NEW YORK, April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PUNTACANA Resort & Club®, the luxury resort destination in the Dominican Republic, has been honored with two prestigious distinctions by earning AAA Diamond Awards for 2012 for two of its restaurants. Bamboo, with interiors designed by Oscar de la Renta, has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond Award.  La Yola, located at the resort's marina overlooking the Caribbean Sea, has been awarded the AAA Three Diamond Award.

AAA's Diamond Rating System is North America's premiere ratings program, and represents a combination of the overall food, service, decor and ambiance offered by the establishment. The descriptive ratings are assigned exclusively to establishments that meet and uphold AAA's rigorous quality standards. AAA's professionally trained inspectors use published guidelines to conduct unannounced and independent evaluations.

Tucked away in the Tortuga Bay area of the resort, Bamboo's menu blends Modern Cuisine with Mediterranean influences for a variety of innovative fusion dishes in a cozy, graceful setting designed by Oscar de la Renta, PUNTACANA Resort & Club resident and chairman of the board. Bamboo earned the coveted Four Diamond rating for 2012, and this achievement ranks Bamboo as a premier establishment esteemed by AAA's professional inspectors, the hospitality industry, and over 53 million AAA/CAA members.  Fewer than three percent of the more than 27,000 restaurants approved by AAA achieve this prestigious distinction.

Modeled after a fisherman's boat, La Yola sits right on the Caribbean Sea at PUNTACANA Resort & Club's marina, and features the freshest Mediterranean cuisine and seafood in an elegant ambiance.  The restaurant's open-air seating allows for spectacular views of the sea, and the restaurant also features a glass-floor viewing portal which offers diners sights of the vibrant sea life below.  La Yola earned the Three Diamond Award for 2012 for its exceptional service and quality of food.

"Everyone at PUNTACANA Resort & Club is honored to be recognized by AAA for the dining offerings presented at Bamboo and La Yola," said Vincenzo Calcerano, General Manager of Tortuga Bay Hotel and La Yola Restaurant at PUNTACANA Resort & Club.  "Our goal is to always offer a best-in-class and unique experience to our guests across accommodations, dining, golf, spa and activities. Distinctions like this reflect our commitment to providing a first-class experience from the moment they arrive."

Tortuga Bay, the resort's luxury boutique hotel, was also honored for the second consecutive year with The AAA Five Star Diamond Award.  Tortuga Bay, which opened at the PUNTACANA Resort & Club in 2006, has received much attention for its guest experience, including VIP transport from the airport, access to the exclusive Bamboo Restaurant and Six Senses Spa, and ability to play the resort's two golf courses, the Tom Fazio-designed Corales and the recently expanded P.B. Dye-designed La Cana.

The AAA Five Diamond Award is reserved for properties that exemplify the highest level of excellence in every facet of operation. Out of the 37,000 hotels rated by AAA in 2012, Tortuga Bay is among an exclusive group of 0.25% of hotels to achieve this distinction.

About PUNTACANA Resort & Club

The development of Grupo PUNTACANA® dates back to 1969 when Dominican businessman and hotelier Frank R. Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel, the prominent New York attorney and labor mediator, created a partnership to construct a resort and real estate community that respects the natural habitat of Punta Cana while offering a world-class vacation experience. Maintaining a dedication to sustainable tourism, PUNTACANA Resort & Club has since grown to encompass over 26 square miles and now includes Tortuga Bay; Six Senses Spa; the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation; four residential communities (Corales, Hacienda, Marina and Arrecife); a full-service marina; nine restaurants; a shopping village; two 18-hole golf courses; and Punta Cana International Airport, a modern facility that incorporates innovative and eco-friendly design. In 1997, Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta joined the Group as co-investors and have made PUNTACANA Resort & Club their home.  Currently, Punta Cana is the most highly visited Caribbean destination and is easily accessible from all over the globe.

SOURCE PUNTACANA Resort & Club