<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Milton Fine, W. Thomas Parrington, Jr., J. William Richardson,
Marvin I. Droz, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels
Company, a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to
such Form 10-K and file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                            /s/ DAVID J. FINE
                                                            -----------------
                                                            David J. Fine



Dated:            March 30, 1998



<PAGE>   2
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints W. Thomas Parrington, Jr., J. William Richardson, Marvin I. Droz,
and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and
stead, to sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels Company, a
Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to such Form
10-K and file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                              /s/ MILTON FINE
                                                              ---------------
                                                              Milton Fine



Dated:            March 30, 1998



<PAGE>   3
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Milton Fine, W. Thomas Parrington, Jr., J. William Richardson,
Marvin I. Droz, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels
Company, a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to
such Form 10-K and file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                      /s/ R. MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH
                                                      -------------------------
                                                      R. Michael McCullough



Dated:            March 30, 1998



<PAGE>   4
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Milton Fine, J. William Richardson, Marvin I. Droz, and each of
them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, to
sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels Company, a Pennsylvania
corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to such Form 10-K and file
the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                  /s/ W. THOMAS PARRINGTON, JR.
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                  W. Thomas Parrington, Jr.



Dated:            March 30, 1998



<PAGE>   5
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Milton Fine, W. Thomas Parrington, Jr., Marvin I. Droz, and each of
them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, to
sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels Company, a Pennsylvania
corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to such Form 10-K and file
the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                      /s/ J. WILLIAM RICHARDSON
                                                      -------------------------
                                                      J. William Richardson



Dated:            March 30, 1998



<PAGE>   6
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Milton Fine, W. Thomas Parrington, Jr., J. William Richardson,
Marvin I. Droz, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels
Company, a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to
such Form 10-K and file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                           /s/ THOMAS J. SAYLAK
                                                           --------------------
                                                           Thomas J. Saylak



Dated:            March 30, 1998



<PAGE>   7
                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Milton Fine, W. Thomas Parrington, Jr., J. William Richardson,
Marvin I. Droz, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf, as a director of Interstate Hotels
Company, a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), an Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, and to sign any and all amendments to
such Form 10-K and file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact or agents, or any of them, and their substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



                                                           /s/ STEVEN J. SMITH
                                                           -------------------
                                                           Steven J. Smith



Dated:            March 30, 1998