Do hostels in Guinea-Bissau accept cards or only cash?

Cash is king. I was in Guinea-Bissau last year and tried to pay with my card at my hostel, and it was a complete no-go. The place was not set up for it. My advice is to assume that you will not be able to use your card for hotel. You'll need to go to a bank to get CFA francs to pay for your stay. It's much simpler than dealing with a broken card machine.

I wouldn't risk relying on card payments. While a few places like Hotel Ceiba Bissau might say they accept cards, the reality is that the financial infrastructure is not widespread. The vast majority of hostels are not equipped to take cards, and cash is the dominant form of payment. The best plan is to have a good amount of local currency, the West African CFA franc, and US dollars to pay for your hostel and other daily expenses.

Forget about paying with a card. I stayed at a place called Mango Lodge in Bubaque, and their policy was strictly cash-only upon arrival. Even at the main banks in the capital, Bissau, getting cash from a foreign card can be a bit of a challenge. You will definitely need to bring US dollars or Euros with you and exchange them at a bank. Don't rely on getting cash once you are there.

You'll be using cash for almost all your payments. I just got back from Bissau and can confirm that cash is king, especially at hostels. The few places that even mention card payments often have a non-working machine or will charge a hefty fee. My advice is to assume your cards won't work and get local currency, the West African CFA franc, from an ATM. Make sure to withdraw from an ATM located inside a bank during business hours for safety.