Babs the B.
Yelp
DANGEROUS FOR WOMEN
Last night at Junto Hotel in Columbus, my friend and I experienced one of the scariest situations I've ever been in.
We called the elevator, and two men were already inside. They were going to floor 8 asked what floor we were going to and then pressed 5 themselves.
Neither of them used a key card to scan the elevator- which the elevators are supposed to be equipped with. One of the men then said to the other "Actually, I'm getting off on 5," and the other said, "I'll hold the hotel room open for you."
When the doors opened at 5, we refused to get off. One man stepped out, while the second insisted, "This is your floor," we said we're going to 7 and then watched him pull out his phone, opened his messages, and began typing.
We got off at 7 while he continued up. My friend suggested the stairs, fearing they were coordinating via text, I worried one of them might be waiting.
Moments later, the SAME elevator we had just been on came back down immediately and a man exited and started walking the floor. We hid pressed up to another elevator, called 911, and hid while we heard someone walking around our floor.
When I called 911, the dispatcher told me I had to speak louder although I was pleaing " I am in danger I am at the Junto Hotel they are looking for me and I'm hiding"
911 asked why I didn't call the front desk multiple times as I'm still hiding while the man is walking around the floor. I do not know the front desks number but I know how to call 911
An elevator finally came and thank god the second man was not in it. We closed the door as quick as possible went to the front desk who was very rude and dismissive.
A couple minutes later the police came.
Police and, staff moved us to another room--only one floor away from where this happened. The front desk was dismissive, minimizing what we went through. When the police arrived, I told them the entire story, assuming they were taking a report.
They escorted us to the new room and then left. I told the police and hotel staff I did not feel safe staying there and when I asked if they were just leaving, they said no--they were going downstairs to get information on the suspects. But just a couple minutes later, the front desk called to ask if I was okay (I was not) and told me the police had already left.
That's when I realized no official report had been filed. The officers never asked for my ID or phone number. My friend called family to pick us up and we got out of that hotel immediately. Even though there was no imminent threat there was no attempt to locate these men, no one looked at the video cameras. Nothing. I didn't even get an email from management until I reached out to them. And they apologized that I felt "uncomfortable"
The most alarming part: this elevator at Junto did not require key card access, (when the others do) meaning anyone could go directly to the guest floors and wander freely. This is a major safety risk and should never happen in a hotel.
I did not feel safe, I was not treated with urgency or empathy, and I will never stay here again.