On the west side of the Landmark Hotel in Bangkok you'll find twin fast glass elevators (when they are working). What is interesting is that they start in an atrium, and then blast through the roof and emerge outside the hotel on an express run to the 31st floor.

In Sydney, the Queen Victoria Building. The elevator only goes up 4 floors, but it is so...well, "Victorian!"

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"An upgrade, an upgrade! My kingdom for an upgrade!"

There was one of these in Stockholm as well (may still be there - I haven't looked for many years). It was in a building at Norrmalmstorg. The US Information Service used to have an office in that building. I think it is the same building as where the Hotel Stockholm is/was located.

While in Stockholm, there is a very large old wrought iron elevator in the Grand Hotel. This one is in the back of the hotel and is open to guests and visitors, unless it is booked for a private dinner

In the old "Bon Ami" (the cleanser powder) factory in Manchester, CT there is a huge freight elevator. The area was used by a hobby store in the 70's and 80's. They may still be there and be willing to let you ride.

/Pete

Anybody remember the elevator to the old President's Club at IAH?

Who can forget the strange elevator on the United DC-10-30? Not for those who can't stand tight places!

usoftie: Yes, the Bonaventure was known as a Marriott in True Lies.

letiole: The technical term for the kind of rotating elevator you saw in Frankfurt is "paternoster." Those were quite popular in Germany at one time.

Applefan: A better example of John Portman's work is the Renaissance Center in Detroit, the big brother to the Westin Bonaventure. The tallest tower, the Marriott hotel, is 73 stories tall, has an express glass elevator to the top outside, and 1800 fpm interior elevators. The four main office towers all have exterior glass elevators.

Perhaps the best elevator building that ever existed is the (now demolished) Landmark Hotel in Las Vegas. Wonderful glass elevator outside, plus an enormous express elevator with all of the effects: clicks and motor sounds [the elevator equivalent of revving your car engine], dramatic acceleration and deceleration, and, while waiting outside for the elevator to arrive, a breeze blowing at you through the closed doors as the elevator approached the landing to whet your appetite for the ride experience to come. The James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever featured Sean Connery riding on top of the Landmark glass elevator.

elektrik: The tune that I associate with elevators is Ramsey Lewis' Sun Goddess. I once made a Super 8 movie on the Landmark elevators synchronized to this song. Think about the opening bars of Sun Goddess the next time you are on a fast elevator that is accelerating...somehow it fits.

BTW, I expected 2-3 responses to my query...this is awesome! Thanks for all of the tips...keep 'em coming.

Another one that someone made me think of when they mentioned LCD panel - in the New Otani Makuhari hotel in Japan, the elevators had an LCD display that showed a video of fish on a coral reef! http://www.lemson.com/lemson/picture...evatorfish.jpg

What about the "elevators" in the Golden Gateway Arch in St. Louis. They are elevators/trams/trains that tilt as you ascend so that you'll always stay level.

They load like eight elevators stacked on top of each other, and they end up side by side (picture, if you will, the shape of an arch).

Mac

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Via con Dios!

A great example of John Portman's work is the Westin Peachtree Plaza in downtown Atlanta. It is nearly identical to the Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit.

Also 73-stories, 723ft. tall, and offers incredible views of downtown ATL. It appears to be taller, as the building sits in the middle of downtown at the corner of Peachtree Street and International Blvd, which I think is the highest elevation in the downtown area.

On a clear day, you can see for miles and miles. Views are to the north towards Midtown and Buckhead, south towards Turner Field and Hartsfield Intl, and east to Decatur and Stone Mountain. Lots of green treetops beginning just beyond Downtown/Midtown and extending forever.

Swift ride to the top in a glass elevator.

Though I have never been in the Marriott Renaissance Center, I cannot imagine that the view of the downtown Detroit skyline is overly impressive. However, it has been ten years since my last visit to The Motor City, so I may be incorrect in that assertion.

Okay you Seattle-ites -- there is an old office building that was built by a steel guy. All the moldings *look* like wood but are steel. It's incredible and the elevators are unbelieveable old neat things, ornate and really old.

I forget the name of the building but it's one of the most famous old buildings in Seattle, downtown, there is presently an interactive ad agency there.

Sorry I can't remember the name...

Atlman: The view from the top of the Renaissance Center is gorgeous. Not the unspectacular downtown Detroit side, but the side facing the Detroit River and Windsor, Ontario on the other side of the river. On a sunny day you can see freighters traveling up and down the river...in the summer the river and the islands in the middle of it present a lush and green vista. Portman recognized this and faced the glass elevators on the hotel towards the river.

richard: The Seattle building you recall is the Smith Tower. But...the new owner of this building did a dishonorable thing: Although the elevators still have operators, and the old cars and doors are indeed impressive, he replaced the antique manual rheostat wheel controls with a modern pushbutton panel. No fair! That's like putting an engine into a buggy that's drawn by a horse. Use the darn manual controls if your're gonna claim historical authenticity. Heck, the Bradbury Building in L.A. recently had new manual controls installed into their elevators to make them look old, so it's not like you cannot maintain the old components.

I believe the Smith Tower elevators were featured in the movie "Disclosure" - Michael Douglas' attorney had an office in the building.

That the elevators show off the river and Windsor definitely makes a big difference in the experience riding up/down to/from the revolving restaurant at the top. There is a revolving restaurant, right? I'm assuming the Westin in ATL and the Marriott in DET are nearly identical. They sure look like it from the exterior

Atlman: The Summit Restaurant (presently closed for renovation while GM is overhauling the entire Ren Cen) is a three story complex. The lowest floor is a revolving restaurant. The middle floor is an observation gallery with gift shop. The top floor is a cocktail lounge which revolves in the opposite direction of the restaurant.

One important difference between the Westin Peachtree and the Marriott Ren Cen: The interior elevators at the Peachtree do not move nearly as fast as the ones at the Ren Cen. But they both have been upgraded with these cool yellow LCD floor indicator screens.

AlexB,

Agreed -- the Marriot Marquis in ATL is something special; and the breath-taking view from the top down on the interior is spectacular!

Several further examples in Chicago fit your request.

1. Try the Fine Arts Bldg. @ 418 S. Michigan for an Antique elevator ride (complete with operator).

2. Obviously, the Sears Tower elevator is really something (ears popping all the way up as you try and catch your breath).

3a. Try the Water Tower Place elevator (across from the Hancock Bldg.) for a cool and quick all-glass lift (make sure it's the express elevator to the top of the mall).

3b. Try the State of Illinois Bldg. elevators over-looking the huge glass lobby and 200-foot entry way. (Yes, it's that large glass building -- designed by Helmut Jahn -- that looks like a spaceship crashed in the loop. Just hop off the L at Clark and Lake and you're there...)

Enjoy!

Without question, the most thrilling elevator ride you will ever find is at The Hollywood Tower Hotel at Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

And BTW violist, this elevator does move horizontally as well, in all directions.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 12-01-2000).]