AAA Western and Central New York is proud to announce this year’s AAA Four Diamond Award-winning hotels and restaurants. There are 18 hotels and two restaurants in the Western and Central New York region which have been awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond distinction in 2025 based on 2024 inspections. An awards ceremony was held at Casa Larga Vineyards on October 20, 2025.

While the vast majority of New York’s Four Diamond hotels and restaurants are in New York City, the Western and Central New York region stands out with 20 award-winning properties. Buffalo’s Curtiss Hotel is the newest property added to the area’s Four Diamond list over the past year.

“The Curtiss Hotel is a first-time winner. It’s an awesome establishment in downtown Buffalo,” said Chris Lawrence, Vice President of Sales at AAA WCNY. “They received their first AAA Four Diamond plaque, and hopefully there are many more years to come for them.”

AAA's 60+ million members book more than 31% of all paid room nights in North America, and travelers rely on Diamond designations for peace of mind that a property has met strict standards for guest quality, cleanliness, and condition. While star reviews are subjective opinions, often left by very pleased or disappointed guests, AAA’s Diamond program is the oldest and most reliable in the travel industry. Any property can have stars, but Diamond designations hold properties to a standard, so travelers get the service and amenities they expect at every Diamond level.

“In 1937, AAA began field inspections of lodgings and restaurants and then began publishing property descriptions,” explains Marke Dickinson, AAA Western and Central New York President and CEO. “88 years later, travelers still rely on AAA’s unscheduled inspections by trained experts, so these diamond designations are more than just a typical rating system.”

To earn the Four Diamond designation, hotels and restaurants must pass a rigorous evaluation that includes the unscheduled visits from AAA’s expert inspectors.

AAA’s Diamonds Program spans North America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica. There are currently 1,750 Four Diamond Hotels and 500 Four Diamond Restaurants. In New York, outside of New York City, the largest cluster of Four Diamond hotels (18) are found in Western and Central New York. When it comes to dining, there are only four award-winning Four Diamond restaurants in the state outside of the New York City area with two of them in this region.

AAA enhanced its hotel inspection process during the pandemic with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) surface testing, the same technology used to verify cleanliness in the healthcare and food service industries. AAA inspectors swab and test commonly touched surfaces in hotel rooms to ensure the utmost cleanliness. Those that pass the test receive “Inspected Clean” designation.

Four Diamond hotels are noted for upscale style and amenities enhanced with the right touch of service. Four Diamond restaurants feature distinctive fine dining, well-served amid an upscale ambiance.

Four Diamond properties recognized in the AAA Western and Central New York region (noted by the first consecutive year they achieved Four Diamond status):

• AURORA
  Inns of Aurora (5 awards):
  Aurora Inn (2005)
  E. B. Morgan House (2010)
  Rowland House (2015)
  Wallcourt Hall (2022)
  Zabriskie House (2022)
• BUFFALO
  Curtiss Hotel (2024)*
  The Mansion on Delaware Avenue (2003)
  Oliver’s Restaurant (2017)
  The Westin Hotel Buffalo (2017)
• CANANDAIGUA
  The Lake House on Canandaigua (2023)
• CLAYTON
  1000 Islands Harbor Hotel (2015)
• ITHACA
  The Statler Hotel at Cornell University (2010)
• NIAGARA FALLS
  Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino (2006)
• SALAMANCA
  Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino (2009)
• SKANEATELES
  Mirbeau Inn & Spa (2004)
• SYRACUSE
  Marriott Syracuse Downtown (2017)
• VERONA
  Turning Stone Resort Casino (3 awards):
  The Lodge at Turning Stone Resort Casino (2005) 
  The Tower Hotel at Turning Stone Resort Casino (2006) 
  Wildflowers (2006)
• WATERLOO
  del Lago Resort & Casino (2021)

*Denotes new properties added to the list within the past year.

For information on booking a hotel or to find more details on AAA-approved hotels and restaurants, visit AAA.com/Travel. To learn more about AAA Diamond Ratings, visit AAA.com/Diamonds.

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