Diamonds are a hotel’s best friend

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA has a new property on AAA’s 2007 Five-Diamond Awards list released last week.

The Ojai Valley Inn & Spa was among eight new resorts in the U.S. to receive their first top rating from the auto club. The 308-room inn completed a $70-million renovation in 2005.

Southern California again has 12 five-diamond properties. The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows, which had five diamonds in the previous five years, has dropped to four.

Newcomers to the top-rating list in the West are the Skylofts at the MGM Grand Hotel and the Wynn in Las Vegas; and Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

In Mexico, the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort in Nayarit on the west coast and the Occidental Royal Hideaway Resort & Spa in Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan received five diamonds.

Oaxaca violence spurs warning

DEMONSTRATIONS, violence and the killing of an American journalist in Oaxaca, Mexico, prompted the State Department Monday to advise its citizens to “avoid travel to Oaxaca City due to this increase in violence.�

The public announcement also urged Americans already in Oaxaca to remain in their hotels and homes and avoid the downtown during demonstrations.

Last weekend, federal riot police battled demonstrators in the colonial city popular with tourists, forcing striking teachers and leftist groups to leave the Zocalo, or central square, which they had taken over for five months.

For updated information, call (888) 407-4747 in the U.S., (202) 501-4444 outside the country or go online to travel.state.gov.

New air routes

from L.A.

TWO airlines plan to add routes from the L.A. area this fall and winter. Besides Delta’s new nonstops from LAX to Mexico and Central America that begin next month, the carrier is to begin daily nonstop service to New Orleans and Jacksonville, Fla., Dec. 15, and two flights daily to Reno, Nev., March 8. (800) 221-1212, www.delta.com.

JetBlue will start service Jan. 4 to Chicago from Long Beach and New York.

The carrier will operate two daily flights between Long Beach and Chicago’s O’Hare. The airline is offering introductory one-way fares of $89 on that route. Tickets must be bought by Thursday and travel completed by Feb. 15. Other restrictions may apply. Info: (800) JETBLUE (538-2583), www.jetblue.com.

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