Crawling around toilets to make sure they’re clean and working properly might not sound like much fun, but no detail is too small for AAA hotel inspectors like Adam Smith.
If a hotel wants the association’s coveted Five Diamond rating, everything in a room or suite must be perfect.
“You want to take in the smells, the temperature, all of that stuff,” said Smith, who didn’t use his real name for this story becuase inspectors often check into hotels incognito to ensure they have the same experience as any other guest.
“It all goes together. You’re looking in drawers, making sure there’s no crumbs, looking in magazines and making sure kids haven’t drawn in them,” he said. “People have their own pet peeves. For me, it’s the TV remote not working. Another one for me is unplugged lamps.”
Smith, who has worked as a AAA inspector for 15 years, recently demonstrated the inspection process at a 30th-floor suite at the upscale Aria Sky Suites hotel on the Strip.
He checked for dust, searched the room for trash, looked into closets (and counted the number of hangers), and, yes, inspected around and behind the toilet.
Technology is also important, with guests expecting fast, reliable Wi-Fi and USB plug-ins for their cellphones and tablets, Smith said.
Of the thousands of hotels the motor and travel club reviews each year, less than 1% are awarded Five Diamond status. AAA also hands out Four Diamond, Three Diamond and “approved” distinctions.
Las Vegas is home to six Five Diamond properties on AAA’s just-released 2020 list: Aria, Aria Sky Suites, Bellagio, Four Seasons, Wynn Tower Suites and Waldorf Astoria.
“AAA has more than 60 million members, so it’s huge for any property to say they achieved the Five Diamond designation,” said Sergio Avila, a AAA spokesman for Nevada, Northern California and Utah. “These are people who go into branches or go on the AAA website to look up travel guides and hotels.”
Shannon McCallum, vice president of hotel operations for Aria, said the Five Diamond distinction “is a frame of reference for guests. When they’re looking at where to stay, it’s an assurance of quality.”
Aria has been a Five Diamond property every year since it opened in late 2009, but “it doesn’t happen by accident,” McCallum said. “It’s difficult to get, and it’s difficult to maintain.”
AAA inspectors typically make two annual visits to a property—one scheduled and one unannounced.
“When the inspector comes unannounced, they’ll be staying overnight and checking on service and everything that comes with a stay,” McCallum said. “On the scheduled visit, we’ll walk through the property, go to all the public areas and the casino floor and check on any new restaurants that may have opened.”
One of about three dozen AAA inspectors, Smith is responsible for Southern Nevada and parts of three other states, along with Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. In a typical year, he spends as many as half his working days on the road.
“Over the years, I’ve stayed at just about every Las Vegas property,” Smith said. “Believe it or not, it’s a lot of work. It’s not like you’re on vacation. You’re taking notes and talking to people and checking everything.”
Smith doesn’t take the job lightly. “When I give a property a diamond designation, I’m basically putting my name on that property,” he said.