Nevada eateries, hotels get awards

Friday, Jan. 17, 2003 | 11:15 a.m.

The American Automobile Association has awarded Station Casinos Inc.'s Green Valley Ranch Station Casino in Henderson with the prestigious Four Diamond Award -- the first so-called "locals casino" in Las Vegas to receive the honor.

"We certainly had no idea they were going to rate the hotel," said Lesley Pittman, spokeswoman for Station Casinos. "We're very excited and very proud. This is a testament to the outstanding work of our team members."

Bellagio's Le Cirque restaurant also received the award for the first time.

Twenty-two other hotels and restaurants in Nevada received the Four Diamond Award again this year.

"Nevada deserves a lot of diamonds," Kelly Bell, AAA's manager of approved accommodations, said. "In fact, it probably has more diamonds per capita than any other state in the nation."

Park Place Entertainment Corp. has notified guests about its Four Diamond Award-winning restaurants and hotels.

"We're delighted that AAA has recognized what our guests and our customers have known all along, that Caesars and Paris -- and, frankly, our other properties -- really provide our guests with service and fine dining and room quality," Park Place spokesman Robert Stewart said.

The company's Las Vegas Hilton, Caesars Palace, Caesars Tahoe, Paris Las Vegas and the Paris' Eiffel Tower restaurant were selected for the award.

Restaurant recipients this year in Las Vegas include 3950 Restaurant and Aureole at Mandalay Bay and Michael's at Barbary Coast. Reno recipients were the Steak House at Harrah's and White Orchid. In Stateline, Llewellyn's and the Summit Room also received the honor.

Hotel recipients in Las Vegas included the Golden Nugget, Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas Resort, The Mirage, Treasure Island and The Venetian. In Lake Tahoe, Harrah's Hotel & Casino, Harvey's Casino and Resort and the Hyatt Regency received the award. Cactus Pete's Resort Casino in Jackpot also received the honor.

More than 60 AAA inspectors visit nearly 50,000 hotels, restaurants and other attractions each year throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Only 3 percent of hotels and fewer than 4 percent of restaurants evaluated receive the Four Diamond award.

Hotels are evaluated on a variety of standards, including service, amenities, atmosphere and decor. Restaurants are primarily evaluated on the dining experience.

The AAA's Five Diamond award is the highest award given to hotels and restaurants and is awarded on a nationwide basis. The Four Diamond award judges locations within each state.