Camelback Inn kept its five-diamond rating for the 32nd year in a row, and The Phoenician snagged a record double dose.
The Phoenician, the elegant east Phoenix resort with a Scottsdale address, earned a whole handful of gems from AAA, which annually rates U.S. hotels and restaurants for its travel guides.
And so did the ultra-tony resort within the resort, Canyon Suites at The Phoenician.
AAA Arizona doled out diamonds at a reception Tuesday at the Hotel Valley Ho, the hip downtown Scottsdale retreat that is a repeat four-diamond winner.
Six Arizona resorts, including the double-regaled Phoenician, and three restaurants earned the five-diamond designation.
All of the highest heralded hotels and two of the top-tier restaurants are in the East Valley.
The auto club also bestowed four diamonds on 36 Arizona hotels and 30 restaurants.
The national awards won’t be announced for a week, so it’s too soon to know how the local destination fared compared to other tourist favorites
Last year, the Scottsdale area earned more diamonds than travel hot spots Chicago, Las Vegas or Miami.
East Valley AAA Diamond Award Winners
Five Diamond Hotels:
Camelback Inn, Paradise Valley
Four Seasons Resort, Scottsdale
The Boulders Resort, Carefree
Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, Phoenix
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort, Scottsdale
The Phoenician, Phoenix
Five Diamond Restaurants:
Kai, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, Gila River Indian Community
Mary Elaine’s, The Phoenician
Four Diamond Hotels:
Arizona Biltmore Resort, Phoenix
CopperWynd Resort, Fountain Hills
Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort, Paradise Valley
FireSky Resort, Scottsdale
Hilton Scottsdale Resort, Scottsdale
Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale
Hyatt Regency Resort, Scottsdale
JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, Phoenix
Pointe South Mountain Resort, Ahwatukee
Radisson Fort McDowell Resort, Fort McDowell Indian Community
Royal Palms Resort, Phoenix
Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Paradise Valley
Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountain, Scottsdale
Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center, Scottsdale
Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, Gila River Indian Community
Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix
Westin Kierland Resort, Phoenix
Four Diamond Restaurants:
Acacia, Four Seasons, Scottsdale
Alchemy, CopperWynd, Fountain Hills
Asia de Cuba, Mondrian, Scottsdale
Bistro 24, Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix
Deseo, Westin Kierland, Phoenix
Elements, Sanctuary, Paradise Valley
La Hacienda, Fairmont, Scottsdale
Latilla Dining Room, Boulders, Carefree
Latitude 30, Pointe South Mountain, Ahwatukee
Lon’s, Hermosa Inn, Paradise Valley
Mosaic, Scottsdale
Palm Court, Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center
Ristorante Tuscany, JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Phoenix
T Cook’s, Royal Palms, Phoenix
The Terrace Dining Room, Phoenician, Phoenix
Vu, Hyatt Regency, Scottsdale
Windows on the Green, Phoenician, Phoenix
Wright’s, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix
