AAA Anoints Seven New Hotels, Restaurants With Their Highest Rating

Seven new properties have joined AAA's Five Diamond List for 2017, an exclusive group that represents the upper echelons of hotel and dining luxury.

To become admitted to the club, hotels and restaurants must pass anonymous inspections conducted by AAA experts.

Here's a look at the new Five Diamond honorees and what the inspectors had to say about them:

The Modern, New York

Cuisine at this Michelin-starred restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art is described as sublime, cosmopolitan and relaxed. Inspectors have high praise for the sautéed foie gras, lobster steamed in spinach, bone marrow-crusted beef and Long Island duck.

Four Seasons Resort Lana'I, Lanai City, Hawaii

Guests are treated to panoramic views of the ocean atop rugged rugged lava cliffs and white sand beaches, with décor that integrates Hawaiian esthetics.

The St. Regis New York, New York City

The grandiosity of the luxury hotel and attentive service put the St. Regis in a "rarefied, supreme class altogether."

Spice Island Beach Resort, St. George's, Grenada

This all-inclusive resort features luxurious suites tucked among private gardens and is located on white-sand beach.

Four Seasons Hotel Mexico D.F., Mexico City

Rooms are described as chic and elegant, and the hotel itself stylish and sophisticated.

Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado, Puerto Rico

Enveloped in natural, sanctuary-style surroundings, the guest suites are spacious and offer ocean views.

The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Virginia

The historic landmark is a 1895 Beaux-Arts hotel that features a Tiffany stained-glass rotunda and grand staircase. Perfect for history buffs.