Know AAA

Colorado's new diamonds
Car buying without pain
Changes at Disney's Castaway Cay
Free online tool for senior drivers
Durango member wins a cruise
What happens when you call AAA?
Where people are going
New banking options for members
Ski season discounts
After a crash
PetBook is first AAA product for Kindle
AAA iPhone app updated

TRAVEL

Colorado's new diamonds

Nearly 60,000 properties are inspected and rated annually by AAA across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. This year, only 113 hotels and 62 restaurants achieved the highest rating: the AAA Five Diamond Award.

Colorado has three Five Diamond lodgings: The Little Nell in Aspen, The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek and the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Colorado also has one Five Diamond restaurant, The Penrose Room at the Broadmoor.

Joining the ranks of Four Diamond lodgings this year are the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, Capella Telluride and The Arrabelle at Vail Square. Newly rated Four Diamond restaurants are Spago and Splendido at the Chateau (both in Beaver Creek) and Onyx Restaurant at Capella (in Telluride).

For more information on the AAA rating system, visit www.AAA.com/diamonds. Following are Colorado's 2009 Four Diamond lodgings and restaurants.

Four-Diamond Lodgings

  • Aspen: Hotel Jerome; St. Regis Aspen Resort
  • Beaver Creek: Beaver Creek Lodge; Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa
  • Boulder: St Julien Hotel & Spa
  • Broomfield: Omni Interlocken Resort; Renaissance Boulder Suites Hotel at Flatiron
  • Colorado Springs: Antlers Hilton Colorado Springs; Cheyenne Mountain Resort; Old Town GuestHouse
  • Deckers: Lost Valley Ranch
  • Denver: Brown Palace Hotel and Spa; Grand Hyatt Denver; Hotel Monaco Denver; Hotel Teatro; Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center; Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center; JW Marriott Denver At Cherry Creek; The Ritz-Carlton Denver; The Westin Tabor Center Denver
  • Durango: Apple Orchard Inn; General Palmer Hotel
  • Edwards: The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera
  • Englewood: The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center
  • Glendale: Loews Denver Hotel
  • Keystone: Keystone Lodge & Spa
  • Manitou Springs: The Cliff House at Pikes Peak
  • Telluride: Capella Telluride; Fairmont Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge
  • Vail: The Arrabelle at Vail Square; The Lodge at Vail; Vail Cascade Resort & Spa; Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa
  • Westminster: The Westin Westminster

Four-Diamond Restaurants

  • Aspen: Montagna; Syzygy
  • Beaver Creek: Grouse Mountain Grill; Mirabelle at Beaver Creek; Spago; Splendido at the Chateau
  • Boulder: Frasca; The Flagstaff House Restaurant
  • Colorado Springs: Charles Court; Summit
  • Denver: Palace Arms; Restaurant Kevin Taylor; Rioja
  • Keystone: Alpenglow Stube; Keystone Ranch Restaurant
  • Manitou Springs: The Cliff House Dining Room
  • Ouray: Tundra Restaurant
  • Telluride: Onyx Restaurant at Capella
  • Vail: Ludwig's Restaurant; Restaurant Kelly Liken; The Wildflower

AUTOMOTIVE

Car buying without pain

Finding a car can be time-consuming, and most people find it stressful to deal with high-pressure sales tactics or negotiate a price. AAA Colorado's popular service, AutoSource, takes these problems out of the car-buying experience when it helps approximately 150 members every month to buy new or used vehicles.

Here's how it works. Tell a AAA Colorado AutoSource consultant what you want: make and model, year, price range, options, even the color if that's important. The consultant will research the best deals available, searching multiple dealers. When a suitable car is found, it can be delivered to a AAA office near you for a test drive, or the consultant can accompany you to a dealership for the test drive, ensuring there is no sales pressure.

If you decide to buy, the AutoSource consultant handles all the negotiations and paperwork, including trade-ins and financing if necessary.

The bottom line? "People get the right car at the right price, without any of the hassles. It's the easiest way to buy a car," says manager Dave Adair. There is no additional fee to AAA members for using AutoSource. Visit AutoSource online for more information.

TRAVEL

Changes at Disney's Castaway Cay

Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private island in the Bahamas, is getting an upgrade. The island is consistently rated by guests as their favorite port of call on a Disney cruise. Here's what's in store for visitors in the summer of 2010:

  • Castaway Family Beach will be extended by more than 700 feet. A family lunch buffet will also be added, serving BBQ, rotisserie chicken, burgers, grilled fish, salads, flatbreads, ice cream and more.
  • Sand Bar, a new beach bar, will open to serve mixed tropical concoctions, cold beer and non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Flippers & Floats beach rentals will provide inner tubes and snorkeling gear.
  • New water play areas include Pelican Plunge, a large floating platform within swimming distance from shore with water slides and water cannons. On the island, Spring-a-Leak is a 2,400-square-foot water play area themed as the ruins of a washed-away beach dwelling. Youth area Scuttle's Cove will add a 1,200-square-foot water play area for the youngest kids, with pop jets, geysers and bubblers.
  • New beach cabanas will be added on Castaway Family Beach and adults-only Serenity Bay Beach. The premium rental cabanas have refrigerators, lockable storage, outside fresh-water showers and shaded decks. Beach cabana rental includes non-alcoholic beverages, suntan lotion and towels.

January is Disney Month at AAA Travel. Members who book a Disney Cruise Line vacation through AAA during this month will receive exclusive member offers and benefits. Visit AAA Travel for more information.

SAFETY

Free online tool for senior drivers

AAA's Roadwise Review, a scientifically valid tool designed to help seniors assess their driving health in the privacy of their homes, is now available free online.

The simple-to-use program tests the physical and mental abilities that are the strongest predictors of crash risk among older drivers, and provides feedback to the user about his or her ability to drive safely.

The online version automatically uninstalls itself after use, and no personal data or scores are reported so results remain confidential. Find it at www.AAASeniors.com.

INSURANCE

Durango member wins a cruise

Lori Quick, from Durango, was interested in getting a quote from AAA Insurance. She sent in her request and ended up with an unexpected bonus - as the winner of a $4,000 cruise vacation.

AAA Colorado's "win a cruise" insurance promotion ran in August and September. Mrs. Quick decided to use the cruise voucher to take her husband and three children on a Caribbean cruise, arranged with the help of AAA's travel agency at the Durango office.

AAA Insurance is one of the largest independent personal-lines insurance agencies in Colorado. Agents are based in AAA district offices (click here for locations) and offer coverage from several highly rated national insurers, in addition to AAA's own brand of insurance. Auto, homeowner's, renter's, life, travel and long-term care insurance are all available, in addition to specialty insurance for RVs, boats, snowmobiles and other items. Quotes are available in person, over the phone or online. A recent addition to the website is instant auto insurance for drivers visiting Mexico - a traveler can purchase a policy online before a trip, and print it out at home.

AUTOMOTIVE

What happens when you call AAA?

When a member calls for roadside assistance, AAA Colorado's goal is to have a service vehicle there within 30 minutes. Here's how it happens.

Your call, or Internet request through www.AAA.com, arrives at AAA Colorado's 24/7 roadside assistance call center located at the Denver headquarters. First, one of our customer service representatives will ask if you're safe. Our first priority is the safety of our members. So if you don't feel safe waiting where you are, please tell us. AAA Colorado can call family members, a taxi or the police for you.

Other questions will include your location, the type of vehicle and the nature of the problem. Be as specific as you can. AAA has many different types of service vehicles for different situations, so this will help us make sure that an appropriate vehicle is sent to assist you.

AAA Colorado has numerous highly trained and qualified service providers throughout the state. Our staff, using state-of-the-art dispatch equipment, will send the closest available and appropriate vehicle to assist with your particular roadside problem.

AAA's 30-minute goal is usually met, although delays can reasonably be expected in inclement weather and its aftermath, other traffic congestion or unsafe road conditions. Not only do these conditions slow down traffic, these are also the periods of peak demand for road service.

Whatever the situation, AAA customer service representatives, dispatchers and service providers understand the frustrations involved in a breakdown and will work with you to ensure the fastest possible solution. Our overriding concern is for members' safety, security and peace of mind.

TRAVEL

Where people are going

Each month, thousands of AAA members visit www.AAA.com to plan and book travel. Here are the top destinations Colorado members researched in October:

Colorado

  1. Denver
  2. Colorado Springs
  3. Fort Collins
  4. Pueblo
  5. Grand Junction

National

  1. Phoenix
  2. Las Vegas
  3. Los Angeles
  4. Orlando
  5. San Diego

International

  1. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  2. Munich, Germany
  3. Cancun, Mexico
  4. Milan, Italy
  5. Salzburg, Austria

FINANCIAL SERVICES

New banking options for members

One of the best financial services options on the market today is exclusive to AAA members through Discover Bank.

The program's high-yield savings accounts offer rates for AAA members that consistently beat the national bank average. Accounts can be set up quickly by phone, mail or online, and no minimum balance is required to open a CD, IRA or Money Market account (however, Money Market accounts require a minimum balance of $1,500 after 60 days).

Known primarily for credit cards, Discover Bank has been in business for more than 95 years. It is an FDIC-insured institution and is consistently ranked among the top 10 banks by Bankrate.com, which has awarded it a four-star safety rating.

For more information, call 888-728-3230 or visit www.AAA.com/Deposits.

MEMBER SAVINGS

Ski season discounts

This winter, your AAA card can save you money on the slopes. Before setting out, save 25% on ski or snowboard tunes, and 25% on all rental equipment, at participating Colorado Breeze stores. AAA members also save 10% on any retail item in the store.

Once you've got your gear together, head for Echo Mountain near Idaho Springs where AAA members get a discount on season passes, lift tickets and lessons. For the 2009-2010 season, save $80 on an unlimited season pass, $5 on adult lift tickets, $3 on youth lift tickets and get a 15% discount on a two-hour private ski or snowboard lesson (which includes an all-day lift ticket).

When it's time to head home, don't forget Beau Jo's Pizza has a 20% discount on food for AAA members. The original store is on Miner Street in Idaho Springs and has been an apres-ski favorite for more than 30 years.

For more information on companies that offer AAA discounts, click here.

INSURANCE

After a crash

It's that time of year. Suddenly, slick roads send cars into a tailspin, or someone is unable to stop. Being in a crash is upsetting, but knowing what to do afterward can help you remain calm. Here are some steps to follow if you are involved in a crash. If your car is driveable, pull over to a safe spot so you don't block traffic. Do not leave the crash scene. Check to see if anyone is injured, then call the police (and emergency medical assistance if needed).

Write down the license plate numbers of the other vehicles involved. If your phone has a camera, take photos of the crash scene and any damage to all cars involved.

When exchanging insurance information, copy the other driver's information directly from his or her driver's license and insurance card to be sure it is accurate. You need to write down the driver's name, vehicle owner's name, address, insurance company, policy number, and the insurance company's phone number. If there were witnesses, get their names, addresses and phone numbers too.

Always be courteous and cooperative, and limit your statements to facts. Don't be drawn into an argument about whose fault it was, and avoid saying "I'm sorry" even if the crash was clearly your fault.

As soon as you can, contact your insurance agent to provide the information you gathered. If you were not at fault in the collision, also contact the other driver's insurance company.

Contact a AAA insurance agent regarding any questions you might have. AAA has insurance agents at all branch offices, or call 877-244-9790.

ONLINE

PetBook is first AAA product for Kindle

The 11th edition of Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook is the first AAA product published for Amazon's Kindle e-reader. The AAA PetBook is also available for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch, and will be available for Sony eReader in the near future.

The AAA PetBook is a comprehensive guide to pet travel, listing more than 13,000 pet-friendly accommodations and attractions as well as guidelines for traveling by air, car or rail, taking your pet camping, international travel, finding a vet while traveling, and much more.

The Kindle version of the book is available from www.Amazon.com for $9.99. As always, the print version can be purchased at AAA offices for $9.95, or $17.95 for non-members.

MEMBER SAVINGS

AAA iPhone app updated

One of AAA's popular iPhone applications, AAA Discounts, has been updated. The app now allows users to enter specific locations to search for discounts and generate coupons from featured companies.

AAA Discounts is a free app which displays nearby companies offering a AAA discount. Another free app, AAA Roadside, allows the iPhone user to quickly submit a road service request, location and details of the problem with or without placing a voice call.

Both are available in the iPhone or iTunes app store. AAA Discounts has been downloaded more than 667,500 times since its release in April 2009.

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