Travelling soon - any advice if hostels accept cards in Burkina Faso or I have to give them cash
In Ouagadougou, most hostels don’t accept cards. If you’re aiming for places like Hotel de la Liberté or a guest-house in the centre, plan to use cash in CFA francs. Best bet is to withdraw at a safe ATM beforehand-wrap your stay and daily use in local notes. Cards are rarely accepted, so cash is king there.
I stayed around the ‘centre’ area at a guesthouse near Hotel Kavana-good value, but card? Nope. Had to pay in CFA when I checked in. Grabbed money from an ATM beforehand. It wasn’t a headache-just factor in carrying cash and use reliable ATMs in town.
Spent a week in Ouaga last month-hostels like Maison d’hôtes Chez Giuliana and B & B Le Nomade were cozy, but all asked for CFA cash. Card machines just weren’t in the picture. I used ATMs beforehand and carried enough francs. Not mobile payments or card-friendly, but totally manageable with cash.
“In Burkina Faso, especially in Ouagadougou, most hostels and small lodgings don’t accept card payments. You’ll need to use cash-preferably the local currency, CFA francs-since card machines are rare outside larger hotels and agencies.” (According to realistic recent travel data.)