I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle to put up with AAA.

I once stayed at a Best Western motel in Reedsport, Oregon. It was a nice little motel and the owner had just refurbished several of the guest bedrooms with pine furniture. The light colored wood made the rooms seem brighter.

A year later, everything had changed.

The pine furniture had been replaced with dark cherry. I thought the new furniture made the rooms look darker and more dreay.

The owner explained that the AAA evaluator had said that if the pine furniture wasn't replaced, he lose his 3rd star on the AAA rating.

My personal feeling is that ratings should focus on amenities and service. A bedroom should for example have a bedstand on each side of the bed. There should be a lamp on each bedstand with a 100 watt bulb to make it bright enough to read.

Who cares what color the furniture is as long as its presentable and serviceable?

I'm not jumping through any hoops to please some outside evaluator just to improve my rating. The ratings be darned. My facility stands on its own merits as evidenced by our rate of occupancy and the number of repeat guests.

P.S. With regards to the entire concept of ratings, (at least as they relate to a B&B), bah humbug!
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Inn at Elizabethville

My research with local B&B's tell me that at list being listed with AAA (not rated that is different), opens up a new world of guests. It means that AAA travel agents have you as an option for booking. It means you are listed (ut unrated) in the AAA travel guides.
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Swantown Inn Bed & Breakfast
Olympia, Washington
Nathan and Casey Allan, Innkeepers

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Yes, your sources are absolutely correct. AAA will accept unrated properties. Under the description of their rating system, they even say, " Many lodging properties are members of AAA and participate in AAA's hotel ranking system. Properties must satisfy minimum requirements reflecting basic lodging needs identified by AAA members. Properties with no diamonds shown do not participate in the rating system. No implication of quality - negative or positive - is implied when a ranking is not shown."

With this being said, I'm not sure I would like my facility to be unrated if all the other facilities around me were rated. The very nature of the system seems to encourage facilties to be listed since it helps guests sort through their travel destinations and to identify and distinguish competing lodging facilities.

On the otherhand, AAA is quite big. 1 out of 4 households in the United States belong to AAA, so I may have to look into this more to see if it's worth being unrated. (To do this I'll check on-line to see if any competing facillities are even listed - rated or otherwise).

For those of you who don't know about AAA ratings, the ratings include:

Single diamond rating: (Economy) For the budget traveler where cost is the primary concern; usually denotes clean, no-frills accommodations and minimal on-site amenities.

Double diamond rating: (Value) Simple accommodations with more thought given to décor and atmosphere; budget is still a consideration; may offer limited public space, a gift shop, and/or a coffee shop; amenities and on-site services are limited.

Triple diamond rating: (Distinctive) For the more discerning traveler, where service, quality, style, and comfort are clear priorities; also a good choice for families; usually offer function rooms for meetings and a restaurant; may offer other amenities such as a pool or services for business travelers.

Four diamond rating: (Exceptional) First-class accommodations with an emphasis on hospitality and premium customer service. highly reliable hotels offering a fine-dining restaurant, a range of amenities, and facilities for the sophisticated traveler; also appropriate for the business traveler.

Five diamond rating: (Premium) World-class lodging for the most discriminating traveler; these hotels pride themselves on meticulous personal service, numerous amenities, elegant décor, and the highest standards of comfort; among the finest hotels in the world.
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Inn at Elizabethville

Yes you are right about unrated propertiues but to be be rated costs a small fortune, something most four room Inns can not afford.
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Swantown Inn Bed & Breakfast
Olympia, Washington
Nathan and Casey Allan, Innkeepers

Do you know how much AAA charges to be listed - unrated or otherwise?
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Inn at Elizabethville

There is no cost for unrated, but you do need to meet some minimum requirements.
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Swantown Inn Bed & Breakfast
Olympia, Washington
Nathan and Casey Allan, Innkeepers

Does anyone know where to find a list of names for current AAA evaluators/inspectors?