Staff Report

The Chumash Casino Resort Hotel, the tribe’s Hotel Corque in Solvang and its Willows fine-dining restaurant all maintained their long-standing AAA Four Diamond Award status, earning spots on the American Automobile Association’s lists of hotels and restaurants that achieved excellence during inspections in 2019.

This marks the 16^th consecutive AAA Four Diamond Award for the Chumash Casino Resort Hotel, the 15th straight year for Willows restaurant and the ninth in a row for Hotel Corque.

The Chumash Casino Resort Hotel and Hotel Corque are two of 11 properties to be honored within Santa Barbara County. Among restaurants, Willows, The Gathering Table in Solvang and Bouchon and Angel Oak in Santa Barbara were the only AAA Four Diamond Award honorees in the county.

A total of 2,400 establishments (1,718 hotels and 682 restaurants) throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean have earned the AAA Four Diamond designation in the last year. California had the greatest number of hotels (179) and restaurants (76) to earn the distinction.

“For our establishments to remain on AAA’s lists for so many years is a point of pride for our tribe,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “Our longevity on these elite lists is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team members who go the extra mile to make sure our guests enjoy an elevated level of hospitality when they visit to our properties.”

The Chumash Casino Resort Hotel features 320 rooms, including 58 suites, a full-service spa and a rooftop pool deck that spans 15,000 square feet. Hotel Corque, at 400 Alisal Road in Solvang, offers 122 rooms, including 17 suites, and more than 7,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space for business or special events.

The Chumash Casino Resort’s Willows restaurant specializes in prime steaks and seafood while boasting a full menu that features flavorful ingredients from local farms, ranches and gardens. The restaurant’s entrance features a wine wall with 160 bottles showcasing Willows’ award-winning wine list.

Other Santa Barbara County hotels earning Four Diamond Awards are Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa in Los Olivos, the Santa Ynez Inn, The Ballard Inn in Solvang, Inn on Summer Hill in Summerland and Santa Barbara’s Harbor View Inn, Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, Santa Barbara Inn, Simpson House and The Ritz-Carlton Bacara.

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara was one of just 17 in the state to earn the AAA Five Diamond Award.

For 80 years, AAA has used professional inspectors to conduct in-person property inspections. AAA offers the only rating system using comprehensive, on-site professional hotel and restaurant evaluations guided by member priorities.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians owns and operates the Chumash Casino Resort, which is located on the tribe’s reservation on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, California. The tribe also owns Hotel Corque, Root 246 and Hadsten House in Solvang, two gas stations in Santa Ynez and its own wine label – Kitá Wines. As the largest employer in the Santa Ynez Valley, the tribe employs more than 2,000 residents of Santa Barbara County.