The Laurel Hotel & Spa Receives AAA Five Diamond Designation
The Laurel Hotel & Spa Receives Coveted AAA Five Diamond Designation for 2023
Property is the first in the state of Alabama to secure the prestigious recognition!
The Laurel Hotel & Spa is thrilled to announce that the property has been awarded a Five Diamond designation by AAA Travels, recognizing it as offering world-class luxury, amenities, and indulgence for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Only 89 hotels across the United States carry this prestigious recognition. The Laurel Hotel & Spa is operated by Auburn-based Ithaka Hospitality Partners in partnership with Auburn University.
“I am ecstatic that The Laurel Hotel & Spa has received this fantastic recognition in its very first year of operation,” said Hans van der Reijden, Founder & CEO of Ithaka Hospitality Partners. “This is fantastic news for our owners, our students and academic partners, and for our entire hotel team, led by General Manager Josh Head. We are immensely proud to be the first hotel in the state of Alabama to receive a Five Diamond designation and are excited to share this accolade as part of our larger goal to establish Auburn as a world-class destination for both hospitality and education.”
The Laurel Hotel & Spa is a one-of-a-kind teaching hotel adjacent to the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center (RCSC), the home to Auburn University’s esteemed Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management, which opened its doors in August 2022. The property sits atop culinary labs and classrooms as well as 1856 – Culinary Residence, the world’s first teaching restaurant to serve a tasting menu, currently helmed by Chef in Residence Ford Fry and Master Sommelier Thomas Price. The Laurel Hotel & Spa also features a rooftop lounge and infinity pool with cabanas. A rooftop garden operated in partnership with Auburn University’s Horticulture Department provides produce used at 1856 – Culinary Residence and by students in culinary laboratories.
To learn more about The Laurel Hotel & Spa, visit https://www.laurelhotelandspa.com/.