Jun. 10--Just three weeks after the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal opened its doors for business, an inspector came calling from the American Automobile Association. 

What started as panic -- most businesses need more than a few weeks to work out the kinks-- would eventually put smiles on the faces of the hotel's owners. 

With the paint barely dry, the 650-room Hard Rock that opened in January was awarded Four Diamond status by the travel association. 

"We are obviously thrilled with the outcome," said Michael Sansbury, regional vice president for Loews Hotels, which shares ownership with Universal Orlando and Rank Group PLC. 

The ranking was not awarded in time for the hotel to be included in the latest travel book released by AAA. But the owners were given permission to advertise as a Four Diamond property. 

The hotel's ability to quickly gain the prestigious ranking -- there are now 15 Four Diamond hotels in Central Florida -- was a bit of surprise to some local observers, who said it was unusual for a hotel less than a year old. 

But others, like hotel consultant David Theophilus, said it wasn't all that strange to hit the ground running as a Four Diamond hotel, particularly with Loews' strong reputation. 

It's not like trying for Five Diamond status, he said, referring to the travel association's top ranking. Orlando has no Five Diamond properties, in part because of stringent -- which means costly -- requirements, many geared toward much higher levels of service. 

"There are a lot of people who have taken the position that it's not worth it to go from a Four Diamond to Five Diamond," Theophilus said. 

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(c) 2001. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. RANKY, V,