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August 8, 2005

Diamonds are an inn's best friend | A good rating from AAA can help business, but some innkeepers say it's too much trouble

By Jennifer Hazard
When Cheryl Michaelsen and her husband, Michael LaPosta, bought the Berry Manor Inn in Rockland in August 1998, they had one goal in mind: earning a four-diamond rating from AAA. "We entered the business wanting to have an extraordinary inn, and we designed every room in the house to have the amenities expected of a four-diamond establishment," says Michaelsen.

To get that mark of distinction, which the couple felt would draw upscale clientele, some serious work was required. They had the 12-room inn, which was built as a private home for prominent merchant Charles H. Berry in 1898, completely rewired, and they added zone heating, smoke alarms and a sprinkler system for safety. The couple also remodeled nine bathrooms and decorated the inn to complement its rich history (Michaelsen prefers not to disclose the total cost). Renovations were completed in February 1999 and in September of that year Michaelsen submitted her application to AAA.

All the work paid off: In April 2000, the Berry Manor Inn was awarded four-diamond status; since then, the inn has earned the distinction every year, recently receiving its fifth annual four-diamond rating. It's one of just 16 establishments in the state to earn the rating this year ˆ— something Michaelsen believes has a positive effect on business. "There are [only] so many adjectives an owner can use to sell their inn: charming, quaint, romantic, etc. From a marketing perspective," she says, "the AAA rating really sets us apart."

While many innkeepers and hoteliers agree with Michaelsen about the prestige and marketing advantage of a good AAA rating, others wonder if the auto club's endorsement matters as much in the age of the Internet. And even those who swear by AAA's diamond ratings to attract guests emphasize the commitment of time and money involved in becoming ˆ— and remaining ˆ— a four-diamond establishment. It's this challenge that causes some owners to decide that other distinctions, or other forms of marketing, are better for them personally and economically.

Michaelsen believes that the four-diamond rating is especially helpful for inns and B&Bs. "When guests stay at Hilton, they have a good idea of what to expect," she says. "Not so with inns, which are set apart by their uniqueness. The four-diamond rating helps assure our guests that they will receive a certain level of service, amenities and quality."

But Pam Moss, who owned the Lime Rock Inn in Rockland from 2002 to 2004, is one of those who feels the AAA rating is overrated, especially as travel trends change. "People don't rely on guidebooks any more," she says. "These days, they go to the Internet to find lodging. Well-written, updated text, professional photos and the ability to check room availability were all I needed to promote the inn."

A lengthy process
Since 1977, Heathrow, Fla.-based AAA has rated accommodations across the country based on levels of excellence in service and amenities. The highest mark an accommodation can achieve is five-diamond status, a rating that's awarded to less than 0.25% of lodgings evaluated by AAA and, this year, to not one Maine establishment.

Reaching the four-diamond level is nearly as difficult. According to those who have earned it, the distinction requires time ˆ— typically at least six months ˆ— money and hard work. According to Stacey Brunick, a regional manager for AAA's Tourism, Information and Development division, most hotels and B&Bs apply for the rating, although there are some instances in which a truly exceptional or popular establishment might be contacted by AAA directly. To help applicants prepare for evaluation, AAA first sends a book of guidelines geared toward both B&Bs and hotels.

Next, interested parties fill out an application that includes a checklist of the 27 items needed for eligibility. Hoteliers and innkeepers are asked to detail all facets of their facility, from operational matters to room décor. Photos of guest rooms and common areas, as well as the facility and its grounds, are also to be included with the owner's application.

The application process is similar to that of the Mobil Travel Guide, although Michaelsen says Mobil is not as widely referred to by guests as AAA. She says Select Registry ˆ— a distinction for which only B&Bs are eligible ˆ— has a lengthier application process than its peers. And unlike AAA and Mobil, whose application is free, Marshall, Mich.-based Select Registry charges $2,500 to apply. According to Michaelsen, Select Registry requires applicants to be reviewed by their peers and a Select Registry committee. Still, she says, most B&Bs will not be considered by Select Registry unless they have four-diamond status.

When Michaelsen mailed her AAA submission for the Berry Manor Inn in 1999, she was told within days that the inn qualified for further evaluation, and that she should expect a visit from an AAA tourism editor, an individual who is responsible for examining every detail of the property. According to Michaelsen, there's no notice prior to the visit, until the AAA representative knocks on the front door.

In most cases, the tourism editor suggests what owners can do to prepare for the next wave of inspection, which for all four-diamond hopefuls means an undercover overnight guest from AAA.

Michaelsen says her mystery guest arrived in February 2000. When asked if she had any suspicions, she replies, "I had no idea. Although in retrospect, I thought it was a little odd that this guest stayed in our drawing room until very late at night."

What the inspector observed in the drawing room must have impressed her; two months later, the Berry Manor Inn was awarded four-diamond status. And if it hadn't, Michaelsen says she's not sure she would have accepted a three-diamond rating. "It doesn't earn you distinction, and for Michael and I, it was very important to be high end," she says. "The four-diamond rating reinforces that for us."

The time and expense involved to become a four-diamond establishment can be challenging for many. Michaelsen says she recommends applying for four-diamond status only if the facility has the space and flexibility to allow for it. "We were at an advantage because we were able to redesign the home to AAA's specifications. If someone purchases an existing B&B, remodeling can be tough," she says. "The physical space may not coincide with four-diamond guidelines."

Customized bedroom doors are a typical upgrade, as guest rooms require two deadbolt locks according to AAA safety guidelines. In the case of historic buildings, older doors often must be replaced to accommodate the locks. "At approximately $1,000 a door, changing them out is a huge expense, and that doesn't even include the price for locks," Michaelsen says. "For a small, eight- to 10-room hotel or B&B, the economics don't always make sense."

That was the case for Ruth McLaughlin and her husband, Dan, who own the Blair Hill Inn in Greenville. She says they decided not to pursue four-diamond status after the AAA tourism editor suggested replacing the locks on each of the inn's eight bedroom doors. McLaughlin and her husband felt the expense was unnecessary. "All of our bedrooms have brass locks on the doors and we think they're sufficient," she says. "Especially way up here in northern Maine."

Aesthetics also played a part in the couple's decision. According to Ruth McLaughlin, AAA guidelines required them to place floodlights in the front of the inn. "Doing so would take away from our view of the northern stars," she says. "And we didn't like the idea of someone else dictating the mood and tone of our inn for us."

A discount mentality
Even previously rated hotels and inns cannot escape AAA's guidelines. Once an establishment achieves four-diamond status, it continues to be monitored by AAA. Cheryl Michaelsen of the Berry Manor Inn says an undercover tourism editor revisits her property biannually. She also notes that an inspector will arrive immediately if any complaints are made by AAA members. According to Janie Graziani, manager of public relations for AAA, the company takes complaints about service very seriously. "If there's any question that a AAA-rated property has stopped offering services that set them apart, such as valet parking or room service, we need to investigate," says Gra-ziani, adding that if complaints are valid, the property could lose a diamond.

The Captain Lord Mansion in Kennebunkport has been a four-diamond rated inn for 26 years. In order to maintain this status, owner Rick Litchfield says he's had to make changes as AAA guidelines and industry expectations have evolved. "A shared bath with linoleum floors was acceptable when the inn first received the award," he says. "Although almost immediately after, I had to put in all private baths."

In the past five years alone, Litchfield says he's invested more than $1 million in bathroom upgrades, including heated floors, double Jacuzzis and amenities such as European makeup mirrors and hairdryers. Litchfield believes maintaining his four-diamond status is worth the investment, as the updates will allow him to raise room rates. He says the improvements increase the price he charges for a deluxe room from $175 to $300 per night. In addition, "the Captain Lord Mansion maintains a 70% occupancy annually. When you consider most B&Bs run at 63-66% occupancy, we're doing better than average," he says.

However, Litchfield adds that it's difficult to please AAA members who are looking for deals. "The budget-minded simply are not going to stay at a four-diamond establishment," he says. Still, he offers the AAA discount on weekdays for most of the year, which is 10% off the standard room rate of $150. It's a service that all AAA-rated accommodations must offer.

Pam Moss, the former owner of the Lime Rock Inn, says the AAA discount is one of the reasons she decided not to seek four-diamond status. "The rating encourages the 'give me a deal' attitude," she says. "As a small business, I couldn't afford to offer such discounts. It just left a bad taste in my mouth."

Though many hoteliers swear by the AAA rating, in the end the decision to pursue it ˆ— or not ˆ— is a personal one. And, says Ruth McLaughlin of the Blair Hill Inn, business is good ˆ— even without the AAA rating. "I don't think it's made a difference," she says. "We have a good reputation and the inn has been featured in many top magazines and independent travel guides. There's enough that offsets it. And we've stayed true to what we've wanted."

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