegas, joining the pre-opening management team in April 1998. From 1994 to 1998, Fuerstman was the president and managing director of The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. During his tenure there, he was responsible for ITT Sheraton Luxury Collections St. Regis Aspen and St. Regis Houston hotels, as well as overseeing all ITT Sheraton properties in Arizona.

Fuerstman was recognized as ITT Sheratons 1993 General Manager of the Year and in 1996, the company named The Phoenician its Hotel of the Year. Under his direction, The Phoenician earned the prestigious Mobil 5-Star award and several rankings as the top resort in North America by various travel magazines.

Prior to joining The Phoenician, Fuerstman served as general manager of the El Conquistador Resort and Country Club in Tucson, Arizona. He began his distinguished career with Marriott International in 1978. His tenure with Marriott culminated with the opening of several new properties, including their flagship resort, the Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa.

Fuerstman currently serves on the board of trustees of Gettysburg College and on the Northern Arizona University School of Hotel and Restaurant Managements advisory board. Prior public service includes a board position with the Nevada Hotel/Motel Association, the American Red Cross in Tucson, Business Advisory Council for Public Schools in Tucson, the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Industry Advisory Council in Scottsdale, the board of directors of Arizona Hotel/Motel Association, the Phoenix and Valley of the Sun Convention and Visitors Bureau, and as a trustee for the Arizona Hotel Foundation.

A native of New Milford, New Jersey, Fuerstman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. He is married to Susan J. Fuerstman and they have four children.

The Resort Executive of the Year Award is sponsored by Ypartnership, Orlando, Fla., the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and The University of Denvers School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management.

A high-resolution photo is available for the next 14 days at http://download.yousendit.com/ED4314CC1718EFEB

Contacts
Ypartnership, Orlando, Fla.
Rod Caborn, 407-838-1799
rod.caborn@ypartnership.com