Media Contact: Cynthia Harris

Emeryville, CA., January 27, 2012

Three Northern California hotels and five restaurants have been awarded the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award for 2012, AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah (NCNUC) has announced.

The 2012 AAA Five Diamond Ratings are the travel authority’s highest designations for hotels and restaurants. The Five Diamond lodgings are awarded to establishments that provide refined, stylish, and upscale physical attributes to guests with extensive amenities and services.

The Five Diamond restaurants are chosen for their distinctive dining experiences that feature highly creative chefs, complex menus, fresh top-quality ingredients and expert staff.

Northern California AAA Five Diamond Award-winning hotels are:

• The Ritz- Carlton in Half Moon Bay

• The Ritz- Carlton in San Francisco

• The Ritz-Carlton in Truckee, Lake Tahoe

Northern California AAA Five Diamond Award-winning restaurants are:

• Cyrus in Healdsburg

• Erna’s Elderberry House in Oakhurst

• The Kitchen Restaurant in Sacramento

• Gary Denko in San Francisco

• The French Laundry in Yountville

The Five Diamond hotels and restaurants are committed to providing every guest with a high level of personalized service and luxurious surroundings,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris. “To maintain this level of quality is a significant accomplishment. We are proud to recognize these dedicated local establishments for the Five Diamond Rating.”

 AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotel and restaurant listings can be found in the AAA TourBook® guides available at AAA and CAA offices across the continent. They can be accessed online at AAA.com/Travel and through downloadable eTourBookSM guides at AAA.com/ebooks. Smartphone users can locate Diamond Rated establishments using the free AAA TripTik® Mobile app or AAA Mobile Web at AAA.com/mobile.

Continuing a 75-year tradition, AAA’s professionally trained inspectors use published guidelines to conduct unannounced property evaluations. AAA rates more properties than any other rating entity and is the only rating system that covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. It is one of only two that conduct physical, on-site evaluations, assigning AAA/CAA Approved lodgings and restaurants One to Five AAA Diamonds.

AAA Northern California offers a wide array of automotive, travel, insurance, DMV, financial services and consumer discounts to over 4 million members. AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers since it was founded more than 100 years ago.