We paid to advertise in AAA but didn't pay for the ratings.

I cannot speak for attractions, transportation, or dining establishments because they may pay.

Malesherbes, we were mostly 3 diamond AAA resorts. I think only one or two were four diamond and I'm not sure if the inspector stayed or not.

Yes, Mobil really shot themselves in the foot with the stupid revamping. We dropped from a three to a two. It was ridiculous because at the time I was the DOS&M for a 75 acre oceanfront resort with 1,000 accommodations, 11 swimming pools, 12 tennis courts, five restaurants, etc. That Mobil rated us 2 stars caused us to drop anything to do with them as I'm sure a lot of the hospitality industry did.

I actually find the Mobil ratings to be the best, getting a 5 Diamond from AAA is way too easy. i.e. Bellagio has a 5 Diamond and you'll wait at check-in for 10 min? 20min? Never at a "real" 5 star hotel. People in the industry are just mad because they got less stars. Boo hoo! I'd rather know which properties truly stand out.

With that said, there are many people who have no problem waiting 20 minutes to check into a room and don't want to pay a premium to really be catered to. So just know the scale and criteria for the ratings you're looking at. My problem with AAA is their system lacks the upper end resolution that Mobil has.

No TxTravelPro...they do not pay to be rated. Period. They pay to advertise further in the book and they pay to USE the AAA logo, but they do not pay to appear in the book and in the rating system. You want to use AAA in your brochure, you will pay them for it. You want their symbol to appear next to your name, even in their book, you pay. You want more space in the book, you pay. Otherwise you do NOT pay!

Ok... have it your way.
But hotels that do not pay to be listed or to use the logo are not rated or 'approved'.
Either way it comes down to the same thing. AAA has to get some money from you or you are not part of the program.

When Fodors and Frommers review hotels and restaurants, do they visit every year, or do they just carry on their reviews from prior editions?

Great Scott....what's the deal? OK...here is a cut and paste from their website:

Who is served by the rating information? AAA's rating system is maintained as a service for members; members do not pay for hotel and restaurant information, and properties do not pay for evaluations, ratings, and basic listings.

Here's the complete URL.
http://www.aaa.com/aaa/aaadiamonds/faq.html#same

I have been very upfront right from the get go as to who my husband is, what he does and where I am getting my facts. Will you be as well?

Dis-information really is a dis-service! The information presented in the past few months about AAA has been very misleading and I was misled too before reading their website during the last go around, seeing in several places that there is no fee for rating, then confirming that with my DH. All done, I should add, for no other reason, than that it really bothers me to see errors hanging out there being perpetuated! We have to be responsible for the things we post! I thought this had already been put to bed, but I'm not sure you were on that last thread TxTravelPro. Gail was part of that one as well, however, so if I sound frustrated it is because I spent a fair amount of time then researching what was fact and what wasn't, then posting the same, only to find that we are still at square one after all!

Then tell me the difference between the Marriott on Michigan Ave which is a 3 Diamond property and the Marriott Chicago Medical District which is only "AAA Approved".
According to my sources, the Medical District property has not paid enough to LIST the ratings. Again, call it what you like, but even if they do not charge to do the actual ratings, they are not displayed unless the hotel pays.

Or, have a look at the Marriott and Renaissance LAX. Both just "AAA Approved"
The difference between displaying your AAA Rating and AAA Approved is the cost.

Aww shut it already Tx. Maybe the "Approved" hotels did not like their rating and are working to improve it but still want the marketing benefits of AAA.
Would you want to list your 2 diamonds if you felt you were a 3?
I work in the hotel industry and sometimes AAA will not rate a hotel because renovations are being done or are planned.

...and your sources are whom again? I'm sorry, I missed that.

Malesherbes - I have given up commenting on the substance of this post - I have had enough bickering. But, as I am sure you know, just because someone posts something here and says they KNOW something, does not make it right, as you have pointed out on several occasions about what I have posted.

So it works both ways - do not expect someone to take on faith that you are who you say you are and have have correct information. The reality of the internet - a great source of lots of information quite easily - and it is still up to us to sort it out as to what is legitimate and what it not.

My two cents worth is that:

I could care less how many drawers there are in the armoire (geesh!), since I don't use the drawers 99.9% of the time I'm in a hotel.

I have my own ratings method: I rate how loud the vending machines/ice machines are; how thin the walls are; how good the doors are at sealing out noise; and, above all, how clean the rooms are. Oh yes, and the staff, they don't have to gush friendliness, but professional courtesies go a long way with me. I've stayed in one star (AAA rated) hotels in remote parts of the US and Canada and have been able to put up with the deficiencies because of a friendly greeting at the check-in desk. (Mohawk Hotel in Mohawk, Canada, comes to mind).

All the information I need comes from Your Average Joe who bothers to write a review online. Therefore, I hardly ever look at the "professional" ratings. I go to Tripadvisor, biddinfortravel, Mytravelguide, etc. for the average joe reviews. These give a far more accurate picture of a particular property than any "professional" rating.

I have been an AAA member for mucho, mucho years and used to use their travel guides a lot. No more. The information online is far more accurate and certainly far more timely.

As for whether AAA charges or not for including a hotel in their guidebooks, just ask yourself how come if two hotels both are rated 3* by AAA, one is in red and the other in black? And also how come every hotel in some cities is not listed - why are some hotels not listed by AAA?

Just MHO

Amen Easy...

Easy Traveler, the reason some hotels are NOT listed is because they haven't "applied to AAA for evaluation." From their website:

"How are properties selected for evaluation? Hotels and restaurants that meet AAA's basic rating requirements may apply for evaluation by AAA. AAA considers all valid applications, giving priority consideration to those that offer the highest degree of member value."

And, as has already been explained, the red listings are paid for, the very very plain black ones (without the little symbol) are not.

Either way, although I'm a AAA member, I don't use their recs either anymore. It used to be the only way to gauge a hotel, but now we have up-to-date internet opinions, which trump the written book every time.

Bunkhedena: As far as Fodor's listings, I can tell you there are many many restaurants in the Tampa Bay area which have closed but remain on the website listing for up to a year (ex: Adobo Grill). And some fabulous new places which, although open for several years, have still not shown up (ex: Cafe Ponte). Give me Travel Talk over the published listings any day!!!!