I had my breakfast at Hot Eatsue on the 17th floor and came down the café on the first floor. I sat down at the end of the communal table and finished the final half of the book I had brought. It was quiet and it felt like I was seated in the first floor café of the Ace Hotel London Shoreditch (the only difference is that the long table in the Ace Hotel’s café is filled with young people on their MacBooks). Officially launched in December, Hotel Cappuccino is very similar to the Ace Hotel in many ways. They both have a vintage vibe that flows throughout the café, restaurant and rooms. They even have pet-friendly rooms and they both have a section where you can buy souvenirs at the check-in desk. Hotel Cappuccino makes a stronger impression with its modern and simple interior design, but what makes this place particularly special is that they are the first hotel in Korea to incorporate a share value system program. If you use the elevator with the image of an angel on it, 500 won will be added to your hotel fee every time you use it. When you check out of the hotel, that money goes to charity. Each room has a E&G (Earn & Giveaway) box, and if you don’t use any products in that box, the price it cost to put that box together is also donated (unless you exchange that for a free coffee coupon, but would your conscience allow that?) Ordering an “angel menu” from the restaurant, café or bar will allow you to donate a certain amount of money to water.org, founded by Gary White and Matt Damon. I was hesitant to use a cotton swab from the E&B box, and for the first time ever, I counted the number of times I used the elevator. This hotel makes you give everything a second thought, but it was never from a place of annoyance. It was actually a very reflective experience, and I got to see how much I wastefully use without even thinking twice. I was able to turn my small inconveniences into something worthwhile.
