Cash or card at hostels in Slovenia

Slovenia was one of the easiest European countries for card use. I paid with card everywhere, including hostels in Ljubljana and Lake Bled. Only tiny mountain huts in Triglav National Park required cash, but that’s expected. For hostels specifically, cards are widely accepted. I’d still keep a small amount of euros just in case, but I never had to use cash for accommodation. Slovenia makes travel simple in that way.

I brought too much cash thinking Slovenia would be cash-heavy, but most hostels I stayed in accepted cards. One place in Kranjska Gora didn’t take Amex but was fine with Mastercard. Another in Bled charged a small extra fee for using card, so I just paid cash. I’d say cards are widely accepted, but it's still smart to have some local cash on hand - especially for smaller hostels or late check-ins.

Hostels in Slovenia are generally card-friendly, especially in major hubs like Ljubljana, Bled, and Celje. Most of mine even sent secure online links ahead of time for easy check-in. I only came across one that required cash on arrival - it was a smaller spot in the countryside. If you’re sticking to well-known towns, cards will cover you, but keep some euros handy for security deposits, lockers, or laundry tokens.

In Ljubljana and Maribor, every hostel I stayed at took cards - either at the front desk or through Booking.com prepayments. I used my Visa debit at Celica Art Hostel with no problem. One hostel in Bovec did ask for cash because their card machine was acting up during a storm. It’s best to check ahead or message them, but in most cities, you’ll be fine using a card.