<PAGE>   1
                                                        EXHIBIT 24


STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF WAKE


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY

       I, Charles M. Winston, a resident of Wake County, North Carolina, of
legal age and legally competent for all purposes, do hereby grant this Power of
Attorney to Robert W. Winston, III, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Winston Hotels, Inc. (the "Company") and Philip R. Alfano Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, who are of legal age and who are
legally competent for all purposes, and with full power of substitution so that
they, or either of them, may perform any and all acts and things which said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the
Company to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. I expressly
authorize the said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to execute and deliver to
the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate entities on my
behalf an Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996,
including specifically, but not limited to, the power and authority to sign for
me in my name in the capacity indicated on the Annual Report and any and all
amendments thereto.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 28th day of February, 1997.


                                       /s/ Charles M. Winston       [SEAL]
                                       -----------------------------
                                       Charles M. Winston
<PAGE>   2

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF DURHAM


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY

       I, Paul Fulton, a resident of Forsyth County, North Carolina, of
legal age and legally competent for all purposes, do hereby grant this Power of
Attorney to Robert W. Winston, III, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Winston Hotels, Inc. (the "Company") and Philip R. Alfano Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, who are of legal age and who are
legally competent for all purposes, and with full power of substitution so that
they, or either of them, may perform any and all acts and things which said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the
Company to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. I expressly
authorize the said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to execute and deliver to
the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate entities on my
behalf an Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996,
including specifically, but not limited to, the power and authority to sign for
me in my name in the capacity indicated on the Annual Report and any and all
amendments thereto.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 19th day of February, 1997.


                                       /s/ Paul Fulton              [SEAL]
                                       -----------------------------
                                       Paul Fulton         
<PAGE>   3

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF WAKE


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY

       I, Thomas F. Darden, II, a resident of Wake County, North Carolina, of
legal age and legally competent for all purposes, do hereby grant this Power of
Attorney to Robert W. Winston, III, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Winston Hotels, Inc. (the "Company") and Philip R. Alfano Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, who are of legal age and who are
legally competent for all purposes, and with full power of substitution so that
they, or either of them, may perform any and all acts and things which said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the
Company to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. I expressly
authorize the said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to execute and deliver to
the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate entities on my
behalf an Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996,
including specifically, but not limited to, the power and authority to sign for
me in my name in the capacity indicated on the Annual Report and any and all
amendments thereto.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 28th day of February, 1997.


                                       /s/ Thomas F. Darden, II     [SEAL]
                                       -----------------------------
                                       Thomas F. Darden, II
<PAGE>   4

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF WAKE


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY

       I, Richard L. Daugherty, a resident of Wake County, North Carolina, of
legal age and legally competent for all purposes, do hereby grant this Power of
Attorney to Robert W. Winston, III, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Winston Hotels, Inc. (the "Company") and Philip R. Alfano Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, who are of legal age and who are
legally competent for all purposes, and with full power of substitution so that
they, or either of them, may perform any and all acts and things which said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the
Company to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. I expressly
authorize the said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to execute and deliver to
the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate entities on my
behalf an Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996,
including specifically, but not limited to, the power and authority to sign for
me in my name in the capacity indicated on the Annual Report and any and all
amendments thereto.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 12th day of February, 1997.


                                       /s/ Richard L. Daugherty     [SEAL]
                                       -----------------------------
                                       Richard L. Daugherty
<PAGE>   5

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF WAKE


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY

       I, James H. Winston, a resident of Wake County, North Carolina, of
legal age and legally competent for all purposes, do hereby grant this Power of
Attorney to Robert W. Winston, III, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Winston Hotels, Inc. (the "Company") and Philip R. Alfano Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, who are of legal age and who are
legally competent for all purposes, and with full power of substitution so that
they, or either of them, may perform any and all acts and things which said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the
Company to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. I expressly
authorize the said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to execute and deliver to
the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate entities on my
behalf an Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996,
including specifically, but not limited to, the power and authority to sign for
me in my name in the capacity indicated on the Annual Report and any and all
amendments thereto.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 6th day of February, 1997.


                                       /s/ James H. Winston         [SEAL]
                                       -----------------------------
                                       James H. Winston
<PAGE>   6

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF WAYNE


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY

       I, Edwin B. Borden, a resident of Wayne County, North Carolina, of
legal age and legally competent for all purposes, do hereby grant this Power of
Attorney to Robert W. Winston, III, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Winston Hotels, Inc. (the "Company") and Philip R. Alfano Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, who are of legal age and who are
legally competent for all purposes, and with full power of substitution so that
they, or either of them, may perform any and all acts and things which said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the
Company to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. I expressly
authorize the said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to execute and deliver to
the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate entities on my
behalf an Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996,
including specifically, but not limited to, the power and authority to sign for
me in my name in the capacity indicated on the Annual Report and any and all
amendments thereto.

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 5th day of February, 1997.


                                       /s/ Edwin B. Borden          [SEAL]
                                       -----------------------------
                                       Edwin B. Borden