Triangle Needs More Four Stars For NHL All-Stars

The Washington Duke Inn is the only Four Star hotel in the Triangle, and there is one Five star hotel in Chapel Hill.

Employees at the Washington Duke Inn take pride in offering the ultimate experience in hospitality, and they have gotthe stars to prove it.

Sales Director Jim Bressler says earning Four Star status is a tough job they work at from the moment a guest walksthrough the doors.

"The doors need to be opened for them," he says, "[and] we have to answer the phone within three rings."

These are just a few of the requirements judges look for when they rate the hotel every year. Plush rooms are also a big part of the equation.

"As an example of the Four Star and Five Star level we can't have plastic glasses," Bressler says. "You've got to havea need to address technology issues in this day and age so we have to have modems in all of our rooms."

"We have to have a certain number and type of hangers," he says.

You will not find many hotels like this in the Triangle.

"You have some very smart hotel developers within this market," says developer Jay Mahan. "Those developers have assessed the market as have we and determined there's not a significant enough demand right now to sustain a four star property on a seven day basis."

Developers also say the Triangle's low unemployment rate would make it difficult to maintain the full staff a Four Star hotel requires. The Washington Duke has 211 full time employees.

There are only 25 Five Star hotels in the world and 237 Four Star hotels.