Travelling soon - any advice if hostels accept cards in Kenya or I have to give them cash
My experience: Mombasa Backpackers took my Visa after swiping three times, but the system felt outdated. Another place in Kisumu only dealt in cash, period. It’s not a huge hassle - withdrawing from Equity Bank ATMs is easy enough. Just don’t show up late at night assuming card will work.
For Kenya, I’d say carry cash by default. Hostels in Naivasha and Nakuru around the lakes almost always prefer it. In Nairobi’s CBD you might get away with cards, but once you’re out in smaller towns the machines are unreliable. Don’t expect contactless like you’d find in Europe.
At Wildebeest Eco Camp in Nairobi, they took my Mastercard with no problem. In contrast, a hostel I stayed at near Diani Beach flatly refused cards, saying their machine was broken. Had to run to a KCB Bank ATM at Ukunda Junction. Advice: always have backup cash, especially on the coast.
Nairobi hostels vary a lot - some near Westlands and Kilimani are modern and take cards, but the backpacker spots in Karen or Mombasa’s Old Town usually want cash. I had to pay shillings in two places despite their listing saying “cards accepted.” It’s cheap anyway, but I’d carry at least 2,000-3,000 KES when checking in.