PENDLETON — Oxford Suites Pendleton announced that after a comprehensive, on-site inspection, it has been recognized with the 2020 AAA Inspector’s Best of Housekeeping award — an award granted to hotels throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean that receive the highest possible cleanliness and condition scores.

Housekeeping and maintenance attributes are among the most important components analyzed during the on-site evaluations conducted by AAA’s professionally trained inspectors. While every hotel must meet rigorous standards of cleanliness and condition to qualify for the AAA Diamond Program, hotels awarded with the Best of Housekeeping designation significantly surpass expectations, as measured during a comprehensive, on-site inspection.

All areas of the hotel must reflect this high standard as AAA inspectors review for evidence of dirt, dust, pests and equipment performance.

“The health, safety and comfort of our guests have always been our highest priorities, and we’re honored to have earned this distinction for eight of our locations this year,” said Loren Long, regional vice president of operations for the Oxford Collection of hotels. “We are committed to exceeding guest expectations and providing a superior travel experience. This award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our entire team and we couldn’t be prouder.”

“AAA has found that cleanliness and physical condition are consistently among the most important components travelers consider when looking for a hotel, and we know that will be more important than ever as travelers get back to exploring the world in a post-COVID environment,” said Scott Hammerle, director of the AAA Diamond Program.

Oxford Suites Pendleton is part of a select group of hotels in North America. Properties must demonstrate housekeeping excellence for two consecutive inspections and be free of AAA member complaints to meet the criteria for this award, which puts them in the top 25% of all 27,000 AAA Diamond designated hotels.

In light of COVID-19, the Best of Housekeeping badge provides travelers with extra confidence when booking a hotel. Currently, AAA is revising the inspection process used in its Diamond Program. The new criteria will reflect best practices for protecting the health of hotel guests, employees, and AAA inspectors.