The Grand Canyon Caverns are the largest dry cavern in the United States. The caverns are 220 feet underground and are a popular tourist destination, especially as there's an elevator that will take you down without all that inconvenient spelunking stuff.

But if the elevator breaks, like it did this week, then there are 21 flights of fire escape stairs to climb.

Most of the tourists exploring the caverns when the elevator went out were able to exit using the stairs. However, five tourists were unable to climb due to physical conditions, and they were effectively trapped underground.

Technicians attempted to repair the elevator, but the mechanical issues were too great to get the tourists out in a timely manner, so in the end, they had to use a pulley system to hoist them up.

It wasn't all bad for the tourists stuck in the cave though.

I mean usually when there's a story about someone being trapped underground, it's pretty grim like the Chilean miners in 2010:

Or the soccer team trapped in the underwater cave in Thailand:

But this is America. We demand some luxury when we get trapped in a cave.

The five tourists got to stay at the Grand Canyon Caverns Suite. A swanky little man cave in the caverns complete with a television, microwave, mini fridge, coffee maker--there's even a record player with records to play, and a complete collection of National Geographic dating back to 1917.

Just look at this place!

Usually rates for the underground suite run upwards of $1000 per night, but not when it is being used as an emergency barracks.

Of course it looks like the family that was trapped down there had babies, so I can understand the trouble they were in.

Still, I think if I were stuck down there, I'd be saying, "Take your time."