Only one Kansas hotel received AAA’s Four Diamonds this year, and it’s in Wichita

Don’t get Paul Coury wrong. He’s happy that his Ambassador Hotel Wichita, Autograph Collection, has won AAA’s Four Diamond Award for the third time. However, he’s a bit nonchalant about it because he’s not surprised.

“That’s part of our platform to be Four Diamond, so that’s intentional,” Coury says.

The bigger deal would be if the Ambassador didn’t receive it.

The hotel is the only one in Kansas to get the distinction this year.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t other great hotels. It means that other ones don’t meet specific criteria of a Four Diamond experience, which includes a host of things, such as 24-hour room service.

“They come in and audit it unannounced,” Coury says.

AAA is presenting the hotel the award with a reception on Thursday.

Tulsa-based Coury Hospitality has seven hotels in its chain and eight more in the works.

“We have a lot of growth right now,” Coury says.

None of his plans are in Kansas, and Coury says he’s not sure if he’ll ever open another Wichita property.

“I don’t know. That’s a good question.”

The east side could be a possibility one day, but nothing is on his radar, Coury says.

“Downtown is probably the best market for what we’ve got.”

This story was originally published July 11, 2018 at 5:03 PM.