Notyou2

[QUOTE=clarkef]All 11 people in the elevator were similarly inconvenienced, and should be compensated equally. [QUOTE]

Just because everyone was similarly inconvenienced, not everyone's damages are similar. The compensation should be based on damages not just inconvenience. A retired person's time is monetarily worth less than, let's say the Chairman of Hilton. Unpopular thought to some I'm sure, but really, however unpleasant it was, there are worse situations- We have troops in Iraq, Natalee is missing in Aruba, etc. etc. If someone was TRULY inconvenienced
speak up, otherwise suck it up.

Superd1

[QUOTE=JDiver] In the Dallas metroplex, an upgraded suite stay where they gave me a key to a previously assigned suite - it seems the couple I walked in on was, well, maybe practicing some of their marital skills on their honeymoon , shall we say.) Profuse apologies, upgrade to an even finer suite, and a letter inviting me to another, courtesy, suite stay in the future. (No, I have no idea how they compensated the couple I caught in flagrante delicious.) [QUOTE]

I had something like that happen to me. It was a suite and there were already 4 women in it. I trudged back to the desk all luggage in tow to explain that although I appreciated the thought I didn't think my wife would approve. To top it off all suites now handed out so my booking was downgraded to just a room. No compensation, just a "sorry" apology. That was my last stay there (ever).

2 1/2 hours in an elevator is way to long. If I had been 1 of the 11 people it would have gotten very uncomfortable very fast and not just for me. I have shall we say an extreme aversion to being confined in small places. They can get you out of the elevator even if it is stuck and should have within 30 minutes.

BigLar

Re the unrinator:

I can think of dozens of people off the top of my head who would be having a bladder containment problem after two hours or so in an elevator. Probably most of us have, at one time or another, thought "I'll take the elevator up to the room, freshen up, take a quick pee, and be ready for the night." Two and a half hours later, and no relief, you're in serious trouble!

Now, if the guy just let it go on a routine trip to the 10th floor, maybe he's got a problem. But after all that time, and none of knowing what condition he was in when he got on, I'd be less than eager to give him the ol' horse laugh.

JDiver

Or, heading down from the lounge after a few beers...

uastarflyer

Irrelevant. Only above a base level, which should be set high enough. The retired fellow has fewer useful minutes on earth, each moment is priceless (and again, the entire train of thought is irrelevant).

Irrelevant. We all have issues.

Answer this: Would anyone NOT take up the Hampton 100% Guarantee in this situation were it to occur in their property? Giving the entire stay for free is a low-cost (cash outlay) item for Hilton.

ronin

gofly, so what was the final gesture accepted by your friend?

Notyou2

Glad you're not my attorney; Your honor, everything that the defendant has said is irrelevant, therefore I rest my case without offering any testimony.....

fromYXU

The way I see these compensation request is that your friend obviously does not feel compensated enough and wishes for a different compromise. If that is the case then he should contact the hotel. This is totally reasonable.

If it is a matter of having been offer something and thinking that he should be able to get more then I feel less sympathetic.

gofly

Thanks for everyone's opinions/comments. I was away for a couple days, so I don't have chance to reply. This incident happend at Hilton Atlanta Northeast (near Norcross) around 6 to 6:30 PM. Because of this, my friend missed his dinner with other members in his group. The Hilton offered him a free night stay and free dinner. He accepted this new offer and I think it's a reasonable compensation.

traveler4ever

[QUOTE=Notyou2][QUOTE=clarkef]All 11 people in the elevator were similarly inconvenienced, and should be compensated equally. I disagree with your theory totally. I have walked out of Doctors offices before because I was in the waiting area after lunchtime when a "salesman" walked in, went to the back and proceeded to talk with the Doctor about the lastest software for his computer! After waiting a good forty minutes past my appointment time, I told the receptionist (very loudly so the Doctor and Salesman could hear ~the door was open) that my time is just as valuable as anyone elses. I also said I am leaving, I am not rescheduling, and I am thoroughly disgusted that the Doctor would treat a prospective patient in this manner! Who is one to say that their time is more valuable than anyone elses time! We all die at some time or another. Every minute of everyones life is just as valuable as anyone elses. Sorry! and for the record! I would have not given up until Hilton reimbursed me for at least one night and paid me compensation for giving up that much time of my life stuck in an elevator. I also would have been telling everyone in the elevator that we all deserved EQUAL compensation.

traveler4ever

Gofly~
Personally, I (in the 2.5 hours in the elevator) would have told all of the other Hilton guests that the compensation I am going to request is a free stay at the hotel. I would have also asked each and every one of the "stuck" people in the elevator to please plan a meeting with me with the general manager and the chief engineer so that we could all voice our disgust in being so inconvenienced and mistreated by the Hilton Corporation. I would have told everyone in the elevator "Do you really want to pay for your stay here now? Talk about a rip off. By the time we were done, we all would have left the hotel with the compensation of no payment for a terrible hotel experience. And that would be going lightly on the the Hotel.

loomis

That is a great question. My one word answer: hypocrisy.

Billiken

That's why I always knock before entering my hotel room for the first time. ^

LemonThrower

to me, getting stuck in the elevator with the urinator would be an unsatisfactory stay. It doesnt' matter that 99% of the stay was satisfactory, the result is that it was unsatisfactory. If you rent a car and it only has 3 wheels, I would not expect pay zero, not 75%.

I would not expect to be charged for the stay, and would want some compensation on top of that. The compensation would depend on the extent I was inconvenienced -- did I miss a performance, or meeting? Did I suffer pain? I'm actually clostrophobic, so it would be very stressful to me. I'm also not a fan of standing in other people's urine.

As for the elevator, if the thing had crashed and someone had gotten killed, would excuses be sufficient?

I think its particularly outrageous that the hotel would try to resolve this on the cheap and spend an hour fooling around before calling professionals.

infinityplusone

Barring, that I do not mind small spaces or being in awkward situations with strangers... the inconvenience of, I assume, having to stand for that long and then having to smell the urine and possibly dodge standing in it would have been more than slightly annoying.

Depending on if it was a business stay or a leisure stay, would affect what I would be interested in for compensation.

A free stay, while on business, gains me nothing. My company would appreciate it although my company would not have been the one stuck in the elevator.

I would expect at least a free night, most likely one night comped on my current stay. I would be willing to accept a future free night, but if I am not in the area again what use would it be to me?

Something I thought about when reading this and then for the past week thinking each time I got in an elevator... what if it gets stuck, would I mind getting stuck with this person (or people), etc. Do I have enough reading material to keep me from getting bored?

I would have a lot of sympathy for the person who had to go. While I would not like the smell I would feel for their discomfort and embarrassment. I know there have been times when travelling walking back from a restaurant and it taking longer then you thought and having to go and thinking, "I hope the elevator doesn't get stuck."

Of course there is that ONE time where Murphy rides with you...