Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Taiwan or cash is king?
I’ve stayed at a few boutique hostels and capsule spots in Taipei and Taichung. Some accept cards, but it’s inconsistent. If they do take card, they’ll often require a minimum spend or add a 2-4% fee. Many use manual bank transfers or cash for check-in. For peace of mind, I usually pay for the first night online, then settle the rest in cash. Taiwan isn’t fully cashless yet in the budget stay scene.
Booked a place on Hostelworld and assumed I could pay by card. When I showed up in Kaohsiung, they said “cash only.” Same thing happened again in Hualien. I had to run to a nearby Land Bank ATM just to check in. Moral of the story? Even if the booking site says card is accepted, always message them to confirm - and have TWD ready just in case.
I stayed at 4 hostels during my trip - two in Taipei, one in Taichung, one in Tainan. Only the Taipei one accepted card, and even that required a 3% surcharge. The rest wanted cash. Most of the staff were nice about it, but they do expect you to settle bills in New Taiwan Dollars. If you’re planning to hostel-hop, it’s easier to just carry enough cash and avoid surprises.
Cash is still king at many hostels here. I stayed in dorms across Taipei, Hualien, and Taitung. Only one took card, and the rest all asked for cash at check-in, even if I booked online. Some claimed their card machine was broken, others just didn’t want to deal with fees. Bring enough cash to pay upfront, or ask before booking.