The Laurel Hotel & Spa in Auburn has been awarded a Five Diamond designation by AAA Travels, the only hotel in Alabama to hold the distinction. Only 89 hotels across the U.S. carry the recognition.
“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 and 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 the only hotel in Alabama ever to receive the Five Diamond designation, according to van der Reijden.
Auburn-based Ithaka Hospitality Partners operates the hotel in partnership with Auburn University.
The Laurel Hotel & Spa is a teaching hotel adjacent to the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, which houses Auburn’s School of Hospitality Management. The hotel features a rooftop lounge, infinity pool and garden, the latter of which is operated in partnership with Auburn’s Department of Horticulture. The garden provides produce used at 1856, the restaurant at the hotel.
