Wingate Inn Hotels Open in Wilmington, NC and Latrobe, PA

Wingate Inn's first franchised hotel in Wilmington is now officially open at 5126 Market Street. The four-story, 101-room hotel offers high-tech amenities such as free guestroom high-speed Internet access via a laptop computer, as well as many other features such as a 24-hour business center, wireless phones and automated check-in and check-out.

"The property is located off Interstate 40, just a few miles from Wilmington International Airport," says Lisa Brent, general manager. "Our convenient location will provide guests with easy access to both large corporations such as Corning and Dupont, as well as to Wilmington's beaches and its historic downtown district. We're looking forward to serving both business and leisure travelers."

Keith Pierce, Wingate Inns International, Inc. president and CEO, adds, "As our tenth open property in North Carolina, we're looking forward to serving travelers to Wilmington and throughout the state. With numerous amenities, a 100% stisfaction guarantee and a dedicated staff, we believe that this property will be a great addition to the Wilmington area."

Wingate Inn Hotel Opens in Latrobe, PA

The first franchised Wingate Inn hotel in Latrobe is now officially open on U.S. Route 30. The three-story, 80-room hotel offers high-tech amenities such as free guestroom high-speed Internet access via a laptop computer, as well as many other features such as a 24-hour business center, wireless phones and automated check-in and check-out.

"Located just outside of Pittsburgh, Latrobe is an area with a growing need for high-quality business hotel accommodations," says Thomas J. Marflak, general manager. "With the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and companies such as Latrobe Steel and Carbide Industries near the property, the number of business travelers has dramatically increased over the past several years. We feel that we can meet the needs of these business travelers."

Keith Pierce, president and CEO of Wingate Inns International, Inc., adds, "We're excited about the opening of our newest property in Pennsylvania. Now travelers throughout the Latrobe area will have the opportunity to experience the latest in enabling technology and outstanding customer service."

About Wingate Inn Hotels

As a part of the Wingate Inn chain, these Wingate Inn hotels feature high-speed Internet access connections in every guestroom, as well as in the meeting room and boardroom. Guests with a standard Ethernet card and RJ45 connector can enjoy free access to the Internet from guestrooms at speeds up to 50 times faster than conventional 56K modems. Meeting room and boardroom high speed Internet access is rentable on a half-day and full day basis.

The hotels also feature standard amenities such as express, automated check-in and check-out, as well as in-room cordless phones and two-line desk phones with dataport, speaker, conference call and voice mail capabilities. Wingate Inn hotels also offer meeting rooms, 24-hour access to a business center with free usage of fax, printing and copying equipment, and wireless phones that can be checked out from the front desk and used anywhere within the hotel for both incoming and outgoing calls.

Although focused on providing efficient working conditions for the business traveler, Wingate Inn hotels also provide amenities for leisure travelers such as an in-room entertainment system featuring pay-per-view movies and Nintendo 64 games. Guests can also benefit from larger-than-average guestrooms (12' x 28'), an expanded continental breakfast, a whirlpool, exercise facilities, free accommodations for children 18 and under accompanied by an adult, the Wingate Inn 100% gest satisfaction guarantee and in-room safes, coffee makers, hair dryers and ironing boards with irons. In addition to the standard amenities, the Wingate Inn hotel in Latrobe features two suites and in Wilmington features three suites and an outdoor pool.

Wingate Inns International, Inc. is an all-new construction hotel chain that opened its first franchised hotel in July 1996. Its focused service, upper mid-market franchised hotels feature sophisticated, consumer-based technology and comfortable, oversized rooms that were created in response to business travelers' needs. All Wingate Inn hotels are independently owned and operated under Franchise agreements.