What happens when you get stuck in a Marriott elevator
Jan 14, 2017, 9:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
What happens when you get stuck in a Marriott elevator
I had a new travel experience - getting stuck in a hotel elevator that went into emergency braking between floors for almost one hour. Location was the Residence Inn DC Downtown, which is (over)due for an elevator replacement soon.
Was ascending to floor 8, elevator lurched to a stop (and I mean there was a very sudden drop and stop) between floors 4 and 5. There five of us in the elevator, and no one had ever gotten stuck before.
Spent the first five minutes ringing the emergency bell, with no response. After fiddling with an inactive phone in the elevator, which must have been for police and firefighters, we pressed another button with a phone symbol on it. This connected us via speakerphone to the front desk and that was the first they heard of our problem - so much for the emergency alarm bell!
Fire department was then called and it took around a half hour for them to arrive, pry open the doors, insert a ladder (since there was a >4 foot gap between the car and the fifth floor we exited through). Opening the doors this way released a lot of "dust" into the elevator car - I would have preferred to have a face mask for this part of the operation.
Once we escaped, a Marriott security staff took our names and room #s and said that we'd get a room upgrade for our troubles. This came in handy, as I was in a studio, and switched to a one bedroom suite that I was going to move into a day later in switching from paid to points reservation.
So it could have been worse - it was on a Saturday evening, and no work meetings were missed. And no one in the elevator was claustrophobic and freaked out. And the power and lights stayed on the whole time - I think that there were some in that elevator who would have lost it if the lights went out.
Another day, another adventure in Marriott-land!
Was ascending to floor 8, elevator lurched to a stop (and I mean there was a very sudden drop and stop) between floors 4 and 5. There five of us in the elevator, and no one had ever gotten stuck before.
Spent the first five minutes ringing the emergency bell, with no response. After fiddling with an inactive phone in the elevator, which must have been for police and firefighters, we pressed another button with a phone symbol on it. This connected us via speakerphone to the front desk and that was the first they heard of our problem - so much for the emergency alarm bell!
Fire department was then called and it took around a half hour for them to arrive, pry open the doors, insert a ladder (since there was a >4 foot gap between the car and the fifth floor we exited through). Opening the doors this way released a lot of "dust" into the elevator car - I would have preferred to have a face mask for this part of the operation.
Once we escaped, a Marriott security staff took our names and room #s and said that we'd get a room upgrade for our troubles. This came in handy, as I was in a studio, and switched to a one bedroom suite that I was going to move into a day later in switching from paid to points reservation.
So it could have been worse - it was on a Saturday evening, and no work meetings were missed. And no one in the elevator was claustrophobic and freaked out. And the power and lights stayed on the whole time - I think that there were some in that elevator who would have lost it if the lights went out.
Another day, another adventure in Marriott-land!
Jan 14, 2017, 10:07 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
my bad
Last edited by joshua362; Jan 14, 2017 at 10:10 am Reason: error
Jan 14, 2017, 10:09 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
You wait! 
Glad you made it out safely & with wits. I fear claustrophobia might have set in for me.
Glad you made it out safely & with wits. I fear claustrophobia might have set in for me.
Jan 14, 2017, 10:14 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 142
I am glad you were okay. PSA - if you ever find yourself stuck in an elevator - best to ask everyone to sit down. For whatever reasons, standing in a small space is more distressing than sitting in one. Plus - less of a fall for the fainters in the group.
Jan 14, 2017, 10:29 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 461
On this forum?
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
4. Huge class action lawsuit with lawyers, press, celebrities... and such. No way that dust had nothing less than hantavirus, death spores, and several prion diseases. You've seen the attorney's client friendly physician by now, right?
5. Call the fire department unprofessional. Offer new training tips.
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
4. Huge class action lawsuit with lawyers, press, celebrities... and such. No way that dust had nothing less than hantavirus, death spores, and several prion diseases. You've seen the attorney's client friendly physician by now, right?
5. Call the fire department unprofessional. Offer new training tips.
Jan 14, 2017, 11:22 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: AA Plat Pro, United Silver, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,120
On this forum?
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
...
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
...
I was laughing when I read the OP because I couldn't believe I was on Flyertalk and transportprof was totally happy with a 1-night upgrade.
Jan 14, 2017, 1:24 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Jan 14, 2017, 4:18 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,471
On this forum?
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
4. Huge class action lawsuit with lawyers, press, celebrities... and such. No way that dust had nothing less than hantavirus, death spores, and several prion diseases. You've seen the attorney's client friendly physician by now, right?
5. Call the fire department unprofessional. Offer new training tips.
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
4. Huge class action lawsuit with lawyers, press, celebrities... and such. No way that dust had nothing less than hantavirus, death spores, and several prion diseases. You've seen the attorney's client friendly physician by now, right?
5. Call the fire department unprofessional. Offer new training tips.
Jan 14, 2017, 8:51 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 598
Sorry about that; not a fun experience! Glad they got you out safe and tried to make up for it.
Jan 14, 2017, 9:13 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
I recall a Six Feet Under and a LA Law Ep where this did not end so joyously. I think a room night complimentary would have helped for your 35 minutes of anguish. Thanks for the sitting down suggestion as it's never happened to me but I do honestly suffer bailing out of MRI tubes in past.
Last edited by joshua362; Jan 14, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Jan 15, 2017, 8:01 am
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,107
On this forum?
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
4. Huge class action lawsuit with lawyers, press, celebrities... and such. No way that dust had nothing less than hantavirus, death spores, and several prion diseases. You've seen the attorney's client friendly physician by now, right?
5. Call the fire department unprofessional. Offer new training tips.
1. Act like this is the first time in history an elevator broke. Be as melodramatic as possible: You've serious mental anguish; you missed your non-GMO, gluten free snack time; you are claustrophobic (of course); you had to wee wee and believe there is bladder/urethra damage.
2. Send Marriott a bill for your time, which you have calculated per waking hour. We are all highly sought after consultants. 30 minutes for most of here starts at 1750 US.
3. Beg for points and a free stay.
4. Huge class action lawsuit with lawyers, press, celebrities... and such. No way that dust had nothing less than hantavirus, death spores, and several prion diseases. You've seen the attorney's client friendly physician by now, right?
5. Call the fire department unprofessional. Offer new training tips.
Stuck elevators can happen at any chain, not just Marriott. If we took Marriott out of the title, the thread would be a good one for TravelBuzz.
Glad it worked out for the OP & no injuries. Of course if he wants to up the story a bit, it could be:
"There I was in the elevator with 5 other individuals when the elevator stopped. The bell & first phone didn't bring an immediate response. One of the other elevator occupants was panicking, and I said have no fear, transportprof is here! I reached for the doors & pried them open w/ my bare fingers/great strength, then climbed up to open another door, found a ladder, & escorted everyone across to safety so they could be on their way."
Cheers.
Jan 15, 2017, 2:44 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Ex-MSP
Programs: UA: Plat, Marriott: Annual Ambassador, Lifetime Grandfather
Posts: 293
Jan 15, 2017, 7:56 pm
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 254
I'd rather miss work meetings than my Saturday night plans
Jan 15, 2017, 8:17 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Seattle, Wa
Programs: AS 75K & BR Member- HHonors Diamond - Hertz PC - Marriott Titanium - IHG Ambassador
Posts: 2,379
The title Reminds me of the Karl the cable repair man scene in The Big lebowski -
Maude Lebowski "I'm sure you can imagine where it goes from here"
Jeffrey 'the dude' Lebowski "He fixes the cable?"
Anyway- glad it all worked out for ya.
Maude Lebowski "I'm sure you can imagine where it goes from here"
Jeffrey 'the dude' Lebowski "He fixes the cable?"
Anyway- glad it all worked out for ya.
Jan 16, 2017, 8:58 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SJC/SFO (previously BNE, SIN, SHA/PVG)
Programs: UA GS/MM, Marriott TE, National EE, Global Entry/TSA-Pre, APEC BTC
Posts: 162
If you got stuck overnight, it may have counted as another reward night