Sands Bethlehem has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond Award for extensive amenities, opulent décor, upscale physical attributes, and high degrees of hospitality, service, and attention to detail. It has maintained this celebrated designation consecutively since 2013.

“Four diamond hotels provide guests with the comfort of knowing they can expect some of the highest amenities available,” said Jim Lehman, president of AAA East Central. “These establishments meet the high standards of AAA inspectors, and are committed to providing every guest with personalized experiences and attentive service.”

Hotels at the four diamond level represent just 6.3 percent of AAA inspected and approved hotels, making them an exclusive group. This year, there are 1,722 four diamond hotels.

For more than 80 years, AAA has used professional inspectors to conduct anonymous, in-person property evaluations. AAA offers the only rating system using comprehensive, on-site professional hotel and restaurant evaluations using published guidelines weighted by member priorities. The AAA inspectors who assign these ratings have a wide range of hospitality experience — their resumes include stints as hotel managers and food and beverage experts — that gives them an authoritative perspective. AAA recently updated its hotel Approval Requirements & Diamond Rating Guidelines, which reflect the importance of connective technologies such as availability of in-room tablets, mobile apps, interactive kiosks, mobile key technology and digital messaging services.