Two LV restaurants, Bellagio win AAA Five Diamond awards

Grace Leong

Monday, Nov. 12, 2001 | 10:55 a.m.

MGM MIRAGE's Bellagio has become the first Las Vegas casino hotel to win the Five Diamond award from AAA, just two years after the Four Seasons Las Vegas became the city's first resort winner.

Two MGM MIRAGE restaurants, the Bellagio's Picasso and the Mirage's Renoir, also won five-star ratings from AAA for the first time, AAA said today.

Atle Erlingsson, a spokesman in San Francisco for the auto club, said the 3,005-room Bellagio is the largest hotel ever to receive a Five Diamond award.

"It's a testament to the employees and the hotel that they've been able to maintain that level of quality and service on a nightly basis and for several thousand guests. The next biggest hotel we've ever given the award to has about 1,000 rooms."

"The Bellagio is not just your average lodging. It's a (hotel) that people from all over the world go to for the experience. It's first class in every meaning of the word," he said.

AAA inspectors judge the exterior of the lodging, public areas, guest room, amenities and bathrooms. The criteria for the restaurants include food, service, decor and ambience.

"The Picasso and Renoir met all three of the qualifications. The food is exceptional, the service is five diamonds and the decor and ambience is first class," Erlingsson said.

Bart Mahoney, vice president of food and beverage for the Mirage, agreed.

"We're very excited. We've been able to garner the five-star from Mobile Travel Guide this year and last year. We won the Four Diamonds award from AAA last year and this year, they've upgraded us to Five Diamonds."

He attributed the Renoir's win to restaurant chef Alessandro Stratta's cuisine and service.

"The Mediterranean fare and decor is phenomenal. With the Renoir and other impressionists' artwork, this ties in all the facets of the dining experience."

"This award is a recognition of the culinary world in Las Vegas. Chefs (Julian) Serrano (for the Picasso) and Stratta raised the bar for the level of dining expectations in Las Vegas," he said.