stuck in elevator- compensation
 

I recently spent two nights in the xx Hilton. Of the four elevators in the building, one was out of service. At 10:30 one night, I was taking one of the working elevators up to my room when it stopped mid-floor. We were stuck in there for 30 minutes. When the hotel finally got us out, the maintenance engineer laughed at us and told us it was our own fault (?):mad:. He also said that that elevator had been having problems. I spoke to the manager the next day, who gave me her card and told me to write her a letter. My guess is: as the hotel was full of conventioneers, they knew the elevator had problems but they didn't want to take it out of service and leave only 2 elevators for 300 rooms and guests. What should I ask for in compensation? Should I contact the city's health and safety department?

IMHO, stuck in an elevator = s**t happens. Move on.

+1^

Annoying but a complete over reaction. Not helped by the engineer but come on - health and safety?

RedV

+1

$10,000 sounds right to me, wait make that $25,000 , who does this Hotel think they are

An elevator full of FT'ers got stuck for a while at
CO Houston HQ during tour at DO last year.
As our group left, the Houston fire department showed up. :o

I think they got to pick out something
for free from the souvenir shop.

A simple sorry
 

First post but agree with the others some times you just have to laugh although maybe a nice bottle of wine sent to the room by the manager may have helped with the laughing. The whole culture of compensation is something we in the UK have caught up with The US and generally we are the worse for it. A simple sorry is never enough anymore....

Perhaps, if it'd make you feel better, a note to the manager (as she did express interest in hearing from you), suggesting that they might be better off putting malfunctioning elevators out-of-service in future; I'm not fully comfortable with the maintenance guy as villain, without having been there myself, but if you truly feel he had a bad attitude, mention that as well: "The fellow who eventually released us said it was 'our fault', which I don't understand as we had no idea the elevator had been having problems."

You make NO ... let me repeat that, NO mention of any sort of "compensation" - none, nada. If the manager is gracious enough to make a conciliatory gesture, along with a sincere note, you thank her for her attention. If she responds without "an offer", assume the incident was duly noted, and move on! If there were no response at all, I wouldn't follow up on this, but wouldn't think too much of the manager.

Once they stop wetting themselves laughing you can probably have a couple of the mints they put in those big bowls on the reception desk - and if they don't have any mints ask for compensation for that too! In fact, ask them to compensate you for them not asking what compensation you think is appropriate. You are gonna be minted after this ! :D

500 points and an form note (that misidentifies the issue) from a junior customer service rep.

I completely agree with Points Scrounger. Just make suggestions as to how they can attempt to avoid something like this from happening again (since the maintenance guy already told you the elevator was problematic). IMO, you're usually better off not requesting compensation.

Bobette

Well, if it had been two nights in the xx elevator, you'd darn well be entitled to compensation! :D

Of course, it wasn't, and I do agree with members who recommend writing a short letter reminding the manager she said to do so, and that your concern was the engineer said the elevator had already been having problems as you were released after a half hour. Points Scrounger has a good outline, IMO... if the GM has some good customer orientation, you may get some compo of some kind, or maybe even a free night out of it. ¿Quien sabe? But it has happened to me...

If you didn't soil yourself, I don't think you're entitled to anything. If you did, you should ask for enough to buy a new pair of BVD's.

I say write the letter but don't ask for compensation. 30 minutes, as long as you didn't miss anything, isn't all that bad. state that you were frustrated by the fact that it was known the elevator has problems and was allowed to function. But don't ask for compensation because to me 30 minutes isn't all that bad. if they offer it up take their compensation and if they don't move along.

+1 as well. Our goal of complaining should be that it doesn't happen again, not more free points.