Channel Drain or French Drain ??

[RNeumann]

I'd put a curb in that would prevent the water from running over the top of the AC. Use the curb and swale to direct the water to the right of the picture. The curtain drain you are attempting could cause water to migrate under the AC and cause more problems than it fixes.

 

[handirifle]

Not the house I live in now, but do as some suggest, make a wide ditch, and landscape it with rocks and trees to look like a stream bed. Our last house was like that and looked really nice. Line it with big creek boulders and attractive trees.