Las Vegas is seeing more stars

LAS Vegas finally got lucky.

The Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas on Nov. 9 earned five stars from Mobil Travel Guide, becoming the first Sin City lodging to join Mobil’s top tier. Also new to the list were the St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach, in Dana Point; the St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco; Mandarin Oriental, New York; and the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville.

Las Vegas also shined in restaurant ratings, with Alex, at the Wynn, and Joel Robuchon, at MGM Grand, newly earning five stars, along with Alinea in Chicago. But in California, Gary Danko in San Francisco fell to four stars, leaving the state with two five-star restaurants: the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, and the French Laundry in Yountville.

For a list of winners, plus reviews, visit www.mobiltravelguide.howstuffworks.com.

Jane Engle

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Suit filed against Trip Assured

A class-action lawsuit was filed last week in Orange County on behalf of consumers who bought travel protection from Trip Assured Inc. of Crossville, Tenn.

The complaint alleges that Trip Assured misled customers by marketing its trip-cancellation product as insurance even though the company was not licensed to sell insurance.

It also alleges that the company had no intention of paying legitimate claims.

Trip Assured officials could not be reached for comment by the Travel section’s deadline Tuesday.

Insurance commissioners in California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas earlier ordered the company to stop selling trip-cancellation benefits.

The lawsuit seeks to force Trip Assured to refund premiums and pay legitimate claims. Interested consumers can contact the law office of John Tiedt, at (951) 343-3320.

Jim Gilden

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New shuttle to Tahoe area

A new shuttle between Reno-Tahoe International Airport and North Lake Tahoe ski resorts, plus Truckee, was to have started last week.

A shuttle to the South Lake Tahoe area, the South Tahoe Express, www.southtahoeexpress.com, still runs to resort casinos.

The new shuttle, called the North Lake Tahoe Express, charges $35 per person one way and $60 round trip. It operates, on a reservation basis, from 3:30 a.m. to midnight daily. For details and reservations, call (866) 216-5222 or visit www.northlaketahoeexpress.com.

Jane Engle

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Calling again on Israel

CRYSTAL Cruises, which last sailed to Israel in 1999, will return next year. Crystal Serenity will call on Ashdod, near Jerusalem, in April.

Spokeswoman Mimi Weisband said travelers’ perceptions of security problems in Israel have “definitely eased” since the unrest that prompted Crystal to stop visiting. As of last week, the State Department continued to post a travel warning about Israel.

Jane Engle

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jane.engle@latimes.com; james.gilden@latimes.com