Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Cameroon take card payments at check-in
Cameroon isn’t card-friendly for hostels. When I arrived in Douala, the hostel manager literally laughed when I asked about paying with Visa. Even in the capital, cash was the norm. ATMs at BICEC bank and Société Générale worked with my Mastercard, but charges were high. If you want to avoid running around for cash, it’s smart to withdraw enough when you first arrive. Hostels here just aren’t geared towards cards - bring CFA and make life easier.
I’d say assume cash unless you’re staying at a higher-end hotel. Hostels in Yaoundé and Bamenda all told me to pay in CFA francs at check-in. It wasn’t a negotiation. I used Ecobank ATMs in the city center, but had trouble in more remote areas. Don’t wait until late in the evening to get cash because machines sometimes run out. Hostels are cheap, but having cash sorted in advance is the only way to avoid hassles.
Don’t expect to swipe a card in Cameroon hostels. I stayed at one in Bonapriso, Douala, and another in Yaoundé near Bastos - both insisted on cash. The ATMs in Douala airport worked fine for me, but once I was upcountry, I didn’t see many. Even in the capital, cash rules. My tip: withdraw at the airport or in central Douala before heading anywhere else. Hostels here are not set up for reliable card acceptance.
Cameroon is very cash-based. I stayed in Douala and Yaoundé, and both hostels asked for cash. One said their card machine was “for show.” ATMs from Société Générale Cameroun and Ecobank worked fine for withdrawing CFA francs, but international cards sometimes failed at smaller banks. If you’re planning to avoid ATM runs, best option is to carry enough cash in CFA upfront. I wouldn’t count on hostels taking cards, even if they show a Visa or Mastercard logo.