EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

         The undersigned  director of Apple Suites, Inc., a Virginia corporation
(the "Corporation"), hereby constitutes and appoints Glade M. Knight and Stanley
J. Olander,  Jr. as the undersigned's  true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  with
full power and authority to act,  either jointly or  separately,  in the name of
the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned in connection with the offering
and  registration  of the  common  shares of the  Corporation  (the  "Securities
Matters").  Without  limiting  the  scope  of  the  foregoing,  the  undersigned
acknowledges  and agrees that each  attorney-in-fact  named above shall have the
authority to take all of the following actions:  (1) to execute,  in the name of
the  undersigned,   registration   statements  and  other  documents  (including
amendments) relating to the Securities Matters;  (2) to file such documents,  on
behalf of the  undersigned,  with the  United  States  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission and with state securities commissions; and (3) to perform any and all
other acts that are necessary or appropriate to accomplish the foregoing.

Effective Date:  December 15, 1999

                                                      /s/  Lisa B. Kern
                                                      -----------------
                                                           Lisa B. Kern