Your nomination forms are due NOVEMBER 3, 2014!  We will not be accepting any late applications, so please get your nominations in today!

Congratulations to our new Board of Directors that was elected at the Board Retreat in October!

Executive Committee

Immediate Past Chairman- Dave Arnott, Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge

Vice Chair- Bonnie Westlund, Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

Secretary- Luke Peroni, Seward Windsong Lodge

Treasurer- Mickey Tveter, Millennium Alaskan Hotel

PAC Chair- Darren Nolan, Princess Alaska Lodges

At-Large- Tammy Griffin, Crowne Plaza Hotel

Regional Board Members

 South East- Steve Hamilton, Baranof Hotel

Kenai Peninsula- Ron Hewitt, Breeze Inn

Interior/Far North- Tracy Smith, McKinely Chalet Resort

At-Large-Tennelle Peterson, Denali Bluffs Hotel/Grande Denali

Kodiak, Bristol Bay & Aleutian- Jack Johnson, Best Western Kodiak

At Large-Open

South Central- Steve Zadra, HAP Alaska/Yukon

Interior/Far North-Dustin Adams, Regency Fairbanks

At Large-Open

Kenai Peninsula-Open

Allied Board Members

Dick Wells- Automated Laundry Systems

Melinda Minsky- Frontier Paper

Sandra Johnson- Hospitality Resources & Concepts, LLC.

Past Chairman

Terry Wanzer- Best Western Landing

Yvette Hebard- Princess Lodges of Alaska

Randy Comer- Parkwood Inn

Dennis Lavey, CHA (NV)- Guesthouse Inn

2 PM ET | 11 AM PT on November 6

Q: What are the primary organizations providing ratings for hotels in the United States?

A: There are two well-established hotel rating systems in the United States: Forbes Travel Guide and AAA.  First established in 1958, the Forbes Travel Guide was originally known as the Mobile Travel Guide until 2009 when restructuring prompted the name change.  In addition to rating hotels, the Forbes Travel Guide also provides ratings on restaurants and spa facilities with the best category being Five Stars.

The AAA ratings began in 1937 when the company first sent field representatives to inspect lodging and restaurant establishments. In 1963 they began formally ranking hotels, but the official diamond ratings for lodging establishments began in 1977 when AAA celebrated its 75th (diamond) anniversary. Restaurant ratings followed twelve years later and began in 1989.

Q: What are the requirements for each of the major hotel ratings?

A: AAA and Forbes Travel Guide both have professional inspectors who visit each property to rate them pertaining to published criteria. AAA focuses their efforts on rating properties in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. AAA bases their standards on six categories:  cleanliness and condition; management and staff; exterior, grounds, and public areas; guestroom décor, ambiance, and amenities; bathrooms; and guest services. Properties in the AAA rating system are ranked from One to Five AAA Diamonds which indicate the properties extensiveness of services, amenities, and décor provided. The One Diamond property is considered an establishment which appeals to a budget-minded traveler and provides only the essentials. Then properties range all the way up to luxury Five Diamond accommodations which are described as first class, providing impeccable service, and having extraordinary physical attributes.

The professional inspectors at Forbes Travel Guide inspect each property on more than 500 criteria.  One of the major differences between AAA and Forbes is that Forbes is a global system rating hotels in places such as Singapore, China, and the United Kingdom. Forbes is also known to have slightly higher standards for the Five Star rating versus the Five Diamond Rating of AAA. For example, in 2014, AAA named ninety-seven properties to their AAA Five Diamond standard and only sixty-four properties obtained a Forbes Five Star rating that year in the USA. Forbes describes Five Star properties as providing memorable experiences, flawless service, and the finest amenities. Forbes only places properties into three categories: Five Star; Four Star; and Recommended Properties.